Grant Park Music Festival

Grant Park Music Festival
GenreClassical music festival
DatesWednesday, Saturday, Sunday, June–August
Location(s)Jay Pritzker Pavilion,
201 E. Randolph Street
Millennium Park,
Chicago, IL,  United States
(July 16, 2004–present)

Petrillo Music Shell
235 S. Columbus Drive
Grant Park,
Chicago, IL,  United States
(1978–2004)

Petrillo Music Shell
Grant Park,
Chicago, IL,  United States
(1935–1977)
Years activeJuly 1, 1935–present
Websitewww.grantparkmusicfestival.com
July 5, 2008

The Grant Park Music Festival (formerly the Grant Park Concerts) is a ten-week classical music concert series held annually in Chicago, Illinois, United States.[1] It features the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra and Grant Park Chorus along with guest performers and conductors, and is one of the only free outdoor classical-music concert series in the US.[2]

The Festival is a non-profit organization.[3] Live performances have been a Chicago tradition since 1931, when mayor Anton Cermak suggested free concerts to lift spirits of Chicagoans during the Great Depression.[4][5] The tradition of symphonic Grant Park Music Festival concerts began in 1935.

The Festival was previously held at the Petrillo Music Shell in Grant Park,[6] but moved to the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in the Millennium Park section of Grant Park for its 70th season, in 2004.[7] Concerts are occasionally held at the Harris Theater.[8][9] Over time, the Festival has had various financial supporters, three primary locations, and one name change. During its ten-week season, the Festival features a weekly live broadcast series on WFMT, and has consistently engaged many of the world's leading classical musicians. The Festival boasts a number of commercially released recordings including one Emmy nominated release.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Mviii was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Grant Park Music Festival". City of Chicago. Archived from the original on August 23, 2007. Retrieved September 20, 2007.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference M168 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Tiebert, Laura, Frommer's Chicago with Kids (3rd edition), 2007, Wiley Publishing, Inc., ISBN 978-0-470-12481-9, p.263.
  5. ^ Knox, p. 15
  6. ^ Delacoma, Wynne. "The Jay Pritzker Music Pavilion Sounds as Good as it Looks". Archived from the original on September 19, 2007. Retrieved September 20, 2007.
  7. ^ "Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park". Metormix Chicago. metromix.com. Archived from the original on April 11, 2008. Retrieved September 20, 2007.
  8. ^ "Harris Theater: Current Season: Grant Park Music Festival". Harris Theater. Archived from the original on July 4, 2008. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
  9. ^ von Rhein, John (March 18, 2009). "Grant Park Music Festival promises big 'Plans'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 17, 2010.