39 Things To Do In Chicago This Weekend: An Ugly Sweater Party, Skating With Santa And More (2024)

CHICAGO — Shop small for the holidays at local makers markets, meet Santa and make crafts at the parks, indulge in Palestinian cuisine at a new food pop-up and so much more.

Here’s a roundup of 39 things to do in Chicago this weekend:

Adults Night Out: Holidaze

6:30-10 p.m. Thursday

Lincoln Park Zoo, 2200 N. Cannon Dr.

Zoo goers can enjoy animal chats, live DJs, ice carving, pop-up bars, snack carts, holiday light displays and more for the Lincoln Park Zoo’s final 21+ night of the year. Tickets start at $30 for general admission. Buy them here.

YJP Chanukkah Party

7-10 p.m. Thursday

The Living Room, 1632 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Dance the night away at this annual Chanukkah party, featuring an open bar, live entertainment and a Chinese food buffet. Admission is $20. Tickets are available online.

Cocoa, Cookies & Crafts At The Park

Noon-3 p.m. Friday

Chicago Women’s Park and Gardens, 1801 S. Indiana Ave.

Celebrate the holidays at this family-friendly event featuring treats and activities for all ages. Admission is free but attendees should register online.

Holiday Market

3-7 p.m. Friday

Revival Food Hall, 125 S. Clark St.

Venture to the heart of the Loop and shop handmade jewelry, aromatherapy, handwoven fiber art and more from local creatives.

Rollin’ With Santa

3:30-7 p.m. Friday

Loyola Park Field House, 1230 W. Greenleaf Ave.

Rollerskate with Santa at this free, family-friendly party hosted by the Chicago Park District. There will also be holiday crafts, light snacks and hot chocolate. Children ages 3-7 can sign up here, and children ages 7-13 can sign up here.

Bronzeville Holiday Bazaar Weekend

4-7 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Absolutely Anything Essential Gift Shop, 3521 S. King Dr.

Shop small for the holidays at Bronzeville’s bazaar this weekend, featuring local vendors, service providers, business owners and artisans. There will be photo opportunities and various interactive activities for all ages, including candle- and soap-making and a Kids Zone. General admission is free. RSVP here.

Holiday Cookie Decorating

5-7 p.m. Friday

Revival Food Hall, 125 S. Clark St.

Show off your icing skills with this cookie-decorating class, where attendees will adorn sugar cookies with frosting and sprinkles. Guests can also enjoy a specialty drink from Revival’s Peppermint Lounge, a festive pop-up serving seasonal coffees and co*cktails. Tickets are $25 online.

Ravenswood Light Up Nights

5-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Various locations through Ravenswood

There will be holiday lights, live music, a tree lighting ceremony, carols, hot cocoa and more at this 4th annual Ravenswood celebration. Find the full event schedule and tour map here.

“Naughty Or Nice” Night At The Museum

6-10 p.m. Friday

Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr.

Celebrate the season with a night at the museum, complete with holiday exhibits, seasonal co*cktails and hot cocoa. Attendees can also snap naughty (or nice) selfies with Santa Claus and Krampus. Tickets are $35 for guests and $30 for museum members. Purchase them online.

Ugly Sweater Party

6:30-10:30 p.m. Friday

WNDR Museum, 1130 W. Monroe St.

Pull on your ugliest holiday sweater for this thirrd annual celebration, featuring DJ Simmy, interactive art experiences and more. There will also be s’mores-making stations and various seasonal drinks, including a hot cocoa bar, mulled wine and spiced cider. Tickets start at $28 online.

‘A Nativity Tribute’

7:30 p.m. Friday, 740 E. 56th Pl.

The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center, 740 E. 56th Pl.

Watch a family-friendly, musical Nativity tribute performance. The recommended age for attendees is 6 years and older. Tickets are available here.

Weihnachtsfeier Christmas Party

7:30-11:45 p.m. Friday

DANK Haus German American Cultural Center, 4740 N. Western Ave.

Don your ugliest Christmas sweater and cozy up at this annual Christmas party, complete with cookies, cakes, sing-alongs and a wrapped gift exchange. RSVP online.

‘Awkward Sex … And The City’

8 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Color Club, 4146 N. Elston Ave.

Get ready for a night of laughs as comedians relive their humorous and awkward sexual misadventures — from cocaine-infused one-night stands to IBS flare-ups during intimate moments. The show takes taboo subjects and creates a safe space through comedy. Tickets are $15 online and $20 at the door.

Studio Saturday: Comics in the Galleries

10 a.m. Saturday

National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St.

Children ages 7-12 are invited to explore the National Museum of Mexican Art’s galleries during a guided visit. Attendees will be able to observe multiple artworks, discuss their themes and content, then create comic strips inspired by them. The event is free, but attendees must RSVP by emailingangela@nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org.

Avondale Antique Holiday Pop-Up Shop

11 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday-Monday

Kurt Gippert Bookseller, 2898 N. Milwaukee Ave.

An Avondale antique holiday pop-up shop offers a mix of home decor, design books, clothing and artwork. Kurt Gippert Bookseller is selling a small selection of gift and collector-quality books, maps and prints. All of the proceeds from the discounted books will be donated to Logan Square Preservation for their ongoing efforts to increase neighborhood beautification.

Lot’sa Holiday Market

10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday

Color Club, 4146 N. Elston Ave. and Lot’sa Shop, 4150 N. Elston Ave.

Support local creators at Lot’sa Shop’s inaugural Holiday Market, where vendors will be selling artwork, accessories, mugs, clothing, stationary and more.

Ommi Foods: A Palestinian Pop-Up Brunch

11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday

Guild Row, 3130 N. Rockwell St.

Immerse yourself in Palestinian culture with this pop-up brunch featuring shareable dishes, dessert, coffee, tea and co*cktails. Sign up online.

Renegade Craft Fair

11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Morgan Manufacturing, 401 N. Morgan St.

Shop small just in time for the holidays at the Renegade Craft Fair, which returns this weekend with more than 170 small businesses and creatives.

Storytime In The Galleries

11:30 a.m. Saturday

National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St.

Meet at the museum for a family-friendly reading of “Family Pictures” Carmen Lomas Garza. In the bilingual book, the Chicana artist shares the inspiration behind her paintings and documents her favorite memoies growing up in South Texas. Admission is free, but attendees must register by emailingangela@nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org.

Zine Fest

Noon-4 p.m. Saturday

Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave.

Celebrate the DIY medium of zines at this year’s Zine Fest. Attendees can collaboratively create a zine based around this year’s chosen topic of traditional Mexican foods, their history and evolution — from corn and watermelon to mole. Tickets start at $10, and youth ages 18 and under get in free. Register and buy tickets online. ASL interpretation is provided.

Chicago Vintage Fest: Holiday Market

Noon-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

19 E. 21st St.

Shop from more than 40 vintage and handmade vendors, grab bites from local food truck vendors, play arcade games, enjoy live DJ sets and more at this holiday market. RSVP online.

Ravenswood Makers Market

1-6 p.m. Saturday

KOVAL Distillery, 4241 N. Ravenswood Ave.

Need a last-minute gift idea? With a drink in hand, shop handmade goods at this makers market, where local artists will sell handmade jewelry, knit goods, home decor, soap, paintings and more.

Christmas Jazz Concert

6-9:30 p.m. Saturday

Principle Barbers, 3820 W. Ogden Ave.

Enjoy a free BYOB jazz show ahead of the holidays, featuring artists such as JeremyJoél andtheMessengersof Black Music, Kennedy Ray, DJ Drake Phifer and more. Complimentary drinks will also be available.

Juice Wrld Day

6:30 p.m. Saturday

United Center, 1901 W. Madison St.

Celebrate Juice Wrld’s music and legacy at this third annual celebration, which features unreleased content, special guests, merchandise and more. Tickets start at $35.95 online.

Rock & Rye Holidaze Party

7 p.m. Saturday

On Tour Brewing Co., 1725 W. Hubbard St.

Enjoy two sets of electric Grateful Dead music, beer and holiday cheer.

Asian Improv aRts: Reduction 9

7 p.m. Saturday

Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 220 E. Chicago Ave.

Enjoy free, fluid improvisation, steady melodies and Japanese instrumentation for the 9th edition of “Reduction,” a theatrical production bridging modernity and tradition. The show features Grandmasters Chizuru Kineya and Yoshinojo Fujima, music legends Hamid Drake and Michael Zerang, classical dancer Kanshichinao Fujima and more. Tickets are $25 online.

Chicago Maqam: Gaza Benefit Concert

8:30 p.m. Saturday

3111 N. Western Ave.

Hear local group Chicago Maqam play traditional Arabic music on a variety of percussion and string instruments, including the oud, nay and accordion. The concert — performed by Issam Rafea, Karim Nagi, Naeif Rafeh, Ronnie Malley and Wanees Zarour — will help raise money for Doctors Without Borders and the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund. Tickets are $25 online.

Santa Brunch & Playtime

11 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday

Chicago Sports Museum, 835 N. Michigan Ave.

Gather with family friends for a brunch buffet and photos with Santa. There will also be a hot chocolate bar, museum exhibits, games and activities for all ages.

Hyde Park Handmade Artisan Bazaar

11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday

The Promontory, 5311 S. Lake Park West Ave.

This family-friendly, indoor market features makers from across Chicago’s south side. There will also be crafts, food, a co*cktail bar, a live DJ, lounge areas and more.

Santa Claus At The Park

1-3 p.m. Sunday

Kilbourn Park, 3501 N. Kilbourn Ave.

Meet Santa, enjoy cookies and make arts and crafts at the park.

Asian Improv aRts: Taiko Legacy 20th Anniversary Concert

2 p.m. Sunday

Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 220 E. Chicago Ave.

This annual concert is one of the largest taiko presentations in the Midwest, highlighting Asian American performing arts. The show features a blend of musical styles, including geisha chamber music, classical, folk and theater music, and festival taiko music. Guest artists include Grandmasters Chizuru Kineya and Yoshinojo Fujima, classical dancer Kanshichinao Fujima and more. Tickets are $25 online.

Santa Skate

3:20-5:50 p.m. Sunday

Fifth Third Arena, 1801 W. Jackson St.

Skate with Santa and enjoy arts, crafts and other holiday activities. Register for $15 online.

‘Mary, A Holiday Dansical’

6 p.m. Sunday

Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th St.

This one-night-only performance offers a modern twist on “Black Nativity,” telling the story through ballet, hip hop, tap and contemporary dance. The show — presented by Black Girls Dance, which empowers young women of color to pursue professional dance — also features classic holiday songs such as “Mary, Did You Know” and “Joy to the World.” Tickets for $20-40 are available for purchase here.

Zeds Dead

8 p.m. Thursday-Friday

The Salt Shed, 1357 N. Elston Ave.

Party it up with Zeds Dead for shows this Thursday and Friday night at The Salt Shed.

Travis Scott

8 p.m. Friday

United Center, 1901 W. Madison St.

See Travis Scott live for a wild arena show at United Center this week.

Spray Paint ‘N’ Sing

7 p.m. Friday

The Graff, 103 E. Oak St.

Head to The Graff for a special holiday edition of Spray Paint ‘N’ Sing.

Dim Sum & Drag w/ Bom Bae and Mulan Alexander

Noon Saturday

Furama, 4936 N. Broadway

Stop by Furama for a dim sum brunch featuring Asian drag kings and queens.

Sappho Bingo

4 p.m. Sunday

Whiskey Girl Tavern, 6318 N. Clark St.

From the creators of Strapped, catch Sappho Bingo going down this Sunday at Whiskey Girl Tavern.

No Chill: A Winter Break Hip-Hop Showcase

4 p.m. Sunday

Bourbon on Division, 2050 W. Division St.

Don’t miss a good time at Bourbon on Division with No Chiill: A Winter Break Hip-Hop Showcase.

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