Pitchfork Music Festival 2024: What to Know Before You Go

All the tips to have your best possible festival weekend at Chicago’s Union Park
The crowd at Pitchfork Music Festival 2023
Photo by Alexa Viscius

The 2024 Pitchfork Music Festival kicks off this Friday, July 19, in Chicago, and we are here to give you all the tips to have your best possible festival weekend. Here is what you need to know before you enjoy Alanis Morissette, Jamie xx, Black Pumas, Carly Rae Jepsen, Brittany Howard, and many more in Union Park.

First things first, tickets are still on sale, and you can get three-day passes and single-day passes for general admission, Pitchfork PLUS, and the VIP upgrade. Find them here and below!

More questions about the festival? Check out our FAQ page for answers! See you soon, Chicago.

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Pitchfork Music Festival 2024

Box Office Hours & Location

The box office is on Ashland Avenue, just south of Lake Street. The box office’s regular hours are: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. from Friday, July 19, to Sunday, July 21. The box office will also be open the day before the festival (Thursday, July 18) from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Getting Here

The festival does not provide parking for attendees, but there are plenty of ways to get to Union Park. We encourage you to get here using one of the following options!

  • Train: The Ashland stop on the Green and Pink lines is right at the northwest corner of the park. There is an accessible entrance.
  • Bus: The Ashland #9 bus runs north-south and stops on the western edge of Union Park. The Madison #20 bus runs east-west and stops just south of the park; it also runs directly from Ogilvie station and is a short walk from Union Station downtown.
  • Bike parking: If you’re heading to the festival on two wheels, check out our bike parking at the southwest corner of Randolph Street and Ada Street. This year, we’ve partnered with Working Bikes and Active Transportation to help provide further information and resources on bike transport in our city.

Entering the Festival

Union Park is located at 1501 W. Randolph Street. Festival gates open at 12 p.m. each day. The Main Gate and Box Office are on Ashland Avenue, south of Lake Street, and Gate 2 is located at Washington Blvd./Ogden Ave. You’ll need your photo I.D. and a digital ticket to enter. Be sure to check out our Experience page, too.

Permitted & Prohibited Items

Check out our list of permitted and prohibited items for easy entry into the festival. Pro tip: You can bring an empty reusable water bottle to fill up at one of our free water refill stations!

Download the Mobile App

Map out your route from the stages to the lounge to the Renegade Craft Fair, favorite your artists, create a schedule, and more. Available for iPhone and Android now.

Reserve a Locker

Want a safe place to store your stuff? Rent a locker! Every locker comes with a mobile charging pack for your phone and devices. Reserve a locker in advance here.

Food & Drinks

We’ve worked hard to curate a mix of restaurants and flavors as eclectic and exciting as our musical lineup. The PitchFORKED Food Court will have new elevated options along with some returning faves (with plenty of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options).

Pitchfork is thrilled to partner with Nespresso, who has you covered and refreshed all weekend long with complimentary iced coffee drinks, a lounge space and coffee-cocktails for sale!

Plus, Revolution Brewing, Illinois’ largest independent brewery, will be offering an expansive menu of fresh, local beer.

Official Merch Store

Shop early for hats, tees, long-sleeves and more, while supplies last. Artist merch will also be available.

Visit Austin Interview Stage

The interview stage returns, with support from Visit Austin. Catch some of your favorite artists in conversation, and also enjoy a cash bar, lounge seating, cornhole, a “rockstar” photo booth, and more. And you can enter a sweepstakes for a flyaway trip to Austin, Texas.

Friday, July 19, 2024

(All times p.m., listed in Central Daylight Time)

1:45: Yaeji
3:30: Amen Dunes
4:00: Jeff Rosenstock
5:30: billy woods & Kenny Segal

Saturday, July 20, 2024

(All times p.m., listed in Central Daylight Time)

2:00: Water From Your Eyes
3:30: L’Rain
5:30: Wednesday
6:45: De La Soul

Sunday, July 21, 2024

(All times p.m., listed in Central Daylight Time)

3:00: MUNA
3:30: Mannequin Pussy
5:30: Brittany Howard
6:30: Grandmaster Flash

Activities Around the Park

There’s so much to do and see at Pitchfork Music Festival in between sets!

  • Renegade Craft Fair: The Renegade Craft Fair is returning to Pitchfork this summer, featuring over 50 artists and designers. The pop-up will have all kinds of handmade goods like screen printed clothing, one of a kind jewelry, small batch ceramics, artworks, and more. Shop small, do good!
  • CHIRP Record Fair: With dozens of tables featuring curated records from vinyl dealers, independent labels, and music-related accessory sellers, CHIRP Radio has been a part of Pitchfork Music Festival since the beginning.
  • Flatstock Poster Fair: Today’s best poster artists will share their work and sell prints at Flatstock, hosted by the American Poster Institute. The American Poster Institute is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to serving the poster artist community and promoting their art.
  • Music House Kids Zone: Bringing the kiddos? The Music House Kids Zone is a great place to relax in the shade while your child jams on musical instruments, paints with friends on a collaborative mural, and more! Kids 10 and under can attend the festival for free.
  • Chicago Votes: When you’re in the park be sure to stop by the Chicago Votes booth, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization building a more inclusive democracy by putting power in the hands of young Chicagoans. They’ll be hosting a range of engaging activities, including insightful panel discussions and more!

More Festival Pro Tips

  • Lather on the sunscreen.
  • Remember to hydrate! The festival provides drinking fountains for you to refill your water bottle. And be sure to balance your electrolytes by eating some salty snacks.
  • Look out for each other! We have a first aid tent on-site should you or someone around you need it.
  • Kids under 10 get into the festival for free. Please consider ear protection for your little ones.

Official Pitchfork After-Shows

Starting on Thursday, July 18, and continuing through Sunday, July 21, venues across Chicago will host official Pitchfork Music Festival after-shows. Performers include Angry Blackmen, Doss, L’Rain, and Kara Jackson, and participating venues include Sleeping Village, Subterranean, Empty Bottle, Lincoln Hall, and more.

Pitchfork’s Chicago City Guide

Looking for more to do around our beloved home of Chicago? We put together a guide with some of our favorite joints near Union Park (and beyond for our more adventurous crowd) to eat, drink, visit, flirt, dance, and, of course, listen to more music.