21 Things To Do In Chicago This Weekend: Christkindlmarket, Tree Lighting, Mag Mile Lights Festival

CHICAGO — Holiday festivities are in full swing this weekend as Christkindlmarket opens Downtown and in Wrigleyville, the city hosts its annual Christmas tree-lighting and the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival and Parade steps off.

There are also pop-up markets around the city for holiday shoppers, the 22nd annual Art on Cardboard Show, a seed swap and plant exchange at Dan Ryan Woods, a day-long Ukrainian Film Festival event, a fall benefit concert for Beyond Hunger and more.

Here’s a roundup of 21 things to do in Chicago this weekend:

All Weekend

The Christkindlmarket at Daley Plaza on Dec. 2, 2024. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

Christkindlmarket Downtown

11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday

Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington St.

Chicago’s beloved German-style holiday market returns this weekend with locations Downtown and in Wrigleyville. There will be special souvenir mugs, traditional German street food, handmade gift and holiday decor vendors and more.

Learn more here.

Christkindlmarket Wrigleyville

11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday

Gallagher Way, 3635 N. Clark St.

Chicago’s beloved German-style holiday market returns this weekend with locations Downtown and in Wrigleyville. There will be special souvenir mugs, traditional German street food, handmade gift and holiday decor vendors and more.

Learn more here.

Millennium Park Holiday Market

Noon-8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday

Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St. (Chase Promenade North)

Just steps away from the city’s Christmas tree, which will be lit Friday evening, Millennium Park will have a holiday market with shopping, live entertainment and food and drinks.

Learn more and find a full list of vendors and entertainers here.

Begyle Holiday Market

1-7 p.m. Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday

Begyle Brewing, 1800 W. Cuyler Ave.

Begyle Brewing will be filled with local vendors this weekend. Vendors include Bitter Ex with cocktail syrups and bitters, Neighborly Shop with home goods, A. Favorite with cards and stationery, JumpStitch Studio with embroidered goods, courtneycourtney with upcycled fashion, Back Lot Coffee, Tiger Moth jewelry and Pickled Prince with fermented goods. Holiday shoppers can also enjoy Limoni Belli Pizza starting 2 p.m. Saturday and El Zorro Tacos starting 1 p.m. Sunday.

Learn more and find a full list of vendors here.

Friday

The 109th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at Millennium Park on Nov. 18, 2022. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

Millennium Park Tree-Lighting

6 p.m. Friday

Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St.

For the 112th year, Chicago is lighting up its “official” Christmas tree this weekend near the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Washington Street. People can catch the event from Millennium Park, where there will be giant screens, seasonal treats, a main stage and a fireworks display for a “magical finale.”

The tree will stay illuminated through Jan. 11. Learn more and find a livestream link here.

The 22nd annual Art on Cardboard Show returns this weekend. Credit: Provided

Art On Cardboard Show

6-9 p.m. Friday

Project Onward, 1200 W. 35th St., fourth floor

Created by beloved Bridgeport residents Mike and Al Pocius, the Art on Cardboard Show is back this weekend, showcasing work by Chicago artists and beyond and “evangelizing the scrappy virtues of cardboard as an art material,” one organizer said. Previous shows have featured Chicago-area creatives like Tom Torluemke, Roman Villlareal and Michael Hernandez de Luna.

The exhibit runs through Dec. 6, and art is sold right off the wall. Learn more here.

The flyer for a candle making workshop with Inspire Natural Goods at Pilot Project Brewing this weekend. Credit: Provided

Candle-Making Workshop

7 p.m. Friday

Pilot Project Brewing, 2140 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Make your own candle with Inspire Natural Goods at this workshop at Pilot Project Brewing. The workshop includes all necessary materials and instructions for people to make their own custom-scented candle, plus a complimentary drink.

Learn more and get tickets for $55.20 here.

Saturday

Mary Bartelme Park’s decorated Christmas tree in 2024. Credit: Provided/Facebook

Christmas Tree & Menorah Decorating At The Park

9-11 a.m. Saturday

Mary Bartelme Park, 115 S. Sangamon St.

Help decorate Mary Bartelme Park’s Christmas tree and install its menorah with the advisory council and other volunteers.

Learn more here.

Trade seeds and plants and learn about native flora at Dan Ryan Woods this weekend. Credit: Provided/Facebook

Seed Swap & Plant Exchange At Dan Ryan Woods

10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday

Dan Ryan Woods, 8500 S. Western Ave.

Learn more about native plants with presentations starting at 10:30 and 10:45 a.m., then swap seeds and plants with neighbors. Guests are also invited to bring a mug to enjoy warm beverages, which will be provided.

Learn more here.

Gwen’s Winter Curl & Chill

10 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Saturday

Upstairs at The Gwen, 521 N. Rush St.

Embrace the cold weather and holiday season with a game of curling on The Gwen’s rooftop terrace. Guests can also indulge in boozy hot chocolate, spiced mulled wine, handcrafted cocktails and a seasonal menu.

Reserve a spot for $25 per person here.

Mickey and Minnie Mouse at the Magnificent Miles Lights Parade. Credit: Jeff Ellis

The Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival & Parade

1-4 p.m. Saturday (festival), 5:30-7:30 p.m. Saturday (parade)

Festival at Pioneer Court, 401 N. Michigan Ave.; parade kicks off at Michigan Avenue from Oak Street

Celebrate the holidays with a family-friendly Lights Festival Lane celebration with Santa photo opportunities, cheesecake decorating, performances by The Plain White T’s and Leo High School Boys Choir and more.

Shortly after the fest, the Magnificent Mile Lights Parade gets underway, featuring dazzling floats, giant helium balloons, marching bands, celebrity appearances, live performances, Santa Claus and Mickey and Minnie Mouse. It will travel south on Michigan Avenue from Oak Street to Wacker Drive, then east on Wacker to Upper Columbus Drive. There will be a grand finale fireworks display.

Learn more here.

The flyer for Jazz and Scandinavia. Credit: Provided

Jazz & Scandinavia

2:30 p.m. Saturday

5159 N. Spaulding Ave.

North Park University Jazz Faculty are taking “a musical journey of jazz in Scandinavia” with a concert exploring the history of the genre in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Performers include Joe Lill on trumpet, Alex Beltran on tenor sax, Chris White on piano, Joe Policastro on bass and Darren Scorza on drums.

This performance is free and open to the public. Learn more here.

Ukrainian Film Festival

2:30-9:30 p.m. Saturday

St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral, 835 N. Oakley Blvd.

Celebrate Ukrainian cinema and culture with this day-long film festival showcasing “thought-provoking documentaries [and] inspiring stories of courage and everybody life.”

Learn more and get tickets for $19.65 here.

Karim Nagi (left) and Rami Gabriel (right) of The Arab Blues. Credit: Provided

The Arab Blues

7 p.m. Saturday

Hungry Brain, 2319 W. Belmont Ave.

Catch “an electro urban amalgam of Arab tradition [and] Chicago blues” at this performance by The Arab Blues, a duo comprised of Rami Gabriel on oud and guitar and Karim Nagi on riqq and tabla.

Learn more and get tickets for $20.72 here.

Beyond Hunger Fall Benefit Concert

7 p.m. Saturday

The Salt Shed, 1357 N. Elston Ave.

Beyond Hunger’s annual fall benefit concert returns this weekend with Grammy Award-winning band Portugal. The Man headlining.

Tickets start at $75. Skip the Ticketmaster fees by contacting Lauren@gobeyondhunger.org. Learn more and get tickets here.

Sunday

10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sunday

THM Transformation Committee, 6135 S. Austin Ave.

Shop wooden crafts, crocheted goods, wreaths, books, candies, kitchenware, candles, jewelry, clothes and more at this holiday market. There will also be raffles, pictures with Santa and a homemade pasta lunch.

Learn more here.

Hyde Park Handmade Artisan Bazaar

11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday

The Promontory, 1539 E. 53rd St.

Shop craft and food makers from the South Side at this monthly market. There will also be lounge areas, cocktails and DJ Sean Alvarez of We Love Soul.

This is an all-ages event, and admission is free. Learn more here.

Gateway Markets: The Giving Market

Noon-5 p.m. Sunday

Pilot Project Brewing, 2140 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Shop indie artists, crafters and creators at this themed pop-up market.

Learn more here.

Pie Party At Rogers Park Social

2-6 p.m. Sunday

Rogers Park Social, 6922 N. Glenwood Ave.

Enjoy cocktails with hot, ready-to-eat pies from Elsa Mae’s Sweet Shop at Rogers Park Social. There will also be take-and-back pot pies and Thanksgiving pies that guests can take home for later.

Learn more and request orders by commenting on Facebook here.

Greektown Christmas Celebration

5 p.m. Sunday

Elysian Field, South Halsted Street and West Van Buren Street

Celebrate the holidays with Greektown’s 10th annual Christmas celebration. There’ll be a tree-lighting ceremony, traditional Greek carols, festive blue and white lights along Halsted Street, complimentary hot chocolate and more.

Learn more here.

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