LAKEFRONT TRAIL ALERT: Due to weather conditions, the lakefront trail is closed from North Ave. to Ohio St., as are the underpasses at North Ave., Division St., Oak St., and Chicago Ave. See the Lakefront Trail map here.
This free annual event celebrates ten years of supporting Chicago’s teens by providing them with a stage to showcase their talents; the 10th TIP Fest will be held for the first time at Oakwood Beach
The Chicago Park District is excited to host its annual Teens In the Park (T.I.P.) Festival in partnership with the John Walt Foundation for the 10th year at Oakwood Beach, 4100 S. Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lake Shore Drive. This year’s performers will take the stage on Saturday, August 30, from 12 p.m. - 6 p.m. T.I.P. Fest is open to everyone at no cost.
“For ten years, the Teens in the Park Festival has served as the largest platform for Chicago’s young artists to showcase their work,” said Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO, Carlos Ramirez-Rosa. “This is an event where teens can express and enjoy themselves, and we’re honored to provide that safe space for them.”
Building on a decade of success, T.I.P. Fest will celebrate Chicago’s youngest artists on the lakefront during Labor Day weekend. The backdrop for this year’s event is the city’s skyline and lake views that attendees will enjoy as they listen to music, support local talent, and connect with teen-focused organizations providing access to resources.
There will be no shortage of performances from Chicago artists. In addition to the 12 finalists that auditioned in three parks this summer, Chicago’s own Hotrod & DJ Bman will host a peprally takeover; Hits101 Radio’s DJ TAI will bring the music; and there will also be performances from Final Alert dance group, and the Golden Knights Drill team.
T.I.P. Fest was first held in 2015 and curated by Grammy-award winning and Chicago-born hip-hop artist, Chance the Rapper. The lineup consisted of young Chicago artists handpicked by Chance and included performances from Donnie Trumpet, DLow, and Kendrick Lamar.
Earlier this summer, the Park District held auditions at three parks in the North, South and Central regions of the city to find the performers that would take the stage at this year’s T.I.P. Fest. More than 100 teens auditioned and were judged by a panel made up of music industry professionals, along with representatives from the Park District and the John Walt Foundation. Twelve finalists were chosen to compete at the August event on the lakefront.
Each audition finalist will aim to win one of the prizes and the right to be known as the Teens in the Park champ. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes consist of $1,000, $650, and $350, respectively. In addition to the performances, attendees can expect to connect with local vendors, job and program resources, and enjoy other interactive activities. For more information about T.I.P. Fest, please visit www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/tip-fest.