Lightfoot announces return of summer events across the city

Mayor Lori Lightfoot, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), Choose Chicago and Chicago’s cultural community announced on Wednesday "Open Culture" - the next phase of Open Chicago, which includes the return of summer events across the city.

Music lovers will have the chance to experience "Chicago In Tune," which is a new citywide festival that celebrates Chicago's "diverse and legendary music scene" and the 2021 Year of Chicago Music.

Additionally, concerts at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion will feature the 2021 season of Grant Park Music Festival.

Those interested in dance can enjoy performances in Millennium Park by American Ballet Theatre presented by the Auditorium Theatre, Dance for Life presented by Chicago Dancers United and can partake in neighborhood-based Chicago Summer Dance lessons and live music. 

MORE: Chicago launches special concert series for fully-vaccinated residents

Residents and visitors can also enjoy the return of Chicago City Markets, which will include Maxwell Street Market, Taste of Chicago To-Go community meals and more.

Chicago officials say that most DCASE events will have limited capacity and those interested in the events will have to register in advance. All summer events will adhere to public health and safety guidelines, DCASE said.

In addition to summer events returning to Chicago, officials are also highlighting upcoming vaccination events for the arts community:

  • The Promontory located at 5311 S. Lake Park Avenue is hosting a vaccination event on May 20 from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Theater Wit located at 1229 W. Belmont Ave. will be hosting a vaccination event on May 21 from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. 

"Chicago’s arts landscape has been devastated by the pandemic. We all must do our part to support the recovery of this vital sector, which is so necessary to our economy and our sense of belonging," said DCASE Commissioner Mark Kelly. "I am also excited to know that the arts will be on the leading edge of the city’s reopening as our music clubs, theaters, and festivals come back to life and energize Chicago. There is so much to be excited about as the arts return."

DCASE said it is currently reviewing Special Events applications for outdoor festivals, street and art/craft fairs and athletic events.

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Permit approval is conditional on improved public health metrics. 

City residents can expect many exciting summer events and cultural activities across Chicagoland — including Open Parks and Open Streets events announced last week, new Millennium Park and other DCASE programming summarized below, plus:

  • The return of Chicago Symphony Orchestra concerts at Symphony Center including "Fanfare" opening on May 27
  • Hyde Park Art Center – Planting and Maintaining a Perennial Garden: Shrouds by Faheem Majeed open May 3 – July 24
  • Rosa’s Lounge – Melvin Taylor & the Slack Band on May 7
  • Pivot Arts Festival: Reimagining Utopia – A Performance Tour: Live, MultiArts Experience from May 21 – June 5
  • Chicago Latino Theater Alliance – Sola en la pandemia está cañón at Joe's on Weed Street on June 19
  • The South Side Jazz Coalition – Jazzin’ On The Steps on May 23
  • Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago – Tuesdays on the Terrace kicking off June 1
  • Old Town Art Fair on June 12 & 13
  • Art Institute of Chicago – The Obama Portraits from June 18 – August 15
  • Pride in the Park on June 26 & 27
  • Goodman Theatre – School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play reopening in August 
  • Court Theatre – Othello from July 8 – August 8
  • Southport Art Fair on July 10 & 11
  • Smart Museum of Art – Toward Common Cause: Art, Social Change, and the MacArthur Fellows Program at 40 on view July 15 – December 19
  • Chinatown Summer Fair on July 17 & 18
  • Jazz Institute of Chicago – Chicago Latin Jazz Festival on July 23 & 24
  • Printers Row Lit Fest on September 11 & 12
  • Hyde Park Jazz Festival on September 25 & 26
  • Lyric Opera of Chicago 2021/22 season including opening night featuring an all-new production of Verdi’s Macbeth on September 17
  • Broadway In Chicago – Six at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place running October 5, 2021 – January 30, 2022

For these and other upcoming events, visit ChooseChicago.com/events and Chicago.gov/DCASE for DCASE summer programming details including its artist lineups and ticketing, which will be available in the coming weeks.

Through Chicago Presents, DCASE will provide up to 100 grants ranging from $5,000 – $30,000 to activate cultural programs that comply with public health guidelines in neighborhoods throughout Chicago in summer 2021, officials said.

Emerging and established cultural presenters are invited to submit proposals for free live, in-person concerts and events, spanning all music genres, performance and dance that activate Chicago’s streets, plazas and parks.

Additionally, presenters may select up to two solo musicians and/or bands from the Chicago Band Roster to play at their event.

The Band Roster is a new resource listing over 200 Chicago-based musicians of all genres — created as part of the 2021 Year of Chicago Music. Chicago Presents is an initiative of Arts 77, Chicago’s arts recovery plan.

Applications for July 1 – August 14 events are due May 7 at Chicago.gov/Music.