History of the Chicago Country Music Festival 

Mayor Daley is a country music fan and recognized a need for a Chicago Country Music Festival in the city. Chicago, after all, has a rich heritage in country music and has a vast number of country singers/songwriters and bands here.

In 1991, the inaugural Chicago Country Music Festival became a reality. It was a two-day event, held on city streets, near Sheffield and Weed Street, to be exact. 42,000 country music fans turned out in 99 degree heat to watch a diverse talent line-up, featuring everything from clog dancers and square dancers to the singing group The Texas Tornadoes, Rodney Crowell and Pam Tillis. Music critics gave it a thumbs up for the variety of country music offered. Because of the big crowds, it was decided to move the event the following year to Grant Park to accommodate the crowds.

For 16 years, the Chicago Country Music Festival took place on the first weekend of Taste of Chicago, the city's premier culinary event. It was considered a festival within a festival. Country music was featured on two music stages and performers over the years have included Emmylou Harris, Dwight Yoakam, Faith Hill, Keith Urban, George Jones, Waylon Jennings, Wynonna, Yonder Mountain String Band, Randy Travis, Loretta Lynn and the father of bluegrass music, Bill Monroe.

2008 marked a big change for the event. The Chicago Country Music Festival moved out from the Taste of Chicago to a new location and a new date. The festival moved to Soldier Field Parkland. Large crowds turned out for Gretchen Wilson, Lady Antebellum and Taylor Swift, among others. The Best Buy Honky Tonk Stage and the Americana Stage rounded out the talent lineup. We also added a Kids Corral and Dance Tent.

The festival is moving again - to Oct. 8 & 9, 2010 in Millennium Park.