Chicago House Music Festival and Conference
Thursday-Sunday, August 21-24, 2025
FREE Admission • Various Locations
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The Chicago House Music Festival and Conference—the genre born in Chicago that has gone on to revolutionize dance music internationally.
Plan Your Visit to the Chicago Cultural Center and Millennium Park.
If you need accessibility services for the conference, such as ASL Interpretation, please contact dcase@cityofchicago.org by August 18, 2025.
Note to Media: Request media credentials, download photos and videos – and view current news releases on our Press Room page.
(Schedule is subject to change)




4-10 p.m, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.
To request accessibility services for the Chicago House Music Conference, such as ASL Interpretation, please contact dcase@cityofchicago.org by August 18.
House Dance Summit Spotlight (GAR Hall, 2nd Floor North)
- 4 p.m. – Doors Open + House DJ set by TribeCago
- 4:30 p.m. – All Ages / Family-Friendly House Dance Lesson led by Jus.Be House Collective
- Instructor: Jeremiah “JJ” Green (Jus.Be House Collective / BraveSoul Movement)
- 5:45 p.m. – Panel Discussion: This Is Our House: A Discussion Bridging Past, Present, & Future of Chicago House
- Moderated by Jus.Be House Collective, Creative Netwerk, and BraveSoul Movement
- Panelists: Dayvette (House-O-Matics), Terrayne (Main Attraction), Raw Hat and Fathom
- 7 p.m. – Open Dance with TribeCago + Body:House Dance Summit Pre-Qualifiers
- Judges: BraveMonk, Twan Twan, Lil Bit, Wyatt “Willard” Sutter, Fathom and PrinceJron (HAVOC)
Preston Bradley Hall, 3rd Floor South | Millennium Park and Washington Rooms, 5th Floor South
All Panels Free and Open to the Public
- 5:30-6:30 p.m. - Millennium Park Room, 5th Floor South
Panel: Community, Collaboration & Cross-Pollination
This panel explores how House Music artists, organizers, and communities can break out of silos to foster deeper connections within the scene and across genres. From Techno and Hip-Hop to World Music, we’ll spotlight efforts to cross-pollinate styles, build lasting collaborations, and strengthen DIY networks that fuel the culture.
- 5:30-6:30 p.m. - Washington Room, 5th Floor South
Panel: The Creative Process, Purpose & Production in House Music
What drives the creative process in House music? This session dives into how artists find their purpose, balance intuition and intentionality, and craft sonic spaces that feel authentic. We’ll also explore how emerging technologies—especially AI—are reshaping production workflows and artistic inspiration.
- 6:15-7:30 p.m. - Preston Bradley Hall, 3rd Floor South
Panel: Bridging Generations: Legacy, Lineage & New Directions
House music’s legacy is rich—but how is it passed down? This intergenerational conversation looks at the tensions and opportunities between originators and rising artists. From mentorship to misalignment, we’ll examine what it takes to preserve the genre’s roots while creating space for future evolution.
- 6:45-7:45 p.m. - Washington Room, 5th Floor South
Panel: Marketing, Monetization & the Musician Strategist
Today’s artist is also a strategist. This panel unpacks how musicians can effectively market their work, build audiences in the digital age, and tap into alternative revenue streams—from live shows and merchandise to sync licensing, NFTs, and beyond.
- 6:45-7:45 p.m. - Millennium Park Room, 5th Floor South
Panel: Chicago Nightlife & Bars: Culture, Gentrification & DIY Spaces
As the landscape of Chicago nightlife changes, how can dance music culture survive and thrive? Join us as we unpack the pressures facing independent venues, the role of DIY spaces as cultural incubators, and how nightlife responds to shifting economics, demographics, and daytime audiences.
- 8-9 p.m. - Preston Bradley Hall, 3rd Floor South
Fireside Keynote Conversation
An intimate, in-depth conversation with a luminary of the House Music Industry.
Spirit of Music Garden, Grant Park, 601 S. Michigan Ave. | Dance Studio, Chicago Cultural Center
- 2-3:30 p.m. – Daytime Master Class, Dance Studio
- Instructor: Twan (BraveSoul Movement)
- 4-5:30 p.m. – Daytime Master Class, Dance Studio
- Instructors: Tre Daniels (Jus.Be / Circle Theory), Wyatt “Willard” Sutter
- 6-6:30 p.m. – House Dance Lesson at SummerDance, Spirit of Music Garden
- Led by: BraveSoul Movement
- 6:30-9 p.m. – DJs Vince Adams & Lil John, Spirit of Music Garden
- Hosted by Toni Shelton
1-9 p.m., Jay Pritzker Pavilion + 3 additional stages throughout Millennium Park
Four Stages of Programming + Dance Summit + Youth Workshops
Pritzker Pavilion – Legacy Stage (Main Stage)
- 1 p.m. – Tony and Andre Hatchett
- 2:30 p.m. – DJ Pharris Thomas
- 3:30 p.m. – Boolumaster
- 4:30 p.m. – Waxmaster
- 5:30 p.m. – Tyree Cooper
- 6:30 p.m. – White Knight
- 7 p.m. – Psycho B
- 8 p.m. – Ralphi Rosario
Soulful House Stage (North Promenade)
- 1-4 p.m. – *Chicago House Dance Summit (Below for details)
- 4-5 p.m. – Tommaso
- 5-6 p.m. – Party Called Tribe
- 6-7 p.m. – Fortune
- 7-8 p.m. – CTRLZORA
- 8-9 p.m. – Shaun J. Wright
Chicago House Stage (South Promenade)
- 1 p.m. – DJ Phats
- 2 p.m. – John Simmons
- 3 p.m. – Jordan Fields
- 4 p.m. – Zsa Zsa
- 5 p.m. – Stacy Kidd
- 6 p.m. – CZR
- 7 p.m. – Bear Who?
- 8 p.m. – DJ Threejay x Patrick Wayne feat. PAMP
Groove Garden Stage (Double Clutch Beer Garden)
- 1 p.m. – Groovin Kiki
- 2 p.m. – Randal Dean
- 3 p.m. – DJ Hi-Speed
- 4 p.m. – Emanual Pippen
- 5 p.m. – T. Mixwell
- 6 p.m. – Quicktastic
- 7 p.m. – Lovebug
- 8 p.m. – Specter
* Chicago House Dance Summit – North Promenade Tent
Join us for a vibrant gathering of Dancers of all levels, DJs, and House Culture lovers in celebrating the art and history of House Dance through youth and community engagement programs like workshops, demonstrations, and dance battles.
1-4 p.m.
- 1 p.m. – Youth & Family Dance Workshop + Coloring Station by Creative Netwerk
- 1:30 p.m. – Footwork OG Freestyle Exhibition – “Get-Down Showcase”
- 1:45 p.m. – Footwork Crew Showcase + New Generation Exhibition Battle
- 2:45 p.m. – Body: House Dance Summit – Finals by Jus.Be House Collective
- Judges: BraveMonk, Twan Twan, Lil Bit, Wyatt Sutter, Fathom
A chill-out session of music after 3 days of festivities. Bring blankets and chairs and enjoy the scenic views of the confluence, where the Main, North, and South Branches of the Chicago River meet over groove-injected House beats.
1-5 p.m., Chicago Riverwalk - The Confluence
- 1-3 p.m. – DJ Jerome Baker
- 3-5 p.m. – Julio Bishop




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