The best things to do in Chicago this weekend

Seen by more than 130 million people worldwide, Les Misérables is one of the most popular musicals of all time. It will make its return to Chicago in December when Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed production arrives for a limited engagement. The epic musical, set in 19th century France, is a timeless story of broken dreams, unrequited love, sacrifice and redemption.

A popular spectacle during the summertime, fireworks at Navy Pier return on Saturday nights throughout the month of December, along with a special show on New Year’s Eve. The stunning display of pyrotechnics is best viewed from the South Dock, just west of the Wave Wall.

Since 1997, a trio of performers covered in bright blue paint have headlined the Briar Street Theater in Lakeview. But come January, the iconic Blue Man Group will end its run, so this is your last chance to see them in Chicago. The group's show has evolved throughout the years, incorporating new compositions, narratives and state-of-the-art technology. At its core though, this production is all about combining percussion, music, physical comedy and buckets of brightly-colored paint in ways that make you want to jump out of your seat and dance along to the beat.

Chicago farmers market season is well past its peak, but you can still get in on the fresh produce action during this winter edition of the Wicker Park market, which pops up inside The Robey on select Sundays from December through March. Browse goods from more than 15 local, rotating vendors like Donutistry, Hook Point Fisheries and The Love U Collective—and you can always grab a coffee from Cafe Robey to sip on while you stock up.

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 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!

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.

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.

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 activities 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.

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.

Inspired by 2024’s breakout star—Chappell Roan—and her hit song “Pink Pony Club,” Big Star has turned its Wrigleyville outpost into a holiday honky tonk pop-up. Enjoy limited-time items like Smokey Brisket Nachos and Cowboy Coffee while jamming out to Christmas tunes combined with modern country-infused classics. The space is glammed up for the occasion as well, boasting glittery hanging ornaments and a Christmas tree dressed up in pink cowboy hats.

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.

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 recommended but walk-ins are welcome.

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.

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.

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 plays as patrons walk through detailed recreations of the ship’s interiors, including the grand staircase, while the Discovery Gallery simulates what discovery teams saw during dives to the Titanic’s wreckage site.

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.

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. The company's signature show is more unpredictable than ever these days, 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.

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.