Navy Pier to host second Annual Chicago Live!

Chicago’s iconic waterfront destination Navy Pier , will bring back Chicago Live! as an annual two-day performance festival

It is made possible for a second year with generous support from the Pritzker Foundation.

After sponsoring the inaugural 2021 Chicago Live! Again event, the Pritzker Foundation committed support for its return in 2022 with $1 million, $500,000 for 2023 and $500,000 for 2024.

More than 60 of the city’s top performers—a third of which are participating for the first time—will give back-to-back performances from noon to 9 pm on Saturday, September 24 and noon to 6 pm on Sunday, September 25.

Performances will be at the East End Plaza, the Wave Wall Platform and the Lake Stage in Polk Bros Park at Navy Pier.

Participating companies include the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Black Ensemble Theater, Joffrey Ballet, Improv Olympics, Puerto Rican Arts Alliance, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Blue Man Group, Jazz Institute of Chicago and the Neo-Futurists.

Admission is free and the public is invited to bring their own lawn chairs and picnic blankets.

“Navy Pier is thrilled to be the stage for such a large-scale collaboration, which is so uniquely Chicago, between local performing arts organizations and individual artists,” said Navy Pier President and CEO Marilynn Gardner.

“We are grateful to all the talent—in the spotlight and behind the scenes—who fill our stages and our lives.”

Chicago Live! was launched last year to herald the return of live performances following the pandemic shutdown.

“I am thrilled that Chicago Live! is returning to Navy Pier for another year,” said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot.

“This free program highlights what makes our city a leading cultural attraction and national treasure.”

“The Pritzker Foundation is pleased to partner with Navy Pier in a variety of initiatives and we were so especially moved by last summer’s Chicago Live! uniting the city’s most talented artists and nonprofit organizations for the first time,” said Pritzker Foundation Trustee, Gigi Pritzker Pucker.

The producer of Chicago Live!, Steve Abrams was named the first Resident Artistic Director of Navy Pier in 2016 where he created and produced Planet Chicago, Pride on the Pier and Chicago Live! Again.

The Chicago Live! performance schedule is available on the Navy Pier website and will be updated as more performances are finalized leading up to the event.

Artists and companies new to Chicago Live! this year include American Blues Theater, Ayodele Drum and Dance, Blue Man Group, Chicago Dance Crash, Improv Olympics, Jazz Institute of Chicago, and many more.

More information regarding Chicago Live! will be announced at a later date.