Social media was buzzing Wednesday and Thursday with tweets about some of Chicago’s biggest city-sponsored summer music festivals not happening due to the recent controversy over Grant Park’s “shutdown” to accommodate NASCAR and Lollapalooza dates.
Specifically on Thursday, much of the chatter was over the fate of the Chicago Blues Festival and the Chicago Jazz Festival. These two fests take place in nearby Millennium Park, not Grant Park.
On Thursday, the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events confirmed to the Sun-Times that both the blues and jazz festivals, along with a slate of other city-sponsored festivals will be taking place this summer. No further information was made available.
“The Chicago Blues Festival, Chicago Jazz Festival, and all of DCASE’s signature summer events are happening. ... We’re announcing next week,” a DCASE spokesperson said via emails.
The blues fest is generally scheduled for early June. The jazz fest traditionally takes place the first weekend in September, though its earliest incarnations took place in late August each year.
The buzz among music fans came in the wake of the announcement Tuesday of Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s plan to relocate this year’s Taste of Chicago to Polk Brother’s Park at Navy Pier. That plan was met with fierce opposition by lakefront ward aldermen. There was no mention of any other Grant Park festivals/events being canceled or relocated as part of the move.
Lollapalooza runs Aug. 3-6 in Grant Park. The Suenos music festival takes place May 27-28, also in the park.
The Grant Park Music Festival, which takes place in Millennium Park, announced its full slate of programming earlier this week. Run dates for the fest are June 14-Aug. 19 at the Pritzker Pavilion in the park and other citywide venues.
The Chicago Gospel Music Festival takes place June 3 at Millennium Park and other citywide venues.
