And the annual music festival in the world 12th running this 30 a September 10, 2012, is a city wide, multi-location, for a weeklong festival, which attracted more than half a million concertgoers and presented over 500 artists and groups from over 75 countries since it began in 1999. Organized by the Department of Cultural Affairs Chicago (DCA), and the festival of traditional and contemporary music from different cultures around the world.