Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) announced a slate of new and reimagined summer events including at-home dance parties, drive-in movies, virtual concerts and community meals for frontline workers. DCASE will produce more than 150 events this summer.  DCASE also shared new guidance for large outdoor events across the City of Chicago, cancelling all permitted special events through Labor Day. Regrettably, this includes many of Chicago’s annual summertime traditions: Chicago SummerDance, Taste of Chicago and Lollapalooza in Grant Park; the Chicago Air and Water Show at North Avenue Beach; Chicago Jazz Festival in Millennium Park; the majority of programming at the Chicago Riverwalk, the Chicago Cultural Center and Millennium Park; Maxwell Street Market through Labor Day; the Jumping Jack Program; and other festivals, parades and athletic events — some of which have already been cancelled. New and reimagined summer events include:

• “Millennium Park at Home” will continue with a genre-defying Music Series featuring Jon Langford, The Braided Janes, Zeshan B, Sen Morimoto and other local musicians on Thursdays (June 18 and 25, 6–7:30 p.m.; July 9, 16 and 23, 6–7:30 p.m.); and Blues Music performances by Melody Angel, John Primer, Toronzo Cannon and others are rescheduled for July 31–August 2 at 6–8 p.m. Additionally, Workouts — an alternating weekly schedule of Tai Chi, Yoga, Pilates and Zumba© — will be online Saturdays (June 6–August 29, 8–9 a.m.).

• “SummerDance in Place,” a new citywide, at-home version of Chicago SummerDance will invite residents to plan socially-distant dance parties of up to 10 people — in their homes and backyards, and on porches, balconies and sidewalks — connected via a live broadcast and social media. Programs will include a 30-minute lesson followed by 60 minutes of music on Wednesday evenings in July (July 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29). Dance genres include Salsa, Swing and Line Dancing.

• “Taste of Chicago To-Go” will include an expanded Community Eats program (July 8–12), supporting about 25 neighborhood restaurants and food trucks while providing free meals to nonprofits serving healthcare and other frontline workers. DCASE will also organize a food truck procession (July 8) and online cooking demos (July 8–12).

For updates about DCASE programming, permitting and venues, visit chicago.gov/dcase.