Square Roots Festival 2026: Where to Eat & Drink in Lincoln Square
Square Roots is back in Lincoln Square July 10-12, 2026, 50+ bands, craft beer, and local food vendors. Here's the lineup, the eats, and the Lincoln Square bars and restaurants running deals all weekend.
Square Roots is the summer block party that turns Lincoln Square into one big craft-beer-and-live-music street fest. It's back July 10-12, 2026, on Lincoln Avenue between Montrose and Wilson, run by the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce, and it's one of the best free weekends on the North Side.
We track tens of thousands of live Chicago deals at 312Deals. Here's how to do the fest, and where to eat and drink around it.
Before or after the fest? See today's live Lincoln Square deals, happy hours and specials at the neighborhood's bars and restaurants, updated daily.
When & where
- Friday, July 10: 5 - 10 PM
- Saturday, July 11: noon - 10 PM
- Sunday, July 12: noon - 9 PM
- Where: Lincoln Avenue between Montrose & Wilson, Lincoln Square
- Cost: free entry, suggested donation $10 adults / $5 seniors & kids
The 2026 music lineup
More than 50 acts play across multiple outdoor stages. Headliners include Margo Price, Chicago indie favorites Dehd, and Nick Lowe with Los Straitjackets, plus Hurray for the Riff Raff, JD McPherson, Robbie Fulks, and Sons of the Silent Age.
The food & beer
Square Roots leans hard on local vendors. Inside the gates you'll find 5411 Empanadas, Bell Heirs BBQ, Baked Cheese Haus, Union Dumpling House, LC Pho, Hello Jasmin, and Bad Johnny's wood-fired pizza. On the beer side, Chicago brewers like Half Acre and Dovetail pour craft drafts, with cocktails, THC seltzers, and non-alcoholic options too.
Make a day of it in Lincoln Square
The fest is the anchor, but Lincoln Square is a full eating-and-drinking neighborhood, German beer halls, cozy pubs, coffee, and brunch all within a few blocks of the stages. Beat the festival drink lines with a happy hour before you go, or grab brunch before the Saturday and Sunday noon starts:
Tips
- Go early on the weekend days for shorter beer lines and a spot near the main stage.
- Bring cash for the suggested donation and some vendors.
- Take the Brown Line to Western (Lincoln Square) and skip the parking headache.
Frequently asked questions
When is Square Roots Festival 2026? Friday July 10 through Sunday July 12, 2026, in Lincoln Square on Lincoln Avenue between Montrose and Wilson. Hours are Friday 5-10 PM, Saturday noon-10 PM, Sunday noon-9 PM.
How much does Square Roots cost? It's free to enter, with a suggested donation of $10 for adults and $5 for seniors and kids that supports the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce.
Who is playing Square Roots 2026? Headliners are Margo Price, Dehd, and Nick Lowe with Los Straitjackets, plus Hurray for the Riff Raff, JD McPherson, Robbie Fulks, and Sons of the Silent Age, over 50 acts in all.
What food and beer are at Square Roots? Local vendors like 5411 Empanadas, Bell Heirs BBQ, Baked Cheese Haus, Union Dumpling House, and Bad Johnny's pizza, with craft beer from Half Acre, Dovetail, and more.
The takeaway
Square Roots is free, walkable, and packed with local food and beer, one of the best low-key summer weekends in the city. Get there early, pace yourself, and let 312Deals sort the happy hours and brunches around it.
Festival details and lineups can change, always confirm with squareroots.org. Data current as of July 2026.
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