The best things to do in Chicago this week

Why settle for watching a parade weave through New York City on TV when you can see giant cartoon-character balloons, marching bands and dancers on the streets of Chicago? If you happen to be in the city on Thanksgiving, you can catch the annual procession before digging into your turkey. Moving down State Street between Ida B. Wells Drive and Randolph Street, the parade finishes by 11am, which means you'll have plenty of time to get home and help with the cooking.

The iconic German-inspired holiday market at Daley Plaza brings just over a month of Christmassy celebrations to the Loop. Browse stalls stocked with handmade gifts, German food and plenty of hot beverages to keep you warm while you wander around and soak in the festive atmosphere. Don't leave without trying spiced glühwein, a German hot wine concoction that's best enjoyed in the market's famous boot mugs.

Work up an appetite for the afternoon feast at this beloved Thanksgiving tradition, which sends runners on a 5K or 8K course that begins in Lincoln Park. You'll usually see participants dressed up as pilgrims, poultry and superheroes thanks to the race's "costumes highly encouraged" policy, but you're welcome to stick to your regular running attire. After zipping through the course, stick around Lincoln Park for the Turkey Day Tailgate, where you can go play cornhole, enjoy hot cider and eat donuts—there's nothing wrong with a sweet appetizer before your Thanksgiving meal.

Before feasting on Thanksgiving Day, head to Frontier for some Black Wednesday fun. Guests can sip and sample over 60 whiskeys and wines while snacking on passed apps like smoked wings, sliders, empanadas and fritters. Tickets are $35.

Navy Pier bring its winter experience back for another year, illuminating the lakefront with an outdoor light display. The dazzling program boasts a host of fun activities, including ice skating, axe throwing, visits with Santa, an artisan market and cozy fire pits for making s'mores. New this year are holiday drone shows, a two-story-tall ice slide and a high-flying Wave Swinger ride. You can also hop on Navy Pier's 200-foot Centennial Wheel—don't worry, all of the gondolas are fully enclosed and heated!

Learn the art of making a beautiful holiday wreath with Blissful Blooms. Expert florists will provide everything you need and give you tips on how to pick and arrange seasonal winter greens to create the perfect decoration. You'll get to take your masterpiece home, and also receive a $25 Time Out Market gift card to use on food and drinks after the class.

Every year, Millennium Park is adorned with an epic Christmas tree that remains on display until the beginning of the new year. The larger-than-life attraction is festooned with twinkling lights and crowned with an illuminated star. Spectators can check out the festive tree near Washington Street and Michigan Avenue through early January. Want to see the tree light up for the first time this season? The annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony returns this year on Friday, November 22.

Directed by Jenn Thompson, this new touring production about the hard-knock life of America's most optimistic orphan comes to the Chicago Theatre for a three-week run. Audiences will be reminded that even in the toughest of times, hope is just around the corner.

Pinkies up! Little ones and their families are invited to ring in the holiday season in style during The Beatrix Potter Holiday Party, an annual trunk and puppet show at the Chicago Children's Theatre that brings Potter's beloved stories to life with whimsy and humor. The play's young viewers get to interact with characters like Tom Kitten, Jeremy Fisher and Peter Rabbit throughout the 60-minute production, which features live music alongside narration and puppetry. Afterwards, audience members can meet the cast while enjoying juice, chocolate milk and holiday treats courtesy of Eli's Cheesecake for a proper tea party celebration.

Support economic and environmental justice at this 11th annual market, which takes place on the Magnificent Mile through December 24. More than 30 Chicago businesses will offer goods from artisans around the world, including glassware, ornaments, sweaters, coffee and candles.

To see one of the largest displays of holiday lights within city limits, you need to head to Lincoln Park Zoo, where the annual ZooLights display strings up millions of LED blubs. While most of the animals will be keeping warm inside, visitors are welcome to wander through the park, snapping photos of the various displays and taking part in a variety of activities throughout the holiday season. New this year, bask in the holiday spirit in the light lounge; as always, guests will also be able to enjoy hot beverages and snacks at stands throughout the park.

Admission is $7 on most weeknights and Sundays and $10 on Fridays and Saturdays, with free admission tickets on Mondays. Check out the Lincoln Park Zoo website for information on special ticketed events during ZooLights, including Adults Night Out and a musical tribute to “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

The Chicago Botanic Garden hosts this annual (and quick to sell out) display of festive lights, giving guests a host of shimmering reasons to visit the forest preserve during the holiday season. Set along an illuminated path, the after-dark experience features a series of installations to explore, including a 110-foot tunnel made up of 100,000 lights and a group of trees festooned in bulbs that "sing" holiday songs. This year will feature dazzling installations debuting in the U.S. for the first time, plus weekly theme nights and adults-only evenings on November 21 and December 5.

Ready to get into the holiday spirit? The Morton Arboretum's annual holiday light show returns for its 12th anniversary as a mile-long, walk-through spectacle of LED lights and music, featuring a blend of new and returning light displays set amid 50 acres of trees. Back again this year is "Electric Illumination," a series of late-night parties with DJ-curated playlists that will synchronize progressive house and '80s dance beats with the light shows, as well as "IllumiBrew," a special evening where guests can sample beers and ciders from local breweries. Timed entry tickets for Illumination, which will run from November 16 through January 4, vary in price based on date and time.

More than two million lights cover the trees, fences and structures in the Brookfield Zoo at this annual holiday event, which is open for its 43rd year this season. Guests can walk through a 300-foot-long tunnel featuring colored lights synchronized to music, spot larger-than-life illuminated animal sculptures, gaze up at a 41-foot-tall lit tree and warm up with concessions such as funnel cakes, pizza, spiced wine and hot cocoa. New this year are two themed lighting areas and a holiday market stocked with custom ornaments and handmade gifts.

Every year, the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry puts up its four-story Grand Tree and surrounds the towering pine with more than 50 trees that represent Chicago's various communities and their respective holiday celebrations. Visitors will be able to take in even more seasonal cheer at the accompanying Holidays of Light exhibit, which recognizes the traditions of Chinese New Year, Diwali, Kwanzaa, Ramadan, Hanukkah, Visakha Puja Day and St. Lucia Day. Admission to Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light is included with a regular Museum of Science and Industry ticket.

See Christmas lights while staying warm at this pandemic-era innovation that allows visitors to drive through a gleaming tunnel of more than one million LED lights synchronized with holiday music. The show takes place in Bridgeport at Guarenteed Rate Field, home of the Chicago White Sox.

Bring a thermos of hot chocolate and a cozy blanket to accompany your ride through Willow Hill Lights, a drive-through holiday light experience in suburban Northbrook. Located at Willow Hill Golf Course, the display stretches over 2.5 miles of glittering lights and stars holiday favorites like Rudolph and Frosty the Snowman, as well as a 30-foot-tall Christmas tree. Proceeds from the show benefit Misericordia, a not-for-profit that supports more than 600 children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Load up the family in the car and head to Geneva for a spectacular drive-thru light show that stretches over a mile in length. Guests will journey through light tunnels and gaze at illuminated dinosaurs, polar bears, reindeers, giant emojis, guitar-playing Santas and more, all of which are synchronized to holiday tunes.

Skate under the Chicago skyline and within eyeshot of the Chicago Christmas Tree at the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink in Millennium Park. Plus, take advantage of free skating lessons on most Saturdays and Sundays, where you can learn both beginner- and intermediate-level skills. Note that you'll need to make a free online reservation for both regular skating and lessons, and if it seems too warm to skate, call ahead—this rink is open through February 2, weather permitting.

Situated in the heart of downtown Chicago with the city's sweeping skyline as a backdrop, the Skating Ribbon at Maggie Daley Park is a winter attraction unlike any other. Skaters can lace up and wind around a winding ice-covered path that's twice the length of a lap around a traditional rink. Reservations for the popular ice rink should be made in advance, as they tend to fill up quickly.

Admission to the Skating Ribbon is free Monday through Thursday and for 11am sessions Friday through Sunday (and $5 for other time slots Friday through Sunday, as well as holidays) if you bring your own skates. No skates? Entry is $17–$23 if you need to rent a pair. The Ribbon stays open through March (weather permitting) and even offers hours on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

Slide past an indoor skydiving center and Fogo de Chão on the Chicago Wolves Ice Rink at Rosemont's Parkway Bank Park, where you can hit the ice on most days through the end of January. Check the official website for hours. Admission is free, and skate rentals are $8

Located on the terrace of The Peninsula Chicago, the 2,100-square-foot Sky Rink offers ice skating in the shadows of the city's tallest buildings, all while overlooking Michigan Avenue. Show off your skills in a winter wonderland featuring snowflake lighting and festive music, and when you need to warm up, grab a hot drink and snack at the Chalet.

It’s not the holidays until you’ve heard “All I Want For Christmas Is You” a thousand times, so it only makes sense that a Mariah Carey-themed pop-up bar is coming to Chicago this season. Set inside the Virgin Hotels Chicago, Black Irish by Mariah Carey is a winter wonderland experience where guests can recreate the iconic cover photo from Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special, write letters to Carey herself and sip cocktails made with Black Irish, the Irish cream liqueur inspired by the singer’s heritage.

This immersive, multi-level Christmas pop-up bar boasting wall-to-wall holiday decor returns to Wrigleyville, taking over Bamboo Bar during the most festive time of the year. You'll find photo-ops galore as well as drinks decked out with decorative garnishes and garlands, including large-format cocktails like the Tropical Sleigh Ride and Moët Mistletoe. Feeling hungry? Feast upon festive options like Santa's Smash Burger, Festive Fry Flight and Grinch Shake. Don't forget to snag a reservation before you head to Santa Baby—families are welcome to stop by during the day, but after 8pm it's 21+. For full holiday hours, check Santa Baby's website.

If you're jonesing for an outdoor Christmas adventure this year, the folks behind Jack's Pumpkin Pop-Up are bringing back its winter sibling in Fulton Market. The sprawling two-acre attraction boasts a Christmas market, photo opportunities and a variety of activties like ice skating, bumper cars, axe throwing, curling and more. You'll also have the opportunity to sip on boozy hot cocoa and other holiday cocktails while wandering through a light-filled Christmas tree walk.

The 2003 holiday movie Elf takes center stage at this Wrigleyville pop-up located inside of Stretch Bar & Grill, which gets dressed up with more than 1,000 decorative elves, Christmas trees and plenty of festive Christmas lights. Take a seat at tables stocked with the four main food groups (candy, candy canes, candy corn and syrup) and treat yourself to a plate of Buddy's breakfast pasta (spaghetti loaded with maple syrup, chocolate fudge and syrup, mini marshmallows and strawberry frosted pop tarts) or a beer served in a 36-ounce elf boot. Want to catch a glimpse of Buddy the elf himself? Visit the pop-up between Thursday and Sunday, when he's known to make appearances from time to time. 

Chicago's only Hanukkah-themed pop-up takes over The Graystone Tavern in Wrigleyville for another year, filling the bar and weatherproof patio with more than 30,000 blue-and-white lights, dreidel ornaments, lighted menorah and a Hanukkah sweater wall (among other festive bits of decor). Dine on Hanukkah classics like latkes and matzo ball soup alongside not-so-classic options like a gelt fudge sundae. Pair your meal with a novelty cocktail—we're going with the Mega Mensch Mule, a 96-ounce drink that serves 6-8 people. Chag Sameach!

Frosty's Christmas Bar near Goose Island brings three levels of festive fun, four bars, two dance floors, life-size toy soldiers and a themed soundtrack that keeps the crowd bumping well past midnight every night of the week. Don your favorite holiday attire and enjoy a glass of something boozy and marshmallow-topped while eating Christmas cookies amid the twinkling lights, tinsel and over-the-top decorations.

The weather outside might be frightful, but you'll be plenty cozy inside JoJo's Shake Bar, which has transformed every inch of its outdoor patio into a Winter Wonderland decorated with an eight-foot tall nutcracker, giant ornaments and thousands of string lights. Treat yourself to over-the-top shakes—such as the Winter Wonderland Biggie Shake, which is peppermint flavored and topped with cookies, marshmallows, a candy cane and a snowman made of donut holes—and fanciful seasonal cocktails like Santa's Sangria, and be sure to grab a table close to the pop-up's Christmas tree. You can also sign up for festive events, including mixology classes, ornament painting and gingerbread house decorating workshops.

Logan Square cocktail bar Pink Squirrel has been given a full makeover for the holidays. The space is decked out with festive ornaments, providing guests an immersive experience as they sip on milkshakes and cocktails while enjoying activities like cookie decorating and duckpin bowling. Reservations are only required for the bowling lanes.

River Grove tiki bar Hala Kahiki has transformed into Sippin’ Santa, a famed holiday pop-up with locations across the country. The tropical experience features over-the-top, kitschy decor and a themed cocktail menu, including new and returning drinks like Sugar Plum Mai Tai, Merry Spritzmas and Frosty the Merman.

Lettuce Entertain You’s popular tropical bar is transforming from a sandy paradise to a snowy winter escape for the season. Sip on special holiday cocktails, like the Mistletoe Mai Tai, Hot Buttered Rum and Eggnog Grasshopper, served in charming and festive vessels and glassware. Guests can even pick up their own mugs to take home or gift from the bar’s retail shop.

River West bar The Dandy Crown is transforming into a festive pop-up, complete with yuletide cheer and deliciously decadent cocktails. Sip both boozy and non-alcoholic concoctions made with seasonally-tinged ingredients and served in cheerful glassware. The bar will also host themed events, such as holiday trivia and an ugly sweater night, throughout December.

Taking over River North’s Tree House Chicago, this whimsical winter wonderland is filled with festive touches, enchanting decor and hidden surprises. Guests can step through ivy-covered doors and indulge in a curated menu of holiday cocktails while snapping pics in photo-ready spots.

Moe’s Cantina in Wrigleyville celebrates the spirit of Noche Buena with a Latin-themed holiday pop-up. The multi-sensory experience is infused with Latin music, holiday-inspired drinks and festive decorations reminiscent of a traditional Latin Christmas. Stop in for weekly themed programming like tropical nights—featuring salsa, cumbia, merengue, bachata and more—and loteria brunch on Sundays.

Located right across from Gallagher Way (and its winter wonderland), Wrigleyville cocktail spot Mordecai is spreading holiday cheer by decorating its second floor bar with festive string lights, hanging ornaments, colorful tinsel, mounted wreaths and more. The mixologists are complementing the space with creative libations like a winter-inspired old fashioned and gingerbread milk punch. Reservations are required so don’t forget to secure a spot before swinging by.

If you want some fun and games to accompany your holiday festivities, look no further than Headquarters Beercade. Expect over-the-top photo ops, like a full-sized Santa sleigh and naughty or nice thrones, plus a selection of themed holiday drinks.

Immerse yourself in a picture-perfect whimsical décor, sparkling lights and breathtaking Chicago skyline views from the 22nd floor and indulge in a delightful selection of holiday-themed cocktails, including steaming spiced mulled wine and chilled festive drinks. LondonHouse Chicago's rooftop also offers cozy heated igloos, which can be booked by contacting rsvp@londonhouse.com; reservations require a $600 food and drink minimum.

There’s plenty of cold weather fun to be had on the Art Deco-inspired terrace at the Gwen Hotel, which offers curling lanes plus fire pits and hot cocktails so you can warm up between rounds. Heat lamps are set up around the perimeter to keep things toasty and you can also hang out with a group around one of the fire tables.

The Godfrey’s rooftop becomes a winter wonderland when the temperatures plunge, featuring clear heated igloos decorated with festive lights that can be booked for groups of up to 10 people indulging in bottle service. Even if you’re not going all out, you can hang out at a booth under the retractable roof or gather around an outdoor fire pit for s’mores and a hot cocktail.

Look out over Lake Michigan and Millennium Park from the glass atrium on top of the Chicago Athletic Association hotel. The outdoor terrace is accessible year round and features fire pits to keep you toasty while you sip drinks. Cindy’s is running an après ski-inspired pop-up, with classic cold weather cocktails and themed decorations that transport guests to a snowy mountain getaway, daily through February 28.

Fairmont Chicago has brought back its seasonal experience, Fairmont Lodge, for another year of wintry fun. The hotel’s lobby is transformed into a wonderland featuring themed décor, festive programming and seasonal menus. Guests can reserve a Lodge experience and indulge in hand-crafted cocktails and sweet and savory fondue, capped off with some tabletop s'mores. There’s also live entertainment Thursday through Saturday.

Just because baseball season is over doesn't mean the action in Wrigleyville goes into hibernation. Alma, the Hotel Zachary bar located across from Wrigley Field, is bringing back its heated terrace globes from November 16 to January 26. Up to six guests can enjoy holiday cocktails or kid-friendly options like hot chocolate, eggnog or sparkling cider, plus a build-your-own s’mores station curated by Amy’s Candy Bar. The globes also come equipped with a record player so you can play some holiday tunes, as well as board games and Polaroid cameras to help capture those picture-perfect moments.

The Talbott Hotel has turned its Gallery and patio into a cozy, whiskey-fueled haven. Guests can wrap themselves in blankets, sip on boozy or nonalcoholic hot cocoa and cider, enjoy cocktails from High West Whiskey (like the Hip Flask Pioneer served in a keepsake flask) and toast marshmallows for tabletop s’mores.

The six-time Tony Award-winning production kicks off its national tour with a five-month run in Chicago. Nineteen years after Harry, Ron, and Hermione saved the wizarding world, they’re back on a most extraordinary new adventure—joined by a brave new generation, including Harry’s son Albus—that threatens to change the past and future forever. The play has sold over 10 million tickets worldwide since its world premiere in London in July 2016, and holds a record 60 major honors.

Iconic chocolate brand Hershey has brought its first-ever immersive attraction to Water Tower Place, transporting guests to a whimsical, real-life candyland. Upon entering the indoor play experience, guests will explore various themed zones to discover what makes Hershey treats so special. From navigating a Twizzlers maze to celebrating the perfect combination in Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, it’s family-friendly fun that tugs at the heartstrings. Plus, when you’re finished, stop by the retail store to snag limited-edition merch.

This new exhibition from Chicago Gamespace and the Cleve Carney Museum explores the history of legendary Chicago video game company Midway and its rise to prominence in the ‘90s. Take a look at behind-the-scenes videos, interviews with former game designers, and art, or try your hand at any of the 15 playable arcade games. Midway’s celebrated legacy includes hits like NARC, Smash TV, Terminator 2, Mortal Kombat, NBA Jam and Cruis’N USA.

Come join us at Time Out Market Chicago during football season to catch the Bears in action on the big screen. We'll be showing the games—with sound—each week on a 32 feet wide by 6 feet tall screen, and you can chow down on a variety of delicious eats like fried chicken, burgers and tacos while sipping a cold beer or cocktail. So gather the crew and cheer on the Bears!

Escape the planet with exhibits about the first lunar missions, the solar system and more, plus immersive shows in the dome theater. The Doane Observatory is also home to the largest public telescope in the area, and gathers 7,000 times more light than the human eye. Every Wednesday, the Adler stays open late from 4pm-10pm so that folks can visit after work or school. And best of all, admission is free on those nights for Illinois residents.

Displaying a 25-story-tall video installation on the side of THE MART, ART on THE MART is the largest permanent digital art projection in the world, with programming that changes seasonally. ART on THE MART's array of 34 digital projectors show the creations after dusk every evening. It’s best viewed from the section of the Chicago Riverwalk between Wells Street and Franklin Street.

The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry has debuted an exhibit dedicated to the science and technology behind the world’s longest-running film franchise, James Bond. Fans can check out 13 vehicles and over 90 additional artifacts, including the prototype jetpack used in Thunderball, an MI6 Retina Scanner from GoldenEye and the Parahawk snowmobile hybrid from The World Is Not Enough. You’ll also be able to step into a lab space inspired by “Q” and test your skills developing the perfect vehicle for spy activities, designing stunts and more.

One of Navy Pier’s newest attractions transports guests to some of Chicago’s most epic places via exhilarating flights. The multi-sensory experience incorporates drone technologies with aerial shots and first-person views to showcase the city like never before. Guests will swoop, dip and turn in motion seats as they climb up skyscrapers, check out iconic landmarks, float through fireworks and more.

The largest and most immersive touring Titanic exhibition has come to Westfield Old Orchard mall in Skokie. Visitors will experience a narrative journey that brings to light the fates of the passengers and crew aboard the famous ship. Marvel at hundreds of artifacts that survived the sinking, plus props and costumes featured in James Cameron’s blockbuster film Titanic. Music from the era will play as patrons walk through detailed recreations of the ship’s interiors, including the grand staircase, while the Discovery Gallery will simulate what discovery teams saw during dives to the Titanic’s wreckage site.

This weekly “live magazine” is a cavalcade of culture, politics and wit featuring journalists, actors, comedians and musicians offering idiosyncratic reports on the news of the day. Head to Uptown’s iconic Green Mill for drinks, hot takes and laughs; the longstanding Saturday afternoon edition tends to run about two and a half hours.

What’s better than a show at the Empty Bottle? A free show at the Empty Bottle. Every Monday, Chicago’s premier indie rock club hosts a free concert. Check the website for a schedule of upcoming performances and to RSVP.

Bye Bye Liver combines two robust Chicago traditions: comedy and heavy drinking. The show opened over a decade ago for a three-week run, then kept getting extended. A cast of four to six performers portray characters at the fictional "Franks Bar," telling stories that explore the city's robust drinking culture. Each show incorporates interactive audience drinking games, allowing you to sip a cocktail or beer while taking cues from the cast. And if you're up for a nightcap after the performance, you can stick around for the official after party and mingle with the cast.

For more than 30-years, the Neo-Futurists have been delighting late-night crowds with performances that pack 30 miniature plays into a 60-minute show. Returning to in-person programming (attendees must be vaccinated and masked) after more than a year spent in the virtual realm, the company's signature show is more unpredictable than ever, with a handful of compact new plays premiering every week. Within the span of 10 minutes, you may be treated to a poignant monologue about everyday life or an irreverent diatribe delivered by a pantsless member of the cast—all inspired by the experiences of the performers on stage. Always changing and evolving, it's the rare show that truly offers something different everytime you show up to see it.

--