25 Most Famous Food Festivals in Chicago, Illinois in 2024
Nothing brings the fabulous flavors of the Windy City together better than the amazing food festivals of Chicago. Where else can foodies dip into such an array of the best-made and most imaginative culinary inventions on the circuit? Food festivals in Chicago provide the perfect opportunity to seek out your favorite bites, make discoveries and meet fellow enthusiasts with a shared passion for great eating.
No matter when you happen to be in the city, there's bound to be a food festival in Chicago that's worth checking into. With this round-up of the 25 most famous food festivals in Chicago, you have a gourmet game board that helps you line up culinary wins from January through December. From seasonal events to cultural celebrations, the food festivals of Chicago provide spectacular dining all year round.
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The 25 Best Food Festivals Chicago
1. Mole de Mayo
Springtime in the city is the perfect season for a unique food festival in Chicago like Mole de Mayo, a showcase for the hearty Mexican sauce and all the delicious dishes it adorns. Discover the diverse possibilities of this luscious Latin invention and shop for mementos among the artisans at one of the liveliest food events in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood.
Festival Location: 18th St. & Paulina, Chicago, IL 60607
Month of Festival: May
2. Lincoln Park Greek Fest
Mediterranean fare gets a spirited celebration at Lincoln Park Greek Fest. Held by Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in one of the city’s most iconic green spaces, this food festival in Chicago is filled with cultural offerings from Greek music and art to religion and heritage. And of course, there’s phenomenal food — a traditional menu made portable for modern diners to carry along as they mingle.
Festival Location: 2701 N. Sheffield Ave., Chicago, IL 60614
Month of Festival: May - June
3. Windy City Hot Dog Fest
Few dishes bring to mind Chicago like the classic hot dog, which is something of a specialty at Windy City Hot Dog Fest. At this popular event, lovers of Chicago food can celebrate their favorite hand-held treat in style.Hot dog vendors from around the Chicagoland area offer their best dogs and toppings to let festival-goers decide who cooks up the finest dog. A variety of bands and musical acts perform on two stages and there’s even a Top Dog parade for your pets!
Festival Location: 4000 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60618
Month of Festival: June
4. Flavors of Albany Park
One of the more interactive in the collection of food festivals in Chicago, Flavors of Albany Park is a culinary crawl, where your entry fee entitles you to samples from dozens of local restaurants of your choosing. Four different routes expose your taste buds to a vast variety of sweet and savory delights. Walk the path to incredible creations and mark your stops on your passport, with music and live entertainment acts feeding your hunger for art along the way.
Festival Location: Albany Park
Month of Festival: June
5. Vegandale Fest
Plant-based eaters have a food festival in Chicago of their very own at Vegandale Fest. Explore artisan displays and enjoy live music while trying samples from a variety of sponsors eager to show off the latest in animal-free eating. For the 21st-century festival-goer, cashless wristbands make it easy to preload your funds so you can glide from vendor to vendor, enjoying the fabulous fare that this food festival in Chicago is known for.
Festival Location: 350 E. Monroe St., Chicago, IL 60603
Month of Festival: June
6. 6 Corner BBQ Fest
Who wouldn’t love to celebrate dad with a Father’s Day weekend trip to 6 Corner BBQ Fest? Chops, links and ribs galore fill grills and portable griddles, filling the air at this food festival in Chicago with the aroma of summertime. Local bands and lawn games ensure guests can pair good food with great times.
Festival Location: 4041 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60641
Month of Festival: June
7. Taste of Randolph Street
Communities come together at Taste of Randolph Street, a food festival in Chicago that honors local connection as much as the area's fantastic cuisine. Artisan shops and eateries from the neighborhood assemble to share three memorable days in June with friends, neighbors and patrons. Take in live music acts and watch artists ply their trade in between visits to stalls featuring some of the finest food in town.
Festival Location: 900 W. Randolph St., Chicago, IL 60607
Month of Festival: June
8. Thai Festival Chicago
Food and culture merge deliciously at Thai Festival Chicago, the city’s freshest event for exploring the intriguing spirit of Thailand. With traditional Thai song, dance and theater from local and international performers providing a backdrop for delicious Asian-Pacific specialties provided by over 20 vendors, there’s plenty to keep you busy at this food festival in Chicago.
Festival Location: 851 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago, IL 60613
Month of Festival: June
9. Chinatown Summer Fair
At Chinatown Summer Fair, heritage and cuisine blend for a summer celebration that invites the city for a close-up view of Far Eastern culture. With demonstrations of folk dance and music, eating contests and vendors offering incredible authentic dishes, there’s plenty to taste and take in at this lively food fair in Chicago.
Festival Location: 2200 S. Wentworth Ave., Chicago, IL 60616
Month of Festival: July
10. Chicago Food Truck Festival
Those mobile eateries that make everyone’s life more flavorful get their showcase at the Chicago Food Truck Festival. Fans of street food in search of things to do in Chicago during the sun-soaked summer months can gear up for a July weekend of portable bites both sweet and savory. It’s the perfect excuse to get the family outside for a sample from the finest chefs on the go.
Festival Location: Gallagher Way, 2300 S. Indiana Ave., Chicago, IL 60616
Month of Festival: July
11. RibFest Chicago
There’s no food fair in Chicago that invites guests to get their hands deliciously dirty quite like RibFest Chicago. Carnivores can spend the afternoon taste-testing zesty rib dishes from some of the best pit masters in the business. To foster community spirit at this food festival in Chicago, RibFest relies on volunteers from local non-profits and returns the favor with donations to each organization that contributes.
Festival Location: 4000 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60618
Month of Festival: July
12. Roscoe Village Burger Fest
The best burgers in the city rise to the occasion at Roscoe Village Burger Fest, a food festival in Chicago that gives the fast food classic a tribute of its very own. For three sweet summer days in July, food fans can wrap their hands around supreme burger creations at this Roscoe Village event. Enjoy arts and crafts from the creatives in town, live music on several stages and a Best Burger contest that lets guests vote for their favorite.
Festival Location: 2000 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, IL 60618
Month of Festival: July
13. Tacos Y Tamales Festival
The best of Latin street food favorites come together in a food festival in Chicago that takes hand-held specialties to the limit! Tacos Y Tamales Festival puts on a block party filled with energetic performers, cultural art exhibits and a banquet of the finest Mexican food in the city. Over two dozen local vendors fill the communal table with tacos, tamales, churros and other magical creations.
Festival Location: S. Peoria St. & W. 16th St., Chicago, IL 60608
Month of Festival: July
14. Windy City Smokeout
Fans of country music and cookout-style dining are sure to enjoy Windy City Smokeout. This food festival in Chicago brings beer and barbecue together with bands and merchandise for a rollicking summer celebration. Plate up a meat and three sides featuring hearty downhome flavors and take a seat at a checkered picnic table to sip suds and tap your toe to the tuneful entertainment.
Festival Location: 1901 W. Madison St., Chicago, IL 60612
Month of Festival: July
15. Great American Lobster Fest
What seafood fan could resist the call of a culinary event called the Great American Lobster Fest? This food festival in Chicago brings the spirit of a Southern lobster boil to the Midwest, complete with lobster rolls, savory sides, desserts and beverages. Curious culinarians can also sample items à la carte from vendors serving up both seafood and non-seafood options.
Festival Location: 700 E. Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611
Month of Festival: August
16. Taste of Polonia
Billed as the largest Polish festival in the U.S., Taste of Polonia adds a touch of earthy Eastern European flair to the food festival in Chicago scene. Music and theatrical performances illuminate the rich culture, with a dedicated stage, carnival rides and inflatables offering lively entertainment for younger visitors. And of course, there’s delectable Polish food and craft beer to sample.
Festival Location: 5216 W. Lawrence Ave., Chicago, IL 60630
Month of Festival: August - September
17. Lakeview Taco Fest
No need to wait for Tuesday to tap in for tacos when a September weekend at Lakeview Taco Fest can help you get the crunch on this humble handful. Wander the grounds of the Southport Corridor as you search for your ideal taco, then cast your vote and turn this food festival in Chicago into a culinary championship with real bite. Musical acts, wrestling and children’s entertainment fill in the moments between samplings.
Festival Location: 3500 N. Southport Ave., Chicago, IL
Month of Festival: September
18. Taste of Chicago
The best-known of the food festivals in Chicago is the world-famous Taste of Chicago. For over 40 years, crowds have gathered to indulge in fresh flavors while concert stages provide a soundtrack for the gourmet festivities. Guests can take in dance performances, engage in family-friendly interactive art activities and rub elbows with their fellow epicureans.
Festival Location: 337 E. Randolph St., Chicago, IL 60601
Month of Festival: September
19. Chicago Gourmet
With a name as simple as Chicago Gourmet, this food festival in Chicago introduces discerning eaters to a slew of upscale creations from around the city. Tacos, hamburgers, wine and more are on the menu. With themes like Haute Cuisine, vendors and sponsors transform familiar food tastings and entertainment opportunities into a coordinated weekend event designed to excite and entice visitors.
Festival Location: 205 E. Randolph St., Chicago, IL 60601
Month of Festival: September
20. Oktoberfest Chicago
Fall in the city doesn’t get fired up until Oktoberfest Chicago hits the calendar! Despite the name, this festive Bavarian brouhaha takes place the last weekend in September, the perfect introduction to a month ahead filled with glorious gourmet opportunities. This is one of the premier food events in Chicago, a kick-off to the cooler season that includes artisan beer tasting (of course!) and a smorgasbord of the best Oktoberfest food.
Festival Location: 1429 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago, IL 60657
Month of Festival: September
21. WingOut Chicago
It’s all things wings at WingOut Chicago, a food festival in Chicago that takes the humble chicken wing in all sorts of dynamic directions. Specialty flavors like peanut butter and jalapeno jelly and Scotch Bonnet avocado ranch have scorched the tongues of past visitors. Local eateries line up to provide alternative wing dishes as well, with bar bites and casual food filling out the lineup.
Festival Location: 3635 North Clark St., Chicago, IL 60613
Month of Festival: September
22. Chicago Jerk, Seafood and Vegan Festival
With a mix like the one offered by the reggae-themed Chicago Jerk, Seafood and Vegan Festival, there’s something on the menu for everyone to savor. The carnival-like atmosphere comes alive thanks to a bevy of bands and DJs filling the air with party tunes. Explore arts and crafts and honor the principles of healthy eating and happy living at a food festival in Chicago where joy reigns.
Festival Location: 2400 S. State St., Chicago, IL 60616
Month of Festival: September
23. Chicago Beer Fest
Mug sippers are in for a foamy treat at Chicago Beer Fest, an artisan expo featuring dozens of brewers showing off their seasonal selections. Attendees at this adults-only event can take advantage of an early admission VIP experience true craft beer aficionados will appreciate. The price of admission includes beer samples; food for the event is sold separately at vendors who know visitors will be working up a hearty autumn appetite at this sudsy food festival in Chicago.
Festival Location: 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605
Month of Festival: October
24. Chocolate Wine and Spirits Expo
Who wouldn’t love spending a day or two exploring the grounds of a food festival in Chicago called the Chocolate Wine and Spirits Expo? Indulge a few hours with sweet nibbles and spirited sips, with professional chefs on hand to recommend the perfect pairings. Couples looking for date ideas in Chicago centered around the most romantic items in the culinary world would be wise to add this food festival in Chicago to their social calendar!
Festival Location: 1340 W. Washington Blvd., Chicago, IL 60607
Month of Festival: October
25. West Loop Pizza & Wine Fest
Nothing pairs better with artisan pizza than fine wine, a culinary reality that West Loop Pizza & Wine Fest exploits to the benefit of discerning Chicago foodies. Enjoy a three-hour afternoon wine-tasting extravaganza accompanied by five slices of the top pizza in the city. Snap some saucy pics of your best moments at this food festival in Chicago and share them on your socials for a chance to win food and wine-oriented prizes for future fun.
Festival Location: 1340 W. Washington Blvd., Chicago, IL 60607
Month of Festival: December
Discover the Best Food in Chicago
Should your taste for something delicious stir between food festivals in Chicago, food tours in Chicago are an ideal substitute that lets you enjoy local dining no matter the season. Tie on your most comfy shoes and head out with a local expert who’ll share the city’s coolest sites while escorting you to some of the best restaurants in the world. You'll find excursions to entertain your every appetite, even specialties like the ones provided at the best food festivals in Chicago.
Join 200,000+ Culinary Enthusiasts
Anyone planning a trip to the Midwest should take a look at the calendar of food festivals in Chicago before locking in dates. There may be a food festival in Chicago worth arranging your travels around, especially for foodies who love discovering regional specialties around the U.S.
Depending on when you go, you may find a few food festivals in Chicago to take advantage of during your stay. Think of it as a food fest crawl for a taste of the best food festivals Chicago has to share!
For even more ways to explore Chicago and beyond, check out other experiences happening on Cozymeal.
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