Searching for what to do this week in Chicago? Below are the best things to do in Chicago this week (June 15-21, 2026) including the best events and activities.
(You can also find things to do in Chicago for Father’s Day here.)
I suggest bookmarking this blog post as it is updated regularly with new events and activities.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. I may make a small commission if you make a booking using my links at no extra cost to you.
Best Events This Week in Chicago
Below are the best events this week in Chicago:
Millennium Park Summer Music Series – Monday, June 15, 2026, 6:30-9pm (Gates open at 5pm) | Free Admission – Live music on select Mondays and Thursdays from June 15 through August 6, 2026.
Tuesdays on the Terrace at the Museum of Contemporary Art – Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 5:30-8pm | Free – First day of the weekly outdoor summer music series.
Summer Fireworks at Navy Pier – Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 9pm | Free
Millennium Park Summer Music Series – Thursday, June 18, 2026, 6:30-9pm (Gates open at 5pm) | Free Admission – Celebration of Juneteenth with D-Composed and Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble with special guests Nona Hendryx and David Murray.
Black Yacht Weekend – June 18-21, 2026
Taste of Randolph – June 19-21, 2026 | Free
Lakeshore Arts & Music Festival (Lincoln Park) – June 19-20, 2026, 2-10pm
Obama Presidential Center Opening Weekend – June 19-21, 2026
Chicago Pride Fest – June 20-21, 2026
Gold Coast Art Fair – June 20-21, 2026
Artists of the Wall Festival at Loyola Park (Rogers Park) – June 20-21, 2026
Chicago Food Truck Festival – June 20-21, 2026
Margarita Festival – June 20-21, 2026
1865 Fest at Garfield Park – June 19-20, 2026 | Free – Juneteenth celebration with family-friendly programming.
Fiesta Back of the Yards – June 19-21, 2026 – Live entertainment, carnival rides, latin cuisines, games and more on Ashland Ave from 45th to 47th Street.
Motoblot – June 19-21, 2026 – Celebration of motorcycle and hot rod culture on Halsted Street from 35th to 37th in Bridgeport.
Brickworld (Schaumburg) – June 20 & 21, 2026
PlantCon Chicago (Rosemont) – June 20-21, 2026
Mini Genius Lab: Cool Science Experiments for Kids – June 20 & 21, 2026
Trinket Fest Summer Break at Artifact Events (Ravenswood) – June 20 & 21, 2026, 12-5pm
Chinese Dragon Boat Race at Ping Tom Memorial Park – Saturday, June 20, 2026, 8am-5pm | Free
US Air Guitar Regional Championship – Saturday, June 20, 2026, 9pm
Pickwick Vintage Show at the Athletic Association – Sunday, June 21, 2026, 9:30-4:30pm
ABBA Under the Stars at AIRE Rooftop – Sunday, June 21, 2026, 5pm & 8pm
More Events in Chicago This Week
Below are more events taking place this week in Chicago:
Monday Afrobeats on the beach with DJ Diesel @ Pier 31 – Monday, June 15, 2026, 4-10pm | Free
Pride Celebration at Wrigley Field – Monday, June 15, 2026, 7:05pm
Yoga Class at Gallagher Way – Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 7-8am | Free
Shedd Aquarium Illinois Resident Free Night – Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 5-9pm
Toy Story Trivia Night at Snakes & Lattes – Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 7-9pm
HIIT at Gallagher Way – Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 7-8am | Free
Illinois Free Wednesdays at the Field Museum – Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Adler Planetarium Free Day (Illinois Resident Discount Day) – Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Chi Food Truck Fest – Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 11am-3pm
Pay What You Wish Wednesday at Driehaus Museum – Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 4-7pm
Grant Park Music Festival: Haydn Military Symphony – Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 6:30pm | Free
Pier Dance at Navy Pier – Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 6:30-9pm | Free – Free dance lessons every Wednesday night in June.
CatJam Chicago Jam Session at The Wild Mile – Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 7-10pm | Free
Yoga Class at Gallagher Way – Thursday, June 18, 2026, 7-8am | Free
Mending & Mai Tais at Chicago Fair Trade Museum & Store – Thursday, June 18, 2026, 5:30-8pm
Art Institute of Chicago Free Hours for Illinois Residents – Thursday, June 18, 2026, 5–8pm | Free
Lincoln Square Summer Concert Series at Giddings Plaza – Thursday, June 18, 2026, 6-8:30pm | Free
Griffin Museum of Science and Industry Free Admission Day for Illinois Residents – Friday, June 19, 2026
Bronzevilles Annual Juneteenth Celebration – Saturday, June 20, 2026, 10am-3pm | Free
Juneteenth Celebration at The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center – Friday, June 19, 2026, 10am-8pm | Free
Bronzeville Art District Trolley Tour – Friday, June 19, 2026, 6pm | Free
Bridgeport Third Friday Art Walk – Friday, June 19, 2026, 7-10pm | Free
Juneteenth Beach Volleyball Tournament – Saturday, June 20, 2026, 10:30am-2pm
Summer Solstice Celebration at North Park Village Nature Center Park – Saturday, June 20, 2026, 11am-12:30pm | Free
Driehaus Museum 18th Birthday Celebration – Saturday, June 20, 2026, 11am-5pm | Free
Beverly/Morgan Park Juneteenth Family Festival – Saturday, June 20, 2026, noon-7pm | Free
Summer Wine Festa at Eataly – Saturday, June 20, 2026, 2-4pm
Side by Side with the Chicago Philharmonic at Clarendon Park – Saturday, June 20, 2026, 4:30-5:30pm | Free
Summer Fireworks at Navy Pier – Saturday, June 20, 2026, 10pm | Free
BWild x Wicker Park Farmers Market (WPFM) Free Summer Outdoor Yoga Series at Wicker Park – Sunday, June 21, 2026, 9-10am | Free
You can find more Chicago weekend events here.
Iceboy! at the Goodman Theatre – June 20-July 26, 2026
Brokeback Mountain at Chicago Shakespeare Theater – Through June 28, 2026
Catch As Catch Can at Steppenwolf Theatre – Through July 12, 2026
More Things to Do in Chicago This Week
Take an Architecture River Cruise
An architecture river cruise is a must do Chicago experience.
Attend a Candlelight Concert
Chicago’s Candlelight Concerts is a series of special classical music concerts that take place in beautiful venues bathed in candlelight. Some of the concerts taking place this week include:
Tribute to Taylor Swift
The Best of Hans Zimmer
Tribute to Bad Bunny (Oak Park)
You can find the full list of candlelight concerts in Chicago here.
Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue
Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue is an immersive adventure that lets you and your friends become heroes, fighting spiders, creepers, and skeletons on your quest to rescue villagers from a zombie attack. Explore eight interactive Minecraft rooms and gather resources for your quest in these interactive biomes. Practice your Minecrafting skills with a handheld Orb to chop down trees, collect resources, and fight mobs.
When: Through July 5, 2026
Where: 9900 Berwyn Ave, in the Pearl District, Rosemont, IL 60018
Cost: Prices vary. Click here to purchase tickets.
AirOtic Soirée
AirOtic Soirée is a bold, sensual and provocative cabaret-circus experience returning to Chicago for a full summer run. After sold-out runs across the U.S. and Europe, the internationally acclaimed Airotic Soirée is a show that celebrates desire, sensuality, athletic beauty, and erotic elegance. Airotic Soirée is a blend of erotic cabaret and contemporary circus blending high-level acrobatics, seductive choreography and visual artistry. 21+ with valid ID.
When: Through August 29, 2026
Where: Experience 868, 868 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
Cost: Prices vary. Click here to purchase tickets.
Balloon Museum’s EmotionAir Exhibition
Balloon Museum’s EmotionAir Exhibition is a limited time unique exhibition that explores the profound relationship between art and emotions through the captivating medium of inflatable art. This exhibition, first presented in London in December 2023, is committed to the work of emotions, transforming artworks into mirrors to explore the profound relationship between art and emotions, action, and reaction. This is manifested tangibly through Inflatable Art, which offers itself as a medium to express the most intimate nuances of human feelings. Through a mix of interactive installations, emotional projections, and performance art, EmotionAir aims to transport visitors on an unprecedented sensory journey.
Where: The Fields Studios – Gate 1, 2828 N. Pulaski, Chicago, IL 60641
Cost: Timed-entry tickets are required. Click here to purchase tickets.
Watch a Drunk Shakespeare Play
Join The Drunk Shakespeare Society for an unforgettable evening of Shakespearean revelry. Set within a speakeasy, five actors attempt to perform a Shakespearean play after one of them downs multiple shots of various alcohols. Every show is different depending on who is drinking and what they’re drinking. Must be 21+ with valid ID.
Where: The Lounge At The Lion, 182 North Wabash Avenue
Cost: Prices start at $29 per person. Click here to purchase tickets.
Wondra: Immerse yourself in the magic of nature
Looking for a fun activity for kids? Head to the suburbs for Wondra, where each space invites curious minds to discover hidden details, dazzling colors, and natural awe-scapes that spark imagination and evoke wonder. Experience nature’s wonders in a whole new light with this immersive journey.
Where: 5 Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg, IL 60173
Cost: Prices vary. Click here to see prices and purchase tickets in advance.
As you can see there are many things to do in Chicago this week. If you are looking for more things to do in the Chicago area, you can find the best things to do in the suburbs here. If you are planning ahead, you can find more things to do in Chicago in June.
