Illinois Summer Festival Guide 2019

ILLINOIS — Summer officially kicks off June 21, and as the weather heats up in Chicagoland, so do local events and festivals. Here are some events to keep you and the kids busy until school is back in session and the weather cools off.

From live music and food fests to craft beer and fireworks, there's no shortage of entertainment to be had.

Chicago

June 14–16: Ribfest Chicago along Lincoln Avenue from Irving Park Road to Berteau Ave. Featuring ribs, live music, family activities and more. Full schedule here. Tickets and VIP passes available here.

June 22–23: Pride Fest in Boystown. The lead up to the 50th annual Chicago Pride Parade will feature live music, DJs and dancing, plenty of food and drink, a drag show, pet parade and more.

June 29: Pride in the Park in Grant Park. The concert, held the day before the parade, features musical artists including Iggy Azalea, Steve Aoki, Tamar Braxton, Taylor Dayne and more. General admission tickets to Pride in the Park are still available and can be purchased online.

July 10–14: Taste of Chicago at Grant Park. Featuring food, music and fireworks. Free admission.

July 12–14: Irish American Heritage Festival at the Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox Ave. Featuring food, family activities, Irish dancers and live music from Dustbowl Revival, House of Hamill, Rory Makem, the Prodigals, The Byrne Brothers, Shane Hennessy, McPeake, Tupelo, Derek Warfield and the Young Wolfe Tones and many more. Tickets are $10 in advance through July 11 and $15 after that date. Children 12 and under admitted free.

July 19–21: Pitchfork Music Festival in Union Park. Featuring more than 40 musical acts. Three-day passes and individual tickets available.

Aug. 1–4: Lollapalooza in Grant Park. Featuring Ariana Grande, Shaq, Childish Gambino and more. Tickets range from individual tickets to $396 for four-day general admission and $6,422 for a four-day VIP platinum pass.

Aug. 17–18: Chicago Air and Water Show at North Avenue Beach and the Chicago lakefront. The 60th annual show features military teams including the Blue Angels, as well as civilian teams and a single-seat WWII fighter aircraft. Free admission.

Cook County

June 21-22: The Winnetka Music Festival will feature two main stages, an indoor chapel stage, a family stage and a new acoustic cafe on Elm Street and Lincoln Avenue. For the first time, wristbands will be required at the otherwise free festival for Saturday night's headliners.

July 3–7: Oak Fest, at 159th and Central Ave in Oak Forest. The 32nd annual event includes 4th of July fireworks, food, activities and live music, including the Kristin Rose Kelly Band, Infinity, Nitelife, Dave Schmidt and the Blue Snouts, the Flex Group, Unforgiven, Hairbangers Ball, Genevieve, 5184, Motley II, Photograph, Nick Gonzalez and Gloria, Tricky Mission and Loudernow. Free admission.

July 3-6: Morton Grove Days features four days of carnival entertainment, live music, food with a parade and fireworks on the Fourth at Harrer Park, 6140 Dempster St., outside the Morton Grove Civic Center.

July 25-28: Lincolnwood Fest is expected to attract more than 35,000 visitors over its four days. It will feature live music, carnival rides, food, drink, bingo and more. The event is free, but carnival tickets are $1 and rides can cost up to 7 tickets. Find a full schedule online.

Aug. 17-18: The sixth annual Evanston Art and Big Fork Festival will showcase artwork for sale from over 100 artists in a variety of media. All three days will feature live music, food and drink.

Aug. 23-25: The Backlot Bash returns to Skokie for its 12th year with three days of music and fun, including a carnival midway, community resources fair, auto show, kids activities, classic films, farmers' market, fun run and more on Oakton Street between Lincoln and Laramie Avenues. This year's headliners include WAR, the Smithereens with guest vocalist Marshal Crenshaw and Material Issue.

Will County

June 20-23: Homer Community Festival at Heritage Park, 14240 W. 151st St. Carnival, parade, fireworks, food vendors and more. Admission is free, but wristbands and mega passes are available for the carnival.

June 21–23: Taste of Joliet at Joliet's Memorial Stadium. Featuring Foreigner, 7th Heaven, Cole Swindell, Scotty McCreery and more. Live music, rides and plenty of food. Admission is $14 in advance or $16 at the gate Friday and Saturday, and $5 in advance, $10 at the gate on Sunday.

June 27-30: Chicagoland Speedway's NASCAR Summer Festival Weekend, the event at Joliet's NASCAR track will include a first-ever carnival set up at Champions Park as well as live entertainment, family-friendly rides, youth attractions, games including bumper cars, a Tilt-A-Whirl, Ferris Wheel and more.

July 19–21: Plainfield Fest in downtown Plainfield. Featuring live music, food, a bags tournament and a carnival. Saturday headliner is Tone Loc; other musical acts include American English, Back Country Roads, Plainfield native Eric Chesser and more. Free general admission, but admission to the entertainment area is $10 after 5 p.m.

July 25–28: Proud American Days at 601 E. Lincoln Highway in New Lenox. Featuring family activities, face painting, food, a carnival and live music from 4Cast, 7th Heaven, Jersey Girls, Infinity, Todd Beebe & 3rd Degree, Night Train, Hairbangers Ball, Bill Serritella and Tony Ocean. $7 cover charge for live music.

Aug. 1–4: RomeoFest at Deer Crossing Park/Village Park. As always, the fest offers up live entertainment, fireworks, a carnival, car show, bingo and more. Stay tuned for updates on this year's live music lineup. Free admission.

Aug. 2–4: Shorewood Crossroads Fest at Cene's Four Season's Park, 25520 W. Seil Road. Featuring a parade, car show, live music and more. General admission is $5 to the entertainment/Eat Street area beginning at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. A special needs event is set for 1 to 3 p.m. Friday for those in wheelchairs or with crowd and noise issues. Live music includes Heart to Heartbreaker and Brushville on Friday; the Millennials, Boy Band Review and Hi-Infidelity on Saturday; and Billy Elton on Sunday.

Aug. 10: Joliet Blues Festival at Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park, 201 W. Jefferson St. Featuring headliner Guy King, plus Morry Sochat and The Special 20's, Joel Paterson & Oscar Wilson, and Donna Herula & Tony Nardiello. Tickets are $10.

Aug. 21–25: Will County Fair at the Will County Fairgrounds, 710 W South St. in Peotone. Featuring a demolition derby, tractor and truck pull, baby show, chili cookoff and more. Find the full schedule of events on the website. Free admission.

Aug. 24: The Great Joliet Prison Break-In at the Old Joliet Prison on Collins Street. Featuring The Ides of March, The Nikki Hill Band, Hot Mess (featuring Joliet Mayor Bob O'Dekirk) and Great Moments in Vinyl. Tickets are $40.

Kendall County

June 13–16: Oswego PrairieFest at PrairieFest Park, 91 Plank Drive in Oswego. Featuring food, carnival rides, live music from BoDeans and the Spin Doctors, a 5K, pet adoption event and more. Free admission.

July 12–13: Yorkville River Fest at Riverfront Park, 131 E. Hydraulic Ave. Featuring food, cardboard canoe race, craft brews and live music from Back Country Roads, Nashville Electric Company, Whiskey romance. Free admission.

Aug. 1–4: Kendall County Fair at the Kendall County Fairgrounds. Featuring carnival rides, a truck and tractor pull, live music, a demolition derby and many other entertaining events. Free admission.

Aug. 9–11: Montgomery Fest along the Fox River. Featuring fireworks, petting zoo, a carp derby, talent show, car show, craft and business booths, live entertainment and a parade. Free admission.

Aug. 29–Sept. 1: Yorkville Hometown Days at Beecher Community Park, 908 Game Farm Road. Featuring the Ultimate Air Dogs Competition, baby contest, Big Band & BBQ, Pride and Joy car show and an exciting lineup of live music (TBA). Free admission.

DuPage County

July 3–7: Lisle Eyes to the Skies at Community Park, 1825 Short St. The event includes hot air balloons, two stages of music, a large interactive children's area, more than 30 different food vendors, a carnival, craft fair, fireworks every night and many other forms of entertainment. Tickets vary, $10-$65.

July 3–6: Exchange Club of Naperville Ribfest at Knoch Park, 724 S. West St. Featuring ribs, fireworks and live music, including headliner Flo Rida, Billy Idol, Living Colour, KC & The Sunshine Band, Brantley Gilbert, Randy Houser, Joe Hanson and Bad Company. Ticket prices vary.

July 13: Naperville Ale Fest at Naper Settlement, 523 S Webster St. Featuring 200 unique craft beers, live music and some of Chicagoland’s favorite food trucks. $49 general admission, $99 VIP.

July 24–28: DuPage County Fair at the DuPage County Fairgrounds, 2015 Manchester Road, Wheaton. Featuring food, an animal expo, live music, family activities and more. Entertainment schedule TBA. Free admission.

Aug. 10–11: Veggie Fest on the Grounds of Danada South Park, Navistar Circle in Lisle. Featuring an acclaimed international food court and food demos from leading chefs, plus a children's tent, yoga tent and live music.

Aug. 30–Sept. 2: Naperville Jaycees' Last Fling in and around downtown Naperville. Featuring food, a carnival, block party, family fun, the Labor Day parade and live music from Better than Ezra, 7th Heaven, Vertical Horizon, Big Head Todd & The Monsters, 16 Candles, the Ron Burgundys and more. Tickets TBA.

Lake County

July 4: Lake Forest Festival and Fireworks takes place from 5 to 10 p.m. on July 4 at Deerpath Community Park in Lake Forest. A live performance from Liverpool Legends, a Beatles tribute band made up of musicians and actors selected by George Harrison's sister, begins at 6 p.m. At 8 p.m., Wisconsin-based "top 40 country group" Bella Cain hits the stage.

July 18-21: Highwood Days-North Shore Taco Fest takes place in the parking lot of the Highwood Metra station with a wide range of tacos and other foods from local restaurants, caterers and food trucks, aslong with carnival rides, live music and a 5K benefit run on Saturday morning.

Aug. 24-25: Port Clinton Arts Festival will include more than 250,000 art fans at Highland Park's central business district, with paintings, photography, sculpture, jewelry and more from over 260 artists from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.