8 Sun-Soaking Summer Events

Mark your calendars. Here's a look at the best upcoming, seasonal happenings and fests you simply don't want to miss.

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Sharpen your dancing skills with Chicago SummerDance at Grant Park. Dance instructors of different genres help you learn new moves, and live bands play some music to show off what you’ve learned. Learn swing, ballroom, salsa, tango, square, and more all on the 4,900-square foot open-air dance floor, which should give you enough space to shimmy.

Chicago SummerDance

Chicago SummerDance

If you want to sweat some more Millennium Park Summer Workouts every Wednesday and Saturday on the Great Lawn. Wednesdays are only yoga classes held from 7:30 a.m.–8:15 a.m. There is more variety on Saturdays with a different workout every hour starting at 7 a.m. until 11 a.m. with tai chi, yoga, pilates, and Zumba® in that order. While it might be early, you’ll forget the time once you realize how beautiful it is to get healthy with a view to all the Loop skyscrapers, the Frank Gehry-designed bandshell, and the rest of Downtown Chicago.

Take a break from all the workouts and watch others battle it out at the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour Championships at Oak Street Beach. While you wouldn’t expect the cold, windy city to be a strong hub for beach volleyball, the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball has made stops in Chicago every year since 1983. While you watch the competitive teams enjoy the festival with music, food, and more.

AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour Championships

AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour Championships

Walk the Street

It’s hard to get to know all of Chicago when it’s below zero degrees in the winter, so don’t miss your last chance to taste, hear, and see all our neighborhoods have to offer in these festivals. In Lincoln Park don’t miss the celebration of all encased meats at the Chicago Hot Dog Fest. Head to the Near South Side and witness the revival of the Motor Row District with hops and grapes at the Motor Row Craft Beer and Wine Festival. At Festival de La Villita not only will you celebrate Mexico’s independence from Spain but all the great things the Hispanic community provides Chicago with live music, carnival rides, and mouthwatering food. In the bustling and culturally rich neighborhood known as Boystown, Northalsted Market Days brings more than 150,000 visitors every year. See world-renowned musical artists, enjoy food, drinks, local vendors, and a great celebration of Chicago’s LGBT community.

Chicago Hot Dog Fest

Chicago Hot Dog Fest

Air and Water Show

As the summer comes to a close, the 58th Annual Chicago Air and Water Show will be wrapping it up in style. Grab a spot along the water on North Avenue Beach to watch one of the largest free shows in the U.S. with air performances featuring the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights. Work on your tan and take part in a great Chicago tradition, while soaking up the last of those summer rays.


Written By Joel Mora

Joel Mora is editor at Concierge Preferred. Born and raised in Miami, Fl., Joel has slowly ate, drank, and explored his way up north refining all his senses to prepare for the stampede of delicious dining, notorious nightlife, stellar shopping, and captivating culture that calls Chicago home. In the wild he’ll be the red-bearded Cuban with a Lagunitas IPA in his hand.

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