Summer is festival season in Chicago and there’s one event happening that should not be missed—the Chicago Jazz Festival is not only a great way to hear international powerhouses and local musical artists alike, but it’s also a fun outdoor experience that you can enjoy free of charge.
This annual four-day event, which takes place during Labor Day weekend on August 28 to 31, is run by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) with programming help from the Jazz Institute of Chicago. (DCASE works hard to expand access to the arts throughout all of the Windy City’s neighborhoods, supporting artists and local communities along the way.) Free and open to the public, as always, make your way to the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, the Chicago Cultural Center and other venues around the city to celebrate all-things jazz.
And the performers' docket is packed—headliners include the bassist and vocalist Esperanza Spalding, piano legend Monty Alexander, trumpeter-vocalist Kermit Ruffins, Afro-Cuban guitarist Eliades Ochoa of Buena Vista Social Club, and saxophonist Gary Bartz with his ensemble NTU Troop. Elsewhere, you can hear an impressive roster of Chicago’s finest jazz treasures and talents, including Patricia Barber, Ari Brown, Ernest Dawkins, Sarah Marie Young, Ava Logan, G. Thomas Allen, the Natalie Scharf Quintet featuring Paul Asaro, and Silvia Manrique & Marcel Bonfim.
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“Chicago’s jazz legacy runs deep – from Bronzeville basements to global stages,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson in a statement. “This festival represents our city’s enduring creativity, cultural excellence, and commitment to bringing people together through the universal language of music.” For a full lineup of the festival, including timing and locations, click here.
Jazz-focused festivals have been hosted throughout the course of Chicago history. When Duke Ellington—the legendary pianist, composer and band leader—died in 1974, a festival was organized in Chicago to honor his legacy. Another festival sprouted up in 1978 to celebrate the life and work of John Coltrane. Soon after, the Chicago Jazz Festival was born in '79, drawing thousands of festivalgoers to Grant Park each year. In 2017 the festival moved to Millennium Park to accommodate the size and scope of the popular jubilee.