Taste of Lincoln Avenue is a three-day summer street festival on Lincoln Avenue between Fullerton Avenue and Wrightwood Avenue in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, with live music stages, food and craft vendors and a kids’ carnival. It is a fundraiser for the Wrightwood Neighbors Association, which asks for a $10 donation at the gate for all-day entry. The 2026 festival ran Friday to Sunday, July 24–26; the 2027 dates are not yet announced.
We checked the Wrightwood Neighbors Association page, the producer’s 2026 event page and the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce festival list in October 2026. Other annual events are on our Lincoln Park events calendar.
Good to know
| Next dates | 2027: not yet announced. 2026 ran Fri–Sun, July 24–26. |
|---|---|
| 2026 hours | Fri 4–10 p.m.; Sat noon–10 p.m.; Sun noon–8 p.m. |
| Location | Lincoln Ave. between Fullerton and Wrightwood (2500 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60614); kids’ area on the 800 block of W. Altgeld St. |
| Cost | $10 donation at the gate for all-day entry; kids’ carnival entry free, some games need tickets; tastings extra |
| Organizer | Wrightwood Neighbors Association (beneficiary); produced by Special Events Management |
| Typical timing | Late July (2026: last weekend of July) |
| Source checked | Wrightwood Neighbors, chicagoevents.com and Lincoln Park Chamber pages, October 2026 |
History and what to expect
Taste of Lincoln Avenue started in 1984 to raise money for the neighborhood association and for local schools and organizations, and the 2026 edition was billed as the 42nd annual. Gate donations fund grants to neighborhood public schools, parks, charities and improvement projects. Past recipients named by the association include Agassiz, Alcott and Oscar Mayer elementary schools, Lincoln Park High School and the Old Town School of Folk Music.
The festival fills several blocks of Lincoln Avenue. In 2026 it had:
- Music: the Main Stage at Fullerton and the Irish Eyes Stage, with bands from around the Midwest, plus a kid-friendly stage with singers, magicians and puppeteers
- Food and crafts: local food vendors, arts and crafts booths and wine tasting
- Ticketed extras: a Signature Cocktail Competition (Fri 6–8 p.m., $30) and Whiskies on Lincoln (Sat 3–5 and 6–8 p.m., $20 in advance, $22 at the door)
- Dog Parade: Sunday at noon, free with registration
- Kids’ Carnival: a block-long area with inflatables, face painting and games, open Fri 4–6 p.m. and Sat–Sun noon–6 p.m.
Attendance figures vary on the association’s own page, from “over 25,000” to “more than 50,000,” so treat any single number with care.
Getting there
The festival is a short walk from the CTA Fullerton station, so the train is the simplest option. Driving is harder: most nearby residential streets are permit-parking zones.
- CTA train: Fullerton (Red and Brown lines, plus Purple Express at weekday rush), 943 W. Fullerton Ave., a few blocks west of the festival’s Fullerton end
- CTA buses: the 8 Halsted and 74 Fullerton both serve the Fullerton/Halsted/Lincoln corner
- Kids’ entrance: the Kids’ Carnival on W. Altgeld can be entered free from Halsted Street; a donation is requested if you continue into the main festival
More on lines and parking zones in Getting around Lincoln Park and our guide to Lincoln Park’s zoned parking.
Tips
- Families: come in the afternoon. The Kids’ Carnival closes at 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday (and runs only 4–6 p.m. on Friday).
- Sunday ends earlier, at 8 p.m., and starts with the Dog Parade at noon. Register your dog in advance.
- Book the whiskey tasting ahead if you want it; advance tickets were $2 cheaper than at the door in 2026.
- The $10 gate donation is the fundraiser itself: it pays for the association’s grants to neighborhood schools and parks.
- Watch the Wrightwood Neighbors page and the Chamber’s festival list for the 2027 date.
Nearby in Lincoln Park
The festival runs through the heart of the Lincoln Avenue and Fullerton area near DePaul. Listings on or close to the route:
- Lincoln Hall, the music venue at 2424 N. Lincoln Ave.
- Play Toys and Books, 2462 N. Lincoln Ave.
- The Bourgeois Pig Cafe, 738 W. Fullerton Ave., just east of Halsted
- Jonquil Park at Wrightwood, Lincoln and Sheffield, the festival’s north end (and home of the fall Lincoln Park Wine Fest)
- Lou Malnati’s at 958 W. Wrightwood Ave.
Curious about the association behind the festival? Read Mid-North vs. Wrightwood Neighbors and our sub-neighborhood guide.
Frequently asked questions
When is Taste of Lincoln Avenue 2027?
The 2027 dates for Taste of Lincoln Avenue are not yet announced as of October 2026. The 2026 festival ran Friday through Sunday, July 24–26, so late July is the usual window; check the Wrightwood Neighbors Association site for the official date.
How much does Taste of Lincoln Avenue cost?
The Wrightwood Neighbors Association asks for a $10 donation at the gate for all-day entry. The Kids’ Carnival is free to enter, though some games need carnival tickets, and special tastings such as Whiskies on Lincoln are ticketed separately.
Where is Taste of Lincoln Avenue held?
On Lincoln Avenue between Fullerton Avenue and Wrightwood Avenue in Lincoln Park, Chicago (2500 N. Lincoln Ave.), with the Kids’ Carnival on the 800 block of West Altgeld Street. The nearest CTA station is Fullerton.
Who runs Taste of Lincoln Avenue?
The festival benefits the Wrightwood Neighbors Association, which uses the money for grants to neighborhood schools, parks and charities. Special Events Management produces it. It began in 1984.
What were the 2026 hours?
In 2026 Taste of Lincoln Avenue was open Friday 4–10 p.m., Saturday noon–10 p.m. and Sunday noon–8 p.m. Hours for 2027 have not been posted.
Sources
- Wrightwood Neighbors Association: Taste of Lincoln Avenue (location, donation, history, beneficiaries)
- Special Events Management: Taste of Lincoln Avenue 2026 (hours, stages, ticketed extras)
- Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce: Festivals and events (2026 dates)
- CTA (stations and bus routes)
Have a question we didn’t answer, or spot something out of date? Tell us and we’ll update the guide. Back to the Lincoln Park events calendar.
Last updated October 2026 by Live Lincoln Park.