CHICAGO—The Midwest’s largest Lobster and Seafood Festival, Great American Lobster Fest, will return to celebrate its eight year at Navy Pier on Saturday, Aug. 19, and Sunday, Aug. 20, the weekend of Chicago’s Air & Water Show. Lobster Fest hours are 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, accented by the Pier’s Summer Saturday Fireworks, and 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.
The live lobsters will be flown in fresh from the cold waters of the East Coast, prepared, and served for ticket holders daily. Additionally, the fest will feature a vast array of seafood selections, non-seafood related items, other exciting dishes, snacks, sweets, and vegetarian options. The fest aims to please food and drinks for the whole family.
Lobster Meal Experience: Ticket includes the festival grounds to enjoy live music and many different food, drink, and craft vendors. PLUS, guest’s choice of (1) Full Lobster (Approximately 1.25 pounds) OR Lobster Roll. All served with corn on the cob, potatoes, a dinner roll, fresh cut lemons, and melted butter. One (1) Drink Ticket redeemable for a White Claw Hard Seltzer, domestic beer, bottle of water, or a soda. Lobster Meal guests may also take advantage of reserved seating areas overlooking Lake Michigan. Pre-ordering your lobster meal is strongly suggested as week-of availability will be limited and sold at a higher price.
VIP Meal Experience: Ticket includes the festival grounds to enjoy live music and many different food, drink, and craft vendors. PLUS, guest’s choice of (1) Full Lobster (Approximately 1.25 pounds) OR Lobster Roll. All served with corn on the cob, potatoes, a dinner roll, fresh cut lemons, and melted butter. VIP ticket holders also receive Four (4) Drink Tickets redeemable for a White Claw Hard Seltzer, domestic beer, bottle of water, or a soda, PLUS Access to an exclusive White Claw VIP Lounge, product samplings, additional snacks and treats, reserved lakefront seating areas.
Navy Pier will also host “Live on The Lake” in the Beer Garden with free live musical performances both Saturday and Sunday. Navy Pier’s weekly outdoor live music series features Chicago’s best bands, along with regional and national acts, who will perform countless genres and styles of popular music every weekend through September 4. The schedule is as follows:
Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023
- 2pm-3pm & 3:30pm-4:30pm – MER & Friends
- 5:30pm-6:30pm & 7:00pm-8:00pm – Wall of Denial
- 9:00pm-10:00pm & 10:10pm-11:10pm – NuBlu Band
Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023
- 2pm-3pm & 3:30pm-4:30pm – Almafuerte
- 4:30pm-5:30pm & 6:30pm-7:00pm – DJ Papa G (Changeover & Breaks)
- 5:30pm-6:30pm & 7:00pm-8:00pm – The Drastics
Guests are encouraged to take advantage of the fest’s discounted presale meal options which also include access to reserved seating areas and a guaranteed seafood entrée at the fest.
The festival grounds are open to the public to enjoy live music and many different food, drink, and craft vendors. No lobster meals, reserved seating areas, or food/drink of any kind are included for walk-up general admission guests.
Please Note: Meal redemption will be open from 1 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. both days. You must redeem your meal token and lobster entrée before this time, at your preference, and during festival hours. All Tickets are sold separately and non-refundable.
Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Click here for photos from the event.
Note: All activities, times, and dates are subject to change.
ABOUT NAVY PIER
Located on Lake Michigan, Navy Pier is the top nonprofit tourism destination in the Midwest, stretching more than six city blocks and typically welcoming nearly 9 million annual guests. Originally opened in 1916 as a shipping and recreation facility, this Chicago landmark showcases more than 50 acres of parks, restaurants, attractions, retail shops, sightseeing and dining cruise boats, exposition facilities and more. The Pier celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016 with the unveiling of the iconic Centennial Wheel, Polk Bros Park, Fifth Third Bank Family Pavilion and Peoples Energy Welcome Pavilion. In 2021, Navy Pier continued to usher in its second century with ongoing Pier-wide redevelopment efforts—including Sable, a 223-room Hilton hotel, new restaurants and partnerships, and thrilling additions to Pier Park. The Pier is also proud to continue providing free, year-round arts and cultural programming designed to inspire, educate and connect communities across the city and globe. Click here to donate to Navy Pier, a mission-driven 501(c)(3) organization, in support of the organization’s post-pandemic revival and free public programming. For more information, visit www.navypier.org.
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