The annual 1865 Fest brings cultural family activities, live music, educational workshops, food and fun to Garfield Park for three days, June 18-20, 2025. Honoring the Juneteeth holiday that brought freedom to enslaved Americans two years after official emancipation in 1865, the free events … [Read more...] about 1865 Fest Juneteenth Celebration
Free events
Free and cheap things to do this weekend in Chicago
Looking for something fun to do this weekend in Chicago? There are tons of free and cheap events in the city. Here’s our list of the top free events, discounts, and deals to have fun around town on your Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. There are many diversified events so choose your … [Read more...] about Free and cheap things to do this weekend in Chicago
Free Millennium Park Summer Music Series
The essence of Summer in Chicago is listening to free concerts in the architectural beauty of Millennium Park. The beloved Millennium Park Summer Music Series soars away from June 26 to August 7, 2025. The free concerts will run on Monday and Thursday evenings. The concerts feature a diverse … [Read more...] about Free Millennium Park Summer Music Series
57th Street Art Fair
For art lovers, the Chicago summer season officially kicks off with Hyde Park's beloved 57th Street Art Fair. The 78th annual 57th Street Art Fair is the first major art fair of the season. It opens on June 7-8, 2025. Stroll through Hyde Park's tree-lined thoroughfares and browse a … [Read more...] about 57th Street Art Fair
Free Tuesdays on the Terrace at the MCA
Chicago's acclaimed Museum of Contemporary Art is not just the place to view cutting-edge art pieces, it's also one of the most popular spots to hear free Summer jazz concerts. The beloved Tuesdays on the Terrace music series returns from June 24 to August 26, 2025. Spreading a … [Read more...] about Free Tuesdays on the Terrace at the MCA
New Greektown Public Art Exhibit
Chicago's historic Greektown neighborhood will introduce a new public art exhibit, "Flowering Grecian Urns," on June 5, 2025, along Halsted Street between Madison and Van Buren Streets. Inspired by Chloris, the Greek goddess of flowers, the large Grecian urn sculptures are … [Read more...] about New Greektown Public Art Exhibit
Lincoln Park Greek Fest
Enjoy the flavors, sounds and sights of Greek culture at the popular Lincoln Park Greek Fest on June 6-8, 2025. The annual cultural festival features authentic Greek food, music, dancing and a craft fair on the grounds of St. George Greek Orthodox Church Traditional Greek dishes … [Read more...] about Lincoln Park Greek Fest
Old Town Art Fair
Kick off your summer at one of the first art fairs in the country. Old Town Art Fair supplies art, music, food, a children's corner and a garden walk in the historic Old Town Triangle Historic District on June 14 and 15, 2025. Roam through the charming streets of Old Town and view the work of … [Read more...] about Old Town Art Fair
Grant Park Music Festival
Enjoy the soothing strains of classical compositions as well as contemporary and Broadway tunes at the annual Grant Park Music Festival. This free summer concert series kicks off on June 11, 2025, and runs through August 16, 2025. Sit back in the beauty of the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium … [Read more...] about Grant Park Music Festival
Chicago Blues Festival
Chicago is home to the largest free blues festival in the world and this much-anticipated event draws fans from all over the world to experience the influential art form that was nurtured in the city. The Chicago Blues Festival returns to Millennium Park from June 5-8, 2025. This … [Read more...] about Chicago Blues Festival
Summer Fireworks at Navy Pier
The spectacular fireworks display at Navy Pier is a much-anticipated Chicago hallmark. The twice-weekly Summer Fireworks show runs from May 24, 2025, through August 30, 2025. The dramatic fireworks spectacle features synchronized music and vivid bursts of color that can be viewed for miles. … [Read more...] about Summer Fireworks at Navy Pier
Maxwell Street Market
There's no Chicago market more iconic than Maxwell Street Market. This year, the market runs on select Sundays, May 18 through October 5, 2025, 10 am -3 pm. Open since 1912, this bustling marketplace is much more than just a place to shop, it's a Chicago cultural mecca. Maxwell Street … [Read more...] about Maxwell Street Market