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  "path": "/arts-and-culture/2026/04/10/silver-room-block-party-returning-to-new-venue-the-salt-shed",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-10T20:22:08.041Z",
  "site": "https://chicago.suntimes.com",
  "textContent": "<p>After a two year hiatus, the Silver Room Sound System Block Party is returning this summer to a new venue not far from its roots.</p><p>The dance music party, which has been scaled back to one day, is <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://www.silverroomblockparty.com/\" target=\"_blank\" ><u>scheduled</u></a> for noon - 10 p.m. on July 18 at The Salt Shed, 1357 N. Elston Ave. Tickets are on sale April 17.</p><p>Founded in 2002 by local entrepreneur Eric Williams as a grassroots alternative to Chicago’s slate of summer street festivals, the event has <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/entertainment-and-culture/2023/7/26/23808895/chicago-silver-room-block-party-final-year-2023-music\" target=\"_blank\" >gone through many changes</a> over the years.</p><p>It has long been celebrated by loyal fans of house music, which was founded in Chicago. The parties were powered by local artists and were solely about the music and dancing.</p><p>\"It was no alcohol, no drugs, just music,\" former Block Party volunteer Rebecca McQuillen previously told the Sun-Times. \"During that time, we would get shut down by the police because they couldn’t believe that there was no alcohol.\"</p><div class=\"Enhancement\" data-align-center> <div class=\"Enhancement-item\" data-crop=\"\"> <figure class=\"Figure\"><a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"image-f10000\" name=\"image-f10000\"></a> <picture data-crop=\"medium\"> <source type=\"image/webp\" width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7c9f139/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1761x988+0+106/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F07%2Fed%2Fa61d8676ba648479915609aba962%2Fblock-party-photo-2007-1.jpeg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5ce2f78/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1761x988+0+106/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F07%2Fed%2Fa61d8676ba648479915609aba962%2Fblock-party-photo-2007-1.jpeg 2x\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <source width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b371fe6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1761x988+0+106/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F07%2Fed%2Fa61d8676ba648479915609aba962%2Fblock-party-photo-2007-1.jpeg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <img class=\"Image\" alt=\"Organizer Eric Williams said the inspiration for the Silver Room Block Party (pictured at its first location —an alley near the club in 2002) came from a festival in Germany that was open all night long and showcased city culture.\" srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b371fe6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1761x988+0+106/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F07%2Fed%2Fa61d8676ba648479915609aba962%2Fblock-party-photo-2007-1.jpeg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/99cd793/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1761x988+0+106/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F07%2Fed%2Fa61d8676ba648479915609aba962%2Fblock-party-photo-2007-1.jpeg 2x\" width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-src=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b371fe6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1761x988+0+106/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F07%2Fed%2Fa61d8676ba648479915609aba962%2Fblock-party-photo-2007-1.jpeg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" > </picture> <div class=\"Figure-content\"><figcaption class=\"Figure-caption\"><p>Organizer Eric Williams said the inspiration for the Silver Room Block Party (pictured at its first location — an alley near the club in 2002) came from a festival in Germany that lasted all night long and showcased city culture.</p></figcaption><span class=\"line\"></span><div class=\"Figure-credit\"><p>Provided / Silver Room Block Party</p></div></div> </figure> </div> </div><p>The block party began in a Wicker Park alley near the art and fashion store Silver Room. The party grew over the ensuing decade, moving to a stretch of Evergreen Avenue and reaching more than 8,000 attendees by 2014.</p><p>The party shifted locations to Hyde Park in 2016, where it eventually attracted more than 40,000 attendees before the COVID-19 pandemic put a two-year pause on the event.</p><p>The event returned in 2022 as a two-day, ticketed festival at Oakwood Beach. It was held there again in 2023 where it was billed as the festival’s finale.</p><p>Williams said in 2023 that difficulties making a profit and the amount of work involved in setting up the festival led to his decision to “lay this to bed” after a “good run.”</p><p>He couldn't immediately be reached for comment on Friday.</p>",
  "title": "Silver Room Block Party returning to new venue: The Salt Shed",
  "updatedAt": "2026-04-10T20:40:14.897Z"
}