Month: March 2015

It’s that time of year again to announce the 2015 Chicago Summer Events!

• Chicago Kids and Kites Festival  Chicago Kids and Kites Festival, May 2, Montrose Harbor
• Polish Constitution Day Parade, May 2, Dearborn from Lake to Van Buren, steps off, 11:30 a.m.
• James Beard Foundation Awards (new event), May 4
• Chicago Symphony Orchestra Spring Festival, May 7 – 23
• American Beer Classic, May 9, Soldier Field
• Mayfest, May 15 – 17, Lakeview, Ashland and Barry
• Chicago Craft Beer Week, May 14-24, various locations
• Chicago Memorial Day Parade, May 23, noon, State Street from Lake to Van Buren
• Navy Pier Summer Fireworks, May 23 – September 5: Wednesdays & Saturdays
• Randolph Street Market Festival, May 23, 24, 1350 block W. Randolph and 1340 W. Washington Street between Ada and Ogden
• Belmont-Sheffield Music Festival, May 23, 24
• Bike the Drive, May 24, Lake Shore Drive
• Maifest Chicago, May 28-May 31, Lincoln Square at Lincoln Ave. and Leland Ave.
• Millennium Art Festival, May 29 – 31, Lake Street at Michigan Avenue
• Chicago Gospel Music Festival, May 29 – 31
• Do Division Fest, Saturday and Sunday, May 30, 3, 12-6pm on Hoyne between Crystal and Potomac and on Crystal between Hoyne and Damen
• Fiesta del Taco, May 29 – 31, Little Village, 2600 S. Kostner (at 26th St.)

• Taste of Mexico, (new) June 5-7, 3000 W. 26th Street (at Sacramento)
• 57th Street Art Fair: June 6-7, Hyde Park
• Remix Chicago: Chicago’s Recycled Art Fair, June 6 – 7, Logan Square, Milwaukee between Fullerton and California
• Printers Row Lit Fest, June 6, 7, S. Dearborn and Polk
• Andersonville Midsommarfest, June 12 – 14, Andersonville
• Ribfest Chicago, June 12-14, Lincoln/Irving Park/Damen
• Spring Awakening, June 12-14, Soldier Field
• Chicago Blues Fest, June 12-14, Grant Park, Millennium Park
• Brew to Be Wild, (new), wine tasting event, June 13, Lincoln Park Zoo
• Ravinia Festival, June 13-September 12, Highland Park (northern suburbs)
• Old Town Art Fair, June 13, 14, Old Town
• Naked bike ride, June 13
• Wells Street Art Festival, June 13, 14, Wells Street, between North Avenue and Division Street
• Grant Park Music Festival, June 17 – August 22, Wednesdays, Fridays, 6:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 7:30 p.m., Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park, free
• Fiestas Puertorriqueñas and Puerto Rican Parade, June 18-21, Humboldt Park, Division Street
• Taste of Randolph, June 19-21, Randolph and Peoria St., West Loop
• Oakley Festa Pasta Vino, June 19-21, 2400 S. Oakley
• Windy City Lake Shake, (new) June 19, 20, 21, Northerly Island
• Elkhart Jazz Festival, June 19, 20, 21, downtown Elkhart, IN.
• B96 Pepsi Summer Bash, Toyota Park, June 20
• Millennium Park movies, June 23 – Aug. 25, 2015 (Tuesdays)
• 6 Corners BBQ Fest, June 20-21, 4000 N. Milwaukee Ave. (at Irving Park Rd./Cicero Ave. to Belle Plaine)
• Wicker Park’s Green Music Fest, June 20, 21, Damen betw North and Schiller
• Gold Coast Art Festival, June 20, 21, Grant Park’s Butler Field at the corner of Monroe and Lake Shore Drive
• Chicago Pride Fest, June 20 – 21, Halsted and Waveland
• Make Music Chicago, June 21, various locations
• World’s Largest Block Party, June 27, 28, Old St. Patrick’s Church, 700 W. Adams
• 2015 Chicago Dragon Boat Race for Literacy, June 27, Ping Tom Memorial Park, 300 W. 19th Street
• Sausage Fest (new), June 27, 28, Elston at Grace
• Randolph Street Market Festival, June 27, 28, 1350 block W. Randolph and 1340 W. Washington Street between Ada and Ogden
• Summerfest, June 24-28, June 30-July 6, Henry Maier Festival Park, Milwaukee
• Pride Parade, June 28, North Broadway, Boystown
• Navy Pier Summer Fireworks, Wednesdays & Saturdays, all month

• African/Caribbean International Festival of Life, July 3-5, Union Park
• Windy City RibFest: July 3-5, Uptown, Lawrence and Broadway
• Naperville RibFest, July 2-5, Knoch Park in Naperville, western suburb
• Summerfest, July 1-July 6, Henry Maier Festival Park, Milwaukee
• Fare Thee Well, Grateful Dead concert, July 3, 4, 5, Soldier Field
• Fourth of July Fireworks, July 4 at Navy Pier
• Chosen Few Picnic, July 4 in Jackson Park, 63rd and Hayes Drive
• Taste of Chicago, July 8-12, Grant Park
• Square Roots Music Festival, July 10-12, Lincoln Square
• Michigan Avenue Art Festival, July 10-12, Pioneer Court
• Irish American Heritage Festival, July, 10-12 , Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox
• Windy City Smokeout, July 10-12, at Grand Avenue and the Chicago River
• Taste of Lakeview, July 11, 12, Lincoln at Belmont
• Survive Paint Wars (Outdoor Paint Party), Saturday July 11, Hawthorne Race Course
• Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac, July 11, from Navy Pier and Columbia Yacht Club
• Roscoe Village Burger Fest, July 11,12, Belmont and Damen
• West Fest: July 11,12, West Town, Chicago Ave. from Damen to Wood
• Green City Market Chefs BBQ, July 16, Lincoln Park
• Taste of River North: July 17-19, River North, Kingsbury and Erie Street
• BenFest 2015, July 17-19, St. Benedict’s, 2215 W. Irving Park Rd.
• Pitchfork Music Festival: July 17-19, Union Park
• Summer on Southport, July 18, 19, Southport and Waveland
• Sheffield Garden Walk & Festival: July 18,-19, Lincoln Park, Sheffield and Webster
• Chicago Craft Beer Festival, July 18-19, Sheffield and Webster
• Celebrate Clark Street Festival, Saturday, July 18, 19, between Morse and Estes Avenue
• Chinatown Summer Fair, July 19, Wentworth Ave from Cermak Road to 24th Place
• North Dearborn Street Garden Walk, July 19, starts Latin School, 45 W. North
• Jeff Fest Arts and Music Festival, July 24-26, Jefferson Park, Lawrence and Long Avenues
• Chicago Hot Sauce Fest (new) July 25, 26, Avondale neighborhood (Belmont & Elston)
• Bloody Mary festival, July 26, downtown Highwood, northern suburb
• Taste of Lincoln Avenue, July 25 – 26, N. Lincoln Avenue between Fullerton & Wrightwood
• Randolph Street Market Festival, July 25, 26, 1350 block W. Randolph and 1340 W. Washington Street between Ada and Ogden
• Wicker Park Fest, July 25-26, Milwaukee Avenue Between North Avenue and Paulina Street
• Fiesta del Sol: July 30-August 2, Pilsen on Cermak between Morgan and Ashland
• Lollapalooza, July 31 – August 2, Grant Park
• Navy Pier Summer Fireworks, Wednesdays & Saturdays, all month

• Fiesta del Sol: July 30-August 2, Pilsen on Cermak between Morgan and Ashland
• Lollapalooza, July 31 – August 2, Grant Park
• Taste of Latin America, August 1, 2, 3600 to 3828 W Armitage
• Edge Fest: August 1, 2, Edgewater, 5900 N. Broadway at Thorndale Ave.
• Chicago Hot Dog Fest, August 7-9, Chicago History Museum, Clark and LaSalle
• Ginza Holiday, August 7-9, Midwest Buddhist Temple, Old Town
• Retro on Roscoe, August 7- 9, Damen Avenue and Roscoe Street
• Bud Billiken Parade (and related activities), August 8, 35-55th & Martin Luther King Drive, 10 a.m.
• Wrigleyville Summerfest, August 8, 9, School Street and Seminary Avenue
• Northalsted Market Days, August 8, 9, Halsted Street and Belmont Avenue
• Taste of Andersonville, August 12, dinner crawl
• Festa Italiana, August 13-August 16, Little Italy, Taylor St.
• Edison Park Fest, August 14-16, Chicago’s northwest side, Oshkosh and Olmsted
• Glenwood Avenue Arts Fest: August 14-16, Rogers Park
•  Windy City Carnival, August 15, Midway Plaisance park
• Chicago Air & Water Show, August 15, 16 (rehearsal August 14) North Avenue Beach
• Great American Lobster Fest, August 15–16, Navy Pier
• Reggae Fest Chicago, August 15 – 16
• Highwood Garlic Fest, Everts Park, August 19, 4-9 p.m., northern suburb
• Clark After Dark, Thursday, August 20, on Hubbard Street between Clark and LaSalle, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• Albany Park World Fest, August 22, 23, Lawrence & Kimball
• Chicago Food Social, August 22, 23, Kendall College parking lot
• West Loop Arts Fest ,August 22, 23, Washington St., West Loop
• Taste of Greektown, August 22, 23, 400 S. Halsted St. at Van Buren
• Chicago Dancing Festival, August 25 – 29, various locations
• SausageFest Chicago, August 28-30, Old Town
• The Magnificent Mile Shopping Festival, August 28-September 7, North Michigan Avenue
• Bucktown Arts Festival, August 29, 30, Bucktown
• Chicago Fashion Fest, August 29-30, Division St. from Wolcott to Paulina
• Randolph Street Market Festival, August 29, 30, 1350 block W. Randolph and 1340 W. Washington Street between Ada and Ogden
• Taste of Highland Park, August 29, 30, art, food, entertainment, downtown Highland Park, northern suburb
• Transamerica Chicago Triathlon, August 30, Lake Michigan, Monroe Harbor and the lake
• Festival Cubano, Riis Park, Fullerton and Narragansett, August, TBA
• Bash on Wabash, Wabash between 13th and 14, August, TBA
• Navy Pier Summer Fireworks, Wednesdays & Saturdays, all month

• The Magnificent Mile Shopping Festival, Through September 7
• Chicago Fringe Festival, September 3 – 13, Jefferson Park
• Chicago Jazz Festival, September 3-6, Grant Park
• Englewood Jazz Festival, September 3-6, Hamilton Park Cultural Center
• Taste of Polonia, September 4-7, Copernicus Center, 5216 W. Lawrence Ave.
• African Festival of the Arts, September 4-7, Washington Park
• Navy Pier Summer Fireworks, final day, September 5
• Stars of Lyric Opera at Millennium Park, September 11
• Riot Fest, September 11-13, Humboldt Park, 1440 N. Sacramento Avenue
• Roscoe Village Oyster Fest (Shock Top), September 11-12, Damen Avenue & Roscoe St.
• Windy City Wine Festival, September 11, 12, Buckingham Fountain.
• German American Fest and Von Steuben Parade, September 11-13, Lincoln and Leland Avenues
• Festival de la Villita, September 11-13, 26th Street and Kostner Avenue
• World Music Festival Chicago *16th annual* September 11 – 22, various locations including Millennium Park
• Venetian Night, September 12, dusk, Navy Pier, 600 E Grand Ave
• Misericordia Family Fest, September 13, 6300 N. Ridge
• ITU World Triathlon Grand Final *new event* September 15 – 20, Grant Park
• Fifth Star Awards, September 16, Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park
• EXPO Chicago, September 17 – 20
• Evanston Art & Big Fork Festival, September 18-20, Sherman from Elgin to Davis, Church from Benson to Orrington, and Clark from Benson to Sherman
• Ravenswood ArtWalk, September 19, 20, Ravenswood between Leland and Grace
• Lakeview Taco Fest, September 19, 20, on Southport between Addison & Roscoe
• Renegade Craft Fair: September Market, September 19, 20, Wicker Park
• Andersonville City Made Fest, September 19, 20, Clark and Argyle
• Chicago Gourmet, September 25 – 27, Harris Theatre and Millennium Park
• Oktoberfest Chicago, September 25-27, Southport and Lincoln Avenue
• Edgewater Fall Art Fair, September 26, 27, Broadway and Granville
• Design Harvest, September 26, 27, Grand Ave between Wood Street and Western Ave.
• Hyde Park Jazz Festival, September 26, 27, Hyde Park, various locations
• Chicago Half Marathon, September 27, Jackson Park
• Ukrainian Days Festival, Smith Park (Grand/Campbell), September, TBA
• North Coast Music Festival, Union Park, September TBA