Chicago Music Festivals Go Virtual

WDCB’s Gary Zidek catches up with Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Commissioner Mark Kelly to talk programming in the virtual space.

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WDCB's Gary Zidek talks to Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Commissioner Mark Kelly about the city's upcoming virtual music programming.

“I don’t think any of us imagined that six months later, we would still see all of our venues closed, festivals cancelled, the music scene and the entire cultural landscape devastated. Unfortunately now we all understand that’s our future for the next several months. So, we’re all making our adjustments.” - DCASE Commissioner Mark Kelly talking about the evolving approach to programming since the start of the pandemic.

DCASE Commissioner Mark Kelly in his office

For the first time in over forty years, there won’t be a Chicago Jazz Festival. The annual late summer tradition was officially cancelled this past June because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events still plans to celebrate jazz this Labor Day weekend, instead of multiple stages filled with musicians and crowds at Millennium Park, the city will present four nights of virtual jazz performances that people can watch at home. The city also plans to present a virtual World Music Festival throughout the month of September.

You can tune into MILLENNIUM PARK AT HOME: CHICAGO JAZZ Thursday September 3 through Sunday September 6 at youtube.com/ChicagoDCASE. You can find more information about line-up at MillenniumPark.org.

And the city’s Virtual World Music Festival will take place on Sundays throughout September. You can find more info here WorldMusicFestivalChicago.org.