Chicago Festivals

May to September is festival season in Chicago. Every year, each neighborhood will host its own festival. Sometimes it's to celebrate a certain ethnicity or holiday. Other neighborhoods have them just because. Regardless of the reason, there's never a lack of food, music, or fun. There are also a variety of citywide festivals held each year.

It seems like the people of Chicago want to do nothing else but get together for a good time. The amount of annual festivals is staggering. It slows down in the winter months, but you can still find a few going on. Most occur in the warmer months since people prefer to be outside for the festivals. Always a good time, you can find all kinds of activities, foods, drinks, and company at any given festival. Many celebrate the community itself and its residents. Even if you don't live in the community, everyone's always welcome.

In addition to the smaller festivals, Chicago holds a number of citywide festivals. There are musical, holiday specific, and event driven festivals to name a few. One of the biggest draws of the year is the Taste of Chicago. With tons of food and activities for days on end, it seems that everyone in the city comes out for this one. There is also the annual Air and Water show on the lakefront each summer.

The following is a list of some of the major festivals that occur in Chicago. It is by no way a complete list. Just keep your eyes and ears open and you'll no doubt hear about something going on somewhere. You should at least attend your neighborhood festival if you don't get to any other.

Chicago Seasonal and Neighborhood-Specific Festivals

Browse through the annual festival listings:

Chicago Winter Delights	January - March
Chicago's Birthday Celebration	March 4
St. Patrick's Day Festival	March 17
Farmer's Market	May - October
Art Chicago/Antiques Chicago	May
Bike Chicago	May - June
Chicago Blues Festival	May
Chicago Gospel Music Festival	June
Taste of Chicago	June - July
Chicago Country Music Festival	June - July
Chicago Outdoor Film Festival	July - August
Tall Ships® Chicago	July - August
Venetian Night	August
Chicago Air and Water Show	July - August
Viva! Chicago Latin Music Festival	August
Chicago Jazz Festival	August
Celtic Fest	September
Halloween Pumpkin Plaza	October
Michigan Avenue Festival of Lights	November
Daley Plaza Santa's House	November - December
Holiday Sports Festival	December
New Year's Eve Fireworks at Buckingham Fountain	December 31