Chicago’s 2023 summer festival dates announced; Taste moved to September in Grant Park

They’re baack!

The city-sponsored major summer festivals are all returning this year, including Taste of Chicago, the Chicago Blues Festival, the Chicago Jazz Festival and the Chicago Air and Water Show, it was announced Monday by the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

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Taste of Chicago — a hot topic among fans, politicos and social media for nearly a week after Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s recent announcement about moving the festival to Navy Pier — returns to its home in Grant Park, but moves to September to accommodate the NASCAR racing extravaganza in the lakefront park over the 4th of July weekend. The Taste’s three neighborhood pop-ups will, however, take place once a month June through August.

“Rest assured. Summer is coming. From Taste to Blues and Jazz to SummerDance, our city will come alive with unique cultural events and experiences across Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods,” city Cultural Affairs Commissioner Erin Harkey said via statement.

The Navy Pier controversy was coupled with the news that public use of Grant Park would be impacted by the NASCAR Cup Series requiring a shutdown of part of the park for 14 days — from June 22 to July 5. The park would also face periods of limited access to accommodate Lollapalooza setup/run dates later in July and August and the Suenos music festival in May.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

“We are looking forward to Taste in Grant Park in September and continuing such a great Chicago tradition,” said Marc Schulman, owner of Eli’s Cheesecake Factory in Chicago, on the fest’s move to the fall. Eli’s has been a part of Taste since its inception in 1980 on Michigan Avenue.

2023 spring/summer festivals dates:

• Chicago City Markets (citywide, including Daley Plaza on Thursdays, Maxwell Street on Sundays TBA): May – October; ChicagoCityMarkets.us
• Memorial Day Wreath-Laying Ceremony & Parade (Daley Plaza and State Street): May 27; Chicago.gov/DCASE
• Millennium Park Summer Workouts (Great Lawn): Most Saturdays, May 27 – Sept. 2; MillenniumPark.org
• Chicago Gospel Music Festival (Millennium Park): June 3, MillenniumPark.org, ChicagoGospelMusicFestival.us
• Chicago Blues Festival (Millennium Park): June 8–11, MillenniumPark.org and ChicagoBluesFestival.us
• Taste of Chicago (Grant Park and neighborhoods): June 24 (Humboldt Park); July 15 (Pullman Park); and Aug. 5 (Marquette Park); Sept. 8–10 (Grant Park); TasteofChicago.us
• Chicago House Music Festival and Conference festival at Humboldt Park Boathouse Lawn, (in conjunction with neighborhood Taste pop-up) June 24; House Conference at Chicago Cultural Center, June 23; ChicagoHouseMusicFestival.us

Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

• Millennium Park Summer Music Series (Jay Pritzker Pavilion): Mondays & Thursdays, June 22 – Aug. 21; MillenniumPark.org
• Millennium Park Summer Film Series (Jay Pritzker Pavilion): Tuesdays, July 11 – Aug. 29, MillenniumPark.org
• Chicago SummerDance (citywide, including pop-ups and special events, Night Out in the Parks events, programs at the Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park and the SummerDance Celebration in Millennium Park): select dates July 15 – Sept. 10, ChicagoSummerDance.org
• Chicago Air and Water Show (North Avenue Beach and along the Lakefront): Aug. 19-20; practice runs Aug. 18; ChicagoAirandWaterShow.us
• SummerDance Celebration (Jay Pritzker Pavilion and throughout Millennium Park): Sunday, Aug. 27, MillenniumPark.org and ChicagoSummerDance.org
• Chicago Jazz Festival (citywide including Millennium Park): Aug. 31 – Sept. 3; MillenniumPark.org and ChicagoJazzFestival.us
• World Music Festival Chicago (citywide): Sept. 22 – Oct. 1; WorldMusicFestivalChicago.org

More details, such as the festivals’ music lineups, participating restaurants and other vendors, will be announced later.

For complete information and updates, visit Chicago.gov/DCASE.