Taste of Chicago

About Taste of Chicago

Taste of Chicago is the city's largest food festival and the world's largest free-admission food festival. The 46th annual edition runs Wednesday 8 July to Sunday 12 July 2026 in lakefront Grant Park, along Columbus Drive from Balbo to Monroe. The festival is produced by the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE).

First held on a single day on 4 July 1980 across three blocks of North Michigan Avenue, Taste of Chicago has grown over more than four decades into a five-day showcase of the city's culinary scene, bringing together dozens of Chicago restaurants, chefs and food trucks — from long-standing neighbourhood institutions to international kitchens and trending newcomers.

Highlights

• Free admission — no tickets required; food and drink purchased directly from vendors by cash or card
• Restaurant and food-truck line-up — dozens of Chicago vendors representing the breadth of the city's dining scene
• Free nightly concerts — a headline music programme in Grant Park, also free to attend
• Beer, wine and cocktail bars, interactive activities, giveaways and family-friendly programming
• Eli's Cheesecake Birthday Celebration — the traditional ceremonial cutting of a 1,000-pound cheesecake, with free slices for attendees

Visitor Information

• Dates: Wednesday 8 – Sunday 12 July 2026
• Hours: 11:00 – 21:00 daily
• Venue: Grant Park, Columbus Drive from Balbo Drive to Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois
• Admission: Free; all concerts are also free
• Organiser: City of Chicago, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE)

The full restaurant vendor list, concert line-up and programming schedule are published by DCASE on the official City of Chicago event page ahead of the festival. Neighbourhood pop-up events, including food-truck festivals, run across the city in connection with the Taste.