The Cheapest Date: Free Outdoor Music & Movies

by Jennifer Olvera - Citysearch Contributor - 3,380 Reviews - 26 Lists

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Updated: August 17, 2009

Free outdoor concerts and movie screenings are a big plus this summer, since everyone from CEOs to cash-strapped coeds is feeling the (financial) heat. Thankfully, Chicago has upped its free culture quotient, responding with a slew of outdoor entertainment options. Just remember to pack the popcorn, bring your significant other and slather on the insect repellant. (Photo Credit: Angeline Vuong)

Outdoor Concerts & Movies

  1. 1 5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended Grant Park
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    337 E Randolph, Chicago, IL 60602 (map)

    After sunset on Tuesdays, pack a picnic (and a lawn chair) for a free alfresco date. From mid-July through late August, this quintessential Chicago park shows classic movies--and a few campy ones, too--on a 50-foot by 34-foot screen. Silly or sultry, "Duck Soup" or "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," there's something at the Chicago Outdoor Film Festival for flicks-lovers of any age.

  2. 2 Lincoln Park
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    2045 N Lincoln Park W, Chicago, IL 60614 (map)

    This picturesque park--one of many city parks showing outdoor movies from June to September--hosts screenings at dusk on Monday nights at Cricket Hill, right next to Montrose Harbor. Many of the scheduled flicks are kid-friendly ("Madagascar," "School of Rock"), but there are titles to tempt grown-ups, too ("The Bourne Ultimatum," "Sunset Boulevard").

  3. 3 4.5 Star Rating: Recommended Millennium Park
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    55 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611 (map)

    Diverse music makers appear at the centrally located Jay Pritzker Pavilion for seasonal concerts. New Music Mondays, showcasing up-and-coming Chicago acts, begin at 6:30pm; so bring some grub and plop down on the lawn to enjoy jazz, gospel, indie and orchestral sounds. Fans of world music can get their fill, too: The Music Without Borders series, with eight dates scheduled throughout June and July, highlights everything from French Afro-pop to mariachi tunes.

  4. 4 Scoville Park
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    834 Lake St, Oak Park, IL 60301 (map)

    Gather on the shady lawn of this pretty suburban park on Sunday nights at 5:30pm for complimentary concerts. With a lineup that ranges from '80s-inspired hair bands to rhythmic Calypso groups, it's easy to get a freebie fix.

  5. 5 3.5 Star Rating: Average Welles Park
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    2325 Marmora, Chicago, IL 60625 (map)

    One of a host of public spaces involved in the annual Chicago Park District Concerts in the Park series, Welles Park showcases everything from alt-country to Cajun zydeco to German tunes in its large gazebo on Tuesday nights. Bring a blanket to cuddle on the lawn, or dance the night away under the stars. Don't rule out bringing the kids, since occasional acts like Joel Frankel cater specifically to them.