Chicago food festivals are more than just a chance to indulge—they’re a full-sensory celebration of flavor and sound. In 2025, the Windy City’s summer lineup delivers everything from tacos and tamales at Mexico Fest to craft-beer sips and country croons at Windy City Smokeout. Whether you’re chasing vegan vibes at Vegandale Chicago, Greek beats at Lincoln Park Greek Fest, or the deep-dish dreams of Taste of Chicago, our ultimate guide to Chicago food festivals with live music has you covered.
Dive into this SEO-optimized rundown of the best Chicago food and music festivals for 2025: discover dates, neighborhoods, must-try dishes, and featured artists across Navy Pier, Grant Park, Pilsen, the West Loop, and beyond. Bookmark your favorites, plan your foodie-festival crawl, and get ready to feast your eyes—and ears—on the hottest eats & beats Chicago has to offer this summer.
Mexico Fest
When: Friday, May 2 – Sunday, May 4
Where: Navy Pier
About: A free, family-friendly Cinco de Mayo celebration. Top food vendors, artisan market, tequila and wine tasting.
Featured Artists: Mariachi Estrellas de Chicago, DJ Eva Maria, Diamante Blanco
Lincoln Park Greek Fest
When: Friday, June 6th – Sunday, 8th, 2025
Where: St. George Greek Orthodox Church
About: The Lincoln Park Greek Fest is a must-visit for those craving delicious Greek cuisine and music. Indulge in mouthwatering gyros, souvlaki, and baklava while enjoying traditional Greek music and dance performances.
Featured Artists: 16 Candles • Ormi Orchestra • The Wise Guys • Perifania Youth Dance Group • Cretan Youth Of Chicago
RibFest Chicago
When: Friday, June 6th – Sunday, 8th, 2025
Where: Northcenter Neighborhood
About: If you’re a fan of finger-licking BBQ ribs, RibFest Chicago is the place to be. Sink your teeth into smoky ribs prepared by top local BBQ joints while grooving to live sets from Chicago’s best local bands.
Featured Artists: Hello Weekend • Caught Steelin • Dancing Queen: An Abba Salute • Black Oil Brothers
Taste of Randolph
When: Friday, June 13th – Sunday, 15th, 2025
Where: West Loop
About: Taste of Randolph is a staple of Chicago’s summer scene. Held in the heart of the West Loop, it brings together some of the city’s best restaurants with multiple stages of live music—expect a perfect mix of flavor and sound.
Featured Artists: Ok Go • Phantogram • Slow Joy • Slow Pulp • Spitalfield • Scarlet Demore • The Junior Varsity
Vegandale Chicago
When: Saturday, June 21st – Sunday, 22nd, 2025
Where: Grant Park
About: North America’s largest vegan fest—hundreds of global food & drink vendors, interactive art installations and DJ sets on two stages.
Featured Artists: TBA
Chicago Food Truck Festival
When: Saturday, June 28 – Sunday, June 29
Where: South Loop
About: Gather your crew and roam row after row of gourmet food trucks dishing fusion tacos, artisanal sliders and sweet treats. Local bands and DJs spin indie, soul and dance tunes on scattered stages to keep the vibes high.
Featured Artists: TBA
Windy City Smokeout
When: Thursday, July 10 – Sunday, July 13
Where: United Center Parking Lot
About: This festival is all about BBQ, beer, and big-name country music. Featuring legendary pitmasters and chart-topping artists, Windy City Smokeout is a multi-day feast for fans of smoky flavors and Southern twang.
Featured Artists: Bailey Zimmerman • Koe Wetzel • Old Dominion • Dylan Gossett • Kane Brown • Megan Moroney • John Pardi • Riley Green
Tacos y Tamales Festival
When: Friday, July 18 – Sunday, July 20
Where: Lower West Side
About: Three full days of tacos and tamales! WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED TO KNOW!
Featured Artists: TBA
Roscoe Village Burger Fest
When: Friday, July 18 – Sunday, July 20
Where: Belmont from Damen to Oakley
About: This one’s for the burger lovers. Chefs compete for the title of “Chicago’s Best Burger” while two stages of live music keep the crowd moving. Come hungry and ready to dance.
Featured Artists: 6 Candles • Dancing Queen: An ABBA Salute • Hello Weekend • Boy Band Night • Trippin Billies • Fletcher Rockwell • Beyond The Blonde • Blackberry Jam
Taste of River North
When: Friday, July 18 – Sunday, July 19
Where: River North
About: Taste of River North blends neighborhood favorites with live entertainment and family-friendly activities. From upscale bites to funky street eats, it’s a flavorful, high-energy weekend by the river.
Featured Artists: TBA
Lakeview Taco Fest
When: Saturday, August 23rd – Sunday, 24th, 2025
Where: Southport Corridor
About: Two days of tacos, margaritas and more—with live Latin, indie and DJ-driven sets spilling into every corner of Southport.
Featured Artists: TBA
Taste of Polonia
When: Friday, August 29 – Monday, September 1, 2025
Where: Copernicus Center & Jefferson Park
About: The nation’s largest Polish festival, serving pierogi, kielbasa, craft beers, and pop-up food stalls—plus nonstop polka, folk-dance troupes, and rock-Polka fusion bands.
Featured Artists: Sixteen Candles • THINK FLOYD USA • Gentlemen of Leisure
Taste of Chicago
When: Friday, September 5 – Sunday, September 7
Where: Grant Park
About: Chicago’s largest food fest returns to Grant Park for three days of deep-dish dreams, global street eats, and craft brews—paired with live music on multiple stages (including the Petrillo Music Shell) and pop-up previews in Marquette Park, Pullman and Albany Park.
Featured Artists: TBA
Jerk, Seafood & Vegan Fest
When: Saturday, September 20th – Sunday, 21st, 2025
Where: Park 540
About: Caribbean jerk classics, all-you-can-eat seafood boils and vegan eats—backed by reggae, hip-hop and Latin-fusion bands.
Featured Artists: TBA
Chicago Gourmet
When: Thursday, September 25 – Sunday, September 28, 2025
Where: Harris Theater Rooftop & Millennium Park
About: A ticketed, luxe celebration of Chicago’s top chefs, wines, and spirits—paired with live DJs, mariachi bands, chef-led demos, and string-quartet performances against the skyline.
Featured Artists: TBA