The lakefront is central to Chicago's outdoor event life. This page covers the main lakefront event sites and what happens there through the year.
Grant Park
Grant Park runs from Randolph Street south to Roosevelt Road along the lakefront. The Petrillo Music Shell and the main festival fields in the southern section of the park host Lollapalooza, the Chicago Blues Festival, the Jazz Festival, the Taste of Chicago, and the Grant Park Music Festival (free outdoor classical concerts on summer weekends). The park is free to enter year-round.
Northerly Island
The Pavilion at Northerly Island operates a summer concert season on the artificial peninsula just south of Soldier Field. With views of the lake and the skyline, it is one of Chicago's most scenically distinctive outdoor venues. The venue is accessible by bicycle along the lakefront path, by rideshare, or from the Museum Campus. Parking is very limited.
Navy Pier
Navy Pier on the lakefront in Streeterville hosts seasonal events, the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and a range of markets and seasonal activities. It is easily reached on foot from Streeterville or by bus from the Loop.
Beach areas
Chicago's public beaches — North Avenue Beach, Montrose Beach, 31st Street Beach — are free to access and are busy on summer weekends. No organised events, but the lakefront path connecting them runs year-round.