2017 Dates Released for Chicago’s Free Festivals and Events

By Urbanmatter Chicago @UMatterChicago

All the dates for next year’s essential events

The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events recently released all the dates for our favorite city festivals and events next year, and we’re so excited to already be looking ahead to 2017.

What’s the best part about all these events? They’re F-R-E-E, free! Just another thing that makes our city so goshdarn awesome. We hope you’re just as ready as we are for another year of fun in Chicago.

Chicago Memorial Day Parade
May 27, 2017
State St. from Lake St. to Van Buren St.

32nd Chicago Gospel Music Festival
June 2–3, 2017
Millennium Park and Chicago Cultural Center

34th Annual Chicago Blues Festival
June 9–11, 2017
Grant Park

21st Annual Chicago SummerDance
Fridays–Sundays, June 23–September 10, 2017
Grant Park

37th Annual Taste of Chicago
July 5–9, 2017
Grant Park

4th Annual Fifth Star Awards
August 2017
Millennium Park

59th Annual Chicago Air and Water Show
August 19–20, 2017
North Avenue Beach

39th Annual Chicago Jazz Festival
August 31–September 3, 2017
Millennium Park and Chicago Cultural Center

19th Annual World Music Festival Chicago
September 8–24, 2017
Millennium Park, Chicago Cultural Center and other citywide locations

104th Annual Christmas Tree and Holiday Celebrations
November 17–December 2017
Millennium Park

2nd Chicago Architecture Biennial
September 16–December 31, 2017
Chicago Cultural Center and other locations

Millennium Park Summer Film Series
Tuesdays, June 13–August 29, 2017
Millennium Park, Jay Pritzker Pavilion

Millennium Park Summer Music Series
Select Mondays & Thursdays, June 12–August 17, 2017
Millennium Park, Jay Pritzker Pavilion

Millennium Park Summer Workouts
Wednesdays & Saturdays, June 3–September 2, 2017
Millennium Park

McCormick Tribune Ice Rink
Mid-November 2017–Mid-March 2018
Millennium Park

Chicago Farmers Markets (City Markets) presented by Country Financial
May–October, 2017
Daley Plaza Farmers Market opens May 11, 2017
Daley Plaza and citywide locations