June is not only the beginning of the summer months, it is also the beginning of Chicago's art festivals and music concerts. The neighborhoods which make up the city provide and organize street festivals that include live music and events to get families out of the house and into the community. Explore Chicago offers an updated event calendar of festivals and family activities that are going on throughout the city.
Since 1980, the Taste of Chicago, located in Grants Park, has been one of the largest food festivals in the world. This event begins every year on June 25 and runs for two weeks. Admission is free, but in order to sample the food from local restaurants, food tickets must be purchased. Sample size food such as chocolate covered strawberries or pot stickers could cost you two to four tickets, while a whole cheeseburger could cost 10 tickets. Ticket booths are located throughout the festival, in case you need more. Explore Chicago reports that approximately six million guests visit the Taste of Chicago every year.
Situated on Wells Street, the Wells Street Art Festival is held every June in the Old Town neighborhood of Chicago. Approximately 250 pieces of artwork are preselected and shown during the festival. Live music on the stage, children's activities and a silent auction are additional features during the festival. The festival also provides 20 local vendors representing the restaurants located in the Old Town neighborhood. There is no admission fee and street parking is available. The Brown-Purple Line Station is approximately a 10-minute-walk from the art festival.
Every June since 1935, the Grant Park Music Festival provides its summer outdoor concert series at Millennium Park in the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. This free festival was started during the Great Depression by Mayor Anton Cermak, who put musicians back to work with this program. The music festival offers concerts by the Grant Park Chorus and the Grant Park Orchestra. Seating is based on a first-come, first-serve basis. There is plenty of grass seating if you want to bring extra blankets or a picnic dinner. Parking is available on Columbus Drive in the Millennium Park Garage.
