THIS WEEKEND IN CHICAGO – Labor Day Holiday Offers a Myriad of Events!

Not only does this weekend welcome in the month of September but it also welcomes the Labor Day Weekend holiday! Unfortunately, it also means it’s the “unofficial” end of our summer season. However, this holiday weekend is serving up a myriad of events as we close one season and prepare for the next one!!

The oldest of Chicago’s free lakefront music festivals, the Chicago Jazz Festival, is a Labor Day weekend tradition filled with all forms of jazz. The main show will take place at Millennium Park (201 E. Randolph St.) in The Loop this Saturday and Sunday (12 p.m. – 9 p.m.) featuring Chicago’s local talent alongside national and international artists from jazz legends to influential modern masters. This festival has been part of the city’s summer music lineup for over 40 years and is one of the city’s most beloved art forms!

Come out and be a part of the first ever Bulls Fest this Saturday and Sunday (8 a.m. – 10 p.m.) at the United Center (1901 W. Madison St.) on the Near West Side.  This free festival is a nod to Chicago’s iconic street festival culture and features a 3v3 basketball tournament open to all ages and skill sets where winners of each bracket will receive a custom Bulls Fest Champion basketball presented on stage by Bulls Legends Joakim Noah and Luol Deng. Also, winners receive tickets to a regular season Bulls game where they will be recognized for their achievement!  Fans can also expect live music and entertainment from well-known and local performers, art exhibitions, kid-friendly activities, and food and drink. Here’s your chance to build some excitement as the Bulls get ready for the start of their 2022-2023 regular season!

The 33rd annual African Festival of the Arts returns this Labor Day Weekend (Saturday through Monday) to Chicago’s historic Washington Park (5100 S. Cottage Grove Dr.) in the Hyde Park neighborhood. This culturally rich interactive event comes alive in a simulated African village with interactive spaces such as the Drum & Afro-folk Village, the Children and Family Village, the African Heritage Village, an African Marketplace, a Food Court and so much more!  Its gated grounds are also a safe zone for children who can witness extraordinary sites like the towering S.P.I.R.I.T. Stilt Walkers or engage in activities from computer coding to arts & crafts with the Betty Shabazz Academy. It’s non-stop entertainment all weekend long!!

Returning for its 4th year in the heart of Chicago’s vibrant West Loop neighborhood is the West Loop Art Fest this Saturday and Sunday (10 a.m. – 7 p.m.) at 1340 W. Washington Blvd. This hugely successful art fest features a diverse range of art mediums both on display and available for purchase at a variety of price points! This free event is a perfect way to enjoy the end of the summer art fests!!

The Midwest’s largest lobster and seafood festival, The Great American Lobster Fest, returns for its 7th year to Navy Pier (600 E. Grand Ave.) in the Streeterville neighborhood this Saturday (12 p.m. – 10 p.m.) and Sunday (12 p.m. – 9 p.m.). Enjoy live lobster flown in fresh from the cold waters of the East Coast along with live music performances, family-friendly games and activities, unique craft shopping, and cold beverages!  They’ll also have plenty of dessert and non-seafood items to please the whole family!! Don’t forget that Navy Pier’s summer fireworks ends this Saturday so be sure to stick around and find a spot anywhere on the Pier to take in this last dazzling free display of the summer!

Finally, the 40th anniversary of the Taste of Polonia Festival returns this Labor Day Weekend to the Copernicus Center (5216 W. Lawrence Ave.) in the Jefferson Park neighborhood. Enjoy a true cultural experience featuring nonstop live music, dance performances, authentic Polish food and beer, local merchants, a casino and beer garden, a Kids Stage and area filled with great activities and so much more!  This is another Labor Day Weekend tradition here in Chicago!!

Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago