Chicago Jazz Festival 2025: Free Performances from Jazz Icons and Emerging Talents
(IN SHORT) The 2025 Chicago Jazz Festival will take place from August 28 to 31, featuring an exciting lineup of global jazz icons and local legends, including esperanza spalding, Monty Alexander, Kermit Ruffins, Eliades Ochoa, and Gary Bartz. The event will continue its tradition of showcasing Chicago’s vibrant jazz scene alongside international talent. All performances are free and open to the public.
(PRESS RELEASE) CHICAGO, 2025-May-8 — /Travel PR News/ — Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) are thrilled to announce the headliners for the 2025 Chicago Jazz Festival, taking place from Thursday, August 28 through Sunday, August 31 at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park and the Chicago Cultural Center.
A beloved Labor Day weekend tradition, the Chicago Jazz Festival will once again bring together Chicago’s dynamic jazz community alongside renowned national and international artists to celebrate all forms of jazz through free, high-quality programming. The event honors Chicago’s deep jazz legacy while offering diverse performances for music lovers of all ages.
“Chicago’s jazz history is rich and deep, from the iconic basements of Bronzeville to global stages,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “This festival is a true reflection of our city’s creativity, cultural excellence, and our dedication to bringing people together through the universal language of music.”
Produced by DCASE and programmed by the Jazz Institute of Chicago (JIC), the festival will feature a stellar lineup of jazz icons and emerging stars. Headliners include boundary-pushing bassist and vocalist esperanza spalding, legendary pianist Monty Alexander, trumpeter and vocalist Kermit Ruffins, Afro-Cuban guitar virtuoso Eliades Ochoa from Buena Vista Social Club, and visionary saxophonist Gary Bartz with his ensemble NTU Troop.
“The Chicago Jazz Festival stands as a vibrant testament to our city’s cultural legacy and commitment to artistic innovation,” said DCASE Commissioner Clinée Hedspeth. “This iconic festival celebrates the genre’s past while showcasing emerging voices and diverse talents that are shaping its future. It reflects our ongoing effort to foster creativity and ensure that music remains accessible to all Chicagoans.”
In addition to the impressive lineup, the festival will spotlight Chicago’s finest jazz talents, including Patricia Barber, Ari Brown, Ernest Dawkins, Sarah Marie Young, Ava Logan, G. Thomas Allen, the Natalie Scharf Quintet featuring Paul Asaro, and Silvia Manrique & Marcel Bonfim.
The Jazz Institute of Chicago, which has been promoting and supporting Chicago’s world-class jazz scene for 56 years, will continue its long-standing partnership with DCASE to curate a vibrant festival. “We’re excited to celebrate our 45-plus-year relationship with the City of Chicago,” said Heather Ireland Robinson, executive director of the Jazz Institute of Chicago. “This year, the festival will include performances from local school bands and rising stars, alongside the city’s jazz legends.”
The full 2025 Chicago Jazz Festival schedule will include performances at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, along with daytime programming at the Chicago Cultural Center and additional concerts at the Von Freeman Pavilion, the WDCB Jazz Lounge, and the Harris Theater Rooftop Terrace stage.
As in previous years, the festival will be free and open to the public. However, outside alcohol is not permitted, and attendees are advised to review other prohibited items for Millennium Park prior to attending.
2025 Chicago Jazz Festival Schedule – Jay Pritzker Pavilion
All performances are free and open to the public. Schedule subject to change.
Thursday, August 28 – Opening Night
- 6:30–7:30 p.m. – Henry Johnson
- 7:45–9:00 p.m. – esperanza spalding
Friday, August 29
- 4:00–4:45 p.m. – Sarah Marie Young
- 5:05–5:50 p.m. – Silvia Manrique & Marcel Bonfim
- 6:10–7:25 p.m. – Patricia Barber
- 7:45–9:00 p.m. – Monty Alexander
Saturday, August 30
- 4:00–4:45 p.m. – Ava Logan Quintet
- 5:05–6:05 p.m. – Ernest Dawkins Ensemble New Horizon Redux
- 6:25–7:25 p.m. – Gary Bartz & NTU Troop
- 7:45–9:00 p.m. – Kermit Ruffins
Sunday, August 31
- 4:00–4:45 p.m. – Natalie Scharf Quintet featuring Paul Asaro
- 5:05–6:05 p.m. – G. Thomas Allen
- 6:25–7:25 p.m. – Ari Brown Quintet
- 7:45–9:00 p.m. – Eliades Ochoa
The festival is generously supported by sponsors including 90.9fm WDCB, Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago Jazz Magazine, DownBeat Magazine, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Millennium Garages, and Millennium Park Foundation.
For more information, please visit ChicagoJazzFestival.us and Chicago.gov/DCASE.
DCASE Communications
[email protected]
SOURCE: Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events