Searching for what to do this weekend in Chicago? Below are the best things to do in Chicago this weekend (April 17-20, 2025).
(If you are planning ahead, you can also find the best things to do next weekend here.)
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. I may make a small commission if you make a booking using my links at no extra cost to you.
Best Weekend Events in Chicago
Below are the best weekend events in Chicago:
Chicago Cultural Center Open House (Professional Development Edition) – Thursday, April 17, 2025, 4-8pm | FREE Admission (RSVP Online)
Munch March Dessert & Appetizer Crawl in Ravenswood (21+) – Thursday, April 17, 2025, 5:30-8:30pm – Enjoy a selection of appetizers, desserts and beverages as you stroll between shops and restaurants along Montrose Avenue.
Sensory Feast: A Magical Dining Experience – Friday, April 18, 2025, 6pm & 8:30pm – Step into the land of Oz at Sensory Feast, a captivating dining experience. Cutting-edge projection mapping transforms your table into a living canvas where Dorothy’s adventures come to life—all while you enjoy a 3-course meal.
Candlelight Concert: The Best of Ennio Morricone – Friday, April 18, 2025, 6:30pm
Twin Peaks Wrapt: Fix Your Hearts at the International Museum of Surgical Science (21+) – Friday, April 18, 2025, 7-11pm
Candlelight Concert: The Best of Britpop ft Oasis, Blur & More – Friday, April 18, 2025, 8:45pm
Spring Egg-Stravaganza at Lincoln Park Zoo – Saturday, April 19, 2025, 7:45–11:45am
Earth Day Fest at the Garfield Park Conservatory – Saturday, April 19, 2025, 11am-2pm
Chicago Vintage Fest Spring Cleaning Sale – Saturday, April 19, 2025, 10am-4pm
Ferris Bueller Movie Tour at the Art Institute of Chicago – Saturday, April 19, 2025, 11:30am
Bird Photography Hike at North Park Village Nature Center Park – Saturday, April 19, 2025, 12-2pm | FREE but RSVP is required
Center Day at Hyde Park Art Center – Saturday, April 19, 2025, 1-4pm | FREE
The Devil in the White City: A Haunting History Tour – Saturday, April 19, 2025, 2pm
Ballet Folklorico de Chicago 6th Anniversary – Carnaval at Copernicus Center – Saturday, April 19, 2025, 7pm
Kishi Bashi And The Chicago Philharmonic at The Auditorium – Saturday, April 19, 2025, 7:30-10:30pm
Easter Bounce Brunch and Day Party at Offshore Rooftop – Sunday, April 20, 2025, 11am-8pm – Celebrate Easter at the world’s largest rooftop with high-energy tunes and views of the lake and skyline from Navy Pier.
Old Town School of Folk Music presents Africa Out West – Sunday, April 20, 2025, 4pm | FREE
The Jury Experience: An Immersive Courtroom Case – Sunday, April 20, 2025, 6pm & 8:30pm – In this live theater show, the audience becomes part of the show. As a member of the jury, you’ll analyze witness testimonies, cross-examinations, and forensic evidence in your search for the truth and ultimately decide: guilty or innocent.
Chicago Streetwear Convention – April 18-19, 2025 | FREE – Two days of fashion, food & culture hosted by Khalil Everage.
Candlelight Concert: Rings and Dragons at Theater on the Lake – April 18 & 19, 2025, 6:30pm & 8:45pm
Berlin at Court Theatre – April 19-May 11, 2025
On Stage: Lineages at the Museum Of Contemporary Art – Through April 19, 2025 – Each spring, the MCA presents a suite of performances reflecting a contemporary theme.
David Lynch: Moving Through Time Film Series at the Music Box Theatre – Through April 20, 2025
Moulin Rouge! The Musical at the Cadillac Palace Theatre – Through April 20, 2025
More Weekend Events in Chicago
Below are more events taking place this weekend in Chicago:
SoundBites 2025 – Thursday, April 17, 2025, 6pm – A night of food, drinks, performances and more in support their life-changing programs.
Escaramuza, the Poetics of Home Exhibition Opening at Poetry Foundation – Thursday, April 17, 2025, 6-8pm | FREE
SPARK’D SOCIAL: A 420 KICKBACK – Friday, April 18, 2025, 4-8pm | FREE – Spark one up and bring your buds to South Loop’s SPARK’D SOCIAL, a 420 party for those who love to get stoned, together.
Nature on Tap: Arachnids! at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum – Friday, April 18, 2025, 5-7:30pm – Grab a drink and enjoy the Nature Museum after dark in this adults-only event.
Third Friday Art Walk at Marz Community Brewing Co. (Bridgeport) – Friday, April 18, 2025, 6-9pm
Open Studios (3rd Fridays) at Bridgeport Art Center – Friday, April 18, 2025, 7-10pm | FREE
Zhou B Art Center 3rd Fridays – Friday, April 18, 2025, 7-10pm | FREE
Bits at the Sixpenny (Ages 21+) – Friday, April 18, 2025, 9-11pm | FREE – A night of comedy and drinks at a Northwest side pub.
Ravenswood Neighborhood Clean Up Day – Saturday, April 19, 2025, 9am-12pm
Grand Garden Opening Day – Saturday, April 19, 2025, 10am-4pm | FREE – Celebrate the opening day of the growing season with egg hunts, bouquet making and more at West Town flower farm, Grand Garden.
South Loop Easter Egg Hunt at Chicago Women’s Park & Gardens – Saturday, April 19, 2025, noon-2pm -Festivities will include hunting for 20,000+ eggs in Women’s park (eggs will all have a small prize or candy inside), an animal petting zoo, face painters, balloonist, fun sports games and activities, 1000 prizes, including Chicago White Sox Tickets, tasty treats, and a visit with the Easter Bunny.
Indie Row Bucktown Egg Hunt – Saturday, April 19, 2025, 12-5pm
The Newport Peekeasy: Burlesque and Variety Show – Saturday, April 19, 2025, 7:00–8:30pm – Combination of burlesque, belly dance, drag and other live dance performances.
Stavros Halkias The Dreamboat Tour at The Chicago Theatre – Saturday, April 19, 2025, 7pm & 10pm
A Very 420 EASTER! at The Sixpenny Bit (Ages 21+) – Sunday, April 20, 2025, 5-8pm | Donation suggested – A night of music, comedy & more.
Neighborhood Cultural Spotlight: The South Side Jazz Coalition (SSJC) at the Chicago Cultural Center – April 18 & 19, 2025, 2-3pm | FREE Admission (RSVP Online)
The Mary Wallopers at Martyrs’ – April 18 & 19, 2025, 7pm
Chicago Palestine Film Festival – Through April 26, 2025
Titanique the Musical – Through July 13, 2025
More Things to Do in Chicago This Weekend
In addition to the weekend events listed above, below are more of the best things to do in Chicago this weekend:
Take the Kids to an Easter Egg Hunt
In addition to neighborhood Easter egg hunts, kids can join free bunny events and egg hunts at Chicago Park District parks throughout the city.
The Empire Strips Back: A Burlesque Parody at The Studebaker Theater
The Empire Strips Back: A Burlesque Parody at The Studebaker Theater is a limited time burlesque parody show which drops classic Star Wars characters into the world of burlesque with a unique blend of seduction and sci-fi.
When: Through May 4, 2025
Where: The Studebaker Theater, 410 South Michigan Avenue Fine Arts Building, Chicago, 60605, IL 60642
Cost: Prices start at $54 per person. Click here for full prices and to purchase tickets in advance.
Take an Architecture River Cruise
An architecture river cruise is a must do Chicago experience.
Look for Street Art
See Chicago’s many murals by joining a street art tour.
Take a Spray Paint ‘n’ Sip Urban Art Workshop
Grab some spray paint and unleash your inner street artist at a Spray Paint ‘n’ Sip Urban Art Workshop. This interactive spray paint workshop will teach you the ins and outs of working with spray paint and other elements of graffiti and street art as you create your own painted mural.
Where: Studio W.I.P. – Uptown, 1047 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60640
Cost: $40 per person for adults. Click here to purchase tickets.
Spring Flower Show at the Garfield Park Conservatory
Check out the annual Spring Flower Show, “Rooted in Mystery” at the Garfield Park Conservatory, which explores the different types of roots and the cool stuff they do plus a marvelous display of spring plants, including azaleas, pansies, snapdragons, astilbe, baptisia, hydrangeas, and 26 different varieties of tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths.
Spring Flower Show at the Lincoln Park Conservatory
The free Lincoln Park Conservatory also as its annual Spring Flower Show, “Spectrum of Spring”, which highlights the color families of plants and flowers and offers a unique design and color scheme.
Watch a Drunk Shakespeare Play
Join The Drunk Shakespeare Society for an unforgettable evening of Shakespearean revelry. Set within a speakeasy, five actors attempt to perform a Shakespearean play after one of them downs multiple shots of various alcohols. Every show is different depending on who is drinking and what they’re drinking. Must be 21+ with valid ID.
Where: The Lounge At The Lion, 182 North Wabash Avenue
Cost: Prices start at $29 per person. Click here to purchase tickets.
Colors in Bloom at the Color Factory
Through May 12, 2025, immerse yourself in joy, color, and spring in limited-time Colors in Bloom confetti installation at the Color Factory. Stroll through larger-than-life tulips and participate in their scavenger hunt to win a reward.
Frida Kahlo’s Month in Paris: A Friendship with Mary Reynolds at Art Institute of Chicago
Through July 13, 2025, check out the first exhibition of Frida Kahlo’s work organized by the Art Institute of Chicago. The Frida Kahlo’s Month in Paris: A Friendship with Mary Reynolds exhibition focuses on a pivotal period in 1939 when Kahlo resided at the Paris home of Mary Reynolds, an American avant-garde bookbinder, whose home was a hub for the city’s artistic community.
Cost: Price varies. There are discounts for Chicago and Illinois residents. Click here to buy a skip the line ticket if you want to avoid long lines.
As you can see there are many things to do in #Chicago this weekend. If you are looking for more things to do in the Chicago area, you can find the best things to do in the suburbs here. If you are looking for things to do during the week, you can find more things to do in Chicago in April here.
