Kick-off the new year and a brand new decade with the ultimate guide to Chicago’s biggest events, festivals, and things to do in 2020. Chicago is a city that is full of fun things to do in the city month after month. From festivals to parades, concerts, and annual celebrations, this year is sure to be full of fun events both old and new.
Check out the festival events guides below or click on a month to see what’s coming up. See the release dates for the city’s biggest events of 2020 and plan your calendar accordingly.
January
January 1st – Jan. 12, 2020: Winter Wonderfest at Navy Pier
January 9 – 19, 2020: Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival
January 10 – 26, 2020: Fillet of Solo Festival
January 25, 2020: Winter Brew
January 11, 2020: Chicago Ale Fest
January – March 2020: Ice skating in Millennium Park
January 24 – Feb. 9, 2020: Chicago Restaurant Week
February
February 2, 2020: Lunar New Year Parade
February 13 – 23, 2020: Chicago Theatre Week
February 14 – 16, 2020: All-Star Weekend
Feb 8 – 17, 2020: Chicago Auto Show
February 23, 2020: Chicago Volunteer Expo
February 28 – March 1, 2020: C2E2: Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo
March
March 1, 2020: Cochon 555
March 3, 2020: Polar Plunge for the Special Olympics
March 14, 2020: St. Patrick’s Day Downtown Parade & River Dyeing
March 14, 2020: Global Connections: Holi
March 18 – 22, 2020: Chicago Flower & Garden Show at Navy Pier
March 2020: Good Food Festival
March 2020: Macy’s Flower Show
April
April 3 – 5, 2020: Black Women’s Expo
April 4, 2020: Free Museum Day
April 18, 2020: Baconfest Chicago
April 18, 2020: Wingfest
April 2020: Macy’s Flower Show
April 2020: I Heart Halal
April – November 2020: Made in Chicago
May
May 2, 2020: Chicago Kids and Kites Festival
May 2, 2020: Chicago Beer Classic
May 5, 2020: Switch on Summer
May 14 – 20, 2020: Chicago Antiques + Art + Design Show
May 16, 2020: Wright Plus Housewalk
May 15, 2020: Manifest Urban Arts Festival
May 15 – 16, 2020: Chicago Zine Fest
May 15 – 17, 2020: Lincoln Park Wine Festival
May 21 – 23, 2020: 5th Annual Chicago House Music Conference & Festival
May 21 – 23, 2020: Chicago House Music Festival
May 22 – 24, 2020: Mole De Mayo
May 23, 2020: Chicago Memorial Day Parade
May 23 – 24, 2020: Randolph Street Market Festival
May 23 – 24, 2020: Belmont-Sheffield Music Fest
May 24, 2020: Bike the Drive
May 26 – 30, 2020: Chicago Gospel Music Festival
May 27 – 30, 2020: The Other Art Fair
May 28 – 31, 2020: Maifest
May 26 – 30, 2020: Chicago Gospel Music Festival
May 31 – June 2, 2020: Taste Of Mexico In Little Village
May 29 – 31, 2020: Do Division Street Fest & Sidewalk Sale
May 2020: Beer Under the Glass
May 2020: Illinois Craft Beer Week
May – October 2020: Chicago Riverwalk
June
June 1: Taste of Randolph Street
June 1 – 2, 2020: 57th Street Art Fair
June 5 – 7, 2020: Chicago Blues Festival
June 5 – 7, 2020: Lincoln Park Greek Fest
June 6 – 7, 2020: Hyde Park Brew Fest
June – August 2020: Millennium Park Music Series
June 13 – 14, 2020: Old Town Art Fair
June 5 – 7, 2020: Chicago Blues Festival
June 6 – 7, 2020: Printers Row Lit Fest
June 10 – August 15, 2020: Grant Park Music Festival
June 12 – 14, 2020: Ribfest Chicago
June 21 – 22, 2020: World’s Largest Block Party
June 2020: Ruido Fest
June 20 – 21, 2020, Ravenswood On Tap
June 20 – 21, 2020: Pride Fest Chicago
June 26 – 28, 2020: Millennium Art Festival
June 28, 2020: Chicago Pride Parade
June 25 – Aug. 22, 2020: Chicago Summerdance
July
July 3 – 5, 2020: Windy City Ribfest In Uptown
July 3 – 5, 2020: African/Caribbean International Festival Of Life
July 8 – 12, 2020: Taste of Chicago.
July 2020: 17th Annual Silver Room Block Party
July 4, 2020: Fourth Of July Fireworks At Navy Pier
July 30, 2020: Chosen Few DJs Picnic & Music Festival
July 10 – 12, 2020: Windy City Smokeout
July 11 – 12, 2020: Southport Art & Music Fest
July 2020: Pitchfork Music Festival
July 2020: Chalk Howard Street
July 18 – 19, 2020: Artfest Michigan Avenue
July 20 – 21, 2020: Chicago Craft Beer Festival
July 21, 2020: Chinatown Summer Fair
July 25 – 26, 2020: Chicago Margarita Festival
July 30 – August 2: Fiesta Del Sol
July 30 – Aug. 2, 2020: Lollapalooza
August
August 1 – 2, 2020: Edge Fest
August 7 – 9, 2020: Ginza Festival
August 8 – 9, 2020: Northalsted Market Days
August 15 – 16, 2020: Chicago Air & Water Show
August 18 – 20, 2020: Lincoln Square Greek Fest
August/September 2020: North Coast Music Festival
August/September 2020: Great American Lobster Fest
August/September 2020: Taste of Polonia
August/September 2020: African Festival of the Arts
August 2020: Jeff Fest
August 2020: Retro On Roscoe
August 2020: Chicago Hot Dog Fest
August 2020: Bud Billiken Parade
August 2020: My House Music Festival
August 14 – 16, 2020: Edison Park Fest
August 2020: Windy City Carnival
August 2020: Pilsen Fest
August – October 2020: Midnight Circus in the Parks
August 15 – 16, 2020: Sangria Festival
August 23 – 25, 2020: Taste Of Greektown
August 28 – September 6, 2020: Chicago Jazz Festival
September
September 11 – 12, 2020: ¡Súbelo! – A Celebration of Pan Latin Music and Culture
September 11 – 27, 2020: World Music Festival Chicago.
September 11 – 13, 2020: Riot Fest & Carnival
September 12 – 13, 2020: Lakeview East Festival of the Arts
September 14 – 15, 2020: Chicago Bourbon & Barbecue Fest
September 21 – 22, 2020: Sam Adams’ Lakeview Taco Fest
September 25 – 27, 2020: Chicago Gourmet
September 24 – 27, 2020: Expo Chicago
September 2020: Throwback Music Festival
September 2020: Chicago Architecture Biennial
September 2020: Oktoberfest Chicago At St. Alphonsus
September 2020: World Dumpling Fest
September 2020: Inherit Chicago
September 2020: Mexican Independence Parade
September 2020: 79th Street Renaissance Festival
September 2020: Chicago Football Classic
October
October 3 -4, 2020: Apple Fest
October 9, 2020: Fleurotica
October 17 – 18, 2020: Open House Chicago.
October 26 – 29, 2020: Chicago Ideas Week.
October 11, 2020: Bank of America Chicago Marathon
November
November 2020: 107th Christmas Tree Lightening and Holiday Celebrations.
November 5-8, 2020: Sofa Art + Design Fair
November 2020: Magnificent Mile Lights Festival
November 2020 – January 2021: Zoolights at Lincoln Park Zoo
Nov. 26, 2020: Thanksgiving Parade
November 2020 – March 2021: Ice skating in Millennium Park
December
December 31, 2020: New Years’ Eve Fireworks at Navy Pier.
December 3 – 6, 2020: One of a Kind Holiday Show.
Check out the monthly breakdown of the best do in Chicago by checking out the monthly events guide.
