In less than two months, one of Chicago’s beloved festivals is returning to Grant Park, drawing crowds to experience music, food and dance from around the city.
Taste of Chicago will take place in Grant Park from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. each day from Sept. 5 to Sept. 7. Entrance to the festival is free, and guests can expect a variety of vendors and food trucks, as well as dance lessons throughout the day and live music performances each evening.
Here’s everything to know about the festival’s food and entertainment.
Music lineup
The festival features two stages, the Taste Main Stage and the Goose Island Stage. The city of Chicago has announced many main-stage performers and plans to announce the Goose Island lineup in the coming weeks, according to the city’s website.
Chicago-born rapper Lupe Fiasco will headline the festival Friday. On the same day, Terry Hunter will also perform on the main stage, and Mike P will be the evening’s DJ. Saturday will be headlined by JoJo, along with a performance by The O’My’s.
Sunday’s headliner is Puerto Rican singer Elvis Crespo.
Each day, a Chicago Made artist or group will also perform on the main stage, but the city has not yet announced these sets. An additional performer for Sunday as well as DJs for both Saturday and Sunday have also yet to be announced. According to organizers, performances will begin at 5 p.m. each day on the Taste Main Stage.
Updates to the lineup can be seen on the city’s website.
Food vendors
Taste of Chicago is most known for its vibrant collection of Chicago-area vendors and food trucks. This year, the festival will feature 45 vendor booths and 17 food trucks, according to organizers. Of those vendors, 10 booths and two food trucks are new this year, they added.
Here’s a list of vendors for the 2025 festival.
- African Food Palace
- Arepa George
- Badou Senegalese Cuisine
- Banato
- Beat Kitchen Cantina
- Billy Goat Tavern
- BJ’s Market & Bakery
- Caseras Sabor Real
- ChefLife19/Chef Maurice
- Chicago Eats Market Place
- Chicago’s Doghouse
- Chillafry
- Churro Factory
- Connie’s Pizza
- Crave Cookies
- CUMIN Indian Eats
- Cynthia’s Gumbo Express
- Dao Thai Restaurant
- Decadent Flavor
- Donut Dudes
- Doom Street Eats
- El Azteca Sanches
- Esperanza
- Franco’s Ristorante
- Frannie’s Cafe
- Gaby’s Funnel Cakes
- Haires Gulf Shrimp
- Happy Lobster
- Harold’s Chicken
- Hubbard Inn
- JJ Thai Street Food
- Josephine’s Southern Cooking
- Khmai
- La Cocinita Food Truck
- Lexington Betty Smoke House
- Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria
- Moore Poppin Gourmet Popcorn
- Ms Tittle’s Cupcakes
- Nitro Nostalgia Ice Cream and Board Game Café
- Ponce Restaurant
- Porkchop
- Prime Tacos
- Robinson’s No.1 Ribs
- Sapori Trattoria
- Seoul Taco
- Soul & Smoke
- Star of Siam
- T&J Food Services
- Taco Motora
- Tacotlan
- Tandoor Char House
- Tasty Chicago
- The Eli’s Cheesecake Company
- The Original Rainbow Cone
- The Sole Ingredient Catering
- Thimi’s Empanadas
- Uncle Remus Saucy Fried Chicken
- Whadda Jerk
- Yum Dum
SummerDance schedule
Each year, SummerDance hosts free dance lessons and music at the festival. This year, the festival will host lessons for a variety of dance styles, including line dancing, salsa, mambo and more.
Here’s a list of which lessons will be offered each day.
Friday
- 12 p.m. – Line Dancing / Just Jammin’ with Janelle & Company
- 1 p.m. – Salsa / Maricza Valentin (Latin Rhythms)
- 2 p.m. – Dabke / Phaedra Darwish (Bellydance by Phaedra)
- 3 p.m. – Footwork / Christopher “Mad Dog” Thomas
Saturday
- 12 p.m. – Eli’s Cheesecake Birthday Celebration (on the SummerDance stage)
- 1 p.m. – Cumbia / Teatro Tariakuri
- 2 p.m. – Swing / Sam Zorich and Neil Figuracion (Fizz Swing Dance)
- 3 p.m. – Disco / Chicago Dance Studio
- 4 p.m. – Footwork / Mike D Chicago
Sunday
- 12 p.m. – Dappankuthu / Movement of Desis
- 1 p.m. – Mambo / KR Dance Studio
- 2 p.m. – Country 2-step / Swappin Boots
- 3 p.m. – Footwork / Prince Jron
