Chicago truly shines during the summer. A festival hub, the city is chock full of legendary events ranging from neighbourhood block parties showcasing local food, to sprawling outdoor fests with major headlining acts. After last year’s pandemic restrictions, the city is happy to announce a full roster of returning favourites including the summer-long programming of the Grant Park Music Festival, Millennium Park Summer Film Series and Chicago SummerDance. Ticketed culinary events like the Taste of Chicago and Windy City Smokeout return, alongside musical extravaganzas such as The Summer Smash Festival, Pitchfork Music Festival and the world-famous Lollapalooza. There are exciting new events planned too, such as James Beard Award-winning writer and “Food Guy” Steve Dolinsky’s inaugural Pizza City Fest. 

Come discover the endless ways to #SeizeYourSummerInChicago. Visit www.ChooseChicago.com for more information.

New Accommodations

The Emily Hotel, situated at the former location of The Ace Hotel, is a boutique hotel concept inspired by art, nature and a west coast state of being. This 159-room property has recently set down roots in Chicago’s Fulton Market. 

The LaSalle Hotel, Autograph Collection, situated in the heart of the Financial District, offers world-class accommodations including spacious rooms with oversized Calacatta marble bathrooms and luxurious walk-in showers. The hotel is projected to open this Summer. 

The St. Regis Chicago is set to debut in early 2023 as the 50th St. Regis globally. The 101-story St. Regis Chicago, designed by award-winning architect Jeanne Gang, has changed Chicago’s iconic skyline. It is now the third tallest building in Chicago, the 10th tallest in the United States and the tallest building in the world, designed by a female. The hotel will feature 192 luxurious guest rooms, multiple dining options, a St. Regis Spa, fitness center, indoor pool and outdoor sunken terrace. The hotel’s backyard is a botanical green space featuring a children’s play park, dog park and ornamental water gardens.

Restaurants + Dining

Newly Open:

Eric Williams, owner of The Silver Room boutique, has partnered with The Nascent Group on Bronzeville Winery. Opened in April 2022, guests enjoy selections from around the world highlighting African American owned labels paired with an ever changing, seasonal menu that pays homage to the flavours of the African diaspora. 

Con Todo, Logan Square’s hotly anticipated Mexican-American restaurant from Chef Jonathan Zaragoza (whose family owns Birrieria Zaragoza) opened in January 2022. The restaurant is influenced by the flavours, cooking techniques and people of Mexico City. 

Rooted in the Greek ethos of wellness, LÝRA brings holistic fare to Chicago diners in an indoor-meets-outdoor space. Opened January 2022 in the Fulton Market neighbourhood, acclaimed Greek superstar Chef Athinagoras Kostakos, takes full advantage of LÝRA's custom wood- and charcoal-burning hearth by applying island cooking techniques. 

Union, the new Logan Square restaurant from Chef Chris Thompson, opened in March 2022 pays homage to one of the world’s best cities for beer. It showcases everything from funky sours to dark Czech lagers and classic pilsners from both Chicago-based and Midwestern-based breweries on its 24 rotating taps.

Opening Soon:

Chicago-area native, Michelin Star Chef Daniel Rose (Le Coucou) is partnering with Boka Restaurant Group on Le Select, a French brasserie slated to debut later this summer 2022. 

From Meadowlark Hospitality (the team behind Lardon in 2021 and Union in 2022) comes their third and final concept The Meadowlark, a tip of the hat to Chicago’s cocktail culture. Opening summer 2022, The Meadowlark will feature a rotating menu of house made bitters, tinctures, infusions, shrubs and tonics, as well as fresh-pressed juices, market-driven, and seasonally rotating ingredients.

Chef Arthur (Art) Smith,  who has worked for former Florida governors Bob Graham and Jeb Bush, and until 2007 was personal chef to Oprah Winfrey, is slated to open Reunion at Navy Pier later this year. The new concept will feature a robust menu of healthy and classic comfort foods, while reflecting the look and feel of Smith’s Chicago home kitchen. 

Smoque BBQ, one of Chicago’s premier barbecue joints, is opening Smoque Steak, a new steakhouse concept in Avondale in fall 2022. 

New York food hall Urbanspace will open two Chicago locations, the city's first new food hall since the pandemic. Urbanspace West Washington recently opened while a second location, inside Willis Tower, is projected to open in 2022. 

LondonHouse Chicago’s LH Rooftop bar which boasts unmatched sweeping views of the Magnificent Mile downtown area and the Chicago River, will invite guests to fully immerse themselves this summer in a one-of-a-kind illuminated rooftop botanical garden experience. LH Rooftop will light up Chicago’s night sky with a vibrant array of multi-colored, floral-themed LED lights – creating the perfect Instagrammable space.

Museums + Art Exhibitions

The American Writers Museum’s summer 2022 exhibit Dark Testament, will explore racial injustice in America through the work of Black American writers from the end of the Civil War through the Civil Rights Movement.

The Art Institute of Chicago has a full summer/fall 2022 schedule, featuring the exhibits: The Golden Age of Kabuki Prints (Until June 26, 2022), Mel Bochner Drawings: A Retrospective (Until August 22, 2022), and CEZANNE (Until-September 5, 2022). 

The Field Museum’s newest exhibit Wild Color, running through January 8, 2023, invites viewers to dive into the colour spectrum as they make their way through immersive rooms. In Jurassic Oceans: Monsters of the Deep, running through September 5, 2022, visitors will meet the underwater giants that lived 200 million years ago. In Native Truths: Our Voices, Our Stories, a new permanent exhibit, guests are invited to experience stories told by Native American and Indigenous people..

Immersive Monet & The Impressionists, opening June 17, 2022 at Lighthouse ArtSpace Chicago, is a masterpiece for the senses by Massimiliano Siccardi, the creator of the original Immersive Van Gogh, this new exhibition celebrates the work of the radical 19th century Impressionist painters. 

For a unique after-hours outing, head to the Loop’s Medieval Torture Museum, the largest interactive historical museum in the U.S. Guests can explore immersive, hands-on recreations of torture chambers from the Middle Ages, made up of a unique collection of hundreds of objects. 

Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art has a busy schedule, featuring: Alfredo Jaar: The Structure of Images (Until July 3, 2022), Based on a True Story . . . (Until August 14, 2022), and the first career-spanning retrospective of the internationally renowned Chicagoan, Nick Cave, in an exhibition titled NICK CAVE: FOROTHERMORE (Until October 2, 2022). Highlights of the exhibition include never-before-seen works and a mesmerizing, Spinner Forest, composed of thousands of kinetic spinners.

Museum of Ice Cream (MOIC) is bringing its experiential museum to Chicago, opening July 16, 2022.Located at The Shops at Tribune Tower at 435 N Michigan Ave, the one-of-its-kind space will include the rollout of new features and attractions specifically designed for Chicago including the Sprink-L, a Chicago-inspired CTA train, and a giant dessert-themed putt putt course.

PRINCE: The Immersive Experience made its worldwide debut in Chicago on June 9, 2022 (through October 9, 2022). The Experience is an interactive celebration of the iconic artist’s life and legacy. Journey through 10 multi-dimensional spaces and explore a purple universe where you will step inside the iconic Purple Rain album cover, play music producer and mix one of Prince’s greatest hits in Studio A, plus much more. 

Performances + Festivals

Chicago SummerDance (June 18 – September 17, 2022, select dates), will return for its 25th year with a robust lineup and expanded programming. Dancers of all ages and skill levels are invited to enjoy free programming and, in honour of the Year of Chicago Dance and the nationwide “National Dance Day,” there will be a special day-long SummerDance Celebration in Millennium Park on September 17, 2022.

Grant Park Music Festival (June 15 - August 20, 2022): For more than 80 years, the Grant Park Music Festival has been Chicago's summer musical sensation. This year will offer a thrilling free lineup of music at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion with a mix of contemporary compositions and classical favourites.

Lollapalooza (July 28-31, 2022): The annual 4-Day music festival returns to Grant Park with headliners including Metallica, Dua Lipa, Machine Gun Kelly, J. Cole, Big Sean, Green Day, Doja Cat, Charlie XCX and more. There will be 9 stages and 170+ performers from all over the world. 

Northalsted Market Days (August 6-7, 2022): The 40th Northalsted Market Days is a weekend long live music street festival celebrating Chicago’s landmark Northalsted/Lakeview district. The festival features all-day lineups of live music on 6 stages, 250+ unique vendors, arts, crafts, food and drink, DJ’s and dancing, sponsor booths and more.

Pizza City Fest (July 23-24, 2022): Steve Dolinsky – a 13-time James Beard Award-winning food reporter, is creating Pizza City Fest: Chicago, bringing together 39 of the region’s best pizza makers. The event will feature live music, pizza-themed art, a series of highly curated seminars and panel discussions with some of the country’s greatest pizza makers in attendance. 

Taste of Chicago (July 8-10, 2022): A bite-sized version of the classic lakefront extravaganza will take place over three days — showcasing an estimated 30–40 eateries and food trucks each day, and three mainstage evening concerts.  

Windy City Smokeout (August 4-7, 2022): It’s like a weekend-long tailgate at this popular country music festival, known for drawing in the industry’s top names. The 2022 lineup includes Tim McGraw, Miranda Lambert, Sam Hunt, Willie Nelson and more. Barbecue pros from all over the country will be serving up ribs, brisket, smoked meats and more, highlighting styles from Kentucky, Nashville, Missouri and Chicago.

Neighbourhood Attractions 

Color Factory’s largest experiential art exhibit, is opening in June 2022 at Catalog at Willis Tower, the new curated dining, entertainment, and community experience in the heart of downtown Chicago. With multi-sensory art experiences inspired by the city’s culture, the space will feature installations from local artists and beloved rooms from other locations.

Skydeck Chicago at Willis Tower has reopened after completing an extensive redevelopment. This immersive, new Chicago-themed museum features modern physical and visual displays, educating guests of all ages on Chicago history, culture, cuisine and architecture through interactive and informative experiences.

Meetings + Conventions

Choose Chicago’s new Meeting Professionals Guide provides planners with a digital overview of information about Chicago as a destination, what’s new throughout the city, and activities happening during their event.

Theatre + Performing Arts

Broadway In Chicago is proud to announce the following shows: My Fair Lady (playing June 28-July 10, 2022 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre), Jesus Christ Superstar (playing July 19-31, 2022 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre), The Devil Wears Prada, The Musical (playing July 19-August 21, 2022 at the James M. Nederlander Theatre), Anastasia (playing September 20-25, 2022 at the CIBC Theatre), and Wicked (playing September 28-December 4, 2022 at the James M. Nederlander Theatre).

View the entire What’s New + Happening in Chicago – Summer 2022 release here.