Open the gates, and let the festivals begin. As summer inches closer, music festivals around the country have begun to drop their latest lineups. Chicago is no stranger to the summer music festival scene, as millions of people gather each summer to partake in over 20 festivals held around the city.
Here are some of the best to look out for:
SUEÑOS MUSIC FESTIVAL
Sueños is a Latin and reggaeton music festival that started in 2022 and was organized by Berto Aguayo. The goal of the festival is to “unapologetically celebrate La Cultura Latina!” The festival features 25+ reggaeton and Latin artists.
This year’s lineup includes Rauw Alejandro, Peso Pluma and Maluma. Sueños is hosted in Grant Park and will be held on May 25 and 26. While this year’s tickets are sold out, it is never too early to join the waitlist for next year.
NORTH COAST
North Coast Music Festival is not new to Chicago Natives. The EDM festival will be entering its 14th year and is hosted at the SeatGeek Arena. The annual festival takes place over Labor Day weekend Aug. 30 to Sept. 1. It features some of the biggest names in EDM like Wooli, Boogie T and Subtronics. Three-day tickets are currently on sale, with general admission starting at $338.
LYRICAL LEMONADE SUMMER SMASH FESTIVAL
Summer Smash is an annual three-day independent hip-hop festival hosted by Lyrical Lemonade’s Cole Bennett, a Chicago native. The festival focuses on highlighting independent hip-hop artists with both mainstream and breakthrough names. The festival is entering its sixth year and is a rain-or-shine event. The 2024 lineup will be released within the next few weeks, and presale has already started.
LOLLAPALOOZA
Lollapalooza is the biggest festival in Chicago, with over 400,000 attendees each year. As the festival grows, it has started to compete with top festivals like Coachella. The festival began in 1991 and was created by Perry Farrell as a farewell tour for his band Jane’s Addiction before the festival found its forever home in 2005 at Grant Park.
Lollapalooza features a diverse lineup featuring hip-hop, EDM and rock. This year’s lineup is a heavy hitter as the festival is set to headline with SZA; Tyler, The Creator; Hozier; Future X Metro Boomin; Stray Kids; Blink-182; The Killers and Melanie Martinez. Tickets are on sale now with two-day general admission starting at $299.
The list goes on as there are many more incredible music festivals held in Chicago each year. The festival scene is the place to be this summer; with music from every genre, it will not be hard to find a festival that fits you and your friends.
