Featuring 10 consecutive days of live, global music, World Music Festival Chicago returns with 34 bands (including three DJs) representing 22 countries, including 10 local music groups. For its 23rd year of programming, the festival features performances in 11 indoor and outdoor venues across Chicago. Guests can experience the sounds of world music and its subgenres from diverse geographical regions including Brazil, South Korea, and Senegal.

Schedule of Events

September 22, 2023
 
Baba Commandant and the Mandingo Band (Burkina Faso)

Magic Carpet (Chicago/USA)
9pm doors & DJ, 10pm show
21+
Location: Martyrs', 3855 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60613

September 23, 2023

Cheikh Ibra Fam (Senegal)
Gizzae (Dominica/USA)
DJ TopDonn (Chicago/USA)
9pm doors and DJ, 10pm show
21+
Location: Avondale Music Hall, 3336 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60641

September 24, 2023

Ethiocolor (Ethiopia)
Clinard Dance's Flamenco Quartet Project meets Blues, Rap and Jazz (Chicago/USA)

Ethiocolor is part of Center Stage, a public diplomacy initiative of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs with funding provided by the U.S. Government, administered by the New England Foundation for the Arts in cooperation with the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations. General management is provided by Lisa Booth Management, Inc.
2pm doors, 3pm show
21+
Location: Sleeping Village, 3734 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, IL 60618

September 25, 2023

Bab L'Bluz (Morocco/France)
Así Así (México/USA)
8pm doors, 9pm show
21+
Location: Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL 60622

September 26, 2023

San Salvador (France)
Silvia Manrique (Brazil/Chicago)
6pm doors, 7pm show
18+
Location: Constellation, 3111 N. Western Ave. Chicago, IL 60618

September 27, 2023

7pm: Al-Qasar (North Africa/France)
Karim Nagi & Huzam Ensemble (Egypt/Chicago)
All Ages
Location: Old Town School of Folk Music, Mauer Hall, 4544 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60625

September 28, 2023

La Perla (Colombia)
Kafolike School of Percussion (West Africa/Chicago)
6pm doors, 7pm show
21+
Location: The Promontory, 5311 S. Lake Park Ave. W., Chicago, IL 60615

September 29-30, 2023

6pm-8am: Ragamala: A Celebration of Indian Classical Music

All Ages

6-7:15pm: (Carnatic)
Unfretted featuring Sruti Sarathy, violin; Vishaal Sapuram, chitravina; Akshay Anantapadmanabhan, mridangam

7:45-9pm: (Hindustani)
Gaurav Mazumdar, sitar; Amit Kavthekar, tabla

9:30-10:45pm: (Carnatic)
Ramakrishnan Murthy, vocal; Charu Mathi Raghuraman, violin; NC Bhadradwaj, mridangam

11:15pm-12:30am: (Hindustani)
Max ZT & Kunal Gunjal, santoor duet; Amit Kavthekar, tabla

1-2:15am: (Carnatic)
Akkarai Sisters: Akkarai S. Subhalakshmi, violin; Akkarai S. Sornalatha, violin; Sankaranarayanan, mridangam; Vijay Ganesh, mridangam

2:45-4am: (Hindustani)
Jai Sovani, vocal; Giri Aigalikar, tabla; Praneet Marathe, harmonium

4:30-6am: (Carnatic)
Saraswathi Ranganathan, veena; Raghavan Sai, Mridangam

6:30-8am: (Hindustani)
Lyon Leifer, bansuri; Hindole Majumdar, tabla

Location: Chicago Cultural Center, Preston Bradley Hall, 78 E. Washington St., 3rd Floor South, Chicago, IL 60602

September 30, 2023

1-7:15pm: Global Peace Picnic

All Ages

Location: Humboldt Park Boathouse, 1301 N. Sacramento Ave., Chicago, IL 60622

Stage, 1-6pm
In partnership with the Chicago Latino Dance Festival of the International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago
1-1:25pm - Mexican Folkloric Dance Company of Chicago with Mariachi Perla de Mexico
1:30-1:55pm - Samba 1 Brazilian Dance Group with Chicago Samba
3-3:25pm - Center of Peruvian Arts with SolAndino
3:30-3:55pm - Bomberxs D'Cora
5-5:25pm - Tamboula Ethnic Dance Company
5:30-5:55pm - Laruni Hati Garifuna Dance Group

Global Stage, 2-7:15pm
2-3pm - Korean Performing Arts Center (KPAC) (Chicago/South Korea)
4-5pm - House of Waters (NYC)
6-7:15pm - Amayo (NYC)

QUITAPENAS (Los Angeles/USA)
Rudy de Anda (Chicago/USA)
DJ La Colocha (Chicago/USA)
9pm doors, 10pm show
21+
Location: Chop Shop + 1st Ward Events, 2033 W. North Ave., Chicago, IL 60647

October 1, 2023

Madalitso Band (Malawi)
Luciano Antonio's Funk no Samba (Brazil/Chicago)
7:30pm doors, 8pm show
21+
Location: The Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia Ave., Chicago, IL 60642

Date: September 22-October 1, 2023

Cost: Free

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