The best things to do in Chicago this week

This annual fall street festival returns to Lincoln Square with more than 100 vendors for one apple-filled weekend. Shop autumnal goods at the festival's marketplace, munch on apple-infused fare from local restaurants, sip cider and apple-flavored beer, catch live music performances and bring the kids for seasonal activities.

International DJ Diplo pairs miles with music, and his touring run club is making its first stop in Chicago. The 5K run through Humboldt Park culminates with a live performance by the DJ himself. Runners can upgrade to the VIP Experience, which gets you access to a dedicated viewing area, exclusive sponsor activations, VIP entry and easy check-in on race day.

Artists take over neighborhood shops during the annual West Town Art Walk, which showcases the creative talents of area residents and businesses. The festival celebrates all kinds of art, including visual, fashion, musical and culinary—choose your own adventure by customizing where you start your art walk, which can be launched at any of the fest's participating businesses. Need assistance walking? Flag down one of the art walk's free pedicabs for a ride. 

Returning to a two-acre plot of land just west of Goose Island, Jack's Pumpkin Pop-Up saves you a trip to the suburbs by bringing a huge corn maze, thousands of pumpkins, axe throwing, carnival games, food trucks, twinkling orange light displays and more fall fun to the city. A general admission ticket gets you access to the pop-up, but you can also opt for add-ons that let you take home a pumpkin, grab a drink at one of bars or go axe throwing. 

TEDxChicago is returning for another edition of inspiring talks this fall. The schedule of events and lineup of speakers have not yet been announced. Last year's programming included a talk with an astronomer at the University of Chicago and talks with doctors and philanthropists at Harris Theater for Music and Dance.

Spooky season will get a bit boozier this year thanks to this horror-themed cocktail pop-up at the Albion Manor, where Halloween lovers can sip expertly mixed cocktails amid metal music and goth decor. Drinks are imbued with playful touches and include choices like Abyssa’s Obsession made with pumpkin-infused rums, and the tequila-based Bone Temple. Want to recreate the creepy vibe at home? Several of the drinks are served in Halloween glassware that’s available for purchase onsite.  

Experience the thrill of sumo wrestling up close at the traveling experience Sumo + Sushi's stop in Chicago. The event kicks off with an introduction to the history and rituals of sumo, followed by live exhibition matches. Guests can purchase a Sushi + Show ticket for an upgraded experience that includes a sushi bento box, miso soup and mochi, courtesy of a local sushi restaurant. Think you have what it takes to compete? Six guests per session can opt for the Get in the Ring experience and face off against wrestlers in front of the crowd. 

Explore music from around the globe during this annual festival, now in its 24th year, which brings a wide array of performers to venues across the city for free musical performances. Experience sounds and subgenres from regions like Brazil, South Korea, Senegal and more. For a full list of performances, visit the festival's website. 

Celebrate Oktoberfest over the course of three weekends at The Northman Beer & Cider Garden, which is bringing a host of festivities to its Riverwalk digs this September and early October. Expect giant pretzels and German sausages, beer steins and polka music, and scenic waterfront views with a European vibe.

Explore a host of galleries and programming at this monthly event that showcases West Town’s dynamic arts community. On the first Friday of every month, galleries and arts-based businesses stay open until 8pm.

Chicago's largest Oktoberfest celebration is returning to the heart of Fulton Market. Located just behind Restaurant Row at 171 N. Peoria St., this lively six-week German fest is pouring Hofbräu München beer imported directly from Germany. Guests can also expect Bavarian pretzels, brats, live German music, carnival games and more. 

Explore Chicago's eerie past as you snake down the river aboard the First Lady Creepy Cruise. The 90-minute tour combines architectural history with stories of the city's shady past, from mob legends to ghost sightings, for a spooky evening on the water.

If three hours in the theater wasn't enough Odyssey for you, then you're in luck. The National Hellenic Museum is celebrating the most iconic story of all time with a lineup of programming centered around Homer's epic, including the art exhibition The Odyssey Reimagined. Featuring works by 17 contemporary artists, the exhibit explores the current-day connections to the nearly 3,000-year-old story through paintings, photography, textiles, sound and more. 

Displaying a 25-story-tall video installation on the side of THE MART, ART on THE MART is the largest permanent digital art projection in the world, with programming that changes seasonally. ART on THE MART's array of 34 digital projectors show the creations after dusk every evening. Running for 30 minutes on Thursdays through Saturdays, it’s best viewed from the section of the Chicago Riverwalk between Wells Street and Franklin Street.

Gallagher Way is showing free outdoor movies on select Wednesday nights through September. From family flicks like Zootopia 2 and High School Musical to classics like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Matilda, there's something for everyone to enjoy. Guests are encouraged to bring a blanket or purchase a VIP or Premier ticket, which includes a reserved seat, snacks and other goodies.

Explore notable Impressionist Mary Cassatt's works in the first exhibit in more than 25 years dedicated solely to the American artist at the Art Institute. Known for her works depicting mothers with children and intimate caretaking scenes, Cassatt was the only American to join the French Impressionists. After Impressionism showcases paintings, pastels and prints from the time in her career when she began to take her art in a new direction.

Looking for a great way to start your weekend? Lululemon ambassadors and local run leaders host a free weekly run club every Saturday morning. Runs start at the brand's Rush Street store in the Gold Coast, before heading down the Lakefront Trail and back to the store for post-run snacks. The run route is 3 miles, but multiple distances and durations are offered as well. Dogs, strollers and runners of all experience levels are welcome—just be sure to sign up in advance.

Lincoln Park exhibition space Wrightwood 659 presents an engaging show that features the works of three trailblazing women: Yayoi Kusama, Niki de Saint Phalle and Mary Bauermeister. Inner Worlds showcases large-scale works, mixed-media works, sculptures and more by the artists, who are acclaimed for their approaches to perception and embodiment. Highlights of the exhibit are two of the late Kusama's Infinity Mirror Rooms.

Whether it's on a minibus or on foot, this tour takes you to the locations frequented by some of Chicago's most notorious gangsters and the places that have been haunted by their ghosts. With four tours offered daily, there's always an opportunity to take a step back in time to learn about figures like Al Capone and Chicago's haunted history.

This exhibition poses a devastatingly powerful question: What if Emmett Till had not been brutally lynched in Mississippi in 1955? Through photography, the exhibition imagines an alternate history in which Till lived—moving from images inspired by the last meal his mother packed before his trip south to meditations on the life he might have experienced, from the rise of the Chicago Bulls to the ongoing fight for civil rights.

From model to battlefield correspondent—and with many other titles in between—Lee Miller was a complex figure, and this year, the Art Institute of Chicago is showcasing works from her career in an expansive exhibit titled Lee Miller: Fearless. The first comprehensive survey of Miller's photographs in more than 25 years, Lee Miller: Fearless will feature nearly 150 works and will explore her life and approach to creativity, both behind and in front of the camera.

A Gen Z version of Grease takes the stage at the Apollo Theater this season. Vape! The Grease Parody is an Off-Broadway spoof of the iconic 1978 musical, complete with playful takes on the original storylines, modern references and, yes, vapes instead of cigarettes.

If dozens of vendors aren't enough of a draw for you to come to the lively Sunday market at this West Town neighborhood’s namesake park, maybe the weekly complimentary market programming—which includes free yoga, meditation and storytime for kids—will be. The market is also committed to sustainability, with plastic-free vendors and composting. On Thursdays through October 29, check out the market at Walsh Park from 4pm to 8pm.

"Flyway City: Architecture for a Flourishing Ecosystem," designed by Studio Gang and led by world-renowned architect Jeanne Gang, explores solutions to prevent the estimated one billion annual bird-glass collisions in the U.S. Through a variety of architectural models, interactive media and local artifacts, the exhibition demonstrates how urban design can coexist harmoniously with nature. 

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.

Intuit Art Museum joins the national Handwork 2026 celebration with an exhibition investigating Henry Darger’s relationship to traditional American paper crafts. Drawing on research by art historian Dr. Mary Trent, the exhibition demonstrates how Darger adapted common practices—such as making paper dolls and scrapbooks—into a complex, mixed-media narrative style. By showcasing Darger’s source materials alongside his final works, the exhibition highlights how he reclaimed these institutionalized hobbies to express the interior lives and struggles of the marginalized.

Ready to explore Chicago's amazing architecture while floating on the river? The Chicago Architecture Foundation Center River Cruise takes place aboard a Chicago’s First Lady boat, transporting guests on a 90-minute tour that traverses three branches of the Chicago River and explores the stories behind more than 50 buildings that make up the city's iconic skyline. 

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.

This immersive exhibition recreates the Secret Annex where Anne Frank, her family and four others hid during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. Chicago is only the second U.S. city—and the first in the Midwest—to host the experience, which includes rarely seen artifacts from Frank’s life. Visitors can walk through the reconstructed hiding place while learning about Anne’s childhood, the rise of Nazi Germany and the Frank family’s years in Amsterdam. The exhibition offers a powerful look at the risks, courage and daily realities of those who lived in hiding. Admission is free on Friday, June 12 in honor of what would have been Anne's 97th birthday. Guests can also enjoy the exhibit for free with the purchase of a general admission ticket for the rest of the weekend.

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 arrive 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.

As the Driehaus Museum’s first artist-in-residence, Brendan Fernandes will transform the Murphy Auditorium into a dynamic site for sculpture, movement and sound. Inspired by the Judson Dance Theater, Fernandes’ Scores for the Murphy Auditorium will unfold as an episodic residency throughout 2026, with performances and public programs announced over time.

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, whether you’re a kid seeing it all for the first time or an adult who forgot what it feels like to play.

The masterminds behind the irreverent long-running comedy show Drunk Shakespeare are unleashing their latest monster mash-up, Drunk Dracula, on the city. The premise is simple, but no less hilarious: Dracula gets drunk, unsuspecting citizens fight for survival and Bram Stoker’s vampire classic gets a boozy makeover that’s equal parts unhinged and fun.

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.

Located inside The Den, a 1920s greystone-turned-hotel in Lakeview, the Blind Wolf Speakeasy is an intimate, approachable bar, event venue and home to a free weekly comedy show. Blind Wolf Comedy hosts a rotating roster of Chicago comics each Wednesday at 8pm, as well as open mic nights on Thursdays at 7:30pm. There's no cost to attend, but you can reserve a seat through their Instagram page.

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.

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.

Every Wednesday, the Old Town School of Folk Music hosts a showcase of world music and dance. Featuring both local and touring talent, you're sure to hear something new and exciting at this long-running series. Before the show, be sure to peruse the Old Town School of Folk Music Store, where you can rent instruments, learn about lessons and peruse a wide selection of books.