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Chicago 2015 Summer Festivals Guide

By DNAinfo Staff | May 21, 2015 5:41am | Updated on July 24, 2015 5:13pm
 World's Largest Block Party, Pride Parade, Chicago SummerDance and others slated for June 26-28 weekend.
World's Largest Block Party, Pride Parade, Chicago SummerDance and others slated for June 26-28 weekend.
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DNAinfo, Flickr/kymberleyann

CHICAGO — We've got your comprehensive guide to every summer festival in Chicago this year.

See below for the whole list, or check out this weekend's offerings (July 24-26), including Jeff Fest, Wicker Park Fest and Fiesta del Sol.

 

MAY

Chicago Craft Beer Week

May 14-24

Various locations

 

Hyde Park Garden Fair

May 15-16

Hyde Park Shopping Center, Lake Park Avenue and 55th Street

Free

 

Mayfest

May 15-17

3100 N. Ashland Ave.

$10 admission

 

Belmont-Sheffield Music Festival

May 23-24

Sheffield, from Belmont to Roscoe

Suggested $5 donation

 

Mole de Mayo

May 23-24

18th Street at Ashland Avenue

$5 suggested donation

 

Maifest Chicago

May 28-31

Leland and Lincoln

Free

 

Chicago Science Fest

May 28-30

Various downtown locations (10 S. Dearborn; 175 W. Washington; Merchandise Mart)

$10-30 depending on event.

 

Pivot Arts Festival

May 28-June 7

Various locations in Uptown and Edgewater

Free - $30

 

Millennium Art Festival

May 29-31

Lake Street at Michigan Ave.

Free

 

Do-Division Street Fest & Sidewalk Sale

May 29-31

Street fest: Division Street from Damen Avenue to Leavitt Street

$5 suggested donation

 

Chicago Gospel Music Festival

May 29-31

Millennium Park

Free

 

Lincoln Park Wine Festival

May 30-31

Jonquil Park 1001 W. Wrightwood Ave.

$60 per day

 

JUNE

 

Pilsen Food Truck Social

June 5-6

18th Street between Throop Street and Racine Avenue

$5 optional donation

 

Lincoln Park Greek Fest

June 5-7

Sheffield between Diversey and Schubert

Any donation accepted

 

Remix Chicago

June 6-7

Milwaukee Avenue between Fullerton and California avenues

Free

 

57th Street Art Fair

June 6-7

57th Street between Kenwood and Woodlawn avenues.

Free

 

Hyde Park Brew Fest

June 6-7

55th and Kenwood Avenue

$45

 

Wingout

June 6-7

1633 N. Cleveland Ave. (St. Mike’s parking lot) in Old Town

$55 per day

 

Printers Row Lit Fest

June 6-7

Dearborn from Congress to Polk

Tickets go on sale Friday (5/22)

 

Fiesta Back of the Yards

June 12-14

47th Street between Ashland and Damen Avenues

 

Midsommarfest

June 12-14

Clark Street in Andersonville

$10 suggested donation

 

Ribfest Chicago

June 12-14

Lincoln Avenue/Irving Park Road/Damen Avenue

$5 suggested donation

 

Chicago Blues Festival

June 12-14

Grant Park (Jackson & Columbus)

Free

 

Spring Awakening Music Festival

June 12-14

Soldier Field

$200-240

 

Neighbors of West Loop Craft Beer Festival

June 13

On Clinton Street in front of Chicago French Market, 131 N. Clinton St.

Tickets start at $50 and include 20 tickets for 3 oz. pours of craft beer and a souvenir glass

 

Old Town Art Fair

June 13-14

The main gate of the Old Town Art Fair is located at Lincoln Avenue & Wisconsin Street. Other gates: Lincoln Park West & Wisconsin; Sedgwick & Menomonee: Sedgwick & Wisconsin; Menomonee & Wells; and North Park & Willow.

 

Wells Street Art Festival

June 13-14

Wells Street from North Avenue to Division

 

Taste of Randolph Street Fest

June 19-21

Randolph Street from Peoria Street to Racine Avenue

$10 suggested donation

 

Six Corners BBQ Fest

June 19-21

Irving Park Road, Milwaukee Avenue and Cicero Avenue

$5 suggested donation

 

Puerto Rican Parade & Festival

June 20

Humboldt Park

Free, but with a suggested donation of whatever attendees can afford

Chicago Ale Fest

June 19-20

Buckingham Fountain

$50 (Designated Driver tickets available for $25)

 

Windy City LakeShake

June 19-21

FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island

1300 S. Linn White Drive

Three-day passes available from $199.50

 

Artist of the Wall Festival

June 20-21

Loyola Park Beach

Free

 

Pride Fest

June 20-21

Halsted and Waveland

Free

 

Wicker Park’s Green Music Fest

June 20-21

Damen Avenue between North Avenue and Schiller Street

$5 suggested donation

 

Gold Coast Art Fair

June 20-21

Grant Park’s Butler Field

Suggested $5 donation

 

Gold Coast Greek Fest

June 26-28

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral

1017 N. LaSalle St.

Free

 

Logan Square Arts Festival

June 26-28

Logan Square

TBD

 

Chicago SummerDance

June 26-Sept. 13

Grant Park 601 S. Michigan Ave.

  • Fridays & Saturdays: Dance Lessons: 6-7 p.m. /  Live Music & Dancing: 7:30-9:30 p.m.

  • Sundays Dance Lessons: 4-5 p.m. / Live Music & Dancing: 5-7 p.m.

Free

 

 

Elston Avenue Sausage & Music Fest

June 27-28

Elston Avenue between Grace and Byron streets

$5 donation

 

World’s Largest Block Party (Old St. Pat’s)

June 28

UIC Festival Lot, Morgan Street between Taylor Street and Roosevelt Road

$40-$85

 

Pride Parade

June 28

Halsted and Sheffield, from Montrose to Diversey (subject to change)

Free

 

JULY

 

Figment Festival

TBD in July

Jefferson Memorial Park, 4822 N. Long Ave.

 

The Chosen Few Picnic Weekend

July 2-5

Jackson Park, 63rd Street and Hayes Drive

$25 and up

 

Grateful Dead Fare Thee Well

July 3-5

Soldier Field

Sold Out

 

Windy City Ribfest in Uptown

July 3-5

Lawrence and Broadway

$5 suggested donation

 

Hyde Park 4th of July Parade

July 4

Nichols Park

Free

 

Taste of Chicago

July 8-12

Grant Park

Free, but you can purchase seats at musical act tickets

 

Irish American Heritage Festival

July 10-12

Irish American Heritage Center

4626 N. Knox Avenue

Early bird tickets through June 15 are $13 for adults for Friday and Saturday, and $18 for Saturday.

After June 15, tickets are $15 for adults for Friday and Saturday, and $20 for Saturday.

Children under 12 are $5. Children under 4 are free.

 

Square Roots

July 10-12

Lincoln Avenue between Montrose and Wilson

$10 suggested donation for adults, $5 for kids and seniors, $20 for families

 

Windy City Smokeout

July 10-12

560 W. Grand Ave. (Grand Ave. and the Chicago River)

$40-$145 per day, $99.50-$400 3-day

 

Taste of Lakeview

July 11-12

Lincoln and Belmont

$5 suggested donation

 

Bucktown Tree and Garden Walk

July 11-12

Private gardens throughout Bucktown

$10 suggested donation, includes guidebook

 

Roscoe Village Burger Fest

July 11-12

Belmont and Damen

$10 suggested donation

 

West Fest

July 11-12

Chicago Avenue from Damen Avenue to Wood Street

$5 suggested donation

 

Marvel Experience

July 11-Aug. 2

McCormick Place

Tickets start at $24.50

 

Pitchfork Music Festival

July 17-19

$65 per day, 3-day passes sold out

 

Taste of River North

July 17-19

Ward Park (Kingsbury & Erie)

No pricing info on site

 

BenFest

July 17-19

2215 W. Irving Park Road

$5 suggested donation, kids 5 and under are free

Kids’ activities wristband $10 daily or $25 for entire weekend

 

Southport Art Festival

July 18-19

Southport at Waveland

$5 suggested donation

 

SausageFest Chicago

July 18-19

Cubby Bear in Wrigleyville

$5

 

Celebrate Clark Street

July 18-19

Clark Street between Morse and Estes avenues

$5 per person or $10 per family suggested donation

 

Chicago Craft Beer Festival

July 18-19

Sheffield Avenue between Fullerton and Webster

$40

 

Sheffield Garden Walk

July 18-19

Sheffield Avenue between Fullerton and Webster

$7 donation

 

Chinatown Summer Fair

July 19

Wentworth Ave. from Cermak Road to 24th Place

Free

Jeff Fest

July 24-26

Jefferson Memorial Park, 4822 N. Long Ave.

Admission is $5 per person. Admission is free for children 12 and younger, and adults older than 65.

 

Chicago Hot Sauce Fest - POSTPONED

July 25-26

Belmont and Elston

Price unknown (details should be announced soon)

 

Taste of Lincoln Avenue

July 25-26

Lincoln Avenue between Fullerton and Wrightwood

$10

 

Wicker Park Fest

July 25-26

North and Milwaukee avenues

$5 suggested donation

 

Fiesta Del Sol

July 30-Aug. 2

1400 W. Cermak Road (Between Morgan Street and Ashland Avenue)

Free

 

AUGUST

 

Lollapalooza

July 31-Aug. 2

Grant Park

Sold Out

 

Taste of Latin America

Aug. 1-2

Armitage Ave between Central Park & Hamlin

 

Edgewater Edge Fest

Aug. 1-2

North Broadway, from Thorndale Avenue to Ardmore Avenue

$5 suggested donation

 

Ginza Festival

Aug. 7-9

435 W. Menomonee Street

$6 adults, $5 student, free for children under 12

 

Retro on Roscoe

Aug. 7-9

Roscoe and Damen

$10 suggested donation

 

Bud Billiken Parade

Aug. 8

Martin Luther King Drive, 35th to 51st

Free

 

Wrigleyville Summerfest

Aug. 8-9

School and Seminary

$5 suggested donation

 

Market Days

Aug. 8-9

Halsted between Belmont and Addison

$10 donation

 

Taylor Street Festa Italiana

Aug. 13-16

Taylor Street between Ashland and Racine avenues

$5 suggested donation

 

Glenwood Ave Arts Fest

Aug. 14-16

Glenwood and Morse avenues

Free

 

Edison Park Fest

Aug. 14-16

6730 N. Olmstead Ave.

 

Festival Cubano

Aug. 14-16

Riis Park, 6100 W. Fullerton Ave.

$10-$15

 

The Great American Lobster Fest

Aug. 15-16

Navy Pier

$45, with early bird discounts available

 

Chicago Air & Water Show

Aug. 15-16

North Avenue Beach

Free

 

Albany Park World Fest

Aug. 22-23

Lawrence and Kimball

$5 suggested donation

 

Chicago Food Social

Aug. 22-23

Milwaukee Avenue between Division Street and Noble

$5 admission

 

Ukrainian Days Festival

Aug. 22-23

Smith Park, 2526 W. Grand Ave.

$5 donation

 

Taste of Greektown

Aug. 22-23

100-400 S. Halsted St.

Free

 

Bucktown Arts Fest

Aug. 29-30

Senior Citizens Memorial Park (2300 North Oakley Ave/2300 West Lyndale St.)

Free
 

 

SEPTEMBER

 

Chicago Fringe Fest

Sept. 3-13

Cost varies

 

Chicago Jazz Festival

Sept. 3-6

Millennium Park/Chicago Cultural Center

Free

 

North Coast Music Fest

Sept. 4-6

Union Park

$159-$259 (three-day passes)

 

Taste of Polonia

Sept. 4-7

Copernicus Center, 5216 W Lawrence Ave.

Free

 

African Festival of the Arts

Sept. 5-7

Washington Park

$15 in advance, $25 at the gate

 

ReelAbilities Film Festival

Sept. 10-13

Various screenings Downtown: Chicago Cultural Center, National Museum of Health & Medicine, Columbia College Film Row Cinema

Prices will vary. Some films will be free and others will be “at most $10”

 

German-American Fest

Sept. 11-13

Lincoln/Leland/Western

Free

 

Windy City Wine Festival

Sept. 11-12

Buckingham Fountain

$35 in advance, $45 at the door (designated driver tickets available for $15)

 

Shock Top Oyster Fest

Sept. 11-12

Roscoe and Damen

$7 suggested donation

 

Riot Fest

Sept. 11-13

Douglas Park

TBA on tickets

 

World Music Festival

Sept. 11–22

Various locations, including Chicago Cultural Center

Free

 

Ukrainian Village Fest

Sept. 12-13

Oakley and Superior

$5

 

Little Village Festival

Sept. 12-14

26th and Kostner streets

Free

 

Apple Fest

Sept. 19

Lincoln Avenue between Lawrence and Leland

Free

 

Ravenswood ArtWalk Tour of Arts and Industry

Sept. 19-20

Ravenswood Avenue between Addison and Lawrence

Free

 

Sam Adams Lakeview Taco Fest

Sept. 19-20

Southport between Addison and Newport

 

Oktoberfest

Sept. 25-27

Southport and Lincoln avenues

$5 ($40 for craft beer tastings Friday and Saturday)

 

Design Harvest Festival

Sept. 26-27

Grand Avenue between Western and Wood streets

$5 suggested donation

 

Hyde Park Jazz Festival

Sept. 26-27

Various locations

 

Edgewater Fall Art Fair

Sept. 26-27

Granville Avenue between North Broadway and Kenmore Avenue

$5 suggested donation

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