City of Chicago :: City of Chicago—Birthplace of House Music—Announces Complete Lineup For The 2023 House Music Festival and Conference, June 23 & 24, Free Admission

DCASE Communications [email protected]

Download Photos

CHICAGO—The City of Chicago and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) announced today full programming for the annual Chicago House Music Festival and Conference, taking place June 23 (Conference) and June 24 (Festival). As part of additional programming citywide throughout the weekend, the festival also brings local DJs to spin at the historic Maxwell Street Market, June 25 from 11am – 2pm with Tribe Chicago. Festival and Conference schedule enclosed; for more information, visit ChicagoHouseMusicFestival.us.

For this year’s Chicago House Music Conference, Friday, June 23 from 5-9pm at the Chicago Cultural Center, the Keynote Speaker is House music legend, Robert Owens. The conference features panel discussions relating to the culture and business of House Music, including “Queer Roots and Today’s Safe Spaces in Chicago’s House Music Scene,” “Played & Paid: Strategies for Monetizing Music and Promoting Successful Events,” and more.

Chicago’s favorite dance party, the Chicago House Music Festival takes over the beautiful Humboldt Park Boathouse Lawn mainstage, Saturday, June 24 from 11am–9pm, celebrating the genre born in Chicago that has gone on to revolutionize dance music internationally. In celebration of National Pride Month, Queen! featuring Robert Owens LIVE headlines the festival. Showcasing all local DJs, the Chicago House lineup also features Cedeño and J.Star along with previously announced DJ Pycho-B, Emmaculate, Roy Davis Jr. and more on the Boathouse mainstage with a special House Music workout taking place from 11am–12noon.

New this year, Taste of Chicago Humboldt Park (11am–9pm) is presented in conjunction with Chicago House Music Festival offering attendees a diverse array of food options along with stellar music programming. Food vendors and trucks participating include: Mabe’s Sandwich Shop, Mindful Baking, African Food Palace, Chillafry, Robinson No.1 Ribs, Catered By Kish, Tacotlan, Roeser's Bakery, HEALTHY HAVEN COLD-PRESSED JUICES, Chicago Eats, Gaby's Funnel Cakes, Cooking From The Soul Catering, Chicago's Doghouse, Tandoor Char House, Mr. Quiles ice cream truck, La Guerita Mexican Snack, Banato, Delicias Tacos, Ms Tittle's Cupcakes, Soul & Smoke, El Azteca Sanchez, and Mr. Quiles Mexican Food.

Taste of Chicago presents two more neighborhood events at Pullman Park (July 15) and Marquette Park (August 5) before culminating in the downtown Taste in Grant Park (September 8-10). Food and programming details for the remaining events to be announced at the end of June. Free admission; no food tickets required, cash and/or credit accepted by food vendors.

“We are excited to expand access to free cultural programs into neighborhoods, finding exciting opportunities to ‘mashup’ popular annual events and create more memorable experiences for our audiences,” shared DCASE Commissioner Erin Harkey.

Chicago House Music Festival and Conference is sponsored by Chicago Transit Authority and WBEZ.

Friday, June 23, 5-10pm Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.

Queer Roots and Today’s Safe Spaces in Chicago’s House Music Scene 5:30-6:30pm, Chicago Cultural Center’s Millennium Park Room (5th floor)

Chicago’s LGBTQ Party Scene has emerged global music genres, powerful dance movements and iconic safe spaces. The most promising new alt-queer party outposts and party promoters are keeping the music and movements alive. From the 1970’s to present day, Chicago’s Gay House Music events emote the same inclusive spirit and vibe that will allow the genre to flourish for decades to come.

The panelists are party promoters, club owners and audiophiles that are the electronic musical equivalent of Chicago sound perfection. The session will introduce you to current and future influencers in the history of House.

Played & Paid: Strategies for Monetizing Music and Promoting Successful Events 5:30-6:30pm, Washington Room

Join our expert and renowned panel discussion featuring industry leaders as they share valuable insights on making money by creating, performing, selling music, establishing business entities, marketing their creations, and getting booked for events. Whether you're an aspiring writer, music producer, DJ, event promoter, publicist, musician, or simply interested in the business side of the House music industry, this panel will outline practical strategies and tips to thrive in the competitive landscape.

Activism: The Fight to Preserve House's History 6:15-7:15pm, Preston Bradley Hall

The endangered status of the building that once housed the legendary Warehouse nightclub illuminated the urgent need to preserve Chicago's House history. The fight to prevent the Warehouse's demolition created an intergenerational movement demonstrating what community organizing can accomplish.

This panel will talk to members of the House music community that got the ball rolling in the effort to save the Warehouse, a critical locale in the shaping of House music. Folks young and old felt strongly about its need for preservation and worked with Preservation Chicago, the group that presented the collective 14,000 petition signatures, written, and spoken testimonies for preservation that led to the granting of Preliminary Landmark Recommendations, with unanimous votes from the Commission on Chicago Landmarks. The fight is not over, and while we await the final say, we'll discuss what actions everyone can take to continue preserving and archiving Chicago's House history.

From House to Afro House to ‘Amapiano’! How South Africa’s Amapiano has become one of the hottest new music genres and why Chicago house is at the heart of it. 6:45-7:45pm, Millennium Park Room (5th Floor)

All roads lead back to Chicago! The infectious sound of Amapiano is rooted in Kwaito, a style of music that mixed house beats with hip-hop in the 1990s. Kwaito took house music, slowed it down, and reprogrammed the music. Fast forward a couple of decades, and Amapiano is born. Keeping the same slowed-down house beats as Kwaito, adding jazzy piano riffs, synths, and percussive basslines, Amapiano has become the new youth movement from South Africa, catching fire all over the US as well. This panel will talk to some of the DJs specializing in the genre, the promoters thriving in the Amapiano dance and party scene, and the Chicago House originators that inspired the Afro-House/Kwaito musical movement.

The Future Sound of House: How has technology provided new opportunities in the preservation of House music, and in what ways has it hindered the artists behind these sounds? 6:45-7:45pm, Washington Room

Love it or hate it, technology is here to stay. As a critical step in the evolution of Electronic Dance Music since the 80s, House Music has evolved with the ever-changing soundscape. Our panelists of artists and producers will discuss the spectrum of embracing and protecting your artistry in the face of change. From sampling to artificial intelligence, how does technology help or hinder the preservation of House Music?

Keynote Fireside Chat with Robert Owens 8-9pm, Preston Bradley Hall

In his own words, Robert Owens has been making house music ‘before house had a name’. One of the most distinctive, coveted and prolific voices in the genre, Robert has an illustrious career that started in late 80’s Chicago and has produced some of the greatest tracks house music has witnessed. Responsible for era-defining classics such as ‘Tears' alongside Frankie Knuckles & Satoshi Tomiie, ‘Bring Down The Walls’ with Larry Heard as part of Fingers Inc., as well as ‘I’ll Be Your Friend’, Robert has created seminal records which you can comfortably bet will have a place on any house head’s all-time favorites list.

Presented in conjunction with Taste of Chicago Humboldt Park Saturday, June 24, 11am–9pm Humboldt Park Boathouse Lawn, 1301 N Humboldt Dr. Free Admission

Presented in conjunction with the Taste of Chicago event in Humboldt Park, the House Music Festival brings a full day of DJs to the mainstage paired with more than 20 Chicago food vendors from across the city.

Chicago House Music Festival lineup (in headlining order)

Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events The City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) supports artists and cultural organizations, invests in the creative economy, and expands access and participation in the arts throughout Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods. As a collaborative cultural presenter, arts funder, and advocate for creative workers, our programs and events serve Chicagoans and visitors of all ages and backgrounds, downtown and in diverse communities across our city—to strengthen and celebrate Chicago. DCASE produces some of the city’s most iconic festivals, markets, events, and exhibitions at the Chicago Cultural Center, Millennium Park, and in communities across the city—serving a local and global audience of 25 million people. The Department offers cultural grants and resources, manages public art, supports TV and film production and other creative industries, and permits special events throughout Chicago. For details,visit Chicago.gov/DCASE and stay connected via our newsletters and social media.

# # #