List of festivals in Chicago

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Important annual public festivities in the city.

This is a list of annual festivals in Chicago.

Arts and crafts festivals

• Chicago Antiques Fair
• Bucktown Arts Fest
• 57th Street Art Fair
• Canal Street Art Fair
• Gold Coast Art Fair
• Wicker Park Bucktown Arts & Music Festival
• Art Chicago
• Green Apple Music & Arts Festival
• Manifest
• Select Media Festival
• Versionfest

Community festivals and celebrations

• Andersonville Midsommarfest
• North Halsted Market Days
• Goose Island Fest
• Jeff Fest
• Retro On Roscoe

Culture, heritage and folk festivals

• Taste of Polonia- Chicago Polonia's leading event, a four-day celebration of Polish cultural heritage, traditions, and customs on the grounds of the Copernicus Foundation in Jefferson Park
• Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic - Chicago's main African American public event
• Chicago Turkish Festival May 23-26,2010 Daley Plaza
• Celtic Fest Chicago - a cultural celebration of the ancient Celtic nations of Ireland. Held during the second weekend of September in Grant Park.
• Von Steuben Day
• Polish Constitution Day Parade
• Midwest Buddhist Temple Ginza Holiday Festival

Film festivals

• Chicago International Film Festival - an annual film festival which is one of North America's oldest film events. The event is held every October.
• Chicago Underground Film Festival - an annual film festival focusing on underground film, experimental film and video art.
• Chicago Latino Film Festival
• Chicago International Children's Film Festival
• Chicago Outdoor Film Festival
• Chicago Palestine Film Festival
• Midwest Independent Film Festival
• Chicago Festival Of Israeli Cinema

Fine art and theatre festivals

• Chicago Improv Festival

Flower festivals

• Botanic Gardens Antiques & Garden Fair

Food festivals

• Taste of Chicago - the world's largest food festival and the largest festival in Chicago. During the event hundreds of restaurateurs sell samples in Grant Park while bands play (usually several headlining acts of nationally popular artists). This event draws millions each year. The event is held annually for 10 days in Chicago starting Friday before the 4th of July and ending the Sunday after.

Holiday festivals

• Christkindlmarket
• AEM's New Year's Eve Gala at Navy Pier
• Saint Patrick's Day parade - The Chicago River turns green!
• Magnificent Mile Lights Festival
• Spooky Zoo Spectacular

LGBT Festivals

• Chicago Pride Parade - A parade to celebrate being gay or celebrate those who are gay. Similar to all pride parades in major cities around the world. Runs on N. Halsted St. in Lakeview for most of the parade.

Music festivals

• Lollapalooza - An American music festival featuring alternative rock, hip hop, and punk rock bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. Lollapalooza has featured a diverse range of bands and has helped expose and popularize alternative groups such as Nine Inch Nails, The Smashing Pumpkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Hole.It is held for three days at the start of August at Grant Park.
• Pitchfork Music Festival - an annual summer music festival organized by Pitchfork Media held in Union Park, Chicago.
• Chicago Blues Festival - an annual event that features four days of performances by top-tier blues musicians, both old favorites and the up-and-coming. The event is held annually in early June and takes place in Grant Park.
• Chicago Jazz Festival - a popular and well-known four day free celebration of jazz which integrates both world-famous and local artists playing a wide variety of jazz music. The event is held in Grant Park during the Labor Day weekend.
• Grant Park Music Festival - a series of free outdoor classical music concerts series held in the Millennium Park during the summer.
• Chicago Country Music Festival
• Chicago Dancing Festival
• Chicago Gospel Music Festival
• Rogers Park Jazz Series
• Alehorn of Power
• ChicagoFest
• Intonation Music Festival
• Midwest Clinic

Science fiction festivals

• Capricon - an annual, four-day-long science fiction convention in a suburb of Chicago.

Sports festivals

• Chicago Marathon - a major marathon held annually in Chicago. It is one of the five World Marathon Majors. The event is held annually in early October.
• Crosstown Classic
• Bike The Drive
• Boulevard Lakefront Tour
• Chicago to Mackinac Boat Race

Transportation festivals

• Chicago Air & Water Show - One of the world's premier aviation events which includes a wide array of military and civilian acts.
• Chicago Auto Show - The largest auto show in North America and the third largest auto show in the world. It consists of over 1,000 vehicles on display. Over one million visitors attend the event each year. The event is held annually in February at Chicago's McCormick Place convention complex.
• Tall Ships
• Chicago Venetian Night