NASCAR race forces Taste of Chicago to be scheduled in September 2023

NASCAR's latest addition to its calendar has forced Chicago's premier summer event to be scheduled for September. With the return of longstanding summer festivals in 2023, the inaugural Chicago Street race has caused a change in the schedule of events.

The Taste of Chicago returns to its home in Grant Park in early September. According to the announcement made by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, the event will be held from Sept. 8 to Sept.10.

City officials included the announcement in the release of their official list of 2023 summer festivals, saying:

"In an effort to continue reimagining the Taste of Chicago in a post-pandemic world, DCASE along with its partners have been working to evaluate several possible locations and dates for the event."

The announcement continues:

"Moving this iconic event to the tail end of summer will prolong our vibrant festival season and spur additional tourism and economic activity downtown. The summer doesn't have to begin and end with Memorial and Labor Day."

The event, which was traditionally held in early July, has made way for the NASCAR racing extravaganza over the 4th of July weekend. However, The Taste's three neighborhood pop-ups will take place once a month from June to August.

The change of events caused some confusion and didn't garner the support of all Chicagoans. Alderman Brian Hopkins, a representative of the second ward said (via NBC Chicago):

"It's unfortunate that a tradition like Taste of Chicago is getting elbowed aside by something that is not associated with Chicago."

However, others welcomed the change. Victoria Flemmings of Des Plaines opined:

"It would be super fun in July, but it definitely will be chilly or cooler in September, which would be nice. I mean, Chicago in July gets a little sweltering. So it's be nice to have a little bit of a cool off."

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Schedule for the NASCAR weekend in Chicago

The Xfinity Series race is scheduled on Saturday, July 1, called 'The Loop 121', and the much-awaited Cup Series race, named 'Grant Park 220', is scheduled on Sunday, July 2.

The Loop 121 features 55 laps over the 2.2-mile circuit, with the start-finish line on Columbus Drive. Grant Park 220 will be run over 100 laps with the green flag dropping at 16:30 CT.

NASCAR drivers are eager to race the next-gen cars on the streets of Chicago. Seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will be racing in the event alongside F1 champion Jenson Button.

This will be the first NASCAR race on the streets of Chicago, having previously raced on tracks and stadiums in the city. NASCAR's previous outing in Chicago dates back to June 2019, when the Chicagoland Speedway hosted the ARCA, Truck, Xfinity, and Cup Series.