The Chicago Blues Festival returns for 2022 with lots of great music in tow

The Chicago Blues Festival is underway in Millennium Park and, for the first time, in select areas of the neighborhood. And you can enjoy all sights and sounds for free until Sunday night.

The music continues Saturday at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion and two additional stages at Millennium Park, Bronzeville at Lillian Hardin Armstrong Park (4433 S. St. Lawrence Ave.) and Austin (5720 W. Chicago Ave.).

Saturday’s lineup at Millennium Park includes Melody Angel, Keith Johnson & The Big Muddy Band, Cedric Burnside and Ronnie Baker Brooks, among others.

Sunday programming at the Pritzker Pavilion includes Lurie Bell, The Kinsey Report and Eric Gales, among others. Also new this year is a “Women in Blues” showcase at 3 p.m. Sunday with a tribute to blues great Mary Lane.

On both days, catch a showcase (starting at noon) of Chicago artists who have performed at the iconic Rosa’s Lounge for the past 38 years at Millennium Park’s Chase Promenade South.

For the complete performer schedule at Millennium Park for Saturday and Sunday, visit chicago.gov.

Saturday’s lineup of neighborhood concert artists in the Austin neighborhood (starting at noon) includes Tail Dragger, Demetria Taylor, and Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials, among others. On Sundays in Bronzeville (starting at noon), you can catch sets from the Chicago Blues Allstars of Freddie Dixon, Joe Barr and the Platinum Band, among others. The complete program of neighborhood concerts is available here.

Chicago Sun-Times photographer Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere captured some of the moments from Friday night’s lineup at Millennium Park (below), which included the Mike Wheeler Band and Billy Branch & The Sons of Blues, among others.