Half a summer has already passed and maybe you are wondering how to catch the best events of the remaining summer weeks? Well, the answer is easy! The Windy City bursts with events full of quality music, craft beer, and thrilling air shows. Check out our festival guide for the rest of summer 2018 below and get inspired. Let this summer be your most memorable experience in Chicago!
JULY
Chicago Craft Beer Fest | July 21-22, 2018
Craft beers in Chicago are thriving! Over 300 microbreweries are based in Illinois, so there is plenty of beers to choose from. Chicago Craft Beer Fest is a taste heaven for the brew lovers in the Lincoln Park/DePaul neighborhood. What could be a better way to spend a hot afternoon than afternoon beer tastings? With a pass you can sample from over 70 specialty beers crafted by local and national breweries. Happy and tipsy ticket holders are invited the next day to enjoy some great music at the Sheffield Music Festival. Tasting fees are about $35-40 for 15 tickets (1 ticket lets you sample 3 oz of a chosen beer). Ticket fee covers access to the tasting area and to private tasting area, souvenir tasting glass, and live music between tasting sessions.
Fiesta del Sol | July 26-29, 2018
A perfect mix of culture, food, and music in the heart of Pilsen, Chicago. This fun and family-friendly event is free to the public, and there is something for everyone. Fiesta del Sol is recognised as largest festival in the Midwest region offering visitors live entertainment, local art, a different food, carnival rides, a kids area, soccer games, educational programme for parents and youth, and much more. This four-day event draws over a million visitors each year, will you be one of them?
AUGUST
Chicago Air and Water Show | August 18-19, 2018
The Chicago Air and Water Show is is the largest and the oldest free show of its kind in the United States. It has been running since 1959 and draws over 2 million attendees annually. The show is presented by Shell Oil Products U.S. and the City of Chicago. This annual show is held on the shore of Lake Michigan and can be viewed across the lakefront from Oak to Fullerton Street, and North Avenue Beach is the focal point. The cool thing is that air show is a free event where you can see parachute teams, daredevil pilots (both civilian and military), and jets flying in formation. For ground support, flying teams utilize the Gary/Chicago International Airport in Gary, Indiana. Each year saw participation os the U.S. Army Golden Knights. Alternating annual headliners are the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. Water component is represented by water-skiing and boat-jumping. Head to Chicago’s lakefront and prepare dozens of ‘awes’ to be shouted out.
Chicago Jazz Festival | August 30-September 02, 2018
What a perfect occasion to celebrate Labor Day with great music all over the city throughout the weekend. The festival has been on since 1979. This four-day event brings artistic creativity and promotes jazz music through high-quality performances, and all this for free! Come and enjoy Chicago’s jazz talent with other 30,000 listeners by your side. Over the years, Chicago Jazz Festival hosted jazz stars like Ella Fitzgerald, BB King, Miles Davis, and others. After the concerts, enjoy jam sessions running from dusk till dawn where you might spot famous Chicago jazz musicians.
SEPTEMBER
Chicago Fringe Festival | August 30-September 3, 2018
The annual Chicago Fringe Festival takes over the Windy city in late August and early September. This daring artistic burst brings about 200 performances to venues around Jefferson Park. Some of the performances have participated in other fringe festivals, but the Chicago Fringe also runs lottery-based selection so you could see something unique and memorable. The festival also includes KIDS FRINGE for kids under the age of 12.
Chicagohenge | September 22, 2018
Every spring and fall equinox is a special time to be in the streets of Chicago. The phenomenon of the sun setting between the city’s skyscrapers is labelled Chicagohenge. It os an awe-inspiring scene that draws hundreds of photographers. The visual effect happens two-three days before and after the equinox. One of the best spots to see this urban-natural harmony is the Kinzie and Madison streets. Follow #Chicagohenge hashtag on twitter to keep updated on the timing and spots.
