Pitchfork Music Festival to return to Chicago in September with Erykah Badu, St. Vincent, Phoebe Bridgers

CHICAGO – Pitchfork Music Festival is set to return to Chicago in September with a female-powered lineup led by Erykah Badu, St. Vincent and Phoebe Bridgers, organizers announced Monday.

The Sept. 10-12 event is slated once again for Union Park with more than 40 acts performing across three stages. Pitchfork usually occurs in July. Coronavirus prevented the 15th anniversary edition of the fest and other large-scale Chicago events from being held in person last year.

For entry this year, festivalgoers 12 years old and up will be required to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test within the past 24 hours for each day they attend. Masks must be worn in the Near West Side park, but they may be removed when eating and drinking. Organizers said they are “working closely with local health officials and will continue to update this policy” as government guidelines evolve with an increase in vaccinations and decrease in cases.

Chicago is in the so-called bridge phase of its reopening plan, which calls for no more than 30 people per 1,000 square feet at outdoor festivals. Pitchfork could welcome nearly its typical capacity, which is 19,000 attendees, even if Chicago hasn’t fully reopened by the time the festival starts.

Pitchfork passes, on sale now, start at $90 for one day and $195 for all three days. Ticketbuyers who held onto their 2020 passes can use them this year. Some acts that were supposed to perform at Pitchfork last year are included in this year’s lineup such as Big Thief, Waxahatchee and Thundercat.

This year’s Day 1 performers are Bridgers, Big Thief, Animal Collective, Yaeji, The Fiery Furnaces, black midi, Hop Along, Kelly Lee Owens, Ela Minus, DEHD, The Soft Pink Truth, DJ Nate, Dogleg and Armand Hammer.

Saturday’s lineup is St. Vincent, Angel Olsen, Kim Gordon, Ty Segall & Freedom Band, Waxahatchee, Jay Electronica, Jamila Woods, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Faye Webster, Amaarae, Maxo Kream, Divino Niño, Bartees Strange and Horsegirl.

The festival wraps Sunday with Badu, Flying Lotus, Thundercat, Danny Brown, Cat Power, Andy Shauf, Caroline Polachek, Yves Tumor, The Weather Station, Mariah the Scientist, oso oso, KeiyaA, Special Interest and Cassandra Jenkins.

Pitchfork’s 2021 lineup features a robust number of performers with Chicago ties, including Jamila Woods, Fiery Furnaces, KeiyaA, DEHD, Divino Niño, Horsegirl, and DJ Nate.

September is typically when Chicago’s festival season winds down, but this year it’s expected to be busier than ever. ARC Music Festival, a house music celebration, is set for Union Park from Sept. 4-5, just days before Pitchfork acts take the stages there. Riot Fest is scheduled to be held in Douglass Park a week after Pitchfork, Sept. 17-19.

September concerts include Rammstein at Soldier Field; Harry Styles at the United Center; and Dead & Company at Wrigley Field. Milwaukee’s Summerfest is also in September.