Chicago says goodbye to pitchfork festival

Photo Credit: Pitchfork Fest’s Instagram

Chicago’s long-running Pitchfork Music Festival is calling it quits after nearly two decades.

The Pitchfork Music Festival announced it will not return to Chicago’s Union Park next year, ending its 19-year run. The festival’s final lineup in summer 2024 included artists like Alanis Morissette, Carly Rae Jepsen, 100 Gecs, Black Pumas, and Jai Paul.

“As the music festival landscape continues to evolve rapidly, we have made the difficult decision not to host Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago in 2025,” begins a statement from Pitchfork.

“This decision was not made lightly. For 19 years, Pitchfork Music Festival has been a celebration of music, art, and community — a space where memories were made, voices were amplified, and the shared love of music brought us all together.”

“The festival, while aligned with the taste of the Pitchfork editorial team, has always been a collaborative effort, taking on a life of its own as a vital pillar of the Chicago arts scene,” their statement continues.

“We are deeply grateful to the City of Chicago for being our festival’s home for nearly two decades, to the artists who graced our stages with unforgettable performances, and to the fans who brought unmatched energy year after year.”

“Pitchfork will continue to produce events in 2025 and beyond,” the statement concludes, after thanking festival founder Mike Reed and the rest of the hardworking festival team. “We look forward to continuing to create spaces where music, culture, and community intersect in uplifting ways.”

Chicago alderman Walter Burnett spoke with festival organizers who said the shutdown stems from “lack of sponsorship, insurance costs” and struggles to compete with other summer music festivals.

It’s unclear whether festival organizers will try to move forward with the event after next year. But Burnett said he is working with the city to make sure the event doesn’t leave altogether.

Notably, the decision to cancel the event next year comes as the festival’s parent company, Condé Nast, which owns Pitchfork, GQ, Vogue, and many other media brands, announced layoffs earlier in the year.