Chicago Live!
Navy Pier’s free two-day performing arts festival returns Sept. 19–20 with music, dance, theater, and multidisciplinary Chicago culture.
- Dates: September 19–20, 2026
- Where: Navy Pier
- Neighborhood: Streeterville / Navy Pier
- Cost: Free
Schedule
- Sat, Sept. 19 — Chicago Live!: Noon-6pm
- Sun, Sept. 20 — Chicago Live!: Noon-6pm
What to expect
A free, pier-wide performing arts sampler: music, dance, theater, comedy, cultural organizations, and local artists across Navy Pier. It is best used as a discovery festival, not a single-headliner event.
Tickets
Free. The official Navy Pier event page marks it as a free event; no ticket is required in the reviewed materials.
Transit
CTA to Grand/State plus Navy Pier bus, or walk from Streeterville. Avoid assuming Navy Pier parking will be painless on a free festival weekend.
Family-friendly
Yes. The noon-6pm schedule and multi-genre format make it one of the better family cultural samplers of September.
Local tips
- The full 2026 schedule is still coming; plan to roam rather than lock one stage.
- Because it is free, popular performances can crowd quickly; arrive with a backup act in mind.
- Pair with Navy Pier fireworks/fireworks-adjacent programming only if the calendar lines up that weekend.
Frequently asked questions
Is Chicago Live! free?
Yes. Navy Pier lists Chicago Live! as a free event.
Is the 2026 schedule final?
Not yet. Navy Pier confirms the dates and general noon-6pm window, with the full schedule still to come.