Chicago

Chicago venues range from historic theaters to modern music halls and nightlife spaces.

• Concord Music Hall: While it didn’t open as a venue until 2013, Concord is situated in a historic building. Today, the venue can hold up to 1,490 people, and hosts live performers, DJs, and other performances.²
• The Vic: The Vic, short for The Victoria Theater, was opened in 1912. It initially hosted vaudeville and touring stage shows, but today hosts a variety of musical performances, live podcasts, and comedians.³
• PRYSM Nightclub: PRYSM is a hybrid venue in Lincoln Park that hosts live music, private events, and nightclub performances. The venue is 10,000 square feet and can accommodate up to 850 people across multiple areas.⁴

In addition to concerts in venues of all sizes, Chicago is also known for its over-the-top music festivals and large outdoor concerts.

• Lollapalooza: This world-famous four-day music festival includes performances by more than 170 artists across eight stages each year.⁶
• ARC Music Festival: This unique and vibrant concert features electronic and dancefloor music in the birthplace of house music.⁵

With a long history of local sports teams, Chicago has a deeply rooted, passionate sports culture, with locals and non-locals alike rooting for the city’s professional teams.

• Chicago Bulls: The city’s NBA team has been around since 1966. One of the team’s defining eras ran from 1984 to 1998, when the Bulls drafted Michael Jordan and won six titles in two separate three-peats from 1991-1993 and 1996-1998. The Bulls play their home games at United Center.⁷
• Chicago White Sox: The Chicago White Sox are one of the oldest professional baseball teams in the U.S. and have won three World Series championships. The White Sox play on the South Side of Chicago at Rate Field.⁸
• Chicago Cubs: The Chicago Cubs are one of the oldest and most celebrated teams in the MLB. They play at the historic Wrigley Field in the Wrigleyville neighborhood of Chicago’s North Side.⁹

Sporting events and music festivals are far from the only live entertainment Chicago has to offer. Art and comedy shows are also popular in the Windy City.

• Windy City Smokeout Festival: This festival brings country music, barbecue, and craft beer to the outdoor festival space beside the city’s iconic United Center. The annual five-day festival includes performances by more than 20 of the top names in country music.¹⁰
• Second City Chicago: Second City Chicago is a legendary comedy theater with multiple different stages, each hosting acts that range from improv to top acts.¹¹