After two years of pop-ups and satellite events, Taste of Chicago is officially returning this summer—and not just to the Loop, either. The annual food and music festival, which normally spans five days in Grant Park, will expand its footprint to three additional neighborhoods (Austin, Pullman and Little Village) for a series of day-long fests in June before heading to Grant Park for a three-day, "bite-sized" Taste of Chicago in July. As usual, you can expect plenty of food, live music and performances (including performers from Blues Fest at the Austin festival and a headlining set from Nelly in Grant Park), but say goodbye to those pesky paper food tickets: All vendors will accept cash and card payment this year. Curious about what else is new this year? Take a look through our guide to Taste of Chicago 2022.
When is the Taste of Chicago 2022?
Taste of Chicago kicks off in June with three neighborhood festivals on the South and West Sides of the city. The first, Taste of Chicago Austin, takes place at 5720 W Chicago Ave on Saturday, June 11; the second, Taste of Chicago Pullman, takes place at Pullman Park (11101 S Cottage Grove) on Saturday, June 18; and the third, Taste of Chicago Little Village, takes place on Saturday, June 25 at Ortiz De Dominguez School (3000 S Lawndale Ave). Hours are noon–8pm for each festival.
Then, following a break for 4th of July weekend, Taste of Chicago returns to Grant Park (near Buckingham Fountain) from July 8–10. Hours are noon–8pm.
What is the Taste of Chicago?
Historically, a lineup of local restaurants and food vendors set up booths in Grant Park for a five-day Taste of Chicago, and attendees had to buy paper tickets at the door that could then be spent on food and drink within the gates. The Taste of Chicago also usually booked a robust lineup of concerts, with ticketed seats available in the pavilion and free lawn seating.
This year, however, things look fairly different than previous versions of the fest. Similar to the pandemic-era Taste of Chicago To-go events, the 2022 edition will feature smaller, day-long festivals in neighborhoods across the city, with a lineup of entertainment including local restaurants, Chicago SummerDance performances and live music. Taste of Chicago 2022 concludes with a three-day festival in Grant Park, where you'll find more than 30 food vendors in addition to live music and dance lessons.
How much does it cost to get into Taste of Chicago?
Entry to all Taste of Chicago events—including concerts in Grant Park—is free. Food is available for purchase using cash or credit.
Where is the Taste of Chicago?
The single-day Taste of Chicago events will be held in Austin (5720 W Chicago Ave), Pullman (Pullman Park, 11101 S Cottage Grove) and Little Village (Ortiz De Dominguez School, 3000 S Lawndale Ave). The final Taste of Chicago event is in Grant Park.
