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A Chicago Legend Returns As Chicago House Music Festival and Conference Takes Over The Lakefront Next Week
Chicago is known for being the home of many things like deep dish pizza, Malört, Chicago hot dogs and House Music. Thanks in part to the Department of Cultural Affairs that music tradition lives on. As summer comes to and end, Millennium Park comes alive for one more grand event.
The Chicago House Music Festival and Conference—the genre born in Chicago that has gone on to revolutionize dance music internationally.
Plan Your Visit to the Chicago Cultural Center and Millennium Park.
If you need accessibility services for the conference, such as ASL Interpretation, please contact [email protected] by August 18, 2025.
Here’s the complete details and info on that events including performers, set times and locations.
Thursday August 21st:
4-10 p.m, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.
To request accessibility services for the Chicago House Music Conference, such as ASL Interpretation, please contact [email protected] by August 18.
Welcome Center & Dance Studio, 1st Floor North
- 4-7 p.m. – House Chill Out Space with DJ Kevin Cosgrove
Randolph Square, 1st Floor North
- 4-8 p.m. – The Pop Out: Building A Chicago House Music Archive for the 21st Century with the Chicago Black Social Culture Map (CBSCM)
A pop up activation where you can map your dance music memories, add an entry to the digital map, record a story, or digitize photos, flyers, fashion, and other artifacts and take home a thumb drive with you.
Learning Lab, 1st Floor South
- 4-8 p.m. – Interactive DJ workshop with Tony Montes
Buddy store, 1st Floor South
- 4-7 p.m. – Store Open (snacks, drinks & art for sale!)
House Dance Summit Spotlight, GAR Hall, 2nd Floor North
- 4 p.m. – Doors Open + House DJ set by TribeCago
- 4:30 p.m. – All Ages / Family-Friendly House Dance Lesson led by Jus.Be House Collective
- Instructor: Jeremiah “JJ” Green (Jus.Be House Collective / BraveSoul Movement)
- 5:45 p.m. – Panel Discussion: This Is Our House: A Discussion Bridging Past, Present, & Future of Chicago House
- Moderated by Jus.Be House Collective, Creative Netwerk, and BraveSoul Movement
- Panelists: Dayvette (House-O-Matics), Terrayne (Main Attraction), Raw Hat and Fathom
- 7 p.m. – Open Dance with TribeCago + Body:House Dance Summit Pre-Qualifiers
- Judges: BraveMonk, Twan Twan, Lil Bit, Wyatt “Willard” Sutter, Fathom and PrinceJron (HAVOC)
Claudia Cassidy Theater, 2nd Floor North
- 6 p.m. Film – Move Ya Body: The Birth of House
5:30 p.m. doors, 6 p.m. film, followed by Q&A
Out of the underground dance clubs on the South Side of Chicago, a group of friends turn a new sound into a global movement.
North Landing, 4th Floor
- Chill Out Space
Preston Bradley Hall, 3rd Floor South | Millennium Park and Washington Rooms, 5th Floor South
All Panels Free and Open to the Public
- 5:30-6:30 p.m. – Millennium Park Room, 5th Floor South
Panel: Community, Collaboration & Cross-Pollination
This panel explores how House Music artists, organizers, and communities can break out of silos to foster deeper connections within the scene and across genres. From Techno and Hip-Hop to World Music, we’ll spotlight efforts to cross-pollinate styles, build lasting collaborations, and strengthen DIY networks that fuel the culture.
Moderated by Rob McKay. Panelists: Eric Williams, Zora Murphy, Juan Teague
- 5:30-6:30 p.m. – Washington Room, 5th Floor South
Panel: The Creative Process, Purpose & Production in House Music
What drives the creative process in House music? This session dives into how artists find their purpose, balance intuition and intentionality, and craft sonic spaces that feel authentic. We’ll also explore how emerging technologies—especially AI—are reshaping production workflows and artistic inspiration.
Moderated by Neal Andrew Emil Gustafson. Panelists: Jana Rush, Orville Kline, William Kurk
- 6:15-7:30 p.m. – Preston Bradley Hall, 3rd Floor South
Panel: Bridging Generations: Legacy, Lineage & New Directions
House music’s legacy is rich—but how is it passed down? This intergenerational conversation looks at the tensions and opportunities between originators and rising artists. From mentorship to misalignment, we’ll examine what it takes to preserve the genre’s roots while creating space for future evolution.
Moderated by Jessica Fenner. Panelists: John “Lil John” Coleman, Mamadou, DJ Heather
- 6:45-7:45 p.m. – Washington Room, 5th Floor South
Panel: Marketing, Monetization & the Musician Strategist
Today’s artist is also a strategist. This panel unpacks how musicians can effectively market their work, build audiences in the digital age, and tap into alternative revenue streams—from live shows and merchandise to sync licensing, NFTs, and beyond.
Moderated by Darlene “Lady D” Jackson.
- 6:45-7:45 p.m. – Millennium Park Room, 5th Floor South
Panel: Chicago Nightlife & Bars: Culture, Gentrification & DIY Spaces
As the landscape of Chicago nightlife changes, how can dance music culture survive and thrive? Join us as we unpack the pressures facing independent venues, the role of DIY spaces as cultural incubators, and how nightlife responds to shifting economics, demographics, and daytime audiences.
Moderated by Brandon J Stennis. Panelists: Steve Noah, Craig Loftis, Lee Farmer, Ines Chacon Zylstra
- 8-9 p.m. – Preston Bradley Hall, 3rd Floor South
Fireside Keynote Conversation with Patrice Rushen
An intimate, in-depth conversation with Patrice Rushen.
Moderator: Steve “Silk” Hurley & Shannon “Skip” Syas (S&S Chicago)
Keynote: Patrice Rushen
Friday August 22nd:
Spirit of Music Garden, Grant Park, 601 S. Michigan Ave. | Dance Studio, Chicago Cultural Center
- 2-3:30 p.m. – Daytime Master Class, Dance Studio
- Instructor: Twan (BraveSoul Movement)
- 4-5:30 p.m. – Daytime Master Class, Dance Studio
- Instructors: Tre Daniels (Jus.Be / Circle Theory), Wyatt “Willard” Sutter
- 6-6:30 p.m. – House Dance Lesson at SummerDance, Spirit of Music Garden
- Led by: BraveSoul Movement
- 6:30-9 p.m. – DJs Vince Adams & Lil John, Spirit of Music Garden
- Hosted by Toni Shelton
Saturday August 23rd:
1-9 p.m., Jay Pritzker Pavilion + 3 additional stages throughout Millennium Park
Four Stages of Programming + Dance Summit + Youth Workshops
Pritzker Pavilion – Legacy Stage (Main Stage)
- 1 p.m. – Tony and Andre Hatchett
- 2:30 p.m. – DJ Pharris Thomas
- 3:30 p.m. – Boolumaster
- 4:30 p.m. – Waxmaster
- 5:30 p.m. – Tyree Cooper
- 6:30 p.m. – White Knight
- 7 p.m. – DJ Psycho B****
- 8 p.m. – Ralphi Rosario
Soulful House Stage (North Promenade)
- 1-4 p.m. – *Chicago House Dance Summit (Below for details)
- 4-5 p.m. – Tommaso
- 5-6 p.m. – Party Called Tribe
- 6-7 p.m. – Fortune
- 7-8 p.m. – CTRLZORA
- 8-9 p.m. – Shaun J. Wright
Chicago House Stage (South Promenade)
- 1 p.m. – DJ Phats
- 2 p.m. – John Simmons
- 3 p.m. – Jordan Fields
- 4 p.m. – Zsa Zsa
- 5 p.m. – Stacy Kidd
- 6 p.m. – CZR
- 7 p.m. – Bear Who?
- 8 p.m. – DJ Threejay x Patrick Wayne feat. PAMP
Groove Garden Stage (Double Clutch Beer Garden)
- 1 p.m. – Groovin Kiki
- 2 p.m. – Randall Dean
- 3 p.m. – DJ Hi-Speed
- 4 p.m. – Emanual Pippin
- 5 p.m. – T. Mixwell
- 6 p.m. – Quicktastic
- 7 p.m. – Lovebug
- 8 p.m. – Specter
* Chicago House Dance Summit – North Promenade Tent
Join us for a vibrant gathering of Dancers of all levels, DJs, and House Culture lovers in celebrating the art and history of House Dance through youth and community engagement programs like workshops, demonstrations, and dance battles.
1-4 p.m.
- 1 p.m. – Youth & Family Dance Workshop + Coloring Station by Creative Netwerk
- 1:30 p.m. – Footwork OG Freestyle Exhibition – “Get-Down Showcase”
- 1:45 p.m. – Footwork Crew Showcase + New Generation Exhibition Battle
- 2:45 p.m. – Body: House Dance Summit – Finals by Jus.Be House Collective
- Judges: BraveMonk, Twan Twan, Lil Bit, Wyatt Sutter, Fathom
- DJs: DJ Vadar & SBU Beats
Sunday August 24th
A chill-out session of music after 3 days of festivities. Bring blankets and chairs and enjoy the scenic views of the confluence, where the Main, North, and South Branches of the Chicago River meet over groove-injected House beats.
1-5 p.m., Chicago Riverwalk – The Confluence
- 1-3 p.m. – DJ Jerome Baker
- 3-5 p.m. – Julio Bishop
- August 2025, Chicago, Chicago House, Chicago House Music Festival, Concert in the Park, dance music, millennium park
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