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Updated April 9, 2019 If you love music, summer is an especially great time to be in Chicago. You are likely to find a free concert almost every day during the summer. All of the summer concert series shown below have free admission. Enjoy! Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Multiple Days Sunday Live on the Lake! Location: Navy Pier, Miller Lite Beer Garden, 600 East Grand Avenue, Chicago Dates: May 24–September 2, 2019 (multiple days each week) Time: Concert times vary. Follow the above link to view the schedule. The Bells of Summer Location: Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, 5850 South Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago Dates: June 23–August 25, 2019 Time: 5 p.m. Monday Millennium Park Summer Music Series Location: Millennium Park, Jay Pritzker Pavilion, 201 East Randolph Street, Chicago Dates: June 17 and 24; July 1, 8, and 29; and August 5, 2019 Time: 6:30 ...

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...

NewCity Lincoln Park presents its Summer Concert Series Thursday evenings from June 29 through August 31, 2017. Bring your lawn chair or blanket to the NewCity Plaza and enjoy free music from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. NewCity Lincoln Park Summer Concert Series NewCity Plaza North Halsted Street and North Clybourn Avenue, Chicago Thursdays, June 29–August 31, 2017 7 p.m.–9 p.m. Map June 29 The Empty Pockets July 6 KraveLive Music Entertainment July 13 Simply Billy and the Brown Dirt Cowboys Band July 20 Genevieve Jazz July 27 Hot Rocks August 3 K. Michaels Band August 10 Shut the Front Door August 17 Tropixplosion August 24 After Party August 31 Planet Groove To find more free summer concerts in Chicago, please visit the Free Summer Concerts page.

Hyde Park's Harper Court kicks off its Summer Music Series on Wednesday, June 28, with DJ Lady D and Poi Dog Pondering. Concerts continue all summer on the last Wednesday of each month, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is free! There are a limited number of outdoor chairs available, so if you have a portable chair, please bring it. If you plan to dine nearby, both Harper Court and East 53rd Street offer many restaurant options. If you have a vehicle, you will find paid parking in the Harper Court building (entrance on South Lake Park Avenue near McDonald's), a small paid surface parking lot on South Harper Avenue (near Kilwins), and street parking. Harper Court Summer Music Series Harper Court, 5235 South Harper Court, Chicago June 28–August 30, 2017 6 p.m.–9 p.m. Map June 28 DJ Lady D Poi Dog Pondering July 26 Res DJ Joe Kollege August 30 Dee Alexander DJ Duane Powell To find more free summer concerts in Chicago, please vi...

Updated July 18, 2017 The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Chicago has an exciting lineup (check it out below) planned for this summer's Tuesdays on the Terrace concert series. From June 13 through September 26, 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., enjoy jazz performances on the MCA's Anne and John Kern Terrace Garden. If it rains, the concert moves inside to the Marjorie Blum Kovler Atrium. Concert admission is free. Where Is the Terrace? The terrace is located on the second floor on the east side of the MCA. From inside the museum, you can access the terrace by going to the second floor and then exiting through the doors on the east side. You can also get to the terrace by entering the lawn area from the path along the park located behind the museum and then walking up the steps to the terrace. What Type of Seating Is Available? If you don't have a reserved seat/table on the terrace (reserved tables will not be available in 2017; see the update below), there is a s...

The Millennium Park Summer Music Series features established and emerging local, national, and international musicians. As you will see when you explore the artists’ websites, the concerts are not limited by genre. There is something for everyone! Concerts begin at 6:30 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays from June 12 through August 21 (there are exceptions; if a date isn’t on the schedule, there’s no Summer Music Series concert that evening). Concert admission is free! Millennium Park Summer Music Series Millennium Park, Jay Pritzker Pavilion 201 East Randolph Street, Chicago June 12–August 21, 2017 6:30 p.m. Map June 12 Otis Taylor Band Ben Sollee & Kentucky Native June 15 No BS! Brass Band Daymé Arocena June 19 Gregory Porter Tomeka Reid Quartet June 22 Hurray for the Riff Raff Matthew Santos June 26 Jaga Jazzist AfrotroniX June 29 Lady Wray Zeshan B & The Transistors July 10 Natal...

Stop by the John Hancock Center Plaza on Thursdays, June 15 through August 31, for a free lunchtime concert from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. Bring your lunch and find a spot on the plaza seating area or choose an outdoor table after ordering lunch from one of the plaza-level restaurants, and enjoy the music! John Hancock Center Summer Concert Series John Hancock Center Plaza, 875 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago Thursdays, June 15–August 31, 2017 12 noon–1:30 p.m. Map June 15 The Business June 22 Chicago Blues Revue June 29 Lynne Jordan July 6 Kaleidoscope Eyes July 13 Sheryl Youngblood and SAYYES! July 20 Rica Obsesion July 27 Nick Lynch August 3 Heavy Hitters Jazz Revue August 10 The Flat Cats August 17 One Night Band August 24 Rod Tuffcurls and The Bench Press August 31 Together To find more free summer concerts in Chicago, please visit the Free Summe...

Head over to Giddings Plaza Thursday evenings from June 1 through August 31 for the Lincoln Square Summer Concert Series. Bring your lawn chair or blanket, get comfortable, and enjoy the music. The concerts run from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., weather permitting. Admission is free! Lincoln Square Summer Concert Series Giddings Plaza, 4731 North Lincoln Avenue, Chicago Thursdays, June 1–August 31, 2017 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. Map June 1 Second Hand Soul Band June 8 The Flat Cats June 15 Radio Free Honduras June 22 Coyote Riot June 29 The Friends Band July 6 Bopology July 13 Los Perros Cubanos July 20 Jonas Friddle July 27 Rachel B August 3 School of Rock August 10 The StingRays August 17 Tijuana Hercules August 24 Justin Roberts & Laura Doherty Pop-Up Show August 31 The North 41 To find more free summer concerts in Chicago, please v...

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...

Rockefeller Memorial Chapel's 51st season of The Bells of Summer opens on Sunday, June 26, 2016, with a performance by Rachel Perfecto of the Royal Carillon School, Mechelen, Belgium. This series of one-hour carillon concerts continues each Sunday through August 7. The concerts begin at 5 p.m. and admission is free! The public is invited to bring a lawn chair or blanket and a picnic supper, find a spot on the chapel's lawn, and listen to the concert. Well-behaved dogs are also welcome. What Is a Carillon? A carillon is a set of stationary bells in a tower, usually played using a keyboard. A carillon is also a composition written or arranged for these bells. Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Chapel Carillon Here are some fun facts about the Rockefeller Chapel's carillon: Installed in 1932, changes were made to the installation in the 1960s. An extensive project to restore, update, and reorganize the installation was completed in 2008. To learn more, please...

Stop by the John Hancock Center Plaza on Thursdays, June 16 through September 1, for a free lunchtime concert from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. Find a spot on the plaza seating area or choose an outdoor table after ordering lunch from one of the plaza-level restaurants or shops, and enjoy the music! John Hancock Center 2016 Summer Concert Series John Hancock Center Plaza 875 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago Map June 16 | The Business June 23 | Chicago Blues Revue June 30 | Rod Tuffcurls and The Bench Press July 7 | Kaleidoscope Eyes July 14 | The Flat Cats July 21 | Rica Obsesion July 28 | Lynne Jordan August 4 | Nick Lynch August 11 | Cathy Richardson August 18 | One Night Band August 25 | Heavy Hitters Jazz Revue September 1 | Together To find more free summer concerts in Chicago, please visit the Music page.

Avoid the rush hour traffic. Instead, head to St. James Cathedral, located in Chicago at 65 East Huron Street, for the Rush Hour Concerts Summer Concert Series. Each Tuesday, June 7 through August 30, this series offers not only world-class chamber music performances, but also preconcert conversations involving a topic related to the evening's concert. Doors open at 5 p.m., preconcert conversation begins at 5:15 p.m., and the 30-minute concert starts at 5:45 p.m. For a schedule of this year's concerts, please visit the Rush Hour Concerts Summer Concert Series page. To find more free summer concerts in Chicago, check out the Music page.

The new Millennium Park Summer Music Series (formerly the Downtown Sound and Made in Chicago concert series) features established and emerging local, national, and international musicians. As you will see when you explore the artists' websites, the concerts are not limited by genre. There is something for everyone! Concerts are 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays from June 6 through August 25 (there are a few exceptions; if a date isn't on the schedule, there's no Summer Music Series concert that evening). Concert admission is free! 2016 Millennium Park Summer Music Series Millennium Park, Jay Pritzker Pavilion 201 East Randolph Street, Chicago Map June 6 | Blonde Redhead + Ryley Walker June 9 | Lee Fields & The Expressions + Makaya McCraven June 13 | Rodrigo Amarante + Leyla McCalla June 16 | Nneka + Gina Chavez June 20 | DJ Spooky ’s Rebirth of a Nation Live + Kelan Phil Cohran 's Summer Solstice Ensemble June 23 | Maceo Parker + Marrow June 2...

The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Chicago has an exciting lineup (check it out below) planned for this summer's Tuesdays on the Terrace concert series. From June 7 through September 27, 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., enjoy free jazz performances on the MCA's Anne and John Kern Terrace Garden. If it rains, the concert moves inside to the MCA Café. Where Is the Terrace? If you are inside the MCA, the terrace is on the second floor, just outside the MCA Café on the east side of the museum. You can also get to the terrace by entering the lawn area from the path along the park located behind the museum and then walking up the steps to the terrace. What Type of Seating Is Available? If you don't have a reserved seat/table on the terrace, there is a section of unreserved seating. These seats fill up quickly, so plan to arrive early. There is plenty of room to sit on the expansive lawn located just steps from the terrace. Throw down a blanket and get comfortable! What Is There to Eat and ...

Head over to Giddings Plaza Thursday evenings from June 2 through September 1 for the Lincoln Square Summer Concert Series. Bring your lawn chair or blanket and get comfortable. The concerts run from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., weather permitting. 2016 Lincoln Square Summer Concert Series Giddings Plaza, 4731 North Lincoln Avenue, Chicago Map June 2 | Cuban Latin Los Perros Cubanos June 9 | Swing The Flat Cats June 16 | Rock & Roll From the '50s, '60s, and '70s The StingRays June 23 | Acoustic Beatles Tribute Kaleidoscope Eyes June 30 | Flamenco/Music From Spain Martin Metzger Flamenco Trio With Patricia Ortega and Marisela Tapia July 7 | Motown, Soul, Rock & Roll Second Hand Soul Band July 14 | Gypsy Jazz Fumée Gypsy Project July 21 | Indie Folk/Americana Jonas Friddle & The Majority July 28 | Indie Folk/Pop Celia Rose August 4 | Latin Folk Rock Radio Free Honduras August 11 | Family Folk/Pop/Rock The Dreamtree Shakers August 18 | Old-Time Music Bill a...

There's a new concert series in town! NewCity Lincoln Park presents its Summer Concert Series Thursday evenings from June 2 through September 1. Bring your lawn chair to the NewCity Plaza and enjoy free music from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. If it rains, the show will be held inside at Adobe Gila's, located on NewCity's second floor . 2016 NewCity Lincoln Park Summer Concert Series NewCity Plaza North Halsted Street and North Clybourn Avenue, Chicago Map June 2 | Dance Pop Generation Z June 9 | Rock & Pop Hits No Alternative June 16 | Steel Drum/Island Music Tropixplosion June 23 | '90s Band Fool House June 30 | Jazz and Blues Martini Lunch July 7 | Variety Mike Dangeroux Orchestra July 14 | '80s Band The Spazmatics July 21 | Elton John Tribute Simply Elton and the Brown Dirt Cowboys July 28 | Rolling Stones Tribute Hot Rocks August 4 | Latin Mambo All Stars August 11 | R&B/Motown UpBeat August 18 | Country Saddlebrook August 25 | Big Band/Swing/Jazz Sw...

Hyde Park's Harper Court kicks off its Summer Music Series on Wednesday, May 25, with Chicago Rhythm & Blues Kings and DJ Eric "ET" Taylor. Concerts continue all summer long on the last Wednesday of each month, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is free! There are a limited number of outdoor chairs available, so if you have a portable chair, please bring it. If you plan to dine nearby, both Harper Court and East 53rd Street offer many restaurant options. If you have a vehicle, you will find paid parking in the Harper Court building (entrance on South Lake Park Avenue near McDonald's), a small paid surface parking lot on South Harper Avenue (near Kilwins), and street parking. Harper Court Summer Music Series 5235 South Harper Court, Chicago Map May 25 | Blues & Steppers Chicago Rhythm & Blues Kings DJ Eric "ET" Taylor June 29 | Jazz Makaya McCraven DJ Duane Powell July 27 | Latin Music DJ El Caobo DJ Kamani Rashad August...