Chicago’s summer 2024 calendar: Taste, Jazz Fest and a birthday bash for Millennium Park
The City of Chicago has announced its calendar of events for summer 2024, starting with the farmers markets in May and running through World Music Festival at the end of September.
The biggest new event this year is a weekend celebrating the 20th anniversary of Millennium Park, to be held in July almost exactly two decades after the grand opening of Chicago’s lakefront crown jewel. Longtime Chicagoans may remember that then-Mayor Richard M. Daley’s project opened in 2004, behind schedule; it had been intended to commemorate the turn of the millennium.
Taste of Chicago stays in its new early-September timeslot in Grant Park, along with neighborhood events to be announced later. (Not on this schedule, NASCAR Chicago Street Race is back July 6-7. Lollapalooza has not announced dates as of press time but is anticipated for the first weekend in August.)
The Chicago favorites Blues Festival, Jazz Festival and others are all back for 2024, as is the annual Air and Water Show Aug. 10-11.
The summer 2024 calendar was announced Tuesday by Mayor Brandon Johnson and Erin Harkey, commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Separately, the Grant Park Music Festival also announced its season in Millennium Park Tuesday. All dates are subject to change, with more details about events to come.
Chicago Farmers Markets (May to October): Various locations including Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington St.; ChicagoFarmersMarkets.us
Maxwell Street Market (Sundays, May to October): 800 S. Desplaines St.; MaxwellStreetMarket.us
Memorial Day Wreath Laying Ceremony and Parade (May 25): Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington St., and on State Street; Chicago.gov/DCASE
Millennium Park Summer Workouts (Saturdays, May 18 to Aug. 31): Great Lawn in Millennium Park; MillenniumPark.org
Chicago Gospel Music Festival (June 1): Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park; ChicagoGospelMusicFestival.us
Chicago House Music Festival (June 2): Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, with House Music Conference May 31 at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.; ChicagoHouseMusicFestival.us
Millennium Park Residency Program: Five Chicago cultural organizations to be announced will showcase their work this summer in Millennium Park.
Chicago Blues Festival (June 6-9): Jay Pritzker Pavilion and throughout Millennium Park; ChicagoBluesFestival.us
Millennium Park Summer Music Series (Mondays and Thursdays, July 1 to Aug. 8): Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park; MillenniumPark.org
Millennium Park Summer Film Series (Tuesdays, July 9 to Aug. 27): Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park; MillenniumPark.org
Chicago SummerDance (Select dates June through September): Citywide including pop-ups, special events, Night Out in the Parks events, and programs at the Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park; ChicagoSummerDance.org
Millennium Park 20th Anniversary Celebration (July 18-21): Jay Pritzker Pavilion and throughout Millennium Park; MillenniumPark.org
Chicago Air and Water Show (Aug. 10-11 with rehearsal Aug. 9): North Avenue Beach and along the Lakefront; ChicagoAirandWaterShow.us
Chicago Jazz Festival (Aug. 29 to Sept. 1): Citywide including Millennium Park; ChicagoJazzFestival.us
Taste of Chicago (Sept. 6-8): Grant Park, with three neighborhood Taste events to be announced; TasteofChicago.us
World Music Festival Chicago (Sept. 20-29): Citywide including the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.; WorldMusicFestivalChicago.org
