Snowy Chicago
Photograph: Shutterstock
Photograph: Shutterstock

The best February 2027 events in Chicago

Keep yourself busy in February with the Chicago Auto Show, a folk festival, Lunar New Year celebrations and more.

Shannon Shreibak
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It may be the shortest month of the year, but you'll find that February is still jam-packed with stuff to do in Chicago—especially because some of the city's most beloved annual events will be taking place. Grab discounted tickets to acclaimed shows during Chicago Theatre Week or check out the latest and greatest vehicles at the Chicago Auto Show. You can also woo your significant other on Valentine's Day in Chicago or celebrate the Lunar New Year with parades and festive dinners. Looking for even more stuff to do? Get ready to make the most out of the month of love with our February 2026 events guide.

RECOMMENDED: Events calendar for Chicago in 2026

The best events in Chicago this February

  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • Museum Campus
Whether you’re parenting a pint-sized Pokémon devotee or a nostalgic millennial still clinging to a holographic Charizard card for its “possible resale value” (guilty), the Pokémon Fossil Museum is designed to surprise and delight. Making its U.S. debut at the Field Museum in spring 2026, the international exhibition invites visitors to compare Fossil Pokémon like Tyrantrum and Archeops with real-world fossils—including SUE the T. rex. Expect Pokémon models, real fossil excavation tools and immersive soundscapes throughout.
  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • Streeterville
“Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers” is a major survey spanning the Chicago artist’s nearly three-decade career. Through photography, video, immersive painting and large-scale installation, the exhibition explores the fragility of the human psyche against the weight of historic forces. Centering freedom as his primary muse, Johnson draws inspiration from radical movements of the late 20th century, showcasing how individuals and communities resist established orders to carve out new paths through history.
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