Ravinia is the place to go if you want to spend time outside enjoying warm summer evenings while listening to and watching lively performances. Summer at Ravinia begins May 20 and ends September 18, and all summer long there are concerts almost every night. Whether they are classical music performances or rock and pop concerts, there are plenty of options to suit each person’s taste. Some of the many highly anticipated artists and musicians that are scheduled to perform at Ravinia this summer include: the Steve Miller Band on June 23, the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra on June 29 and July 6, the ABBA tribute concert on July 1, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in every month, Leslie Odom Jr. on July 24, Pitbull on August 25, Sting on August 27 and 28, the Four Seasons on August 29, Diana Ross on September 4, Stevie Nicks on September 8, and 10, as well as so many others. Book tickets and enjoy a summer concert night just a train ride from downtown!  

Lollapalooza is an annual summer music festival that hosts over 150 artists each year. This concert takes place in Grant Park in downtown Chicago from July 29th to July 31st. ThisThursday through Sunday event hosts a wide variety of music genres and artists. Some headlining artists for this year’s lineup include Metallica, Lil Baby, Jazmine Sullivan on thursday; Dua Lipa , Machine Gun Kelly, Glass Animal, and Don Toliver on Friday; J. Cole, Kyo, and Big Sean on Saturday; finally to end the festival,Green Day, Doja Cat, The Kid Laroi, Charli XCX, and Dominic Fike on Sunday. Throughout the concert’s venue there are many delicious food trucks that serve fresh food from local treasures. 

Summer Smash, also known as the Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash festival, is a premier Hip-Hop music festival. This year’s concert will be held from June 17th to July 19th.  This festival hosted by SPKRBX, a Chicago concert company, will be taking place in Douglas Park on the West side of the city. This event displays over 60 artists each year, as well as access to the culinary village, and an immersive art experience and arcade. This summer’s performers include artists such as Post Malone and even a special joint set performance by Young Thug x Gunna. 

One of the best parts of summer is being able to eat all of the fresh produce that’s in season, and there’s no better place to buy it from than at a farmers market. Several towns on the North Shore, including Lake Bluff, Glencoe, Wilmette, Northbrook, Glenview, and Skokie have weekly farmers markets from June to September, sometimes even in October. Several neighborhoods in Chicago also have their own markets, some notable ones being in Lincoln Park, Logan Square, Andersonville, Wicker Park, and Davidson Street, and more. Going to a farmers market this summer not only supports your local businesses, but it also gives you the opportunity to enjoy some delicious food!