Chicago · Christmas in Chicago
Christmas in Chicago for Grown-Ups
Chicago does Christmas properly: a German market with mulled wine in mugs on Daley Plaza, a zoo lit up for the season, a Christmas Carol that's been running for nearly half a century and the Joffrey Ballet's Nutcracker at the Lyric Opera House. Here are the 2026 dates and how to fit them around good dinners and warm bars.
- Market
- Christkindlmarket, Daley Plaza, November 20-December 24, 2026
- Lights
- ZooLights, Lincoln Park Zoo, November 20, 2026-January 3, 2027
- Stage
- A Christmas Carol (Goodman), November 13-December 31
- Ballet
- The Joffrey's Nutcracker, December 4-27, 2026
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The Christkindlmarket
The Christkindlmarket on Daley Plaza (50 W. Washington St) runs November 20 to December 24, 2026: Sunday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., with shorter hours (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) on Thanksgiving, November 26, and Christmas Eve. Go on a weekday afternoon for glühwein and a bratwurst without the weekend crush, then walk a few blocks to Cindy's for a drink by the fire pits above Millennium Park.
Cindy's
Chicago Athletic Association, 12 S. Michigan Ave
A 13th-floor glass-atrium restaurant and terrace looking over Millennium Park and the lake. Fire pits in winter, open-air seats in summer.
Lights after dark
ZooLights fills the free Lincoln Park Zoo from November 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027, 4:30 to 9 p.m. Advance tickets are $7 to $12 depending on the date ($20 on the day), and Mondays are free except December 21 and 28. It's closed on Thanksgiving, December 24 and 25, and on Tuesdays December 1, 8 and 15. The date of the 2026 Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, the parade that switches on the lights along Michigan Avenue, is not yet published.
Lincoln Park Zoo and ZooLights
2001 N. Clark St, Lincoln Park
Heads-up: ZooLights runs November 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027 only.
A free zoo in Lincoln Park, open 365 days a year (gates at 8 a.m.). In winter it hosts ZooLights: November 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027, 4:30 to 9 p.m., with advance tickets from $7 to $12 depending on the date, $20 on the day, and free Mondays except December 21 and 28.
Tip: ZooLights is closed on Thanksgiving, December 24 and 25, and on Tuesdays December 1, 8 and 15.
Holiday shows
The Goodman Theatre's 49th annual A Christmas Carol runs November 13 to December 31 in the Loop. The Joffrey Ballet's Nutcracker, choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon, plays the Lyric Opera House from December 4 to 27, 2026. For music, check the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's calendar for your dates.
Goodman Theatre
170 N. Dearborn St, Loop
Chicago's leading theatre, with two stages in the Loop theatre district. Its 49th annual production of A Christmas Carol runs November 13 to December 31, 2026; the rest of the 2026/27 season brings new plays and revivals.
Tip: Christmas Carol weekends sell first; book a weeknight and have dinner nearby beforehand.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Center
220 S. Michigan Ave
One of the world's great orchestras in its own hall across from the Art Institute. Check the season calendar for your dates.
Warm rooms on cold nights
Spend a cold afternoon in the Art Institute, then go underground: The Drifter is a tiny speakeasy in a Prohibition-era basement in River North, and the Green Mill in Uptown has had jazz since the Capone era. For a Christmas dinner splurge, Gibsons on Rush Street is clubby, noisy and very Chicago.
Art Institute of Chicago
Michigan Ave at Millennium Park
One of the great art museums in the world, strongest in Impressionism and American art. Pick a wing or two and pace yourselves.
The Drifter
Beneath Green Door Tavern, Orleans & Huron
A tiny speakeasy in a real Prohibition-era basement under the 1921 Green Door Tavern, with cocktails, live entertainment and burlesque. Open Wednesday to Saturday evenings.
The Green Mill
Broadway, Uptown
The legendary jazz lounge (Al Capone's booth is still there), with live music seven nights a week. Cash only, no reservations, and a serious listening room.
Tip: Arrive by 7:30 p.m. on weekends to get a booth.
Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse
1028 N. Rush St, Gold Coast
A Rush Street steakhouse since 1989 with white-jacketed servers, a busy bar and giant desserts. Noisy, clubby and very Chicago.
Our advice
- Come in the first two weeks of December: everything is open and hotels are calmer than the week before Christmas.
- Book Goodman and Joffrey seats now; weekend performances sell first.
- Dress for wind off the lake: hat, gloves and proper boots.
- Check current hours, event dates and prices before you go.
Everything on this page was checked on October 1, 2026. Event dates, show runs and tour prices change, so confirm before you go.
Questions people ask
When is the Christkindlmarket in Chicago in 2026?
November 20 to December 24, 2026, on Daley Plaza. It's open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, closing at 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.
When is ZooLights 2026?
November 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027, 4:30 to 9 p.m. at Lincoln Park Zoo. Advance tickets are $7 to $12, and most Mondays are free.
When is A Christmas Carol at the Goodman Theatre?
November 13 to December 31. It's the Goodman's 49th annual production.
Is Chicago worth visiting at Christmas?
Yes, if you dress for the cold. The market, the lights, the Nutcracker and the Christmas Carol are all within a short ride of each other, and the city's bars and restaurants are at their cosiest.