Known for its artistic creativity, the Chicago Jazz Festival is a favorite Labor Day Weekend tradition. The Chicago Jazz Festival takes place this weekend, Thursday-Sunday, September 3-6 at the Chicago Cultural Center in Millennium Park.
The festival promotes awareness and appreciation for all forms of jazz through free, quality live musical performance. Since 1979, the festival’s mission is to showcase Chicago’s vast jazz talent alongside national and international artists to encourage and educate a jazz audience of all ages.
The Chicago Jazz Festival kicks-off on Thursday with Butler, Bernstein and The Hot 9. Friday includes The Fred Hersch Trio, and the Billy Strayhorn Centennial Celebration who will headline the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. Saturday’s line-up includes Brian Gephart Sextet, Douglas Ewart and Inventions and Dee Dee Bridgewater. The festival comes to a close with the Muhal Richard Abrams’ Experimental Band.
Millennium Park is easily accessible by public transportation including Metra and the CTA. Limited amounts of parking is available in the area. On September 3, the hours are 12:00 noon to 4:30 p.m. at the Chicago Cultural Center and 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Millennium Park. September 4, 5 and 6, the hours are 12:00 noon to 9:30 p.m. at Millennium Park. For complete details, including the artist line-up, visit the Chicago Jazz Festival.
