Labor Day can sometimes feel like a bittersweet holiday, marking the unofficial end of summer in Chicago and all its myriad pleasures. Thankfully, there’s still plenty of warm weather fun to be had as we roll into the three-day weekend, from street festivals (like West Loop Art Fest) to live music at the Chicago Jazz Festival downtown and North Coast in suburban Bridgeview. It’s also the final weekend to catch free fireworks shows at Navy Pier and soak up the sun on public beaches. Scroll through for even more stuff to do and have a very happy Labor Day.
RECOMMENDED: Your guide to Labor Day weekend 2024 in Chicago
We've rounded up the best chefs in the city to join us at Time Out Market Chicago, a culinary and cultural destination in the heart of Fulton Market featuring 18 kitchens, three bars and one drop-dead gorgeous rooftop terrace—all spread across three floors.
Originally established in the late 1800s, the Maxwell Street Market brought vendors, musicians and cooks to an open-air flea market where shoppers could find just about anything they wanted. The market introduced the Maxwell Street Polish sausage, provided a venue for rising Chicago blues musicians and was immortalized in a scene in The Blues Brothers. These days, the market sets up on nearby Desplaines Street (between Roosevelt and Howard) on Sundays, where visitors will find vendors hawking their wares, an abundance of delicious Mexican food and occasional performances by local bands and dance troupes. Don't let the cold or wet weather scare you away—the Maxwell Street Market takes place from May through October. This year, the market returns to its original home on Maxwell Street, between South Halsted Street and South Union Avenue, and on South Union Avenue between West Rochford Street and West Liberty Street.
From weekend getaways to the best beaches and rooftops, here's how to send summer off on a high note.
Discover Time Out original video
