Chicago isn’t just the birthplace of house music—it’s the global heartbeat of the genre. From August 22–23, 2025, the city transforms into a dance floor, uniting generations through soul, rhythm, and community. Organized by Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), this landmark event spreads across iconic city venues—from Millennium Park and Grant Park to the Chicago Cultural Center, and culminates with a chilled session along the Riverwalk. Best of all? Admission is completely free.
Aug. 22 – 23, 2025
Free admission • Millennium Park and beyond
The Chicago House Music Festival is an annual celebration of Chicago house music that has revolutionized dance music globally. Held in Millennium Park every summer, this joyous event celebrates the Chicago-born genre and attracts house fans from across the globe to hear today’s top DJs and up-and-coming talent.
Learn more about the Chicago House Music Festival, explore this year’s lineup, and start planning your visit.
Chicago House Music Festival schedule
The lineup for the Chicago House Music Festival and Conference is always packed with incredible artists and industry experts from around the world. The full 2025 schedule and lineup includes four stages of programming, youth workshops, dance parties, and beyond.
- Chicago House Music Conference
- Chicago House Music Festival at SummerDance
- Chicago House Music Festival
- Wind Down: House on the Riverwalk
Chicago House Music Conference
Friday, Aug. 22, 4 – 10 p.m.
Chicago Cultural Center
All panels free and open to the public
- House DJ set by TribeCago
- All ages/family-friendly house dance lesson led by Jus.Be House Collective
- Panel: This Is Our House: A Discussion Bridging Past, Present, & Future of Chicago House
- Open dance with TribeCago + Body:House Dance Summit Pre-Qualifiers
- Panel: Community, Collaboration & Cross-Pollination
- Panel: The Creative Process, Purpose & Production in House Music
- Panel: Bridging Generations: Legacy, Lineage & New Directions
- Panel: Marketing, Monetization & the Musician Strategist
- Panel: Chicago Nightlife & Bars: Culture, Gentrification & DIY Spaces
- Fireside Keynote Conversation: An intimate, in-depth conversation with a luminary of the House Music Industry.
Chicago House Music Festival at SummerDance
Friday, Aug. 22, 2 – 5:30 p.m.
Dance Studio, Chicago Cultural Center
- Daytime Master Class, Dance Studio
Friday, Aug. 22, 6 – 9 p.m.
Spirit of Music Garden, Grant Park
- House Dance Lesson led by BraveSoul Movement
- DJs Vince Adams & Lil John, hosted by Toni Shelton
Chicago House Music Festival
Saturday, Aug. 23, 1 – 9 p.m.
Millennium Park
All performances are free and open to the public
Pritzker Pavilion – Legacy Stage (Main Stage)
- Hatchet Brothers
- DJ Pharris Thomas
- Boolumaster
- Waxmaster
- Tyree Cooper
- White Knight
- Psycho B
- Ralphi Rosario
Soulful House Stage (North Promenade)
- Chicago House Dance Summit
- Tommaso
- Party Called Tribe
- Fortune
- CTRLZORA
- Shaun J. Wright
Chicago House Stage (South Promenade)
- DJ Phats
- John Simmons
- Jordan Fields
- Zsa Zsa
- Stacy Kidd
- CZR
- Bear Who?
- DJ Threejay x Patrick Wayne feat. PAMP
Groove Garden Stage (Double Clutch Beer Garden)
- Groovin Kiki
- Randal Dean
- DJ Hi Speed
- Emanual Pippen
- T. Mixwell
- Quickstatic
- Lovebug
- Specter
Chicago House Dance Summit (North Promenade Tent)
Join us for a vibrant gathering of dancers of all levels, DJs, and house culture lovers in celebrating the art and history of house dance through youth and community engagement programs like workshops, demonstrations, and dance battles.
- Youth & Family Dance Workshop + Coloring Station by Creative Netwerk
- Footwork OG Freestyle Exhibition – “Get-Down Showcase”
- Footwork Crew Showcase + New Generation Exhibition Battle
- Body: House Dance Summit – Finals by Jus.Be House Collective
Wind Down: House on the Riverwalk
Sunday, Aug. 24, 1 – 5 p.m.
Chicago Riverwalk
Free and open to the public
A chill-out session of music after 3 days of festivities. Bring blankets and chairs and enjoy the scenic views of The Confluence, where the Main, North, and South Branches of the Chicago River meet over groove-injected House beats.
- DJ Jerome Baker
- Julio Bishop
About Chicago House Music Festival
Each summer, the Chicago House Music Festival brings an incredible lineup of local and international talent, along with house music fans from across the country, to Chicago for a weekend-long dance party showcasing the various sounds and styles of house music.
In 2024, the city celebrated the 40th anniversary of house music. The genre was invented by primarily Black and LGBTQ+ artists in the 1980s, thriving in Chicago’s underground and warehouse club scene. In the following decades, house music became a worldwide phenomenon and a crucial chapter of Chicago’s music legacy. Learn more about the history of house music in Chicago.
The year’s festivities also include an industry conference featuring engaging panels with house music icons and experts at the Chicago Cultural Center.
Chicago House Music Festival FAQs
Where is the Chicago House Music Festival?
The Chicago House Festival is held at lakefront Millennium Park in downtown Chicago. The conference events are held at the Chicago Cultural Center.
Is the Chicago House Music Festival free?
The Chicago House Music Festival is free and open to the public. All performances at Millennium Park are free to attend throughout the weekend.
How can I get to Chicago House Music Festival?
Public transportation is one of the easiest ways to get to Chicago House Music Festival. The city’s public transit system connects visitors to Millennium Park by bus and train. Millennium Park is also directly accessible via Metra.
Nearby parking garages are located at Grant Park North Garage (25 N. Michigan Ave.), Grant Park South Garage (325 S. Michigan Ave.) and Millennium Park Garage & Millennium Lakeside Garage (5 S. Columbus Dr.).
