Free Things to Do in Chicago

Free Museums in Chicago in 2020

January 14, 2020

Are you looking to find out which museums in Chicago are free in 2020? We love to go inside the Chicago museums, many of whom are offering free days […]

Free Days in 2020 at Chicago’s Adler Planetarium

December 30, 2019

The Adler Planetarium in Chicago is offering free admission throughout 2020 on Illinois Resident Discount Days. On these free days in 2020, general admission to the planetarium is free. There […]

FREE Days at Adler Planetarium in October

October 1, 2019

The Adler Planetarium will be offering free admission on select days during the month of October for Illinois residents. The free days will be from October 7-9 and 14-16 […]

Free Museum Day – Sat, Sept 21

September 14, 2019

It’s official: Smithsonian’s TOTALLY FREE “Museum Day” is back on September 21, 2019 and FREE tickets for more than 20 Chicago area museums are now available to reserve. (All tickets […]

Lots of Free Days in August/September 2019 at the Shedd Aquarium

August 23, 2019

Check out all the FREE DAYS in AUG/SEPTEMBER 2019 at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium! CHECK BELOW for the Community Discount Days in 2019 when general admission to the Shedd Aquarium is […]

Free Museums – Summer in the City

June 12, 2019

Check out all the free museums you can go to this summer in Chicago! There are so many ways to stay active, see some really cool art and escape […]

MEGALIST: Where to Eat Brunch in Chicago on Mother’s Day 2019

May 5, 2019

Dine out this Mother’s Day Sunday, May 12, 2019. When is Mother’s Day in 2019? This year Mother’s Day is on May 12th, 2019. It’s the day you get […]

Free Kids Event at North Park Village Nature Center Park This Weekend

November 30, 2018

Need something to do for your 9-13 year olds this weekend? Why not check out the Nature Writing Circle for Tweens, which takes place this weekend at North Park Village Nature […]

Free Admission to Chicago’s 2018 Dance Along Nutcracker & Ballet Workshop – Dec 2

November 27, 2018

Bring the family to the FREE Chicago Dance-Along Nutcracker on December 2, 2018, a fun family interactive free holiday event with sugar-plum fairies and toy soldiers of all ages presented […]

MUST DO: 2018 Do-It-Yourself Messiah in Chicago – December 17-18

November 27, 2018

Are you in the Christmas spirit? Well, make plans for the Do-It-Yourself Messiah in Chicago at Christmastime 2018, which takes place annually at the Harris Theater for Music and […]

FREE 2018 Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Chicago

October 14, 2018

With all of this cold weather in Chicago, we are beginning to think about the 105th annual FREE Chicago Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, which was announced will take place […]

Reminder: Free Days in October-November 2018 at Chicago’s Adler Planetarium

October 13, 2018

The Adler Planetarium in Chicago is offering free admission throughout 2018 on Illinois Resident Discount Days. On these free days in 2018, general admission to the planetarium is free. There is […]

Free Classical Concert

November 4, 2019

Come on out for a FREE afternoon concert at the Glencoe Public Library, on Sunday, November 10, 2019 at 5:00 pm, featuring the Guadagnini String Quartet, who are members of the […]

Free Chicago Concert by Meek Mill, Meghan Trainor and More – Sept 5

August 31, 2019

The NFL and Roc Nation announced Friday that Meek Mill, Meghan Trainor and Rapsody will perform in a free pregame concert Sept. 5 in Chicago’s Grant Park before the […]

Now to Sept 1: FREE Chicago Jazz Festival Aug 23 to Sep 1

August 23, 2019

Mark your calendars for the FREE 2019 Chicago Jazz Festival, which will take place on August 23 through September 1 over Labor Day weekend. This year, The 41th Annual […]

This Weekend in Chicago: FREE Festival – Fiesta Del Sol 2019

July 25, 2019

THIS WEEKEND — Make sure to check out the FREE Fiesta del Sol this weekend, with excellent musical performances and a local artisan market and yummy food vendors. There […]

Free 2019 Chicago Blues Festival June 7-9 in Millennium Park

June 2, 2019

Mark your calendars now to see Bobby Rush and legendary soul artist Bettye LaVette, headliners for this year’s FREE 2019 Chicago Blues Festival planned the weekend of June 7-9 in […]

Free Weekly Classical Music Concerts – Rush Hour Concerts Returns

May 19, 2019

The FREE Weekly Chicago Classical Music Summer Series Returns for its 20th Season. The International Music Foundation (IMF) is proud to present the 2019 season of FREE Rush Hour […]

Free Events and Freebies For Shutdown Workers

January 24, 2019

There are more than 47,000 workers affected by the government shutdown in the metro Chicago area, and a number of business and cultural institutions ar stepping up to offer […]

CYBER MONDAY: Hulu for $0.99 per Month for a Year

November 24, 2018

Hulu is one of the best premium streaming video services there is, and during the Black Friday holiday shopping weekend, the price to sign up for Hulu may never […]

Early Amazon Prime Deals Now Available

July 15, 2018

Thought Amazon ‘Prime Day’ began Monday, July 16th? Think again. While you will have to wait a day or two for the main sales, Amazon has jumped the gun […]

Easter Freebies and Deals – 2018

March 30, 2018

The Easter holiday weekend (Friday, March 30 to Sunday, April 1) is typically a time spent with family, friends and loved ones. While shopping might not top your list […]

Amazon’s Best Cheap Prices on K Cups Right Now

March 28, 2018

Looking for a deal on K Cups? Look no further, as we have found the best deals on Amazon this week for cheap K cups (including coffee, tea, and […]

50+ Super Bowl Food Deals for You to Enjoy

February 4, 2018

Are you ready for the the matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots in Minneapolis this Sunday night? Check out these Super Bowl party ideas from […]

Free Performances Of The MLK Project by the Writers Theatre

January 17, 2020

Come out and enjoy a special FREE Martin Luther King, Jr. Day public performance of the Writer Theatre’s annual tour of The MLK Project: The Fight for Civil Rights, […]

Ravenswood Art Walk this Weekend

September 9, 2019

Come out to the Ravenswood Artwalk for their tour of arts & industry at the 18th Annual Ravenswood ArtWalk on Saturday, September 14 and Sunday, September 15. The Greater […]

Time for a 12 Cent Burger!

August 15, 2019

Come on out all over the USA on Friday and enjoy a 12 cent burger — Smashburger will mark its 12th anniversary on Friday, Aug. 16, by selling its […]

Discounts, Deals and Freebies on 2019 RIVERWALK WEEKEND – May 13-20

May 11, 2019

Did you know that the Chicago Riverwalk is hosting a blow-out week-long celebration May 13–20, 2019 with discounts, freebies and more? What better place to kick off summer in Chicago […]

Free Kids Event at North Park Village Nature Center Park This Weekend

November 30, 2018

Need something to do for your 9-13 year olds this weekend? Why not check out the Nature Writing Circle for Tweens, which takes place this weekend at North Park Village Nature […]

Reminder: Free Days at Chicago Museums in November 2018

November 11, 2018

A reminder to check out all the FREE MUSEUMS this month in November 2018 in Chicago, including the The Adler Planetarium, the Field Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, the MCA – Chicago […]

Other Travel News

Free Museum Day in Chicago – Saturday Sep 22 – Get Your Tickets Now!

Get your tickets printed now — In Chicago, why not make plans now to enjoy free admission at many museums in Chicago on Museum Day, Saturday, September 22, 2018, Adler Planetarium, Notebaert Nature Museum, DuSable Museum of African […]

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25+ Fun Things to Do in Downtown Chicago in 2018

Our readers are always asking — What are the Top 10 or Top 25 fun things to do in downtown Chicago in 2018? So we have compiled our list of […]

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Get All The Free Things to Do in Chicago by Convenient Email!

Are you zipping around the city all week at work and would rather have any new posts from Free Things to Do in Chicago sent directly to you by email or RSS? After a number of requests, we have now added both of those options to this website!

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Starbucks Secret Menu: Butterbeer Frappuccino

Starbucks Secret Menu: Butterbeer Frappuccino Starbucks now offers two “secret” Harry Potter drinks: the Butterbeer Latte and the Butterbeer Frappuccino. And as with most “secret” drinks, you just have to know […]

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There are Two Free Fireworks Displays This New Years Eve in Chicago

If you will be out and about on New Years Eve in Chicago, there are TWO FREE FIREWORKS displays this year-end at Navy Pier and along the Chicago Riverwalk. […]

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Check out the FREE Zoolights at the Lincoln Park Zoo to Jan 5th

Come on out with friends and family and check out the the 25th year celebration of ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo! This one-of-a-kind, festive holiday experience offers a free, […]

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Krispy Kreme and Their $1 Dozen Donuts – Dec 12th

Krispy Kreme is celebrating Day of the Dozens with one of the sweetest deals of the season! On 12/12 for one day only, you can purchase one dozen of […]

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free admission thanksgiving morton arboreteum 2018 -750 x 500

Things to Do in Chicago on Thanksgiving

Looking for something else to do in the Chicago area after that big 2019 Thanksgiving Day meal? Here are some great ideas to get out and walk around…. […]

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Monday is the last free day of the year at parks in the national system — it’s Veterans Day, a federal holiday — but you can mark your calendar […]

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