We don't like to play favorites, but July just might be our favorite of Chicago's summer months. If you're looking for things to do in the summer, July is full of 'em, whether you want to watch some fireworks, attend a music festival or sip on a cocktail in the great outdoors. The sweaty days and warm nights aren't going to stick around forever—take advantage of the season with our list of the most exciting openings in Chicago in July.
THINGS TO DO
June 29–July 3: The Eyes to the Skies Festival is pretty self-explanatory—just look up and you'll see tons of colorful hot air balloons in nearby Lisle.
July 1–4: Good vibes will be in full effect at the African Caribbean International Festival of Life, complete with art, food and plenty of dancing at Union Park.
July 1–3: Flex your jaws and dig into some of the tastiest meats around at the annual Windy City Ribfest.
July 4: Explosions in the sky mark America's Independence Day celebration—you can find great Fourth of July fireworks in Chicago and beyond.
July 6–10: Nearly 70 food vendors bring their best dishes to Grant Park for Taste of Chicago, where you can trade tickets for bites (or meals) and take in sets from the Roots, the Decemberists and more acts.
July 9: Bikes, beer and bands (this year it's Mucca Pazza and Dr. Dog) come together in Palmer Square Park for a day of free fun during the annual Tour de Fat.
July 9 & 10: Indulge in piles of patties and toppings from vendors like Fatso's Last Stand, Dive Bar and Chubby Wieners at the Roscoe Village Burger Fest.
July 9–Sept 5: Get medieval by traveling to nearby Kenosha, Wisconsin (on your trusty steed) for the Bristol Renaissance Faire.
July 15–17: Country music and barbecue collide at the Windy City Smokeout, where Billy Currington, Old Dominion and Big & Rich serenade your smoked meat consumption.
July 15–17: Held in front of the St. Benedict Parish in North Center, BenFest hosts basketball tournaments, a cash raffle and plenty of activities for kids.
July 16: Spike it at Volleywood Beach Bash and Tournament, hosted by Chicago Sport and Social Club at North Avenue Beach. More than 300 teams compete in the tournament. Plus, you can dance to some serious DJs and put away a few beers.
July 16: Raise your tankard (sample-sized, naturally) in a historic village at the Naperville Ale Fest, which carts a bunch of kegs into the Naper Settlement.
July 16–17: Rogers Park joins the street festival onslaught at the annual Celebrate Clark Street event, which brings music, great ethnic food and carnival games to the neighborhood.
July 17: Attend one of the area's most popular cultural celebrations at the annual (and totally free) Chinatown Summer Fair.
July 22–24: Get a Taste of River North at this riverfront bash, which combines cuisine from area restaurants.
July 23 & 24: Craft beer is great any time of year, but summer is its time to shine at the Chicago Craft Beer Festival, where thirsty attendees can toss back cold ones in Lincoln Park.
July 23 & 24: Move over, Abe Froman. Each year, SausageFest Chicago crowns a new Sausage King of Chicago, and everyone gets to enjoy some great encased meats.
July 28–31: If you don't have tickets to Lollapalooza, there's always Fiesta del Sol, one of the largest Latino fests in the Midwest, where carnival rides, music and art fill the streets of Pilsen.
RESTAURANTS & BARS
July 1: Jason Vincent returns to the culinary world with Giant in Logan Square, with a seasonal menu and a solid selection of wines.
Mid to late July: The Revival Food Hall by 16” On Center (Longman & Eagle, Dusek’s, the Promontory) brings a slew of beloved quick-serve restaurants to a giant Loop cafeteria.
July TBD: Coda di Volpe will open on the Southport corridor, featuring southern Italian cuisine from Billy Lawless and Ryan O’Donnell.
July TBD: Charlie McKenna’s Dixie comes to Bucktown with southern food and a 20-seat liquor bar, 1952 1/2, focusing on American whiskeys and vintage spirits.
July TBD: The West Loop gains yet another tenant with El Che Bar, which offers up Argentine-American wood-fired cuisine from La Sirena Clandestina’s John Manion and a cocktail program from Bill Anderson.
Note: Restaurant and bar openings are subject to change and can be delayed; call ahead before setting out.
MUSIC
July 1, 3: Axl Rose buries the hatchet and reunites with top hat–wearing guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan as a newly reinvigorated Guns N' Roses comes to Solider Field.
July 2 & 3: Mamby on the Beach brings Animal Collective, Santigold, Chet Faker and Chromeo to the shores of Lake Michigan for a sun-soaked Independence Day weekend party.
July 2 & 3: Legendary Chicago house DJs and R&B performers unite for two days of music in Jackson Park at the Chosen Few DJs Music Festival.
July 8–10: Argentinian ska band Los Fabulosos Cadillacs and Chilean rockers La Ley headline Ruido Fest, a celebration of Latin American rock, pop and electro.
July 8–10: Booked by the folks at the Empty Bottle, the supremely hip West Fest takes over the streets of West Town with performances by Bully, Luna and Cloud Nothings.
July 8–10: Alt-country and Americana music take the spotlight at Square Roots Fest in Lincoln Square, bringing Lydia Loveless, Cracker, My Brightest Diamond and Debo Band to the stages.
July 10, 11, 13: Pop superstar Adele headlines a (long ago sold out) three-night stand at the United Center. If you were lucky enough to snag tickets, bring some tissues.
July 15–17: As usual, the Pitchfork Music Festival offers up an eclectic slate of performers in Union Park, from the hazy indie rock of Beach House to the classic strains of Brian Wilson (playing Pet Sounds) and the ‘80s-inflected pop of Carly Rae Jepsen.
July 15–17: Need something a bit heavier than Pitchfork's breezy indie fare? The inaugural Chicago Open Air takes over Toyota Park with sets from Rammstein, Marilyn Manson, Korn and Slipknot.
July 16: John Carpenter didn't just direct Escape From New York and The Thing, he also composed each movie's score. At Thalia Hall, he'll perform his electronic arrangements with the help of a band.
July 18: Nigerian singer-songwriter King Sunny Adé puts on a free show at Pritzker Pavilion, blending traditional African music with Western pop stylings.
July 19 & 20: Garage rocker Ty Segall returns to the Empty Bottle with his latest fuzzy side project, GØGGS.
July 23 & 24: One of the year's largest street festivals, Wicker Park Festival, takes over Milwaukee Avenue with live music from the Mountain Goats, Alvvays and Rocket from the Crypt.
July 26 & 27: Hip-hop heavyweight Drake takes his Summer Sixteen tour to the United Center, accompanied by Future.
July 28–31: Lollapalooza is a four-day affair this year, packed with sun, heat and headlining acts like Radiohead, LCD Soundsystem, Lana Del Rey and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
ART
July 2–Feb 19: The Museum of Contemporary Art explores the relationship between photographers and subjects in "Witness," which includes photos and large-scale installations.
July 9–Sept 27: Artist Paul Catanese builds an artificial landscape and then photographs from above with a 12-foot blimp in "Visible From Space."
July 21–Oct 9: In the Museum of Contemporary Photography's "Petcoke: Tracing Dirty Energy," a collection of photos explores the environmental and societal impact of this petroleum byproduct.
COMEDY
July 22–24: The Comedy Exposition, a DIY comedy festival in its third year, brings a host of funny folks (including Kurt Braunohler and Rhea Butcher) to venues all over the city.
THEATER
July 1–Aug 14: Theater divas Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole star as cosmetics magnates and competitive rivals in War Paint.
July 1–Aug 21: Yasen Peyankov stages the Chicago premiere of Between Riverside and Crazy, a rough-edged comedy about an ex-cop suing the NYPD and struggling to hang onto his apartment.
July 7–Aug 13: Named for the deepest lake in England, Wastwater is a triptych of interconnected stories about people making dark choices in and around Heathrow airport.
July 20–Aug 21: Raven remounts last fall’s highly acclaimed production of Direct from Death Row The Scottsboro Boys, a play about the nine black boys falsely accused of raping two white women in Alabama in 1931.
July 28–Aug 7: Headlines don't sell papes, newsies sell papes! Disney's dancing, striking Newsies return to Chicago for a second touring stop.
DANCE
July 8–16: Hip-hop–tinged contemporary troupe Chicago Dance Crash takes the angels and demons of the world as inspiration for its summer concert, Evil & Good.
LGBT
July 8–Aug 13: Watch out for fairies: Derek Van Barham reimagines A Midsummer Night’s Dream via a queer, pop-rock lens in BITE: A Pucking Queer Cabaret.