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Buy TicketsFirst-time event to feature performances, food sampling, significant discounts including half-price parking and a spectacular fireworks display
Centennial Wheel will display faces of smiling Chicagoans and offer half-price rides
CHICAGO—Navy Pier will showcase its upcoming summer programming and events lineup with its first ever Summer Sampler event, beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 26. The Pier-wide celebration will feature live performances from artists who will play at one of the Midwest’s most-visited venue this summer. The daylong event includes discounts from Pier restaurants, retailers and attractions; and free food and drink samples. The event will conclude with the season’s first fireworks display at 9 p.m. As a special added bonus, all parking in Navy Pier’s garages will be half price.
Rides on the iconic 200-foot Centennial Wheel will also be half price as the hub of the Wheel displays the images of notable Chicagoans and 2,000 recent guests of the Pier. The guest images were taken at Navy Pier’s Smile to Ride event that took place Feb. 28, when face mask requirements were suspended in Chicago.
“Summer in Chicago is always something to smile about, and it can never come too soon, so we’re getting a jump on it by previewing exciting events scheduled for the season,” said Navy Pier President and CEO Marilynn Gardner. “We look forward to welcoming everyone to this special preview of our joyfully crowded summer calendar.”
Performances are scheduled every half hour and will preview the events and series planned for this summer, including:
DJs from the Wave Wall Wax series will go live at 2:30, 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. LatiNxt DJs, curated by Future Rootz, perform at 5:30, 6:30, and 7:45 p.m.
Participating Navy Pier partners, retailers and restaurants will offer live music, significant discounts and free samples. Highlights include:
In alignment with the City of Chicago, Navy Pier will no longer require face masks or proof of vaccination to dine indoors. Navy Pier supports any guests who prefer to continue wearing face masks. Individual restaurants, shops and attractions may have stricter rules. Navy Pier will follow the city’s mandates as they arise.
All events subject to change or cancellation.
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE NAVY PIER PRESS KIT, INCLUDING B-ROLL, PHOTOS AND LOGO.
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS SUMMER SAMPLER IMAGES FOR MEDIA USE (COURTESY OF NAVY PIER).
More Than You Imagine
Navy Pier is the People’s Pier, Chicago’s lakefront treasure, welcoming all and offering dynamic and eclectic experiences through partnerships and programs that inspire discovery and wonder.
Since its reopening in 1995, more than 180 million guests have come to enjoy the Pier's 50 acres of unparalleled attractions and experiences. In 2021, Navy Pier continues to evolve into an accessible, year-round centerpiece for Chicago’s diverse arts and cultural treasures.