TRANSITIONS Chicago is the new name to know for the end of the year. Promoter Auris Presents has announced an eight-day music and nightlife series that runs from December 26, 2026 to January 2, 2027, with more than 75 artists playing across seven venues in the city.
At a glance
- What: TRANSITIONS, a multi-venue New Year's series from Auris Presents
- When: December 26, 2026 to January 2, 2027
- Where: Seven venues across Chicago
- Who: Green Velvet, Gorgon City, I HATE MODELS, SG Lewis, Maceo Plex, Ben UFO, LP Giobbi and more
- Size: More than 75 artists over eight days
What we know
Most New Year's events are built around one night and one countdown. TRANSITIONS takes a different route and spreads the party over the full week between Christmas and New Year's Day. The idea is to connect different corners of Chicago's dance scene under one banner.
House and techno make up most of the bill, according to EDMTunes, with disco and UK garage also in the mix. That gives the series a wider range of sounds than a typical New Year's run.
Green Velvet is the most local name on the poster. The Chicago-born producer has been part of the city's house scene since the early 1990s and is also one half of Get Real alongside Claude VonStroke.
The other confirmed acts cover a lot of ground. Gorgon City bring UK house with a pop edge, while I HATE MODELS comes from the harder, industrial side of French techno. SG Lewis sits closer to disco and dance-pop.
Maceo Plex and Ben UFO represent the deeper, selector-led end of the lineup. LP Giobbi is known both for her house productions and for supporting women in dance music through her Femme House initiative.
How it works
With seven rooms and eight days, the series is set up more like a city-wide takeover than a single festival. Fans can move between venues and styles from night to night. EDMTunes notes that Auris has used a similar approach for earlier Chicago events, which spreads crowds out while keeping everything under one brand.
Some details are still missing. Further lineup news, set times and which artist plays which venue are expected closer to the dates.
Why it matters
Week-long New Year's programmes have become common in cities such as Miami and Los Angeles. TRANSITIONS gives Chicago a run of its own on a similar scale.
It also adds to a busy calendar for the city. If you are planning time there, take a look at our pages for elrow: Bhūtarāh in Chicago and Solomun in Chicago.
We will follow up when venue assignments and set times are published.
