December 12, 2025
Friday

Headliners

4:30 pm-
10:00 pm
ZooLights The Lincoln Park Zoo. This family-oriented holiday celebration, featuring luminous displays and holiday-season activities throughout...
7:00 pmGaither Homecoming Christmas Willow Creek Community Church, South Barrington. Annual Christmas concert with Bill Gaither, the Gaither Vocal Band, and top gospel...
7:30 pmA Christmas Carol Albert Ivar Goodman Theatre. Meet miserly Scrooge, hard-working Bob Crachit, and the ghosts of Christmas past, present and... 312-443-3800

Festivals

4:30 pm-
10:00 pm
ZooLights The Lincoln Park Zoo. This family-oriented holiday celebration, featuring luminous displays and holiday-season activities throughout...
6:00 pm-
7:30 pm
Millennium Park Holiday Sing-Along Millennium Park. The Millennium Park Holiday Sing-Along invites evertone to sing out and celebrate Chicago's diverse holiday traditions...
7:00 pmGaither Homecoming Christmas Willow Creek Community Church, South Barrington. Annual Christmas concert with Bill Gaither, the Gaither Vocal Band, and top gospel...

The Arts

10:00 amFinding Nemo Marriott Theatre, Lincolnshire. Musical theatrical performance.
6:30 pmCandlelight: Tribute to Drake Stan Mansion. Live concert performance.
7:00 pmComedysportz Malarkey Comedy Kingsbury Theater. The ultimate comedy battle where two improv teams compete for laughs and points! A witty Ref keeps the...
7:00 pmCirque Du Soleil - Twas The Night Before Chicago Theatre. Cirque Du Soleil theatrical performance.
7:00 pmTommy Davidson Chicago Improv, Schaumburg. Comedic performance live.
7:00 pmSix The Musical CIBC Theatre. Musical theatrical performance.
7:00 pmJoffrey Ballet: The Nutcracker Lyric Opera House of Chicago. Ballet theatrical performance.
7:00 pmJack Assadourian Jr. Comedy Vault, Batavia. Comedic performance live.
7:00 pmClued In - An Improvised Murder Mystery Donny's Skybox Theatre. Comedic performance live.
7:00 pmIrving Berlin's White Christmas Paramount Theatre, Aurora. Musical theatrical performance.
7:00 pmElf - The Musical Auditorium Theatre. Musical theatrical performance.
7:00 pmBelmont Bottom Lounge Restaurant. Pop / rock performance.
7:00 pmThe Phantom of the Opera Cadillac Palace Theatre. Musical theatrical performance.
7:00 pmFor King and Country Rosemont Theatre. Alternative music performance.
7:00 pmSteph Tolev Zanies Comedy Club, Rosemont. Comedic performance live.
7:00 pmAaron Lewis and the Stateliners Hard Rock Live Northern Indiana, Gary. Alternative music performance.
7:30 pmA Christmas Carol Albert Ivar Goodman Theatre. Meet miserly Scrooge, hard-working Bob Crachit, and the ghosts of Christmas past, present and... 312-443-3800
7:30 pmAlvin Ailey American Dance Theater Auditorium Theatre. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater brings African-American artistic expression and the American modern... 312-922-2110
7:30 pmA Christmas Carol Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, Arlington Heights. Musical theatrical performance.
7:30 pmLake County Symphony Orchestra: Welcome Christmas James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts, Grayslake. Classical concert.
8:00 pmAndrew Bird Fourth Presbyterian Church. Performing Live.
8:00 pmChristian Nodal Allstate Arena, Rosemont. Latin music in concert.
8:00 pmDJ Sandhu CG's Comedy Club, Bolingbrook. Comedic performance live.
8:00 pmAcid Bath The Salt Shed. Live rock / metal music.
8:00 pmTeethe Schubas Harmony Grill. Pop / rock performance.
8:00 pmThe Armed Thalia Hall. Live rock / metal music.
8:00 pmChris Isaak Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet. Pop / rock performance.
8:00 pmJulio Iglesias Jr. The Arcada Theatre, St. Charles. Latin music in concert.
8:00 pmMatteo Bocelli Genesee Theatre, Waukegan. Classical concert.
8:00 pmPreservation Hall Jazz Band Cahn Auditorium, Evanston. Jazz / blues concert performance.

For Children

10:00 am-
4:00 pm
Istock Family Look-In Lab Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. Explore the Nature Museum's live collections of reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates... 773-755-5100
10:30 amMrs. Claus! A Holiday Musical Beverly Art Center. It's almost Christmas, and Santa's list is missing! Join Mrs. Claus and the Elf Class of 2025 as they try to find it in time...
11:00 amBest of Shedd Tour Shedd Aquarium. Discover the aquarium like never before with a 75 minute guided tour that includes behind-the-scenes access, front-row seats...

Community

9:30 am-
3:45 pm
Home and Studio: Inside and Out Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio, Oak Park. Pair a guided tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio with a self-guided... 312-994-4000
9:30 am-
4:00 pm
Robie House: Inside and Out Frederick C. Robie House. A guided interior tour and a self-guided outdoor audio tour along 58th Street, exploring its architectural story...
10:00 am-
4:00 pm
Judy Istock Butterfly Haven Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. Discover over 40 exotic butterfly species and colorful birds in a tropical 2,700 sq. ft. greenhouse... 773-755-5100
10:00 am-
4:00 pm
RiverWorks Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. Splash through this waterplay experience and learn about Chicago's waterways and how they... 773-755-5100
10:00 am-
4:00 pm
Wilderness Walk Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. Three meticulously re-created environments in Wilderness Walk immerse visitors in a prairie... 773-755-5100
8:00 pm-
12:00 am
Cocktails and Clay Hyde Park Art Center. Imagine happy hour... with clay! Join us at the Hyde Park Art Center for a night of mud-mashing, dance partying... 773-324-5520

Dining Specials

4:00 pm-
5:00 pm
Gilt Bar Happy Hour Gilt Bar Chicago. Enjoy a variety of crave-worthy bites and drinks, starting with sliders like the American cheeseburger & hot fried chicken...
4:00 pm-
6:00 pm
Grazing Hour Cabra. Dig into bold bites like Spicy Sticky Wings, Pork Belly Sliders, and mix-and-match Empanadas, paired with drink specials including...

Nightlife

4:00 pmDelilah's Rock n Roll Jukebox Delilah's. Features Juke Box Friday spins starting at 9pm with $3 Labatt Blue, $3 Maker's Mark Bourbon.
5:00 pm-
2:00 am
Fridays at Cerise Cerise Rooftop. Sip, sway, and take in the skyline views. Sunset Set White Owl, 5pm-9pm and Night Shift with Local Chicago DJs from 9pm-2am...
6:00 pmRed Velvet Burlesque Show Y Bar. Captivating audiences with standout choreography and timeless burlesque in this adult-theme perfromance.
6:00 pmRed Lace Burlesque Show and Variety Show Red Lace Burlesque. A live show blending burlesque, cabaret, and variety acts for an evening of dazzling, high-energy entertainment...
6:00 pmRed Velvet Burlesque Show Red Velvet Burlesque Show. Adult themed event.
7:00 pmTrivia Night at The Pink Squirrel The Pink Squirrel. Hosted by Whaddayaknow Trivia.
9:00 pmTrapped in a Musical Malarkey Comedy Kingsbury Theater. A fully improvised Broadway-style show where you decide the story, characters, and chaos. With no script...