Chicago Park District and Lollapalooza Add 100 More Luxembourg Chairs at Buckingham Fountain for 2027
The Chicago Park District and Lollapalooza announced Monday that the movable Luxembourg chair program at Buckingham Fountain will return in 2027 with 100 additional chairs for the fountain’s 100th anniversary.
The expanded program starts in May 2027, the Park District said. A $70,000 contribution from Lollapalooza producer C3 Presents will pay for the additional 100 chairs, raising the total on the fountain table from 100 to 200.
The funding follows Lollapalooza’s initial $30,000 investment toward the cost of the first 100 chairs that launched this year.
“We are thrilled to join Lollapalooza to announce the expansion of the movable chair program at Buckingham Fountain in 2027,” Chicago Park District General Superintendent & CEO Carlos Ramirez-Rosa said in a statement. “One of the most beloved and recognizable destinations in our city, the fountain has delighted visitors for generations. What better way to celebrate its rich history and inaugurate its centennial year than to build on the momentum of the successful program and allow even more guests to enjoy the unique experience.”
The Park District said the 100 commercial-grade metal chairs, modeled after seating in Paris’s Luxembourg Garden, Tuileries Garden, Palais-Royal Garden and Bryant Park in New York, drew strong interest during the pilot. A Park District survey found a 95% satisfaction rate, with the most common requests being for more chairs and a permanent program.
“Lollapalooza is proud to call Grant Park and the City of Chicago home, and we’re excited to continue building on our partnership with the Chicago Park District in ways that benefit the park and the people who enjoy it year-round,” said Tim “Tuba” Smith, executive producer for Lollapalooza. “It’s been great to see how these chairs have given people another way to spend time together and enjoy the park. Expanding the program builds on that success and reflects our continued commitment to investing in Grant Park and being a strong partner to the residents of Chicago.”
The chair program is one of the first recommendations carried out from the Grant Park Framework Plan: Chicago’s Front Yard Reimagined, a 20-year community-driven plan covering preservation, recreation, events, mobility, and safety and logistics in the park.
Buckingham Fountain, at 301 S. Columbus Dr., was a gift to Chicago from Kate Buckingham as a memorial to her brother Clarence. Dedicated on August 26, 1927, the fountain cost $750,000 to build.
The chairs are available daily from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., May through October, except during major events hosted in Grant Park. The Park District said the 2027 expansion will begin with the fountain’s centennial celebration in May.
