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April 2026 events calendar for Chicago

Plan your April in Chicago with our calendar of the best things to do, including concerts, theater and art exhibits.

Christina Izzo
Written by Christina Izzo
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Get excited, Chicagoans, because spring in Chicago is officially here. (Bye-bye snow!) The warmer temps are perfect for hiking near Chicago or taking a day trip to enjoy a quick getaway but there’ll be plenty of fun in the city, too. For movie lovers, there's the return of Doc10 Fest and MUBI Fest Chicago. Art buffs can get their fill at the annual EXPO Chicago and ART on the MART. There's also plenty to do outside, including the city's much-anticipated cherry blossom viewing and the spring flower show at the Garfield Park Conservatory. So celebrate the spring season—and all the new beginnings that go along with it—with our list of the best things to do in Chicago this April.

RECOMMENDED: Events calendar for Chicago in 2026

The best events in Chicago this April

The Paper Machete

  • Comedy
  • Uptown
  • Recommended
The Paper Machete
The Paper Machete
Photograph: Sarah Larson
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.

EmotionAir: Art You Can Feel

  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • Avondale
EmotionAir: Art You Can Feel
EmotionAir: Art You Can Feel
Photograph: Shannon Shreibak
With soundstage-sized pieces like horned sculptures emitting soap bubbles, inflated spheres bedecked in abstract squiggles and surreal faceless figures hovering in space, “EmotionAir” reimagines the humble balloon as any other artistic medium—a conduit for creativity and emotion. 
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WONDRA

  • Things to do
  • Suburbs
WONDRA
WONDRA
Photograph: Courtesy WONDRA
Just when you thought the state's largest mall couldn't surprise you anymore, Woodfield Mall announces WONDRA, a sprawling new immersive experience. Inside, you’ll wander through enchanted meadows that respond to the sound of your voice, stumble across bioluminescent landscapes and drift into crystal caves and celestial gardens that blur the line between digital spectacle and raw wonder. Every corner is crafted to ignite curiosity and inspire a sense of awe we, whether you’re a kid seeing it all for the first time or an adult who forgot what it feels like to play.
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Crafting Character: The Costumes of Paul Tazewell

  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • Hyde Park
Crafting Character: The Costumes of Paul Tazewell
Crafting Character: The Costumes of Paul Tazewell
Photo Credit: Daniel Boud, Sydney Morning Herald
How are some of the most iconic costumes of the past century made? Costume designer Paul Tazewell pulls back the curtain in this behind-the-scenes exhibition. Highlights include costumes from Wicked, Janelle Monáe’s MET Gala looks and Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story. Sketches, videos and narration reveal how imagination becomes wearable art.
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Vintage House Chicago Market

  • Things to do
  • Lake View
Vintage House Chicago Market
Vintage House Chicago Market
Photograph: Shutterstock
Every local thrifter worth one's salt knows that Vintage House Chicago is a treasure trove holding some of the city's best secondhand scores. The bimonthly vintage and handmade market showcases local makers and curators at rotating venues throughout the city. Each market features a new lineup, so you can plan on finding something new every time.

Adler at Night

  • Museums
  • Museum Campus
Adler at Night
Adler at Night
Photograph: Courtesy Adler Planetarium
Escape the planet with exhibits about the first lunar missions, the solar system and more, plus immersive shows in the dome theater. Stationed just a stone's throw away from the Adler, 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.
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360 Sky Yoga

  • Sports and fitness
  • Yoga & Pilates
  • Streeterville
  • price 2 of 4
  • Recommended
360 Sky Yoga
360 Sky Yoga
Photograph: Courtesy 360 CHICAGO
Head to 360 Chicago on Saturdays for yoga with a killer view. Instructor Britta Eumann will lead an hour-long class on the 94th floor of 875 North Michigan Avenue (formerly the John Hancock Center) that’s suitable for all ages and skill levels—you just need to bring your own mat and arrived properly dressed. Registration is $55 and includes a cocktail or coffee, plus admission to the observation deck so you can stick around and snap some photos after you're done striking poses on the mat.
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MoCP at Fifty: Collecting Through the Decades

  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • Loop
MoCP at Fifty: Collecting Through the Decades
MoCP at Fifty: Collecting Through the Decades
Photograph: Courtesy of Museum of Contemporary Photography
The Museum of Contemporary Photography celebrates its 50th anniversary with a sweeping look at its collection. Each of the museum's five galleries will represent a decade of collecting, beginning with its most recent acquisitions (2016-2026) in the first gallery, then rewinding through time. The retrospective features rarely exhibited and newly acquired works by influential photographers including Dorothea Lange, Harry Callahan and Robert Frank.
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Drunk Shakespeare Chicago

  • Things to do
  • Performances
  • Loop
  • price 2 of 4
Drunk Shakespeare Chicago
Drunk Shakespeare Chicago
Photograph: Mike Sause
You’ve probably seen a Shakespeare play before, but never like this. Five professional actors come together for each performance of Drunk Shakespeare. The twist? One of them has had five shots before the show and is trying to stay on track while the other four actors do their best to hold the performance together.
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The Infinite Wrench

  • Experimental
  • Uptown
  • price 1 of 4
The Infinite Wrench
The Infinite Wrench
Photograph: Joe Mazza
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.
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