Inspired Chicago - Find fun things to do in Chicago!

Updated April 9, 2019 Scroll through the festival list or click on a link below to go directly to the month you plan to attend a festival. January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December If you are aware of a Chicago food festival that has not been included on this page, please send the festival's information via DM using Twitter (@InspiredChicago). Visit the following pages to find more festivals: Art and Craft Festivals Comedy and Theater Festivals Film Festivals Heritage Festivals Music Festivals January First Bites Bash , January 24, 2019 • Admission varies (visit festival website for details). February Chicago Ale Fest (Winter Edition), February 2, 2019 • Admission varies (visit festival website for details). Chicago Whiskey Festival , February 2, 2019 • Admission varies (visit festival website for details). Ramenfest , February 17...

Updated April 9, 2019 Scroll through the festival list or click on a link below to go directly to the month you plan to attend a festival. January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December If you are aware of a Chicago music festival that has not been included on this page, please send the festival's information via DM using Twitter (@InspiredChicago). Visit the following pages to find more festivals: Art and Craft Festivals Comedy and Theater Festivals Film Festivals Food Festivals Heritage Festivals January Tomorrow Never Knows , January 16–20, 2019 • Admission varies (visit festival website for details). February University of Chicago Folk Festival , February 15–16, 2019 • Admission varies (visit festival website for details). March Are you are aware of a Chicago music festival in March? Please send the festival's information via DM using Twi...

Updated April 9, 2019 Scroll through the festival list or click on a link below to go directly to the month you plan to attend a festival. January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December If you are aware of a Chicago comedy or theater festival that has not been included on this page, please send the festival's information via DM using Twitter (@InspiredChicago). Visit the following pages to find more festivals: Art and Craft Festivals Film Festivals Food Festivals Heritage Festivals Music Festivals January College Improv Tournament , November 3, 2018–April 6, 2019 • Registration is $15 per player. Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival , January 10–20, 2019 • Admission varies (visit festival website for details). Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival , January 17–27, 2019 • Admission varies (visit festival website for details). Visit the Festival Neig...

Updated April 9, 2019 Whether you are looking for a gift for yourself or for someone else, art and craft festivals provide an opportunity to peruse a variety of vendors. If you are a creative, you are bound to find inspiration by strolling the market aisles and seeing what fellow artists have crafted. Happy shopping! Scroll through the festival list or click on a link below to go directly to the month you plan to attend a festival. January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December If you are aware of a Chicago art and craft festival that has not been included on this page, please send the festival's information via DM using Twitter (@InspiredChicago). Visit the following pages to find more festivals: Comedy and Theater Festivals Film Festivals Food Festivals Heritage Festivals Music Festivals January Maxwell Street Market , January 6, 13, 20, and 27, 2019 • A...

This year's World Music Festival Chicago runs from Friday, September 9, through Sunday, September 25, 2016. There are no performances scheduled for September 12–14 and 19–20. Venues Festival performances will take place at venues throughout Chicago (see the interactive map below for a complete list of venues). While most festival locations welcome all ages, a few venues require guests to be at least 18 or 21 years old. Please check the map for venues that have age requirements. Admission Admission to all World Music Festival Chicago performances is free. Interactive Map Use the interactive map below to find venue locations (listed alphabetically). Open each venue location to find the following information: Dates and times of festival performances being held at the venue Venue age requirements Festival musician information Venue name, address, phone number, and website address More Festival Information For more information, please visit the W...

The 2016 Chicago Jazz Festival runs from Thursday, September 1, through Sunday, September 4, and admission is free . Performances begin at the Chicago Cultural Center at 12 noon on Thursday and then move to Millennium Park Thursday evening for the remainder of the festival. Jazz groups from Chicago-area schools will be performing on Saturday. Be sure to stop by the Harris Theater Rooftop Terrace and support these young musicians. The festival will close on Sunday with a performance celebrating percussionist and 2008 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Jazz Master Candido Camero's 95th birthday. If you would like to learn more about Candido Camero, please review the NEA biography and 2008 interview and DRUM! magazine's 2011 article, available online. For the complete festival lineup, please see the schedule below. Enjoy your 2016 Chicago Jazz Festival! Thursday, September 1 Chicago Cultural Center, 78 East Washington Street, Chicago Claudia Cassidy Theater 12 noon | Dan Trud...

Cinema/Chicago, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and partnering consular/cultural organizations invite us to “Laugh Out Loud” as we view the 18 comedies they have selected for the 2016 International Screenings Program. The films will be shown Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. from June 1 through September 28 at the Chicago Cultural Center in the Claudia Cassidy Theater. Admission is free! Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, so plan to arrive early. Discussions led by cultural leaders, scholars, and film critics will be held after select screenings. Following are the films that will be shown. Please note that the films are unrated. June 1 | Tricks June 8 | Suck Me Shakespeer June 15 | The Bit Player June 22 | Together June 29 | My Internship in Canada July 6 | Family Vacation July 13 | Memories July 20 | Heart Attack June 27 | Open Tables August 3 | Chigasaki Story August 10 | Kidon August 17 | Fanie Fourie's Labola Aug...

The 31st Chicago Gospel Music Festival will take place June 3–4, 2016, with performances at the Chicago Cultural Center and at Millennium Park's Jay Pritzker Pavilion. In addition, there will be a festival preview concert and conversation on May 18 and a panel discussion on June 2 (details below). All festival and preview events are free! Chicago Gospel Music Festival Preview Events Up Close & Personal Wednesday, May 18 • 6:30 p.m. Chicago Cultural Center, 78 East Washington Street Claudia Cassidy Theater, 2nd Floor North In a conversation moderated by GRAMMY Award Winner Michelle Williams, GRAMMY Award Winner Lalah Hathaway and Vice President and General Manager of Urban Inspiration | Entertainment One Music Phil Thornton will discuss their careers and answer audience questions. The event will also feature performances by Kinsmen and Kymar Garner. Every Year Carries a Number: Preserving the Endangered Gospel Music Recordings of the Great Migrati...