ARC Music Festival 2025

House music returns to its birthplace this summer as ARC Music Festival takes over Union Park in Chicago from August 29 to 31, 2025. Since launching in 2021, ARC has rapidly become one of North America’s most celebrated house and techno events, known for stacking lineups with intentaional icons, local legends, and forward-thinking talent in a city that lives and breathes dance music. This year, the festival also welcomes back the much-loved elrow takeover stage, transforming Union Park into an immersive, otherworldly playground all weekend long.

This year’s lineup is its most ambitious yet, promising an unforgettable long weekend for anyone passionate about house and techno. Headliners include Eric Prydz, who returns to ARC to showcase his masterful command of sound and stage, and Jamie xx, making his festival debut with his sought-after sound, atmospheric approach that has blown away audiences worldwide. Chicago’s own John Summit will undoubtedly command a massive hometown crowd, while FISHER brings his unstoppable party energy that always turns dance floors upside down. Fans seeking driving, darker techno will be drawn to sets from Amelie Lens, Adam Beyer, Richie Hawtin, and Ricardo Villalobos, each known for pushing the limits of music.

ARC continues to celebrate its deep Chicago roots by including local powerhouses like Honey Dijon and Green Velvet, two artists who have long represented the city’s soul on the global stage. Alongside them are dance music favorites such as Duck Sauce, Hot Since 82, Carl Craig, Seth Troxler, Claude VonStroke, Paco Osuna, Luciano, ANOTR, Sub Focus, and many more. From high-octane big stage moments to underground selections that keep dance floors moving until sunrise, ARC’s 2025 lineup offers something for every corner of the house and techno universe.

The festival is deeply committed to telling the story of house music in Chicago, highlighting its evolution and global impact while keeping the community spirit at the center. This mission is most clearly seen in Area 909, a stage inspired by the legendary Roland drum machine that helped define early house and techno sounds. Created to emphasize the connection between Chicago and Detroit, Area 909 curates collaborations and back-to-back sets that represent the vibrant exchange between these two cities. The stage embodies ARC’s vision of bridging generations and sounds while keeping the focus firmly on dance floor authenticity.

A major highlight each year is the elrow stage, which returns in 2025 with an Enchanted Forest theme. Known for turning festivals into theatrical spectacles, elrow is famous for its surreal, larger-than-life atmosphere, confetti showers, costumed performers, and fantastical art pieces.

The 2025 elrow lineup promises to match this wild energy, featuring artists such as Arielle Free, AYYBO, Bastian Bux, Claude VonStroke, Duck Sauce, Genesi, Hot Since 82 back-to-back with HVNLEE, SOSA back-to-back with Classmatic, Max Dean back-to-back with Luke Dean, Gene Farris back-to-back with Tini Gessler, Nic Fanciulli back-to-back with Prunk, Paco Osuna back-to-back with Ilario Alicante, Shermanology back-to-back with SLAMM, Olive F, and others. These unique pairings create an ever-shifting soundtrack that keeps the dance floor electrified from start to finish.

Beyond the music, ARC delivers a fully immersive experience. Each stage is designed with a distinct aesthetic and atmosphere, from the futuristic design and thundering sound of The Grid to the deeper, lush vibe of Expansions. The festival also kicks off early with the annual Pryda opening party on August 28, offering an extra night of celebration for those eager to start the journey sooner.

Pass options cater to every type of festivalgoer, whether you choose a General Admission ARCitect pass with access to early afterparty tickets, a Global VIP pass with exclusive lounge access and upgraded views, or the Icon VIP Plus option, which includes all-inclusive food and drinks, priority entry, and premium viewing areas.

At its heart, ARC is more than a festival. It is a gathering that reaffirms Chicago’s role in the global dance music story, bringing together the people, sounds, and energy that have defined house music for four decades. By uniting pioneers with new-school artists and global stars, ARC celebrates where the music came from — and where it’s going next.

Tickets for ARC Music Festival 2025 are on sale now, and if the past years are any indication, they won’t last long. This Labor Day weekend promises to be a powerful, unifying dance floor experience in the city where it all began. For full lineup details and passes, visit arcmusicfestival.com.