2023-01-12 04:29:19
Check out just a handful of Chicago’s diverse year-round happenings, from colorful cultural celebrations to lively music and food fests. Go to choosechicago.com/events or simply use your phone’s camera and scan the QR code for a complete, up-to-date events calendar. WINTER **CHRISTKINDLMARKET November – December Daley Plaza christkindlmarket.com** Feel the magic at this annual outdoor bazaar, modeled after traditional German Christmas markets. **ZOOLIGHTS November – January Lincoln Park Zoo lpzoo.org/calendar-events** This spectacular holiday display, made up of more than two million lights, transforms Chicago’s historic Lincoln Park Zoo into a breathtaking winter wonderland. **CHICAGO RESTAURANT WEEK Jan. 20 – Feb. 5 | Citywide eatitupchicago.com** The best time of year to experience Chicago’s acclaimed dining scene, Chicago Restaurant Week features special prix fixe menus at hundreds of local restaurants. **CHICAGO AUTO SHOW Feb. 11 – 20 McCormick Place chicagoautoshow.com** The nation’s largest and longest-running auto show features debut vehicles, concept cars, interactive exhibits, and more. **CHICAGO THEATRE WEEK Feb. 16 – 26 | Citywide chicagotheatreweek.com** Experience the thrill of Chicago’s vibrant theatre scene with half-price tickets to the city’s hottest shows. Events subject to change. CHICAGO SPORTS **February – October CHICAGO FIRE Soldier Field chicago-fire.com** Head to lakefront Soldier Field to see a fast-paced match by the Chicago Fire Football Club, winner of the MLS Cup in its very first season. **March – October CHICAGO CUBS Wrigley Field cubs.com** Watch the Chicago Cubs play at historic Wrigley Field, whether you’re in the sunny bleachers or perched on the rooftops with a bird’s-eye view. **March – October CHICAGO WHITE SOX Guaranteed Rate Field whitesox.com** Catch a White Sox game at the team’s modern stadium in Bridgeport and prepare to be awed by the booming home run fireworks. **March – October CHICAGO RED STARS SeatGeek Stadium chicagoredstars.com** See soccer action in Bridgeview by the acclaimed Red Stars team, a prominent player in the National Women’s Soccer League. **May – September CHICAGO SKY Wintrust Arena sky.wnba.com** Join in fun Chicago Sky on-court experiences and watch the 2021 WNBA champions compete in the South Loop. **September – January CHICAGO BEARS Soldier Field chicagobears.com** Get ready to hear the rowdy crowd enthusiastically sing the anthemic Bear Down, Chicago Bears every time the team makes a touchdown. **October – April CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS United Center blackhawks.com** Arrive early for the pregame skate, and keep an eye out for mascot Tommy Hawk, who wildly dances to Chelsea Dagger every time the Blackhawks score. **October – April CHICAGO BULLS United Center bulls.com** See the Bulls shoot hoops at the United Center and snap a selfie with the statue of basketball superstar Michael Jordan. SPRING **GARFIELD PARK CONSERVATORY FLOWER SHOW February – May Garfield Park Conservatory garfieldconservatory.org** This annual flower show features the first blooms of spring, housed in one of the largest greenhouses in the country. **ST. PATRICK’S DAY March | Chicago Riverwalk chicagostpatricksdayparade.org** One of the world’s most famous St. Patrick’s Day traditions, Chicago’s downtown parade and green river dyeing are bucket list events. **EXPO CHICAGO April 13 – 16 | Navy Pier expochicago.com** This international exposition of contemporary and modern art brings galleries and artists from around the globe to Navy Pier. **SUEÑOS MUSIC FESTIVAL May | Grant Park suenosmusicfestival.com** Chicago’s first Latin music festival kicks off summer with a two-day experience in Grant Park. **CHICAGO GOSPEL MUSIC FESTIVAL May | Millennium Park chicagogospelmusicfestival.us** Hear everything from traditional choirs to contemporary gospel groups at this free outdoor festival under the stunning Pritzker Pavilion. SUMMER **CHICAGO BLUES FESTIVAL June | Millennium Park chicagobluesfestival.us** A genre with deep Chicago roots, blues is the star of this outdoor summer festival that attracts some of music’s biggest names. **CHICAGO PRIDE FEST & PARADE June | Northalsted chicagopride.gopride.com** This joyful celebration of LGBTQ+ community and culture takes place in the nation’s oldest official gay neighborhood. **SAILGP June | Navy Pier sailgp.com** Nine national teams race hydro-foiling, 50-foot boats that literally fly over the water while sailing at 60+ mph. **NASCAR CHICAGO STREET RACE WEEKEND July 1 – 2 | Loop nascarchicago.com** For the first time in its 75- year history, NASCAR will hold a street race. The 2.2- mile course will zoom past Chicago landmarks, including Buckingham Fountain and the Field Museum. **SUNDAYS ON STATE July – September State Street loopchicago.com/events/sundays-on-state** This free, interactive block party features art, culture, shopping, dining, and more. **WINDY CITY SMOKEOUT July 13 – 16 | United Center windycitysmokeout.com** It’s all about beer, barbecue, and country music at this laid-back summer festival. **FIESTA DEL SOL July – August | Pilsen fiestadelsol.org** This family-friendly festival has been celebrating Mexican culture and music in the Pilsen neighborhood for 50 years. **LOLLAPALOOZA Aug. 3 – 6 | Grant Park lollapalooza.com** This iconic music festival takes over lakefront Grant Park with local talent and top acts from around the world. **CHICAGO AIR AND WATER SHOW August | Lakefront chicago.gov** This lakefront display is one of the largest free events of its kind, with astonishing aerial and nautical demonstrations. **BUD BILLIKEN PARADE August Martin Luther King Drive budbillikenparade.org** The largest African American parade in the country, this exuberant procession of bands, floats, and student performers has been taking place since 1929. FALL **DESTINOS: CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL LATINO THEATER FESTIVAL September – October Citywide clata.org/destinos** Discover emerging voices in the local Latino theatre community during this multifaceted festival. **CHICAGO GOURMET Sept. 21 – 24 Millennium Park chicagogourmet.org** This high-end food festival features elevated tastings and live cooking demos with the country’s best chefs. **26TH STREET MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE September | Little Village littlevillagechamber.org** This lively parade features brightly colored floats, mariachi bands, and folkloric dancing along 26th Street. **BANK OF AMERICA CHICAGO MARATHON Oct. 8 | Citywide chicagomarathon.com** Runners from around the world gather for this major marathon that travels through 29 different neighborhoods. **NIGHT OF 1,000 JACK-O’-LANTERNS October Chicago Botanic Garden chicagobotanic.org** Visitors can wander the grounds at night and admire the jacko’- lanterns carved by expert artists. **OPEN HOUSE CHICAGO October | Citywide openhousechicago.org** This one-of-a-kind free architecture festival takes you inside the city’s most unique buildings, skyscrapers, and landmarks. **ARTS IN THE DARK October | State Street artsinthedark.com** This whimsical evening parade celebrates Halloween as the artist’s holiday, with creative puppets, floats, and performances. **DAY OF THE DEAD XICÁGO October | National Museum of Mexican Art nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org** The National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen hosts this cultural celebration, alongside an annual exhibit featuring traditional altars. **MAGNIFICENT MILE LIGHTS FESTIVAL November The Magnificent Mile themagnificentmile.com/lights-festival** A beloved tradition, this spectacular holiday event includes a parade and the official lighting of the trees along iconic Michigan Avenue. **LIGHT UP THE LAKE November – January Navy Pier navypier.org** Warm up at Chicago’s largest indoor light garden, with stunning light sculptures, an ice rink, holiday beer garden, and more. Keep current on all things Chicago by subscribing to our free newsletter at choosechicago.com/newsletter. Get the scoop ➞ **THEATRE chicagoplays.com features upcoming shows for more than 200 theatres, all in one handy calendar.** ➞ **DANCE seechicagodance.com is a comprehensive source for dance performances and events.** ➞ **TICKETS hottix.org offers half-price, last-minute tickets for hundreds of theatres around the city.** ➞ Scan here for the latest Chicago events calendar. MUST-SEE MUSEUM EXHIBITS **LOS HUECOS DEL AGUA March 31 – Aug. 27 National Museum of Mexican Art nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org** The works of 20 contemporary Native American artists from Mexico focus on the complex reinvention of their present and the legacy of cultures before Spanish colonization. **FIRST KINGS OF EUROPE March 31 – Jan. 28, 2024 Field Museum fieldmuseum.org** Unearth the stories of ancient Europe’s first kings and queens with an exquisite collection of the Balkans’ greatest historical objects. **VAN GOGH AND THE AVANT-GARDE: THE MODERN LANDSCAPE May 14 – Sept. 4 Art Institute of Chicago artic.edu/van-gogh** Get a new view of Van Gogh and other Post-Impressionists during this showcase of their bold experiments with broken brushstrokes and contrasting colors. **GARY SIMMONS: PUBLIC ENEMY June 10 – Oct. 1 Museum of Contemporary Art mcachicago.org** The first comprehensive career survey of influential artist Gary Simmons features some 75 works that analyze the history of racism in U.S. culture. **DARK TESTAMENT: A CENTURY OF BLACK WRITERS ON JUSTICE Through Sept. 17 American Writers Museum americanwritersmuseum.org** Explore the significant contributions of Black writers to American literature and history through original artwork and interactive elements that bring their works to life. THEATRE & PERFORMING ARTS PICKS **HOW BLOOD GO Congo Square Theatre Company** March 16 – April 23 congosquaretheatre.org This world premiere at the Steppenwolf 1700 Theater tells the story of two African American relatives subjected to medical experiments some 50 years apart. **THE GOSPEL AT COLONUS Court Theatre** May 12 – June 11 courttheatre.org This one-of-a-kind theatrical experience reimagines the story of Oedipus as the centerpiece of a rousing African American Pentecostal church service. **LUCY AND CHARLIE’S HONEYMOON Lookingglass Theatre Company** May 24 – Aug. 13 lookingglasstheatre.org This play follows a pair of young Asian American newlyweds who go on the run, fleeing expectations and finding trouble along the way. **THE WHO’S TOMMY Goodman Theatre** June 13 – July 23 goodmantheatre.org The pop culture musical sensation, based on The Who’s iconic 1969 rock concept album Tommy, undergoes a fresh reinvention in this Goodman production. **MJ: THE MUSICAL Broadway In Chicago** Aug. 1 – Sept. 2 broadwayinchicago.com/show/mj This Tony Award-winning new musical gives a thrilling glimpse into the creative process behind pop superstar Michael Jackson’s 1993 Dangerous World Tour.
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