Events

What's on in Chicago

Town festivals, live music, markets, kids' stuff and the recurring meetups and support groups that don't usually make a calendar. Free events are marked.

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September 2026

Wednesday 30SEP

Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival Downtown Highwood and Everts Park, 111 North Ave., Highwood · Family, Holiday, Music, Food, Community Free Pumpkin Fest at Cosley Zoo Cosley Zoo, 1356 N. Gary Ave., Wheaton · Family, Outdoors, Market

October 2026

Thursday 1OCT

Lincoln Square Ravenswood Apple Fest N. Lincoln Avenue between W. Lawrence and W. Sunnyside avenues · Food, Market, Family, Community, Music Free Oktoberfest at Naper Settlement Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville · Food, Music, Family Halloween in the Chicago Parks More than 40 Chicago Park District parks citywide · Family, Holiday, Community, Outdoors

Friday 2OCT

Boo! at the Zoo at Brookfield Zoo Chicago Brookfield Zoo Chicago, 8400 W. 31st St., Brookfield · Family, Holiday, Outdoors Cider and Ale Festival at The Morton Arboretum The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle · Food, Outdoors Green City Market Lincoln Park South end of Lincoln Park, 1817 N. Clark St. · Market, Food, Community, Outdoors Free

Saturday 3OCT

Chicago Bears vs. New York Jets at Soldier Field Soldier Field, 1410 Special Olympics Drive · Sports Chicago Humanities Fall Festival: Northwestern University Day Northwestern University campus, Evanston (Cahn Auditorium, 600 Emerson St., and other halls) · Arts, Community

Monday 5OCT

Chicago Blackhawks home opener vs. St. Louis Blues United Center, 1901 W. Madison St. · Sports

Tuesday 6OCT

Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe · Family, Holiday, Outdoors, Arts

Thursday 8OCT

Glass Pumpkin Patch at The Morton Arboretum West Lawn by the Visitor Center, The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle · Arts, Outdoors, Family St. Charles Scarecrow Weekend Downtown St. Charles along Main Street and the Fox River; craft show in Pottawatomie Park · Family, Arts, Community, Market, Outdoors Free

Friday 9OCT

Historic Pullman House Tour Starts at Pullman Exhibit Hall, 11141 S. Cottage Grove Ave. · Arts, Community

Saturday 10OCT

Bank of America Chicago Marathon Grant Park start and finish, Columbus Drive at Monroe Street · Sports, Outdoors, Community Free

Sunday 11OCT

Chicago Columbus Day Parade Dearborn Street from Wacker Drive south to Van Buren Street · Parade, Community, Music Free

Tuesday 13OCT

Chicago International Film Festival Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave.; Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St.; and other venues · Arts

Thursday 15OCT

Nightmare on Chicago Street Eight blocks of downtown Elgin around Chicago Street; entry at 150 Dexter Court · Holiday, Music, Arts

Friday 16OCT

Open House Chicago 200-plus sites across the city; Chicago Architecture Center, 111 E. Wacker Drive · Arts, Community, Family Free Spooky Zoo at Lincoln Park Zoo Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark St. · Family, Holiday, Community Free

Friday 23OCT

Arts in the Dark Halloween Parade Columbus Drive from Balbo Drive north to Jackson Boulevard, Grant Park · Parade, Arts, Family, Holiday Free Chicago Bulls home opener vs. Washington Wizards United Center, 1901 W. Madison St. · Sports Family Spooktacular at Naper Settlement Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville · Family, Holiday, Music

Friday 30OCT

Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade N. Halsted Street from Belmont Avenue north to Brompton Avenue · Parade, Holiday, Community, Music Free Slightly Spooky Saturday at Navy Pier Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave. · Family, Holiday, Community Free

Saturday 31OCT

SKECHERS Hot Chocolate Run Chicago Grant Park, 301 S. Columbus Drive · Sports, Outdoors, Food

November 2026

Friday 6NOV

Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive · Holiday, Family, Arts

Thursday 12NOV

A Christmas Carol at Goodman Theatre Goodman Theatre, Albert Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn Street · Arts, Holiday, Family Maggie Daley Park Skating Ribbon Opens Maggie Daley Park, 337 E. Randolph Street · Outdoors, Family, Sports, Holiday Lightscape at the Chicago Botanic Garden Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe · Holiday, Outdoors, Family, Arts

Friday 13NOV

Illumination at The Morton Arboretum The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle · Holiday, Outdoors, Family, Arts

Thursday 19NOV

Christkindlmarket Chicago at Daley Plaza Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington Street · Holiday, Market, Food, Family Free Christkindlmarket Wrigleyville at Gallagher Way Gallagher Way, 3635 N. Clark Street · Holiday, Market, Food, Family Free Christkindlmarket Aurora at RiverEdge Park RiverEdge Park, 360 N. Broadway, Aurora · Holiday, Market, Food, Family Free ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark Street · Holiday, Family, Outdoors City of Chicago Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony Millennium Park, near Michigan Avenue and Washington Street · Holiday, Family, Community, Music Free Millennium Park Holiday Market Millennium Park, Chase Promenade North, 201 E. Randolph Street · Holiday, Market, Community, Food Free

Friday 20NOV

Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival North Michigan Avenue from Oak Street to the Chicago River; Pioneer Court, 401 N. Michigan Avenue · Holiday, Parade, Family, Music Free Holiday Magic at Brookfield Zoo Chicago Brookfield Zoo Chicago, 31st Street and Golfview Avenue, Brookfield · Holiday, Family, Outdoors

Wednesday 25NOV

Chicago Thanksgiving Parade State Street from Ida B. Wells Drive to Randolph Street · Parade, Holiday, Family, Community Free Life Time Turkey Trot Chicago 5K and 8K Lincoln Park, south of Diversey Parkway near Cannon Drive · Sports, Outdoors, Holiday, Community

Thursday 26NOV

Light Up the Holidays Festival and Parade in Joliet Downtown Joliet, City Square and Chicago Street · Holiday, Parade, Family, Community Free St. Charles Holiday Homecoming and Electric Christmas Parade Downtown St. Charles, 1st Street Plaza and Main Street · Holiday, Parade, Family, Community Free

December 2026

Wednesday 2DEC

One of a Kind Holiday Show The Mart, 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza, 7th floor · Market, Arts, Holiday

Thursday 3DEC

The Joffrey Ballet’s The Nutcracker Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive · Arts, Holiday, Family, Music Geneva Christmas Walk Downtown Geneva, Third Street and the Kane County Courthouse lawn · Holiday, Family, Community, Market Free Millennium Park Holiday Sing-Along Millennium Park, Grainger Plaza at Cloud Gate, 201 E. Randolph Street · Holiday, Music, Family, Community Free

Friday 4DEC

Downtown Evanston Holiday Light Celebration Fountain Square, Davis Street and Sherman Avenue, Evanston · Holiday, Family, Community, Music Free

Saturday 5DEC

Chicagoland Toys for Tots Motorcycle Parade Dan Ryan Woods, 8300 S. Western Avenue, north on Western Avenue · Parade, Community, Holiday Free

Thursday 17DEC

Merry, Merry Chicago! with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Avenue · Music, Holiday, Family, Arts

Wednesday 30DEC

New Year’s Eve Fireworks at Navy Pier Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Avenue · Holiday, Outdoors, Community, Family Free