Our Top Picks for Elgin Summer Events 2024
Hey-o, let’s make of the most of summer!
Look, we get it: there’s a lot of pressure to make summer special. We get bombarded with questions about plans, travel, festivals, concerts: “What are you doing this summer?” “Anything fun planned??” “Taking any big trips???”
Don’t let that kind of expectation intimidate you.
There’s plenty of ways to make summer spectacular, right here in our own backyard, including oodles of free activities. With a little intention, you can make this the best summer ever.
Top Elgin Events
Juneteenth Celebration
Head to Festival Park in downtown Elgin on June 15 from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. for food, art, entertainment, a beer garden, kid zone, and even a mobile escape room! Presented by the African American Coalition of Kane County, Elgin’s Juneteenth Celebration is a free community event.
Movies in the Park
This summer’s family-friendly movie lineup is free and fun for everyone. Every Friday starting July 19, bring your blankets and bug spray to a rotation of Elgin parks. From “Cars” to “Coco,” you’re sure to find a flick that sparks your interest.
Illinois Brews @ Bowes Creek
A classic for a reason, Illinois Brews is back again this summer. Taste the best craft beers and local noms the Elgin area has to offer, with all funds going to support the Elgin Parks and Recreation Foundation.
Concerts in the Park
Catch free music in Elgin not one, but TWO nights a week this summer! Spend your Tuesdays at Wing Park and your Thursdays at Lords Park, all June and July.
Top (Free) Chicago Events
Millennium Park Movie Night
You could spend your Tuesday nights indoors, or you could watch a slew of fab flicks all summer long. This year’s lineup includes classics like E.T. and Jurassic Park, as well as new films like Barbie and American Fiction.
Explore the Full Schedule Here
Grant Park Music Festival
Music lovers rejoice: Free tunes await you at the Pritzker Pavilion, including a night with award-winning artist Common on July 20.
Discover the Grant Park Music Festival
Lakefront Trail
If you haven’t taken a stroll, run, or bike ride down the Lakefront Trail, summer is a great time to fix that. Depending on your speed, you can bike the 18-mile trail in a couple of hours—roundtrip—or walk portions of it over the span of a few weekends.
Free Museums
Chicago is home to world-class museums, several of which have free days throughout the summer. Treat yourself to one of those hard-earned vacation days and spend it at the Field Museum or the Art Institute of Chicago. Even better, kick off your workday a tad early on a Wednesday so you can wrap up in time to get spooky with a free evening exploration of the Adler Planetarium.
