Taste of Chicago

Taste of Chicago is the city’s summer food festival, held in Grant Park, on the lakefront next to the Loop. It is run by the City of Chicago, through its Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE). Established in 1980, it is, in the city’s words, a “uniquely-Chicago summertime tradition” with “an impressive array of eateries showcasing the city’s culinary excellence and diversity”. The city also calls it “one of the world’s largest free-admission food festivals”.

Taste of Chicago 2026

The 2026 festival ran along Columbus Avenue, between Balbo and Monroe, inside Grant Park. The 2027 dates had not been published when this page was checked, on 6 October 2026: the City of Chicago announces each edition on its site.

What to eat

The festival brings the city’s eateries together along one avenue, which makes it a quick way to taste the city’s own dishes in a day:

• Deep-dish pizza, baked in a tall pan, with the sauce on top of the cheese.
• The Chicago-style hot dog, on a poppy seed bun with mustard, onion, relish, tomato, pickle and sport peppers, and no ketchup.
• The Italian beef sandwich, thin-sliced beef soaked in its juices, with sweet peppers or spicy giardiniera.
• The city’s other kitchens. The organisers stress the diversity of the eateries: Mexican, Polish, Korean and many other cuisines have their own neighbourhoods in Chicago.

Practical tips

• Admission is free. The food is not. Budget for what you eat and drink, and share plates to taste more.
• Hours. In 2026 the festival opened at 11 am and closed at 9 pm each day, for lunch and dinner.
• July heat. Chicago summers can be hot and humid, with sudden storms off the lake: plan breaks in the shade of the park and check the forecast on the day.
• Getting there. Grant Park is a short walk from the Loop’s “L” stations and from Millennium Station, served by the Metra Electric line.

Where to stay and combine

Hotels in the Loop are a walk from Grant Park. River North is across the river. On the days before or after, the guided food tours of the Loop and River North covered in this guide go deeper into the same dishes, from 79.99 dollars per person.

Planning for the next edition

The City of Chicago published its announcement of the 2026 festival in May 2026. Chicago in July also has its lakefront beaches, architecture boat tours on the Chicago River and baseball at Wrigley Field and on the South Side, which turn a festival day into a longer city break.