This year, Ribfest Chicago will take place from June 14th to June 16th. The festival is always located along Lincoln Avenue between Irving Park Road and Berteau Avenue.

We request a $10 suggested donation at the gate for individuals, or $20 for families. Proceeds from the gate donations are invested right back into the Northcenter community and help support local schools, nonprofit organizations, economic development, and greening efforts. To date, the fest has provided nearly $400,000 in direct funding to these worthy causes.

While 3-hour metered parking is available on the main streets surrounding the festival, it is very limited. We highly recommend public transportation. The Brown Line stops on Irving Park Road, just a few blocks east of the festival. The 80 Irving Park and 50 Damen buses both have stops in close proximity to the fest. The 49 Western and 9 Ashland buses both stop at Irving Park Road and from there it’s only a short walk to the festival.

NOTE: Festival parking is not allowed in the CVS or Fifth Third Bank lots. Cars parked in these lots will be towed.

Of course! We have a safe, fun Kids area set up near Berteau and Lincoln. We’ll have inflatables, activities, kid-friendly entertainment and more!

Yes! At Ribfest Chicago, we strive to bring a variety of local and citywide restaurants and food vendors to you, including several that accommodate vegetarian, gluten-free and other dietary needs.

No. Attendees found in violation of City Code Section 8-4-030 for Open Container shall be ticketed and fined not less than $100.00 nor more than $500.00 or shall be punished by imprisonment for a period of six months or by both such fine and imprisonment for each offense.

No one is required to donate at the gate to enter the festival area to conduct business. However, we do hope you’ll come back for great music and food and support this festival’s efforts to help support local schools and nonprofits.

Check out our gallery, or contact us for more information!

We love hearing new music—even if the lineup is already set for this year, we will consider any original artists for future years. Please fill out the application here so we have your contact information.

While we don’t prohibit dogs, we don’t recommend bringing man’s best friend either. There are crowds of people and hot grills, not to mention bones and bone pieces on the ground that could present a choking hazard for your pet.

Visit this website (which will continue updating as we get closer to the festival dates), like us on Facebook and Instagram, or follow us on Twitter/X for all of your festival needs! And for the true “insider” experience, sign up for the Ribfest Chicago Insider newsletter.

This year, festival goers will purchase food and beverages directly from the vendor. Beer booths and most food vendors will accept both cash and credit cards.