The summertime and concert season have traditionally created a prominent economic boom that benefits Chicago’s hotel, restaurant and tourism industries.
Even as ticket prices continue to rise, that trend could continue this year.
“Summertime is a key tourist season and economic driver for Chicago. … The city comes to life this time of year,” said Matt Ragas, a professor at DePaul who specializes in public relations and advertising.
Ragas noted big concerts, like Beyoncé’s recent “Cowboy Carter” tour stop at Soldier Field, the Lollapalooza music festival and sporting events like NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race.
The worldwide gross for the top 100 touring artists in 2024 hit $9.5 billion — a 3.62% increase over the collective gross from the same number of artists last year, when ticket revenue topped out at $9.17 billion, Pollstar says.
“When I think of summertime, I think of going out and going to concerts with my friends,” said Paige McFarland, a college student at Butler University who plans to travel from Indiana to attend Lollapalooza this August. “Even though they can be expensive, they’re always worth it for me.”
This will be McFarland’s fourth large-scale concert in the past year.
Concerts contribute substantially to hotel revenue and support the broader hospitality economy in Chicago when major artists perform, or large-scale festivals like Lollapalooza take place. In June 2023, Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” was one of the main driving factors in breaking Chicago’s hotel weekend occupancy record. More recently downtown hotels reported 95% occupancy during Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” tour in mid-May.
As fans flood into the city for events at venues like Soldier Field, the United Center and Grant Park, nearby restaurants also experience a sharp increase in foot traffic. Many concertgoers dine out before and after shows, leading to higher sales during evenings and weekends. Multi-day events like Lollapalooza or Riot Fest also bring sustained business over several days, boosting not just individual establishments but the local food and beverage economy as a whole.
“House of Blues for sure gets busier in the summer. We have more shows and more tourism in general throughout the city,” said DePaul sophomore Katie McEnery, an employee at Chicago’s House of Blues music venue and restaurant. “Sometimes I don’t get off work until 4 a.m.”
Post-pandemic tourism is steadily increasing in Chicago, with the number of visitors rising 6.5% to 55.3 million in 2024. Concert fans traveling from out of town often extend their stays as well, which means tourism-focused businesses — like tour companies, museums and transit services — benefit greatly from the increased activity. Seasonal peaks in concert activity, especially in the summer, align with Chicago’s busiest tourism months, further amplifying their economic effect.
“How these events go is important in the impressions formed by visitors and the public as a whole,” Ragas said.
Related Stories:
- Sueños 2025 is here. Here’s everything you need to know going into the festival.
- Dolla-palooza: How commercialization has ruined music festivals
- ‘Go green’ this spring at Chicago’s sustainable Green City Market
delivered to your inbox every Monday.
Support Student Journalism!
The DePaulia is DePaul University’s award-winning, editorially independent student newspaper. Since 1923, student journalists have produced high-quality, on-the-ground reporting that informs our campus and city.
We rely on reader support to keep doing what we do. Donations are tax deductible through DePaul's giving page.