While some summer festivals won’t be returning this year due to continued concerns about COVID, many of the most popular ones will be held.
As more people are getting vaccinated in Chicago, the number of new COVID-19 cases continuing to drop, and the city being officially reopened, people are eager to get back to a normal life. With summer considered by many to be the most enjoyable season in Chicago after what are often shockingly cold winters, there are normally hundreds of summer festivals held throughout the city for residents and visitors to enjoy. Although there won’t be as many events this year as there usually are, there are still a number of wonderful festivals for you to attend, starting this month. Here are some of the most popular ones, followed by a complete listing for June.
Popular Returning June Festivals in Chicago
PorchJams Series Dates: Sundays, June 13 - Aug. 22 Time: 4pm – 6pm Locations: Various homes in Lakeview and Roscoe Village
If jam packed concert venues aren’t for you, then you’ll love this music series. Enjoy an intimate live music experience while safely connecting with neighbors and supporting local area musicians.
This socially-distanced, neighborhood concert series is taking place on Sundays, each time on a different front porch in Lakeview or Roscoe Village. The series will run from June 13 - August 22 (excluding July 4) for a total of 10 concert dates.
The organizes are not publicly announcing the locations for each concert and there will be a limited number of registration spots available to make sure that there is enough space for social distancing at each home. You can receive the weekly invitation to all PorchJam concerts which will let you know where they will be held and the performance schedule for each afternoon by registering on Eventbrite.
Learn more about this great series here.
Chicago Craft Beer Festival Dates: June 18-20, Time: Friday 5 - pm to 10pm; Saturday & Sunday - Noon to 10pm, Location: West Town (Fulton Market)
Chitown beer lovers will again be able to enjoy sampling craft beer when the Chicago Craft Beer Fest returns for its 9th year. Highlights of the festival include daily afternoon tastings, where visitors who purchase a pass can sample from a collection of over 40 specialty beers crafted by more than 35 local, regional and national breweries.
Admission includes a commemorative tasting glass, tasting guide and live music. Participants are also encouraged to stop by PB&J before or after the tastings for a meal and more brews if they haven’t had while listening to some great hits on their jukeboxes.
Get tickets here.
Make Music Chicago Date: June 21 Location: Various
Presented by the International Music Foundation, Make Music Chicago is a DIY music experience, intended to celebrate the musician in everyone, regardless of age, ability or preferred musical style. It’s also a recognition of the important and permanent place that music has in our lives.
Unlike a regular music festival, which is a passive listening experience, Make Music Chicago is open to anyone who wants to participate. Any kind of musician from amateur to professional take to the streets, parks, plazas, and porches of Chicago to share music of all genres with friends, neighbors and strangers. Participants can attend dozens of performances, introductory music lessons, sing-alongs, play-alongs, and children’s events. It is all free and open to the public.
First held in 2011, Make Music Chicago is patterned after the French Fête de la Musique held on the same day, the Summer Solstice. Chicago joins with 800 cities in 120 countries across the globe, making this the largest single day music festival in the world. Make Music Chicago is also a member of the Make Music Alliance, which joins Chicago with more than 60 other cities in the U.S. as they celebrate this day of music.
A complete list of events and locations can be found here.
Navy Pier Pride (Near North Side) Date: June 26, Time: 12:00pm -11:30pm.
One of Chicago’s most famous attractions, Navy Pier, has always held events, free public programs, and it’s been the go-to spot for attractions, culture, dining and fun. However, only a year ago, “The People’s Pier” was largely off limits to visitors. Now, with the rest of Chicago, it has reopened, and will host many events and festivals over the summer, few more popular than Navy Pier Pride.
This free, all day event was created to celebrate diversity, equality, inclusiveness and support for the Chicago LGBTQIA+ community. The entertainment will include performances from local LGBTQIA+ artists, educational programs, live music, on-site resources and information from a variety of community partners culminating with a special Pride-themed fireworks show.
Kicking off the day will be Muffy Fishbasket’s Drag Queen Story Hour, a live reading of popular children’s books by one of Chicago’s famous drag queens, Miss Mini Pearl. This performance encourages an early understanding of gender fluidity through glamorous, positive queer role models. Following story time, attendees can enjoy a series of live DJ sets, a dance showcase of the Pier’s weekly Wave Wall Moves program, and a concert by the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus.
The full event schedule can be found here.
Northcenter Neighborhood Garden Walk Date: June 27, Time: 12:00pm – 5:00pm.
This year marks the 15th Annual NAA Garden Walk, a self-guided tour through more than 30 local gardens with live music and other entertainment. Tour Northcenter gardens and outdoor spaces specially selected and created for this event. The self-guided tour will begin at Alexander Graham Bell School at 3730 N. Oakley (at Grace Street), where maps of all the gardens on this year’s tour can be picked up. Lemonade stands will be scattered throughout the various properties run by neighborhood children, with all proceeds going to charity.
Musical guests will include Heather Riordan, Annalise and the Backsliders, Adjacent Cruise, Jazz/Blues and Beta Dogs.
There is a suggested donation of $5. Seniors are free.
They are still looking for volunteers to help on the day of the event. If you want to help out, you can sign up to here.
Chicago Area Festivals That Will be Held in June 2021
- Through Aug. 22: PorchJams Series
- June 18-20: Chicago Craft Beer Festival
- June 19: Summer Beer Tasting
- June 19-20: Burr Ridge Art Fair
- June 21: Make Music Chicago
- June 22-Aug. 3: Concerts in the Plaza
- June 24-27: Swedish Days
- June 24-Aug. 26: Lot Jams
- June 25-27: Strawberry Festival
- June 26: Navy Pier Pride
- June 26: Seltzerland
- June 26-27: Pride in the Park
- June 26-27: Deer Park Art Show
- June 26-27: Festival of Fine Arts
- June 27: Northcenter Neighborhood Garden Walk
- June 30-July 4: Mount Prospect Lions Club Annual Festival
Annual June Events That Have Been Postponed for 2021
- Chicago Pride Parade postponed until Oct. 3
- Lincoln Park Wine Fest postponed until Oct. 9-10
- Spring Awakening Autumn Equinox postponed until Oct. 2-3
- Wells Street Art Festival postponed until Aug. 14-15
- WingOut Chicago postponed until Oct. 2-3
Annual June Events That Have Been Canceled for 2021
- 57th Street Art Fair
- Andersonville Midsommarfest
- Chi-Town Hot Sauce Expo
- Country Lake Shake
- Elgin Ribfest
- Logan Square Arts Festival
- Ravenswood on Tap
- Riverside Arts Weekend
- Summer Concert Series
- Uncork Illinois Wine Fest