ARC Music Festival in Chicago Reveals Exciting 2026 Lineup and Expands to a Four-Day Celebration
ARC Music Festival Expands to Four Days in 2026
Chicago’s ARC Music Festival will extend its duration from three days to four in 2026, as announced on March 10. Scheduled for Labor Day Weekend, the festival will take place from September 4 to 7 at Union Park.
"This is something the team has been talking and dreaming about since we expanded from two days to three back in 2022," said John Curley, ARC partner and lead talent buyer. "Every year booking the festival, we run into one little problem: we have more incredible artists that we want to book than we have slots. Expanding to four days allows us to go deeper with our programming."
In line with this expansion, ARC has revealed its 2026 lineup, which features a diverse array of performers, including Sara Landry presenting her Eternalism show, alongside artists Ki/Ki, The Blessed Madonna, Nia Archives, Michael Bibi, Chris Stussy, Anyma, Underworld, Cloonee, and Chase & Status.
Additionally, the festival will introduce a new stage area called The Midway, named after Chicago’s historic Midway Plaisance park. This name also pays homage to both Midway International Airport and the architectural legacy of the original Midway Gardens in Hyde Park.
Staying true to its roots, the festival will showcase house music pioneers, honoring Chicago’s legacy as the genre’s birthplace. Artists such as Green Velvet, Honey Dijon, and Derrick Carter are set to perform.
Tickets for the 2026 ARC Music Festival will go on sale March 13.
"Six years in, and ARC really feels like it’s in its own lane," Curley remarked. "There’s a global energy to the weekend, but ARC is still very much a Chicago festival in its DNA. That energy gives ARC a character you don’t really find anywhere else."
He added, "It feels like a family reunion for the global house and techno community. Artists really lean into that; you can feel them bend their sound toward Chicago, see the emotion in their eyes as the sun sets into the skyline. There’s a feeling of legacy when artists play here that gives every set more weight and more staying power."
For a complete look at the 2026 lineup, see below:
ARC Music Festival 2026
Courtesy of Infamous PR
