House City. Courtesy of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

Summer in Chicago—and especially summer’s second act—is magic. By August, the lake is in a Goldilocks zone, perfect for dipping, and languid evenings in the park or backyard are almost humid enough to convince you wind chill never existed.

Chicagoans, wise to the ephemerality of such moments, grab hold of summer with both hands: grilling, swimming, front-stooping, ball-playing, and literally dancing in the streets.

At block parties and street festivals, cookouts, quinceañeras, and family reunions, Chicagoans love to dance—and House music, invented here in the 1980s, is one of our favorite sounds for it. This summer, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events is hosting House City, a collection of outdoor parties featuring local House DJs.

House City. Courtesy of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

There’s still time to catch a bunch of them. In the map below, you can preview headliners and plan to dance away the best part of summer. 

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Map by Charmaine Runes. Check back for updates.

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