Even the largest city is made up of a series of neighborhoods, and there’s no better example than Chicago.

From Lincoln Park to the Magnificent Mile and everything in between, each of the Windy City’s neighborhoods teems with its own distinct life and energy, making this giant metropolis of nearly three million people feel like an intimate home for each of its residents.

One such Chicagoan enclave is the west side district of Belmont Cragin, which recently became a pilot site for the Levitt VIBE Music Series—and recently wrapped up its inaugural music series in August.

Lone Piñon performs on the Levitt VIBE Belmont Cragin lawn in July 2024.

Reflecting both the way neighborhoods have their own unique characters or “vibes,” and also standing for Vibrant Inclusive Beats for Everyone, the Levitt VIBE program is a two-year, pilot matching grant that brings five to ten free outdoor concerts per season to a specific community in a large city or metro area. By providing diverse music, recreational and cultural opportunities, and a welcoming space for neighborhood residents to spread out and picnic, dance, and mingle with each other, the VIBE program mirrors the Levitt Foundation’s mission of strengthening the social fabric of our towns and cities.

A Pan-Latino Community Meets a Summer of Vibrant Beats

Nearly 9 out of 10 residents of Chicago’s Belmont Cragin identify as Latino, and notably, represent a wide range of nationalities. As Mateo Mulcahy, Deputy Executive Director of the International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago underscores, “This is a pan-Latino community. We have people from Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean, all in relatively equal proportions.”

Despite a population of 70,000, Belmont Cragin has long lacked cultural programming—especially when it comes to live music—with Mulcahy noting a lack of bars or nightclubs, and few cultural organizations providing programming. This made the neighborhood the perfect candidate for Levitt VIBE.

The International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago, with its focus on diverse and inclusive Latino arts, partnered with the Levitt Foundation to create the Levitt VIBE Belmont Cragin Music Series, which found its home in Riis Park, a large and bustling green space in the heart of Belmont Cragin. Known for its sports facilities—basketball courts, tennis courts, and a swimming pool—Riis Park was missing one key component: an outdoor stage.

But that didn’t stop the music from flowing. Each Saturday afternoon from mid-June through mid-August, a mobile stage was brought in by Mulcahy and his team, transforming the park into a vibrant, music-filled gathering space where local and national artists performed under the summer sky for 10 consecutive concerts.

Mulcahy emphasized the importance of the diverse, pan-Latino lineup of artists, which reflects the multicultural fabric of Belmont Cragin. From traditional Mexican folkloric music to modern Latin beats, from Indigenous Guatemalan artists to Brazilian and Haitian performers, the series showcased a wide array of genres and cultures. One notable performance featured Sara Curruchich, an Indigenous artist from Guatemala who sings in her native Mayan language, Kaqchikel (and who the Levitt Foundation had the honor of presenting with the Rising Tide Award at the 2024 Folk Alliance International Awards (LINK)), while another brought in the Kumbia Queers, an LGBTQ+ group hailing from Argentina and celebrated for their inclusivity.

A person living in Guatemala may know as much or as little about Argentina as a person living in the U.S., as Mulcahy points out. The Levitt VIBE Belmont Cragin Music Series was thus about educating Latinos about their global community at large, and “all about making sure that everyone in this community could see themselves reflected on stage,” Mulcahy said, adding, “We wanted to show the diversity within the Latino community itself, which is often overlooked.”

Community Connections on the Lawn and Looking Ahead

Over the course of the summer, the free concerts in Riis Park saw residents of all ages and backgrounds come together in unexpected and joyful ways. Soccer players participating in pickup games within earshot in the park often wandered by afterwards to partake in the festivities. In one instance, a church group happened upon one of the concerts, and 40 people from their congregation joined the audience, dancing and celebrating with the neighborhood.

Players from a nearby soccer game join the Levitt VIBE Belmont Cragin Music Series audience and community.

“We’ve also started to see regulars,” Mulcahy shared. “Some people have made it part of their Saturday routine, and they’re excited to come back every week.”

Working to make the Levitt VIBE Belmont Cragin Music Series a reality also wound up deepening the relationship between the International Latino Cultural Center and the Chicago Park District. When Mulcahy approached them about the VIBE program, the Chicago Park District’s Riis Park expressed their openness to a more comprehensive partnership. This, Mulcahy said, led to “another way for us to help build community” through a free film screening program in the park offered by the Cultural Center.

As Chicagoans continue to find their ways to Riis Park, the collaboration between the Levitt Foundation and the International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago is an inspiring example of how a welcoming atmosphere and outdoor music with no barriers to entry can help foster stronger connections. Mulcahy praised the partnership for its alignment with both organizations’ missions, saying, “We believe in the same things—free, inclusive, community-building programming.”

While the inaugural series may have just concluded, planning is already underway for next summer’s Levitt VIBE Music Series in Belmont Cragin. Mulcahy has already begun booking artists for next year, and is exploring opportunities for new partnerships and community engagement. He also shared plans to shift concert times to avoid the hottest part of the day.

We’re excited to see the continued impact of the Levitt VIBE Music Series in Belmont Cragin and other communities across the country, as we work together to create spaces where everyone can come together to enjoy the power of music!