The 2025 Chicago House Music Festival and Conference is rapidly approaching and the city just announced the lineup and set-times for this year’s free public festival.
This year’s festival features a total of four days of music and programming, stretching from Millennium Park to the Riverwalk and the Chicago Cultural Center.
The conference kicks off on Thursday August 21 2025 with the Chicago House Music Conference, featuring talks and panels along with live DJ sets inside the Chicago Cultural Center.
For Friday, August 22 2025, Grant Park’s Spirit of Music Garden hosts Chicago House at SummerDance, featuring dance masterclasses lead by Twan (BraveSoul Movement), Tre Daniels (Jus.Be House Collective / Circle Theory), Wyatt “Willard” Sutter and BraveSoul Movement, closing with DJ sets by Vince Adams and DJ Lil John.
The big show is Saturday, August 23 as the Chicago House Music Festival lights up Millennium Park with an all-day blast. Talent is spread across four stages: the Legacy Stage (Jay Pritzker Pavilion), the Soulful House Stage, the Chicago House Stage and the Groove Garden Stage. There are also youth workshops and the Chicago House Dance Summit. Among the talent this year: Ralphi Rosario, Tyree Cooper, Specter, Shaun J. Wright, Boolumaster, Psycho B, Stacy Kidd, Bear Who?, CZR, DJ Threejay x Patrick Wayne, Jordan Fields, John Simmons, CTRLZORA, Fortune and more.
And Sunday, August 24 2025, the party moves to the Riverwalk for “a laid back afternoon of grooves along the Confluence of the Chicago River,” featuring Chicago house DJs Jerome Baker and Julio Bishop.
“The Chicago House Music Festival and Conference celebrates Chicago’s global impact on House music,” says DCASE Commissioner Clinée Hedspeth. “This year’s lineup pays tribute to the genre’s deep roots in the city while spotlighting the next generation of DJs and artists. Whether you’re a longtime ‘house head’ or new to the scene, everyone’s invited to join us for a weekend of music, dance, and community.”
The Chicago House Music Festival and Conference is presented by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), with sponsorship from Millennium Garages and the Chicago Transit Authority, and additional support from the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation and the Millennium Park Foundation.
The full lineup and set-times for all events of the 2025 Chicago House Music Festival and Conference are below.
Chicago House Music Conference + Cultural Center Open House
Thursday August 21 2025
Chicago Cultural Center, 4-10 pm
House Dance Summit Spotlight (GAR Hall)
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)
Chicago House Music Conference (Preston Bradley Hall, 5th Floor Millennium Park and Washington Rooms)
All Panels Free and Open to the Public
5:30-6:30 p.m., Millennium Park Room
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.
5:30-6:30 p.m., Washington Room
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.
6:15-7:30 p.m., Preston Bradley Hall
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.
6:45-7:45 p.m., Washington Room
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.
6:45-7:45 p.m., Millennium Park Room
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.
8-9 p.m., Preston Bradley Hall
Fireside Keynote Conversation
Chicago House Music Festival at SummerDance
Friday August 22 2025
Spirit of Music Garden, Grant Park | 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 House Collective / 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
Chicago House Music Festival and House Dance Summit
Saturday August 23 2025
Jay Pritzker Pavilion + three additional stages throughout Millennium Park. Four Stages of Programming + Dance Summit + Youth Workshops. 1pm-9pm.
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. – 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
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 Pippen
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 Chicago House Music Festival 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 tournament. 1-4 p.m.
1-4 p.m. – Coloring Station by Creative Netwerk
1 p.m. – Youth & Family Dance Workshop
1:30 p.m. – Footwork OG Freestyle Exhibition – “Get-Down Showcase”
1:45 p.m. – Footwork Crew Showcase + New Generation Exhibition Battle
2:30-4 p.m. – Body: House Dance Summit – Tournament Finals by Jus.Be House Collective. Judges: BraveMonk, Twan Twan, Lil Bit, Wyatt Sutter, Fathom and Prince Jron (HAVOC). DJs: DJ Vadar & SBU Beats
Wind Down: House on the Riverwalk
Sunday August 24 2025
A relaxed session of music after three 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 pm., Chicago Riverwalk – The Confluence
1-3 p.m. – DJ Jerome Baker
3-5 p.m. – Julio Bishop
