In partnership with the City of Chicago and the Chicago Park District, Redmoon Theater presents The Great Chicago Fire Festival, celebrating Chicago’s epic resurgence and strength after the Great Fire of 1871, and the grit of its people that propelled us forward to build anew.
The inaugural Great Chicago Fire Festival will light up our city with a spectacle of fire on the Chicago River at 8 p.m. Saturday, October 4 between State Street and Columbus Drive.
Highlights of the spectacle include fiery cauldrons lowered from the bridges, hundreds of kayakers pulling flaming buoys and prairies gardens and three floating sculptures resembling pre-1871 homes that will be set ablaze, each revealing a dramatic, symbolic interior core. The finale will feature a fireworks display set to music and a moving tribute to Chicago’s neighborhoods.
Learn More About the Fire
Interested in the history that inspired this festival? Check out these CPL resources:
- The Great Chicago Fire Knocked the Loop for a Loop
See before and after photos of the city from CPL's Special Collections. - Whodunit? The Mystery of Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow
Librarians are sometimes asked the name of the cow that started the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Thereupon lies the mystery. - Great Chicago Fire Festival Recommended Reads
These books explore the evolution of Chicago. - When Chicago Burned
Shilo recommends books for kids to learn about the Great Chicago Fire and the history of firefighting. - Great Chicago Fire Festival Books for Children
Find books on the Chicago's history and the Great Fire.
