You Won't Want to Miss These Chicago Music Festivals and Venues

The genres represented in the Chicago music scene are as diverse as its settings—festivals and concert venues showcase an array of styles from blues and indie rock to electronic dance and hip-hop. Lose yourself in sweet melodies and unique rhythms as you explore an array of sounds.

Be Part of History

For three days in June, more than 500,000 music fans crowd into Grant Park for the famed Chicago Blues Festival, the largest free blues festival in the world. Over the course of the weekend, Chicago flexes its melodic muscles as the “Blues Capital of the World” and it’s hard to argue with any event that has included such iconic performers as Buddy Guy and B.B. King. If you’re looking for lesser known musicians, you’ll find them here, too. The festival heavily promotes local up-and-coming blues acts. Three stages are used throughout the day, but the Petrillo Music Shell showcases the festival’s headliners each evening.

Get Eclectic

Housed inside a former 1912 nickelodeon theater in the trendy Lincoln Park neighborhood, Lincoln Hall is a laid-back music venue. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a bad view in this intimate concert hall with top-rated acoustics and a balcony. Concerts are held throughout the year, showcasing such diverse genres as indie folk rock, electronic dance music and experimental funk. The casual on-site restaurant serves up hearty fare like burgers and sandwiches, while the bar offers daily happy hours. Reservations for the restaurant require a minimum order, but include balcony seating during the concert.
Photo credit: Clayton Hauck

Say No More—Lollapalooza

The pre-eminent music festival of the 1990s, Lollapalooza returned in 2005 with a vengeance, naming Chicago’s sprawling Grant Park its permanent home. Since then, the four-day summer festival boasts up to five stages, and has featured such megastars as Lady Gaga, Pearl Jam, Green Day and Depeche Mode. In addition to big names, the festival showcases lesser known but renowned acts from the world of punk, heavy metal, hip-hop and reggae. Organizers provide a variety of food trucks, a stage reserved specifically for kid-friendly musical performers and an artisan marketplace where local vendors sell handmade artwork and jewelry.

Eat, Drink, and be Merry

Schubas Tavern is nestled inside the 1903 brick, neo-Gothic Lincoln Hall in Lake View. Despite its elegant interior, complete with a mahogany bar, tin-pressed ceilings and walnut wainscoting, the venue offers a casual concert-going experience. Heralded for featuring budding young musicians, the cozy 200-capacity venue highlights an array of performers throughout the year, including acoustic, country, jazz and blues ensembles.

See it All

Music from around the globe is on hand at the Square Roots Festival in the artsy neighborhood of Lincoln Square. More than 70 acts take to two stages during the three-day, outdoor summer event. Performers hail from all corners of the world, including the Caribbean, Africa and New Zealand. Cool off during scorching summer days with a cold one from the craft beer tent that serves more than 30 different varieties. Sample an array of cuisines from local food vendors, shop for homemade crafts or take the kids to the petting zoo in the family fun zone.

Come Hungry, Leave Happy

Come hungry to the Taste of Chicago in Grant Park, one of the most famous food festivals in the world. The five-day summer event caters to foodies, as local chefs serve up some of the Windy City’s most beloved specialties, including deep-dish pizza and Chicago-style hot dogs. There’s more to this festival than food—each year the event showcases major musical acts at the Petrillo Music Shell. Past participants include Weezer, The Roots and Robin Thicke. Lawn seating is free, but pavilion seats will cost you.

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