Come summer, Chicago's neighborhoods host hundreds of amazing street festivals, but it's not often that the Loop gets in on the action. The Chicago Loop Alliance changed all that in 2014 when organizers introduced ACTIVATE, a free series that transforms overlooked alleyways into over-the-top celebrations for one night only.
Today, ACTIVATE organizers revealed the lineup for 2018, which includes four downtown events on June 7, July 12, August 16 and September 13. According to the release, one of this year's events will be hosted on a portion of the Chicago Riverwalk. Each free program runs from 5 to 10pm, making it the perfect post-work stop before heading home. Guests will enjoy art installations, live music and interactive displays, and those over 21 who RSVP in advance will receive a complimentary drink ticket for beer, wine or a cocktail at the party.
This year's theme is (EVO)lution, with EVO referring to a "fictional muse representing all of the artistic intentions in Chicago that lead to the continuous evolution of the city’s modern-day arts and culture," according to the release. "EVO is able to open portals to parallel universes, so each ACTIVATE event will see a location in the Loop transformed, with attendees transported to an alternate version of the same space."
Locations for each party are announced a few weeks before the event; look out for details on May 23, June 21, July 26 and August 30, respectively. In the meantime, keep an eye on Chicago Loop Alliance's website for more information about this year's ACTIVATE lineup.