MidwestWeekends.com — Your Travel Guide to the Upper Midwest

Events for "Chicago, IL"

January

  • Restaurant Week (Jan. 26 – Feb 8)

    Chicago, IL

    Time to pack on the calories: More than 370 restaurants offer three-course prix-fixe menus for $22 at brunch or lunch and $33-$44 at dinner.


February

  • Auto Show (Feb. 10 – 19)

    Chicago, IL

    This car show at McCormick Place is the largest in the nation and third-largest in the world.


  • Chinese Lunar New Year's Parade (Feb. 25)

    Chicago, IL

    Celebrate the Year of the Dog in Chinatown with a parade, marching bands, lion dancing and fireworks.


March

  • Chinese New Year Lantern Festival (Mar. 3)

    Chicago, IL

    A lion dance-led lantern procession winds from Millennium Park to  Maggie Daley Park, where there will be performances.


  • St. Patrick's Day Parade (Mar. 17)

    Chicago, IL

    In Chicago, they really do dye the river green. Watch the dye job at 9 a.m. from the Michigan Avenue or Columbus Drive bridges, then watch the noon parade through Grant Park.


May

  • Kids & Kites Festival (May 5)

    Chicago, IL

    This festival on Cricket Hill in Lincoln Park includes free kite kits for kids, games and a candy drop from kites.


June

  • Gospel Festival (Jun 1 – 2)

    Chicago, IL

    This free music festival is in Millennium Park and across the street at the Cultural Center.


  • Blues Festival (Jun 8 – 10)

    Chicago, IL

    The largest of Chicago's free music festivals draws 750,000 people to Millennium Park. 


  • Ribfest Chicago (Jun 8 – 10)

    Chicago, IL

    This street festival in the Northcenter neighborhood, on Lincoln Avenue between Irving Park Road and Warner Avenue, features barbecue plus indie, roots, rock and alt country music.

    There's a Kids Square with games and a rib-eating contest Friday with professional eaters.


  • Wells Street/Old Town art fairs (Jun 9 – 10)

    Chicago, IL

    Together, the Wells Street Art Festival and nearby Old Town Art Fair two fairs have more than 500 exhibitors and draw 110,000 visitors.


  • Grant Park Music Festival (Jun 13)

    Chicago, IL

    Professional musicians, many of them world-famous, offer free classical concerts in Millennium Park's beautiful Pritzker Pavilion.


  • Grant Park Music Festival (Jun 15 – 16)

    Chicago, IL

    Professional musicians, many of them world-famous, offer free classical concerts in Millennium Park's beautiful Pritzker Pavilion.


  • Grant Park Music Festival (Jun 20)

    Chicago, IL

    Professional musicians, many of them world-famous, offer free classical concerts in Millennium Park's beautiful Pritzker Pavilion.


  • Grant Park Music Festival (Jun 22 – 23)

    Chicago, IL

    Professional musicians, many of them world-famous, offer free classical concerts in Millennium Park's beautiful Pritzker Pavilion.


  • Grant Park Music Festival (Jun 27)

    Chicago, IL

    Professional musicians, many of them world-famous, offer free classical concerts in Millennium Park's beautiful Pritzker Pavilion.


  • Grant Park Music Festival (Jun 29 – 30)

    Chicago, IL

    Professional musicians, many of them world-famous, offer free classical concerts in Millennium Park's beautiful Pritzker Pavilion.


July

  • Grant Park Music Festival (Jul 4)

    Chicago, IL

    Professional musicians, many of them world-famous, offer free classical concerts in Millennium Park's beautiful Pritzker Pavilion.


  • Grant Park Music Festival (Jul 6 – 7)

    Chicago, IL

    Professional musicians, many of them world-famous, offer free classical concerts in Millennium Park's beautiful Pritzker Pavilion.


  • Taste of Chicago (Jul 11 – 15)

    Chicago, IL

    The big free festival in Grant Park offers lots of food and music.


  • Grant Park Music Festival (Jul 11)

    Chicago, IL

    Professional musicians, many of them world-famous, offer free classical concerts in Millennium Park's beautiful Pritzker Pavilion.


  • Square Roots Festival (Jul 13 – 15)

    Chicago, IL

    The Old Town School of Folk Music presents this Lincoln Square festival, which includes more than 60 acts on four stages plus 30 local and regional craft beers and food from neighborhood restaurants.


  • Grant Park Music Festival (Jul 13 – 14)

    Chicago, IL

    Professional musicians, many of them world-famous, offer free classical concerts in Millennium Park's beautiful Pritzker Pavilion.


  • Chinatown Summer Fair (Jul 15)

    Chicago, IL

    There's a Lion Dance, Chinese classical dance and music, demonstrations of martial arts and displays of ancient art forms and disciplines plus a petting zoo, pony rides and cutest baby and a "hot legs" contest for men.


  • Grant Park Music Festival (Jul 19 – 22)

    Chicago, IL

    Professional musicians, many of them world-famous, offer free classical concerts in Millennium Park's beautiful Pritzker Pavilion.


  • Pitchfork Music Festival (Jul 20 – 22)

    Chicago, IL

    This indie and alt-rock festival is in Union Park.


  • Grant Park Music Festival (Jul 25)

    Chicago, IL

    Professional musicians, many of them world-famous, offer free classical concerts in Millennium Park's beautiful Pritzker Pavilion.


  • Grant Park Music Festival (Jul 27 – 28)

    Chicago, IL

    Professional musicians, many of them world-famous, offer free classical concerts in Millennium Park's beautiful Pritzker Pavilion.


August

  • Grant Park Music Festival (Aug. 1)

    Chicago, IL

    Professional musicians, many of them world-famous, offer free classical concerts in Millennium Park's beautiful Pritzker Pavilion.


  • Lollapalooza (Aug. 2 – 5)

    Chicago, IL

    This big music festival features dozens of bands and, unlike other Grant Park festivals, is not free. Reserve rooms far in advance.


  • Grant Park Music Festival (Aug. 3 – 4)

    Chicago, IL

    Professional musicians, many of them world-famous, offer free classical concerts in Millennium Park's beautiful Pritzker Pavilion.


  • Grant Park Music Festival (Aug. 8)

    Chicago, IL

    Professional musicians, many of them world-famous, offer free classical concerts in Millennium Park's beautiful Pritzker Pavilion.


  • Grant Park Music Festival (Aug. 10 – 11)

    Chicago, IL

    Professional musicians, many of them world-famous, offer free classical concerts in Millennium Park's beautiful Pritzker Pavilion.


  • Grant Park Music Festival (Aug. 15)

    Chicago, IL

    Professional musicians, many of them world-famous, offer free classical concerts in Millennium Park's beautiful Pritzker Pavilion.


  • Grant Park Music Festival (Aug. 17 – 18)

    Chicago, IL

    Professional musicians, many of them world-famous, offer free classical concerts in Millennium Park's beautiful Pritzker Pavilion.


  • Air & Water Show (Aug. 18 – 19)

    Chicago, IL

    The 60th annual free show features aerobatics, extreme flying and parachuting off North Avenue Beach.


  • Chicago Jazz Festival (Aug. 30 – Sep 2)

    Chicago, IL

    This free festival features music at the Chicago Cultural Center and  Millennium Park.


September

  • World Music Festival (Sep. 7 – 23)

    Chicago, IL

    There will be more than 80 artists performing at more than 30 venues across the city, including the Chicago Cultural Center. Admission is free.


  • Riot Fest (Sep. 14 – 16)

    Chicago, IL

    This Douglas Park music festival also features a circus sideshow revue and carnival.


  • Hyde Park Jazz Festival (Sep. 29 – 30)

    Chicago, IL

    Listen to non-stop music during this free festival at venues in and around Midway Plaisance, near the Museum of Science and Industry and Lake Michigan.


October

  • Open House Chicago (Oct. 13 – 14)

    Chicago, IL

    The Chicago Architecture Foundation sponsors this free, behind-the-scenes peek at more than 200 mansions, clubs, churches, hotels and theaters.

     


  • Halloween Parade of Artists (Oct. 20)

    Chicago, IL

    A parade with music, floats and puppets begins at 6 p.m. in Grant Park and follows Columbus Drive from Balbo to Monroe streets.

     


November

  • Christkindlmarket (Nov. 16 – Dec 24)

    Chicago, IL

    This is the most authentic Old World Christmas market, with many German vendors who bring over toys, ornaments and sweets. There's a Children's Lantern Parade, appearances by the Christkind and entertainment most days. In Daley Plaza in the Loop.


  • Magnificent Mile Lights Festival & Parade (Nov. 17)

    Chicago, IL

    There will be music and family activities all day on Michigan Avenue, with a lighted parade from Oak Street to Wacker Drive, where fireworks over the Chicago River will follow.


  • Thanksgiving Parade (Nov. 22)

    Chicago, IL

    It's the 85th anniversary of the parade down State Street in the Loop. It starts at 8 a.m. at State and Congress and moves northward toward Randolph.