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Chicago House Party In Millennium Park Will Celebrate Frankie Knuckles And More

By Sophie Lucido Johnson in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 29, 2016 4:13PM

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Millennium Park (Photo by fotomattic via the Chicagoist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)

The weather is starting to get good, and you know what that means: Chicago is getting ready to party. Millennium Park will host an epic celebration of House music on May 28; more than 12,000 people have already RSVP'ed to the event on Facebook, and that number is growing fast. The party—which will take place the Jay Pritzker Pavilion—will be both an enormous dance party and a sort of tribute to Chicago's own Frankie Knuckles, who died just over two years ago.

Hosted by Dana Divine of WBGI 107.5, the party will feature performances by the gigantic House Legacy Project, as well as featured performances from House stars Peven Everett and the Vick Lavender Ensemble. There will also be a DJ sets from Joe Smooth, who is a House legend of his own accord; and Steve Miggedy Maestro. The outdoor party will begin at 3 p.m. and is scheduled to end at 9 p.m.

Of Chicago's many legacies, House music is definitely among its most epically awesome. Born in the early '80s from Chicago radio jocks and club DJs, the hypnotic electro dance music spread across the nation, and hasn't left the music scene since. Frankie Knuckles was arguably the godfather of House and a practical demigod, who tragically passed away at the age of 59 in 2014. When Frankie Knuckles died, though, the people of Chicago doubled down to make sure that his legendary music never would. Since his death, there have been regular tributes and concerts, and this year's House Party may be the largest one yet.