News

The City of Chicago is gearing up to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the largest and longest running festival of international music in the United States. Chicago's annual World Music Festival will take place from Friday, September 19 through Thursday, September 25, 2008, and will boast more than 70 events at 28 venues throughout the city. Events include a mix of free and ticketed concerts, live radio broadcasts, in-store performances, and more. This year the festival will also debut an International Market Place, featuring more than 30 arts, crafts and food vendors.

The city wide, multi-venue, one-week festival has attracted nearly 500,000 people from Chicago and beyond since its inception in 1999. Organized by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA), the Festival, which showcases both traditional and contemporary music from diverse cultures across the world, has presented more than 500 artists and ensembles from more than 50 countries in its 10-year run.

"When the Festival began, it was one of the only international music festivals in the country, " said DCA Senior Program Director Michael Orlove. "Ten years later, we are still proud to continue our mission of providing accessible and affordable music programming to the City of Chicago through this exciting Festival."

This year's festival will feature more than 65 artists representing 39 countries, and at least thirty of those artists will be making their Chicago debut at the Festival. This year's headliners will include Calexico (pictured), Vieux Farka Toure, Savina Yannatou, Rupa and the April Fishes, Lo Còr de la Plana, Vasen and more.

"World Music Festival has debuted so many international artists to Chicago audiences," says DCA Program Coordinator Brian Keigher. "Groups like Gogol Bordello, Lila Downs, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Yerba Buena, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Balkan Beat Box, Antibalas and more have not only played the Festival, but have returned to Chicago many times because there's an audience for them here now."

For more information, including showtimes, venues and a complete artist lineup, please consult the Chicago World Music Fesival website.