Live Entertainment Venues

Aurora, Illinois

Paramount Theatre in downtown Aurora is a restored 1931 Art Deco movie palace presenting Broadway-caliber musicals and touring concerts, one of the most acclaimed regional theaters in the Midwest.

23 E Galena Blvd 60506

Bridgeview, Illinois

Chicago Fire FC plays at SeatGeek Stadium (formerly Toyota Park) — a soccer-specific stadium serving Chicago's passionate soccer community in an MLS market shaped by the city's extraordinarily diverse immigrant communities. Chicago's remarkable soccer culture (the city's Polish, Mexican, German, and Eastern European immigrant communities have created the most diverse soccer fan base of any American city) creates match-day experiences of unusual cultural and ethnic richness.

7000 S Harlem Ave, Bridgeview, IL 60455

Carbondale, Illinois

Shryock Auditorium at Southern Illinois University Carbondale presents touring concerts and performances for the southern Illinois region.

1075 S Normal Ave 62901

Chicago, Illinois

Auditorium Theatre is one of America's greatest architectural achievements in performing arts — an 1889 Adler & Sullivan masterpiece with extraordinary acoustics serving as the home of the Joffrey Ballet. The building's innovative use of cantilever steel and acoustic engineering, designed by Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler, represented the pinnacle of 19th-century architectural ingenuity and remains one of the finest concert hall acoustics in the world.

50 E Ida B Wells Dr, Chicago, IL 60605

Chicago, Illinois

Aragon Ballroom is one of Chicago's most magnificent historic music venues — a 1926 Uptown ballroom whose Moorish-Spanish architectural splendor creates an extraordinary backdrop for major concerts. The Aragon's remarkable architectural preservation and its extraordinary history (it has hosted every major musical act from big band to rock) create a concert venue of genuine Chicago entertainment historical significance.

1106 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60640

Chicago, Illinois

Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center is the home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra — a 2,522-seat concert hall where the CSO, consistently ranked among the world's top five orchestras, has performed under conductors from Theodore Thomas to Georg Solti to Riccardo Muti. The Chicago Symphony's extraordinary artistic tradition, 60+ Grammy Awards (more than any other classical ensemble), and connection to American orchestral excellence make Orchestra Hall one of the world's most significant concert halls.

220 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60604

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago Symphony Orchestra is universally ranked among the world's five greatest orchestras — a Michigan Avenue institution whose magnificent Orchestra Hall presents performances of extraordinary musical quality. The CSO's extraordinary brass section (considered the finest in the world), its remarkable recording legacy, and the consistent presence of the world's greatest conductors and soloists create a classical music experience of genuine world-class musical significance.

220 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60604

Chicago, Illinois

The Chicago Theatre is one of America's most magnificent entertainment palaces — a 1921 French Baroque-inspired venue whose sign is the most recognizable symbol of Chicago's entertainment identity. The theater's 3,600-seat capacity and extraordinary interior (often called "The Palace of the Middle West") make it one of the most architecturally significant performing arts venues in the United States, hosting everything from comedy specials to major concerts in an atmosphere of historic grandeur.

175 N State St, Chicago, IL 60601

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago Theatre is a 3,600-seat historic performance venue in The Loop — the iconic State Street landmark whose glowing vertical marquee is one of Chicago's most recognizable images. Open since 1921, the venue hosts Broadway productions, stand-up comedy specials, and headline concerts in an ornate French Baroque interior adjacent to the Loop's growing entertainment scene.

175 N State St 60601

Chicago, Illinois

Civic Opera House on the Chicago River is home to the Lyric Opera of Chicago, a 3,563-seat Art Deco skyscraper theater that is one of the largest opera houses in North America.

20 N Wacker Dr 60606

Chicago, Illinois

Epiphany Center for the Arts in the West Loop presents concerts and events in a converted 1885 church, one of Chicago's most striking adaptive-reuse entertainment venues.

201 S Ashland Ave 60607

Chicago, Illinois

Goodman Theatre is Chicago's most important producing theater — a Loop institution presenting world premieres, major revivals, and important classics in one of America's finest regional theater facilities. Chicago's extraordinary theater culture (it produces more important American plays than any city except New York) and the Goodman's consistent presentation of nationally significant theatrical work create a theater of genuine American performing arts historical significance.

170 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60601

Chicago, Illinois

Grant Park Music Festival is the only free, municipally supported outdoor classical music festival in the United States — a Chicago lakefront summer series presenting world-class orchestral performances in the Jay Pritzker Pavilion (designed by Frank Gehry) to audiences of 10,000+. The festival's extraordinary combination of world-class music, the free admission policy (a remarkable Chicago civic gift), and Gehry's iconic pavilion create a performing arts experience of unique American democratic cultural significance.

235 S Columbus Dr, Chicago, IL 60603

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago's sporting venues complex extends beyond the four major sports teams to include Northwestern's Ryan Field (undergoing a major renovation), DePaul basketball at Wintrust Arena, and the remarkable college football and basketball options at multiple universities. Chicago's extraordinary depth as one of America's three major sports markets creates a sports entertainment ecosystem of remarkable breadth and quality.

333 W 35th St, Chicago, IL 60616

Chicago, Illinois

Guaranteed Rate Field (U.S. Cellular Field) is the home of the Chicago White Sox — a South Side ballpark where the White Sox's passionate working-class fan base and their extraordinary 2005 World Series sweep create a baseball culture of genuine Chicago South Side community significance. The eternal Cubs-Sox rivalry (one of the most deeply felt urban sports rivalries in America) and the White Sox's distinct South Side identity create sporting events of unusual Chicago cultural depth.

333 W 35th St, Chicago, IL 60616

Chicago, Illinois

Harold Washington Cultural Center in Bronzeville presents jazz, blues, and gospel concerts honoring Chicago's first Black mayor and the neighborhood's musical heritage.

4701 S King Dr 60653

Chicago, Illinois

House of Blues Chicago is the most elaborate House of Blues location worldwide — a 1,400-capacity club inside the iconic Marina City complex on the Chicago River that features a stunning Gothic-Revival-meets-Mississippi-Delta design aesthetic and an unbeatable location steps from Michigan Avenue. The Sunday Gospel Brunch here is considered the finest in the chain, and the music booking covers rock, R&B, hip-hop, and blues year-round for Chicago's dense entertainment market.

329 N Dearborn St 60654

Chicago, Illinois

Jay Pritzker Pavilion is Frank Gehry's spectacular outdoor concert venue in Millennium Park — a 4,000-seat covered pavilion with a 7,000-person lawn and Gehry's distinctive stainless steel ribbons framing the Chicago skyline backdrop for Chicago Symphony Orchestra summer performances, Lollapalooza, and free concerts. Millennium Park's extraordinary success as both a community gathering space and world-class entertainment venue has made it the most influential urban park design of the 21st century.

201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601

Chicago, Illinois

Logan Theatre in Logan Square is a restored vintage movie house presenting film screenings and events, anchoring the neighborhood's entertainment corridor along Milwaukee Avenue.

2646 N Milwaukee Ave 60647

Chicago, Illinois

Lyric Opera of Chicago is one of the three great American opera companies — a Civic Opera Building institution presenting world-class opera in one of the most magnificent opera houses in the world. The Civic Opera Building's extraordinary Art Deco architecture (the building was nicknamed "Insull's Throne" after the utility magnate who funded it), the Lyric's consistently outstanding productions, and Chicago's remarkable cultural ambition create an opera experience of genuine world-class significance.

20 N Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606

Chicago, Illinois

Lyric Opera of Chicago at the Civic Opera House presents one of the world's most ambitious opera seasons — a 3,563-seat venue presenting the most fully staged productions in North America with extraordinary international casts. The Civic Opera House's extraordinary Art Deco exterior and the Lyric Opera's 70-year tradition of presenting operatic masterpieces with uncompromising artistic standards have established Chicago as one of the world's great opera cities.

20 N Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606

Chicago, Illinois

Metro in Wrigleyville is a legendary Chicago rock club that has presented touring alternative and indie acts since 1982, launching Smashing Pumpkins and countless Chicago bands in a converted Swedish social hall.

3730 N Clark St 60613

Chicago, Illinois

Old Town School of Folk Music in Lincoln Square presents touring folk, roots, and world music concerts, one of the largest community music schools in the United States.

4544 N Lincoln Ave 60625

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago's lakefront music venues include the spectacular Pritzker Pavilion and the surrounding outdoor concert spaces — one of America's most extraordinary urban concert environments where Lake Michigan provides the world's most dramatic natural backdrop for live music. Chicago's remarkable lakefront (23 miles of public parks along Lake Michigan, accessible to all Chicagoans regardless of income) and its extraordinary music tradition create outdoor concert experiences of unique American civic significance.

235 S Columbus Dr, Chicago, IL 60603

Chicago, Illinois

The Riviera Theatre is a 2,500-capacity venue in Chicago's Uptown neighbourhood — a converted historic movie palace that has been a major live music destination since the 1980s. Renowned for booking mid-size touring acts across rock, hip-hop, electronic, and metal genres, the Riv offers standing-room concert energy in a room with strong acoustics and a long Chicago music history.

4746 N Racine Ave 60640

Chicago, Illinois

The Second City is the most important comedy institution in America — an Old Town Chicago theater that has launched the careers of Bill Murray, Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, and literally hundreds of Saturday Night Live cast members. Chicago's extraordinary comedy culture (it produces more professional comedians than any city in the world) and The Second City's unparalleled training program create a performing arts institution of genuine American comedy historical significance.

1616 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60614

Chicago, Illinois

Soldier Field is Chicago's lakefront outdoor stadium — the home of the Chicago Bears NFL team and one of America's most architecturally complex stadiums, with a 1924 neoclassical colonnaded exterior embracing a dramatically modern 61,500-seat interior. Its lakefront location adjacent to the Museum Campus and its history as the site of the Thrilla (Ali-Frazier-era boxing), Rolling Stones concerts, and Bears glory makes it one of the most historically layered sports venues in the United States.

1410 Museum Campus Dr, Chicago, IL 60605

Chicago, Illinois

Soldier Field is the oldest stadium in the NFL — a 1924 lakefront monument to World War I veterans where the Chicago Bears have played since 1971. The most spectacularly situated NFL stadium (on Chicago's lakefront beside Lake Michigan, with views of the skyline and the lake), the Bears' extraordinary history (the "Monsters of the Midway" and the 1985 Super Bowl Bears remain the most celebrated defensive team in NFL history), and Chicago's legendary football passion create game-day experiences of genuine American sporting history.

1410 Museum Campus Dr, Chicago, IL 60605

Chicago, Illinois

Steppenwolf Theatre is the most influential American theater company of the past 50 years — a Lincoln Park ensemble founded by Gary Sinise, John Malkovich, and Joan Allen that reinvented American acting with its raw, physical performance style. Steppenwolf's extraordinary acting ensemble, its consistent production of important new American plays, and its remarkable influence on global theater create a company of genuine international theatrical significance.

1650 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614

Chicago, Illinois

Thalia Hall in Pilsen is a restored 1892 opera house presenting touring indie and rock acts, one of Chicago's most architecturally striking mid-size venues.

1807 S Allport St 60608

Chicago, Illinois

United Center is a 20,491-seat arena in Chicago — home to the NBA Chicago Bulls and NHL Chicago Blackhawks and site of Michael Jordan's championship runs. One of the highest-grossing concert venues in North America, United Center draws audiences from across the Chicago metro area alongside the growing Rivers Casino market in the city's western suburbs.

1901 W Madison St 60612

Chicago, Illinois

United Center is Chicago's premier indoor entertainment arena — a 20,917-capacity venue home to the Chicago Bulls (Michael Jordan's six championship teams) and Chicago Blackhawks (three Stanley Cup championships) that consistently ranks among the world's top-grossing entertainment venues. Its dual championship heritage, the Jordan statue outside the west entrance, and its history of hosting Chicago's most iconic sports and entertainment moments make it one of the most historically charged arenas in American professional sports.

1901 W Madison St, Chicago, IL 60612

Chicago, Illinois

United Center is home to two of the most storied franchises in professional sports — the Chicago Blackhawks (multiple Stanley Cup championships) and the Chicago Bulls (six Michael Jordan-era championships). The "Madhouse on Madison" has hosted more championships than any comparable arena in professional sports, and Chicago's extraordinary sports culture creates game-day experiences of unparalleled passion and historical depth.

1901 W Madison St, Chicago, IL 60612

Chicago, Illinois

Untitled Supper Club in River North presents live jazz and burlesque in a speakeasy-style basement venue near the Chicago River.

111 W Kinzie St 60654

Chicago, Illinois

Vic Theatre in Lakeview is a restored 1912 vaudeville house presenting touring rock and indie acts, one of Chicago's most storied mid-size concert venues.

3145 N Sheffield Ave 60657

Chicago, Illinois

Wintrust Arena is Chicago's newest mid-size arena — a 10,387-capacity South Loop facility presenting DePaul basketball, Chicago Sky WNBA basketball, and major concerts. Chicago's extraordinary sports culture (four major sports franchises plus extensive minor league and college sports) creates a demand for arena entertainment that extends to multiple facilities throughout the city.

200 E Cermak Rd, Chicago, IL 60616

Chicago, Illinois

Wrigley Field is the most beloved ballpark in America — a 1914 North Side Chicago cathedral of baseball where the ivy-covered outfield walls, the hand-turned scoreboard, and the rooftop bleacher clubs create a baseball experience of extraordinary historical and aesthetic significance. The Cubs' 2016 World Series championship (ending the longest championship drought in American professional sports) and Wrigley's sublime old-school beauty create a sporting experience of genuine American cultural significance.

1060 W Addison St, Chicago, IL 60613

Chicago, Illinois

Wrigley Field's post-season concert series has made one of America's most beloved ballparks one of Chicago's most atmospheric outdoor concert venues — the 1914 stadium's ivy-covered outfield walls and intimate scale creating one of the most romantic concert settings in American live music. Artists from Jimmy Buffett to The Police to Pearl Jam have played landmark Wrigley concerts in one of the most culturally significant urban stadiums in the world.

1060 W Addison St, Chicago, IL 60613

Highland Park, Illinois

Ravinia Festival is America's oldest outdoor music festival — a Highland Park summer institution presenting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, major pop and jazz acts, and classical recitals in a beautifully landscaped North Shore park. Ravinia's extraordinary 120-year history, its remarkable combination of world-class orchestral music and picnic lawn culture, and its role as the CSO's summer home create a performing arts festival of genuine American outdoor music historical significance.

418 Sheridan Rd, Highland Park, IL 60035

Highland Park, Illinois

Ravinia Festival's covered pavilion in Highland Park is the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, presenting classical and popular touring concerts on a wooded North Shore campus since 1904.

418 Sheridan Rd 60035

Joliet, Illinois

Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet is a lavish 1926 movie palace known as the 'Jewel of Joliet,' presenting touring concerts and comedy in an ornately restored historic venue.

102 N Chicago St 60432

Peoria, Illinois

Peoria Civic Center is a multi-venue complex hosting concerts, Rivermen hockey, and family entertainment, the primary indoor entertainment hub for central Illinois.

201 SW Jefferson Ave 61602

Rockford, Illinois

Coronado Performing Arts Center in downtown Rockford is a lavish 1927 Spanish Baroque theater presenting touring concerts and Broadway shows in a stunning atmospheric interior.

314 N Main St 61101

Rosemont, Illinois

Allstate Arena is the Chicago area's most important secondary arena — a 17,500-capacity Rosemont facility presenting major concerts, Chicago Wolves AHL hockey, and special events. Its extraordinary role as Chicago's overflow arena (it has hosted events when the United Center is unavailable) and its consistent programming of outstanding entertainment make it one of the most important arenas in the Midwest.

6920 N Mannheim Rd, Rosemont, IL 60018

Rosemont, Illinois

Rosemont Theatre is the Chicago suburb's most important theatrical venue — a 4,387-capacity hall presenting major concerts, Broadway touring shows, and cultural events for the O'Hare corridor. Chicago's extraordinary performing arts market (one of the three most important in America) extends throughout the suburban ring, and Rosemont Theatre serves the millions of Chicago-area residents who prefer suburban entertainment options.

5400 N River Rd, Rosemont, IL 60018

Skokie, Illinois

North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie presents touring concerts, comedy, and Northlight Theatre productions serving Chicago's North Shore suburbs.

9501 Skokie Blvd 60077

St. Charles, Illinois

Arcada Theatre in downtown St. Charles is a restored 1926 movie palace presenting touring classic rock and comedy acts in the Fox Valley.

105 E Main St 60174

Tinley Park, Illinois

Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park is a 28,000-capacity outdoor amphitheater presenting major touring concerts as the largest summer concert venue in Chicago's south suburbs.

19100 Ridgeland Ave 60487