As the seasons start to change, Chicago moves one step closer to a summer and holiday weekend that will feel different than every year in the past.
This year's Fourth of July holiday weekend festivities will include the NASCAR's first-ever NASCAR Cup Series street race, where stock cars will bolt down the streets of downtown Chicago in a 2.2 mile, 12-turn course.
Additionally, several notable artists are expected to perform during the festivities, which are scheduled for July 1-2.
So what should fans who want to watch it all happen know?
Here's what we know so far about the event:
When is the NASCAR Chicago Street Race?
The NASCAR Cup Series street course race will take place on July 2 and will be preceded by an IMSA-sanctioned series race, which will run on July 1, officials announced.
How can I get tickets to the NASCAR event in Chicago?
Tickets to the highly-anticipated NASCAR Chicago Street Race went on sale last month, and can be purchased here.
General admission tickets are on sale for $269, with a "General Admission Plus" option also available.
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"General Admission Plus" tickets offer access to a private lounge, air-conditioned restrooms, with a full bar and food available for purchase for $353.
Additional options with other benefits, including suites, premium hospitality clubs and the high-end "President's Paddock Club" are also available.
What is the course route for the race?
The proposed 12-turn, 2.2-mile course will take drivers onto major city roads like Columbus Drive, Michigan Avenue and Lake Shore Drive, taking them along Lake Michigan and around the city's iconic Grant Park.
The start and finish line and pit road will be located along South Columbus Drive directly in front of Buckingham Fountain. The course will pass through the famed Grant Park, the northern edge of Soldier Field and more.
The front straightaway and pit road will be housed on South Columbus Drive, running along a two-block stretch that will take the race past the iconic Buckingham Fountain.
Turn One:
The drivers will hang a left onto East Balbo Drive, heading toward Lake Michigan.
Turn Two:
Drivers will then turn right onto the southbound lanes of Lake Shore Drive, hurtling toward the Museum Campus with the Field Museum ahead of them and with the softball fields at Grant Park on their right.
Turn Three:
The slow right-hand curve in front of the Field Museum will mark the third turn on the track.
Turn Four:
Drivers will hang a 90-degree turn onto East Roosevelt Road at the southernmost point of the circuit.
Turn Five:
Drivers will then turn back onto South Columbus Drive, heading northward down a long straightaway.
Turn Six:
At one of the most interesting parts of the race-track, the drivers will hang a left onto East Balbo Drive, coming close to where Turn One is located.
Turn Seven:
A right-hand turn onto South Michigan Avenue will send the drivers heading back toward the north and into a chicane, representing one of the most challenging spots on the track.
Turn Eight:
Drivers will follow the curve of Congress Plaza to the right, beginning a sweeping chicane that will take drivers across Ida B. Wells Drive.
Turn Nine:
This turn will be located in front of Buckingham Fountain, and will send drivers back toward the left and back toward Michigan Avenue.
Turn Ten:
This turn will put drivers briefly back onto Michigan Avenue, heading northward as they make another quick right-hand turn.
Turn Eleven:
This turn represents the most northerly portion of the course, with drivers hanging another right onto East Jackson Drive. The famous lions of the Art Institute of Chicago will also be near this turn at the intersection of Michigan and Jackson.
Turn Twelve:
This turn will put drivers back on the front straightaway, sending them to the right and back down Columbus Drive for a long straightaway.
What will the festival weekend include?
Earlier this year, NASCAR announced a lineup of some big-name artists who will headline concerts as part of a two-day festival with the historic event.
The racing giant revealed The Chainsmokers, Miranda Lambert, The Black Crowes and Charley Crockett will perform as part of the NASCAR Cup Series' Chicago Street Race July 1-2.
All tickets will include access to races and concerts.
Here's a look at the schedule so far:
JULY 1
- Xfinity Series and Cup Series practice and qualifying
- The Black Crowes concert.
- Xfinity Series race
- The Chainsmokers
JULY 2
- Charley Crockett
- Miranda Lambert
- First-ever Cup Series street race
What if I can't attend in person?
The NASCAR Cup Series street course race will be televised on NBC.
What about the Taste of Chicago?
The Taste of Chicago, annually held in Grant Park near the 4th of July weekend, will be switching locations this year due to the presence of the NASCAR street race.
Ald. Brendan Reilly, who represents the Loop and Near North Side in the city’s 42nd ward, confirmed that the Taste of Chicago will move to Polk Brothers Park, located just to the west of the entrance to Navy Pier.
Reilly told NBC 5 that the event will also be held on the weekend of July 1-2.
The news comes amid concerns about the amount of time that private events in the park, including the NASCAR race and Lollapalooza, will require to set up and tear down structures and stages for the events.
What else should you know about the event?
Chicago Street Race weekend will mark NASCAR's first Chicago-area event in years. The company used to host races at Joliet's Chicagoland Speedway from 2001 to 2019.
“The Chicago Street Race is truly a first-of-its-kind two-day sports and entertainment event in the 75-year history of NASCAR,” Chicago Street Race President Julie Giese said in a statement. “We are proud to welcome superstars The Chainsmokers, Miranda Lambert, The Black Crowes, and Charley Crockett as we reimagine the NASCAR experience in the heart of downtown Chicago over Fourth of July weekend.”
It will also be the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series street race.
But it wouldn't be the first time a NASCAR series is held in the Chicago area. From 2001-2019, The NASCAR Cup series was held at the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet on a closed course.
In June of 2021, NASCAR and iRacing held an televised Esports 2.2-mile virtual race through the city, over Lakeshore Drive, Michigan Avenue and near Grant Park.
