April 2023 events calendar for Chicago

Get ready to show off your most creative and exquisite cosplay outfit when the Chicago
Comic & Entertainment Expo, one of the largest pop culture conventions in the country,
returns to its annual stomping grounds at McCormick Place. You'll be able to wander through a massive wonderland filled with comics, toys, games, movies and television. Mingle with fellow fans, search for one-of-a-kind merch or attend live panels featuring some of biggest names in the industry. This year’s guest lineup includes Tom Welling, Matt Lanter, Chris Evans and more.

Golden-Con, the Golden Girls fan convention that debuted in Chicago last year, is back for another go. Celebrating the critically acclaimed sitcom that ran from 1985 to 1992, the three-day event will feature special guest appearances, live performances, a vendor market, a costume parade, a trivia tournament and much more. So channel your inner Dorothy, Blanche, Rose or Sophia and get ready for a weekend of Golden Girl festivities.

The Chicago Latino Film Fest returns for its 39th year, showing films from Latin America, Spain, Portugal and the United States via screenings at Landmark Century Centre Cinema and AMC River East. This year's programming lineup includes highlights like Claudia Sainte-Luce's dramedy Love & Mathematics as well as Patricia Ortega's comedy Mamacruz, which will serve as the festival's closer. For a complete schedule of screenings, check out the Chicago Latino Film Festival website.

This annual festival assembles luminaries from the fields of politics, journalism and the arts for a multi-week series of programming across the city, with events ranging from lectures and discussions to screenings and musical performances. Not sure which events to hit? Some of the fest’s biggest speakers include Hillary Clinton, Rainn Wilson, Andrew Rannells and Andy Cohen. You can see a full schedule of programming on the Chicago Humanities Festival website. 

Presented by the experts at the Rum Lab, the Chicago Rum Festival (formerly the Midwest Run Festival) brings together producers from across the world for an afternoon of tastings and mingling. Guests can choose from one of three different tickets and work their way through a variety of rum expressions, accompanied by complimentary snacks and live music. All attendees will receive a three-ounce souvenir cup.

There'll be no need to worry about April showers at this outdoor restaurant pop-up, where you and up to five friends can enjoy a three-course dinner from an award-winning chef along with views of the Chicago River and the bustling action on Michigan Avenue—all while sitting inside a clear, temperature-controlled dome. The pop-up concept, which has already made stops in cities like Toronto and San Diego, will feature four locally-sourced menu options: beef, chicken, fish and vegan. A full beverage menu will also be available.

The International Exposition of Contemporary and Modern Art (better known as EXPO Chicago) returns to Navy Pier, hosting more than 170 of the world's prominent contemporary galleries. You’ll see towering installations, sprawling canvases, intriguing sculptures and more cutting-edge art at this annual gathering, which features work by artists from around the globe. EXPO Chicago also presents conversations with artists, public art installations and more ways to immerse yourself in the creative spirit of the event. 

They call this three-day market One of a Kind for a reason. A whopping 300 artists from around the country will fill out one floor in the Merchandise Mart for the spring edition of this seasonal bazaar. Take a look at the show's website for a full list of vendors making everything from handpainted ceramic mugs and cool textured pillows to carved wooden bottlestoppers. Come for the shopping and stick around for daily fashion shows and a gourmet market stocked with lots of tasty treats. 

Experience 5,000 years of Chinese history through dance, enchanting live orchestra music, authentic costumes and interactive backdrops. Shen Yun brings audiences back to a time when divine beings walked the earth— performances feature around 20 pieces that rapidly move between regions, legends and dynasties. The classical Chinese dance company tours the globe with an all-new program each year, working to preserve the traditions of Chinese culture.

The smash hit musical comedy returns to Chicago for a limited run through March and April. The irreverent show created by South Park honchos Trey Parker and Matt Stone and Frozen composer Robert Lopez is equal parts foul-mouthed, gleefully blasphemous and sweet-natured, and still knows just how to ring our bells with its culture clash of Mormon missionaries out of their depth in deeply depressed northern Uganda.

From the team that created Immersive Van Gogh, Mozart Immersive: The Soul of a Genius is a new production that brings the famous Classical composer’s brilliant works to life with  captivating visuals built around the auditory experience. Audiences will be surrounded by bustling city streets, ornate royal auditoriums, lavish paintings and otherworldly dreamscapes, all accompanied by some of Mozart’s most beloved melodies. Some of Mozart’s best compositions will be featured, including Symphony No. 40, Requiem, Turkish March, Ave Verum Corpus and selections from his acclaimed operas.

Bring the kids along to this festive, Easter-themed 5K or 10K race, where participants can throw on a pair of bunny ears (included in the price of entry) and run through a course that begins and ends at Arvey Field in Grant Park. After the race ends, children ages 2–10 can take part in an egg hunt or line up to have their photos taken with the Easter Bunny.

Depeche Mode is embarking on its first tour in over five years to support its newly-released album Memento Mori. The English band will hit town in early April on the first leg of its massive worldwide tour, and be joined by opening act Kelly Lee Owens.

Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Katori Hall and directed by Phyllida Lloyd, this new musical focuses on Tina Turner’s journey from humble beginnings to global stardom. Set to the soundtrack of Turner’s greatest hits, the production tells the story of how she broke racial, gender and age barriers to become the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll.

The Joffrey Ballet closes its 67th season with the Chicago premiere of John Neumeier’s The Little Mermaid. This hauntingly beautiful production blends dance, dramatic storytelling and spectacle into a stunning interpretation of the tragic folktale. The story follows a mermaid who saves a ship’s captain’s life and falls in love, only to suffer the heartbreak of unrequited love. Featuring an original score by Lera Auerbach, the music will be performed by the Lyric Opera Orchestra.

Yer a wizard, Harry! Or at least, you can pretend to be one at this immersive Harry Potter experience that’s popping up at Water Tower Place through May 2023. Visitors are invited to step into Harry’s life at Hogwarts with interactive features like Quidditch lessons, Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts classes, sipping sweet drinks at the Butterbeer Bar, Patronus-seeking in the Forbidden Forest and learning their Hogwarts house via the Sorting Hat, among other magical experiences. FYI: In addition to regular operating hours, the exhibition is open on “select” Tuesdays and Wednesdays and may offer different hours around holidays. 

Tap into feelings of childhood nostalgia at the Museum of Science and Industry’s newest exhibit, a colorful glimpse into the world of Mold-A-Rama™ machines. Explore a collection of popular, rare and experimental souvenirs, learn about the history of the machines’ production and breathe in the iconic scent of their plastic toymaking—you can even take home a few new Mold-A-Rama™ souvenirs if you’re looking to expand your collection. 

The sixth edition of Mexico in a Bottle will celebrate the country’s spirits with a full-scale tasting event at Bridgeport Art Center. Sip on a bevy of mezcal, rum, whiskey, gin, wine, beer and more from the finest Mexican brands, and then refuel with bites from notable local restaurants like Carnitas Uruapan and Mi Tocaya. Chicago artist Teresa Magana will also unveil a commissioned piece of art.

Do you love all things pickled? Well there’s a festival for you. This Wrigleyville event—taking place at bars including Old Crow Smokehouse, Cubby Bear and HVAC Pub—will feature pickle cocktails and mocktails, pickle-focused foods, pickleback shots, live music, photo ops and much more. It’s a day you’ll relish forever.

Satisfy your 4/20 cravings with a dessert and appetizer crawl in Ravenswood. You’ll be able to try tasting-sized portions of foods like taquitos and cookies, as well as cocktail and beer samples. The event will take place along Montrose Avenue between Seeley and Ashland; participating businesses include Cultivate by Forbidden Root, First Slice Pie, Root’s Pizza, XOchimilco Mexican Restaurant and more.

Palmer Square Art Fair and Queer Social Club are teaming up to host a Queer Art Party at Sleeping Village. The two-day event will highlight queer artists and vendors, and attendees can hear live DJ sets and enjoy local food. The local art market will happen on April 9, followed by a show on April 10.

Winter is almost over and the Garfield Park Conservatory is here to usher in warmer days with its Spring Flower Show. Make a reservation to explore this year's show, "Bee's Knees," which explores the wondrous relationship between bees and blooms. You'll find spring bulbs like tulips, daffodils and hyacinth featured this year alongside hydrangeas, delphiniums, azaleas, and more. And you can take a glimpse into the world of bees with observation and demo hives from the conservatory's beekeeping program The show only sticks around through Mother's Day weekend, so book your visit soon!

Delve into the often-mystifying process of death in this surprisingly life-affirming exhibit at the Field Museum, which explores dying through a variety of natural and cultural processes. Attendees can explore highlights like a full-sized ofrenda made by Chicago artist Norma Rios-Sierra, a replica of a whale's body on the ocean floor and check out a variety of interactive media and soundscapes to help ponder some of life's big questions about death. 

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 does “Caribbean art” look like? This new group exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art takes a diasporic approach to answering that question, using weather—and all its changeability and unpredictability—as a metaphor for exploring artistic practices and identity-making within Caribbean art communities across the world. With the tumultuous geopolitical climate of the 1990s as its backdrop, the exhibit highlights work from 37 international artists; it’s also the first major MCA exhibition to presented in both Spanish and English. 

Working in partnership with the Museo de Arte de Ponce in Puerto Rico, the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture is bringing a stunning selection of paintings to Chicago—some of which have never been shown outside of Puerto Rico—for an exhibition highlighting several of the island's most important artists. Centered around three curatorial themes (“My Home,” “My People” and “My Island”), the works span from the 18th century to the first half of the 20th century, showcasing artists like José Campeche, Francisco Oller, Miguel Pou and Myrna Báez, among others. Tickets to the exhibition are free, but you might consider a small online donation to the Museo de Arte de Ponce, which is still recovering from damage sustained in a 2020 earthquake.  

This special exhibit at the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center is dedicated to the “Green Book,” an annual travel guide created in 1936 that provided African Americans with information on Black-friendly businesses during the Jim Crow era. Visitors will explore film, photographs, oral histories and more from travelers and business owners, as well as appreciate historical objects from the Smithsonian and “Green Book” sites.

Chicago Gamespace, a video game museum in Logan Square, is opening a new exhibition dedicated to the game universe of TRON. Visitors will enter through Flynn's Arcade, the immortal arcade owned by Jeff Bridges' Flynn character in the sci-fi classic, and learn about the original TRON arcade game’s history and development before entering an immersive Light Cycle arena featuring other games from the franchise. General admission is $8 for adults and $5 for kids, and includes access to the video game history collection.

Chicago African Americans in Philanthropy presents an exhibit at the Chicago Cultural Center highlighting Black philanthropy. The project comprises over a dozen vignette stories and more than 50 black-and-white images that depict facets of giving across generations. The photos and stories featured are from the book “Giving Back: A Tribute to Generations of African American Philanthropists” by author Valaida Fullwood and photographer Charles W. Thomas Jr.

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 N 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 $50 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.