This weekend’s Bruno Mars concerts kick off a new summer of live music outdoors at Soldier Field. Kid Rock’s Freedom 250 Tour does the same for Tinley Park and Two Friends for Huntington Bank Pavilion on Northerly Island. With Memorial Day about a week away, here are 100 concerts to help you plan your summer from now until the first day of autumn — focusing on the arena shows, festivals and big outdoor venues.
May
Khalid with the “It’s Always Summer Somewhere Tour” at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island on May 20; livenation.com
Kid Cudi with “The Rebel Ragers” tour at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on May 22; livenation.com
Lupe Fiasco concert after Chicago Fire at Soldier Field on May 23, also Two Friends on July 16; chicagofirefc.com/tickets
Sueños Festival with headliners J Balvin, Kali Uchis and Fuerza Regida in Grant Park on May 23-24; suenosmusicfestival.com
Warm Love Cool Dreams from Empty Bottle, including The Jesus and Mary Chain, Tortoise and Courtney Barnett at the Salt Shed May 23-24; saltshedchicago.com
Forever Mine Festival with headliners Keyshia Cole and Kaytranada in Union Park May 23-24; foreverminefest.com
Anthem opens “Rockin’ in the Park” series at Rosemont’s Parkway Bank Park on May 24; rosemont.com
A$AP Rocky with “Don’t Be Dumb” tour at the United Center on May 27; unitedcenter.com
Belle & Sebastian at Salt Shed May 28-29; saltshedchicago.com
Rilo Kiley at the Chicago Theatre on May 29; msg.com
Summer Walker with “Still Finally Over It Tour” at the United Center on May 29; unitedcenter.com
Cody Johnson at Allstate Arena in Rosemont on May 30; rosemont.com
June
Megan Moroney with “The Cloud 9 Tour” at the United Center June 2-3; unitedcenter.com
Chicago Blues Festival in Millennium Park with opening night at the Ramova Theatre: June 4-7; ChicagoBluesFestival.us
Beyond Wonderland at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island June 6-7; chicago.beyondwonderland.com
Don Toliver with “Octane” tour at the United Center on June 11; unitedcenter.com
Mumford & Sons with Prizefighter tour at Wrigley Field on June 11; mlb.com
Rüfüs Du Sol at Wrigley Field on June 12; mlb.com
Summer Smash with headliners Lil Uzi Vert, Chief Keef, Skrillex, Yung Lean x Bladee, Playboi Carti and Lil Baby at SeatGeek Stadium June 12-14; thesummersmash.com
Santana and The Doobie Brothers with the “Oneness Tour” at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on June 13; livenation.com
The Strokes with “Reality Awaits Tour” at the United Center on June 17; unitedcenter.com
Morgan Wallen with “Still The Problem” tour at Soldier Field June 19-20; soldierfield.com
Winnetka Music Festival 2026 with Trombone Shorty and Father John Misty June 19-20; winnetkamusicfestival.com
Rosalía with “Lux Tour 2026” at the United Center on June 20; unitedcenter.com
Godsmack with Stone Temple Pilots and Dorothy with “Rise of Rock World Tour” at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on June 20; livenation.com
Joji at the United Center on June 23; unitedcenter.com
Cheap Trick at RiverEdge Park in Aurora on June 25; paramountaurora.com
Martin Garrix “Americas Tour” at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island June 25-27; livenation.com
DJ Marshmello with a concert after the White Sox game on June 26, also Ja Rule post-game on Aug. 7 and Cole Swindell on Sept. 18; whitesox.com/concert
Lionel Richie with Earth, Wind & Fire at United Center on June 26; unitedcenter.com
Michelada Fest Chicago with Latin Mafia, Jhayco, Jessie Reyez and Sean Paul in Union Park June 26-28; michefest.live
America with “Happy Trails Tour” at the Chicago Theatre on June 27; msg.com
Josh Groban with guest Jennifer Hudson at Allstate Arena in Rosemont on June 27; rosemont.com
Ed Sheeran with “LOOP Tour” at Soldier Field on June 27; soldierfield.com
Alex Warren with “Little Orphan Alex Live” at the United Center on June 29; unitedcenter.com
Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman as The Guess Who with “Takin’ It Back Tour” at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island on June 30; livenation.com
July
Louis Tomlinson with “How Did We Get Here?” tour at Allstate Arena in Rosemont on July 3; rosemont.com
Bob Dylan at Huntington Bank Pavilion on Northerly Island on July 8; livenation.com
Taste of Chicago in Grant Park July 8-12; TasteofChicago.us
Windy City Smokeout with headliners including Lainey Wilson, Jordan Davis, Hootie & the Blowfish and Treaty Oak Revival outside the United Center July 8-12; windycitysmokeout.com
Chosen Few festival of house music in Jackson Park on July 11; chosenfewdjs.com
Jack Johnson with “SURFILMUSIC Tour” at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island on July 11; livenation.com
John Mellencamp at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on July 11; livenation.com
Tyler Childers with guest Jon Batiste for “Snipe Hunt” at Wrigley Field on July 12; mlb.com
Billy Idol at Ravinia Festival on July 12; ravinia.org
Noah Kahan with “Great Divide Tour” at Wrigley Field July 14-15; mlb.com
Rush at the United Center July 16, 18, 20 and 22; unitedcenter.com
Lil Wayne with 2 Chainz at Huntington Bank Pavilion on Northerly Island on July 17; livenation.com
Melanie Martinez with “Hades: The Sacrifice” tour at Allstate Arena in Rosemont on July 17; livenation.com
Paul Simon at Ravinia Festival July 17-18; ravinia.org
Summer of ’99 and Beyond with headliners including Creed, Cypress Hill and Limp Bizkit at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park July 18-19; livenation.com
Yeat at Huntington Bank Pavilion on Northerly Island on July 19; livenation.com
The Black Crowes and Whiskey Myers with “Southern Hospitality Tour” at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on July 24; livenation.com
Chicago Gospel Music Festival at Jay Pritzker Pavilion: July 24-25; ChicagoGospelMusicFestival.us
Karol G with “Viajando Por El Mundo Tropitour” at Soldier Field July 24-25; soldierfield.com
Buddy Guy at the Chicago Theatre on July 25; msg.com
Hilary Duff with the “Lucky Me” tour at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on July 26; livenation.com
Emmylou Harris and Graham Nash at Ravinia Festival on July 26; ravinia.org
Daniel Caesar at the United Center on July 26; unitedcenter.com
Ne-Yo and Akon with “Nights Like This” tour at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on July 28; livenation.com
Guns N’ Roses at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on July 29; livenation.com
Ben Folds with the Grant Park Orchestra at Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park on July 29; grantparkmusicfestival.com
Lollapalooza with headliners including Lorde, John Summit, Charli XCX, Smashing Pumpkins, Olivia Dean and Tate McRae in Grant Park July 30 to Aug. 2; lollapalooza.com
August
Chicago and Styx at Allstate Arena in Rosemont on Aug. 1; rosemont.com
Ariana Grande with “Eternal Sunshine” tour at the United Center Aug. 3, 5 and 6; unitedcenter.com
Train with “Drops of Jupiter: 25 Years in The Atmosphere Tour” at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Aug. 7; livenation.com
Young the Giant with “Victory Garden Tour” with Cold War Kids at Huntington Bank Pavilion on Northerly Island on Aug. 7; livenation.com
Foo Fighters with Queens of the Stone Age at Soldier Field on Aug. 8; soldierfield.com
Hugh Jackman with the Chicago Philharmonic at the Ravinia Festival on Aug. 9; ravinia.org
J. Cole at the United Center Aug. 11-12; unitedcenter.com
Lynyrd Skynyrd with Loverboy at Credit 1 Union Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Aug. 15; livenation.com
Violent Femmes with 45th anniversary of debut album at Genesee Theatre on Aug. 16; geneseetheatre.com
Ricky Martin at Ravinia Festival on Aug. 20; ravinia.org
Kacey Musgraves with the “Middle of Nowhere Tour” at the United Center Aug. 20-21; unitedcenter.com
Chris Brown and Usher at Soldier Field Aug. 21-22; soldierfield.com
Mötley Crüe with “The Return of The Carnival of Sins” at Credit 1 Union Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Aug. 22; livenation.com
Outlaw Festival with Willie Nelson, Avett Brothers, Lukas Nelson at Huntington Bank Pavilion on Northerly Island on Aug. 25; livenation.com
BTS at Soldier Field Aug. 27-28; soldierfield.com
Chicago House Music Festival and Conference at Chicago Cultural Center and Millennium Park Aug. 27-30; ChicagoHouseMusicFestival.org
Kesha at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Aug. 29; livenation.com
September
John Fogerty with Steve Winwood at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Sept. 3; livenation.com
Chicago Jazz Festival at Chicago Cultural Center and Millennium Park: Sept. 3-6; ChicagoJazzFestival.us
Sound and Gravity at Constellation Sept. 3-6; wl.eventim.us
Wu-Tang Clan with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony on “Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber” tour at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Sept. 4; livenation.com
Arc Music Festival with headliners Michael Bibi, Sara Landry, Underworld, Mochakk and Honey Dijon in Union Park Sept. 4-7; arcmusicfestival.com
North Coast Music Festival at Seatgeek Stadium in Bridgeview Sept. 4-6; northcoastfestival.com
Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson at Credit 1 Union Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Sept. 5; livenation.com
Rod Stewart with guest Richard Marx at Ravinia Festival on Sept. 5; ravinia.org
O.A.R. with “Three Decades Tour” at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island on Sept. 6; livenation.com
Salt-n-Pepa and TLC at Huntington Bank Pavilion on Northerly Island on Sept. 8; livenation.com
Eric Clapton at the United Center on Sept. 11; unitedcenter.com
Robyn with “Sexistential Tour” at the United Center on Sept. 12; unitedcenter.com
Evanston Folk Festival with Trampled by Turtles, Indigo Girls, Josh Ritter and Kathleen Edwards Sept. 12-13; evanstonfolkfestival.com
Pitbull at Credit 1 Union Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Sept. 13; livenation.com
Lily Allen with “West End Girl” at the United Center on Sept. 13; unitedcenter.com
Liz Phair and Sleater-Kinney at Salt Shed on Sept. 17; saltshedchicago.com
Riot Festival in Douglass Park Sept. 18-20; riotfest.org
Tim McGraw at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Sept. 19; livenation.com
Summer’s Last Dance festival with Cheat Codes, KSHMR, Destructo, The Knocks and Slushii in Bridgeview on Sept. 19; summerslastdance.com
Iron Maiden with “Run For Your Lives World Tour” at Credit 1 Union Amphitheatre in Tinley Park on Sept. 22; livenation.com
dgeorge@chicagotribune.com
