Searching for what to do this weekend in Chicago? Below are the best things to do in Chicago this weekend (December 13-15, 2024) – from holiday events and activities to other fun weekend events. (If you are planning ahead, you can also find the best things to do next weekend 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. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Best Weekend Events in Chicago
Below are the best weekend events in Chicago:
Saint Lucia – Friday, December 13, 2024, 4:45 pm
Bye Bye Liver: The Original Chicago Drinking Game Show – Friday, December 13, 2024, 10pm
TBOX (Twelve Bars of Christmas) Bar Crawl – Saturday, December 14, 2024, 10am
Weihnachtsmarkt Indoor Christmas Market (at DANK Haus German American Cultural Center) – Saturday, December 14, 2024, 11am-5pm
Ravenswood Makers Market – Saturday, December 14, 2024, 1-6pm
The City-Wide Symphony’s Holiday Concert – Saturday, December 14, 2024, 6-8pm
Sauced Night Market Before Xmas – December 13-14, 2024
Latin American Christmas – December 13-15, 2024
The Chicago Art Girls Holiday Pop Up Shop – December 14-15, 2024, 11am-5pm
Holly Jolly Market – December 14-15, 2024
Randolph Street Holiday Market – December 14-15, 2024
More Weekend Events in Chicago
Below are more events taking place this weekend in Chicago:
Millennium Park Holiday Sing-Along (previously “Caroling at Cloud Gate”) – Friday, December 13, 2024, 6pm | FREE
Rollin’ with Frosty! at Lake Shore Park – Friday, December 13, 2024, 6-8pm | FREE
Jazz City at South Shore – Friday, December 13, 2024, 6:30-9:00pm | FREE
Candlelight Concert: A Tribute to Tracy Chapman – Friday, December 13, 2024, 7pm
Candlelight Concert: The Best of Bollywood and Tollywood on Strings – Friday, December 13, 2024, 9pm
Holiday Drone Show at Navy Pier – Friday, December 13, 2024, 9pm | FREE
We call it Ballet: Sleeping Beauty in a Dazzling Light Show (Oak Park) – Friday, December 13, 2024
Handmade Market (at the Empty Bottle) – Saturday, December 14, 2024, noon-4pm
The Coca-Cola Caravan (at Navy Pier) – Saturday, December 14, 2024, 12pm-8:30pm
HPFM Holiday Makers Market (Hyde Park) – Saturday, December 14, 2024, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
North Park Village Nature Center: Winter Solstice Festival – Saturday, December 14, 2024, 5-8pm | FREE
Winter Fireworks Show at Navy Pier – Saturday, December 14, 2024, 9pm | FREE
Chicago Artisan Market (Fulton Market) – Sunday, December 15, 2024
The 41st Annual Music Box Christmas Sing-A-Long & Double Feature – Through December 24, 2024
Drie-cember Holiday Market (Driehaus Museum) – December 14-15, 2024, 11am- 5pm | FREE
Holiday Trolley/ El Aventón Navideño (Little Village) – December 14-15, 2024, 11am – 6pm | FREE
More Things to Do in Chicago This Weekend
In addition to the weekend events listed above, below are more of the best things to do in Chicago this weekend:
Winterland: An Immersive Holiday Experience
Winterland: An Immersive Holiday Experience is an indoor family friendly whimsical holiday wonderland filled with festive delights and sparkling lights.
Where: Navy Pier, 600 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
Cost: $15.00 for adults and $12.50 for children 12 and under. Click here to purchase tickets in advance.
Light Up the Lake at Navy Pier
Light Up the Lake at Navy Pier offers free outdoor holiday lights, as well as fun activities and attractions such as axe throwing and a new ice slide.
Where: Navy Pier, 600 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
Cost: Includes both free and ticketed activities. Single and pre-bundled tickets are available.
Ride the CTA Holiday Train (or Holiday Bus)
Both the CTA Holiday Train and Holiday Bus will be running this weekend. See transitchicago.com/holidayfleet for full details on dates, times and routes.
Winterland at Gallagher Way
Winterland at Gallagher Way is a family friendly holiday experience open this month with music, Santa, seasonal food and drinks, carnival rides and bumper cars.
Where: Gallagher Way, 3635 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60613
Cost: Admission to Gallagher Way is free and requires no tickets. Ride tickets will be available on site for purchase.
Christkindlmarket
Shop, eat and drink at Christkindlmarket, the popular German-style outdoor market located at Daley Plaza. (Christkindlmarket is always very crowded on the weekends so it is best to visit on a weekday if your schedule allows.)
Where: Daley Plaza, 50 W Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602
Cost: Admission is FREE.
ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo
ZooLights Presented by ComEd and Invesco QQQ at Lincoln Park Zoo is a cheerful, family-friendly holiday event features hundreds of luminous LED displays and seasonal experiences, all under the glow of millions of lights.
Go Outdoor Ice Skating
Both the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink right in front of the Bean and skating ribbon at Maggie Daley Park are open and require advance reservations. You can find more places to go outdoor ice skating here.
Take a Holiday Tour of Chicago
If you enjoy holiday attractions, holiday themed tours are a good way to see a few attractions in a short amount of time:
Festive Food & Walking Tour
Seasonal Stroll Walking Tour of Holiday Attractions
Guided Holiday Walking Tour and Food Sampling
Titanic: The Exhibition
Titanic: The Exhibition is ending its limited time run in the Chicago area in a few weeks. This interactive experience allows you to step inside recreations of the Titanic’s interior. Immerse yourself in the stories of its passengers, see hundreds of artifacts, and discover the tale of the design, creation, launch, maiden voyage, and tragedy of the historic ship.
Where: 4963 Old Orchard Shopping Center, Skokie, IL 60077 (about 17 miles from downtown Chicago)
Cost: Price varies. Click here for full prices and to purchase tickets in advance.
As you can see there are many things to do in Chicago this weekend. 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 looking for things to do during the week, you can find more things to do in Chicago in December here.
