How to Buy Tickets to the Chicago Blues Festival

The Chicago Blues Festival is one of the largest, most popular events of its kind in the world. Almost a million people make their way to Chicago every year to enjoy the four-day festival and the numerous events held throughout the city for one month before the actual festival. To ensure that you get to truly enjoy the festival, it is important that you plan in advance and get tickets as early as possible. Read on to learn how to buy tickets to the Chicago Blues Festival.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Find out in advance whether the event you want to attend requires you to buy tickets. Most of the performances at the Chicago Blues Festival are free, so you should not have to worry about that so much. A few shows do require you to obtain tickets (free) in advance, only to make sure that the number of people attending is kept under control.
2. Call or stop by the visitors office in Grant Park. As the official location for the Chicago Blues Festival, Grant Park controls the organization of the event and the distribution of tickets. It should be able to either sell you tickets or point you to the most appropriate place to buy them.
3. Stop by the official website of the Chicago Blues Festival to see which events require you to buy or obtain tickets in advance (see Resources below). You will also find information on how and where to pick up free tickets (if required), what to expect at the festival, who is performing and where to stay while in the city.
4. Don't buy your tickets from scalpers, third-party resellers or private sellers. Since most of the events at the Chicago Blues Festival are free of charge, you risk being taken for a ride when paying for tickets. If you definitively want to see a show and cannot find free tickets on your own, call the event organizers.
5. Look for ticket sale announcements from local newspapers, libraries, cultural centers and schools. As the event is considered a cultural milestone in the city, tickets are often offered to educational institutions first.

Tips & Warnings

• Despite the large crowds, don't be afraid to take the kids. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, and troubles have rarely been seen since the festival started in 1984.
• Don't wait until the last minute to buy a ticket. Since there are more than 800,000 yearly attendees, getting a last-minute ticket to one of the popular concerts can prove impossible.