February of 2024 will leave its mark as the most happening month in Chicago! It is the best idea to visit Chicago in February; let me explain to you why! With festivals, parades, and special days that fall in the month of February, it is a beauty to be there! The city shines and screams fun and entertainment in every nook and corner of the city!
From cultural delights to cozy hideaways, discover a curated list of activities that will turn your February into a delightful canvas of experiences. Let’s count what’s there for you this month! 🥳Your heart will skip a beat at the world-famous Chicago Auto Show with unbelievable cars! The music festivals will keep your adrenaline high; meanwhile, rituals and annual events will bring comfort to you! Celebrate Black History Month events, go ice-skating, and travel through the Titanic in exhibitions; and surprisingly, there’s always more!
Explore events and things to do in February in Chicago as it unfolds its winter wonders, inviting you to savor the unique offerings that make this weekend in Chicago special.
The Most Awaited: Chicago Auto Show
The one and only, more than a century-old 116th Annual Chicago Auto Show is here with the latest models from the auto industry! It is the largest auto show in North America and the oldest one in the world. Chicago is known for its car show worldwide! Let’s say it is a privilege to attend such an iconic show!🥹
With more than two dozen manufacturers, it has a complete range of domestic and international passenger cars, minivans, sport-utility vehicles, trucks, and the best ones, experimental and concept cars!🏎️ If you add the antique and collector cars, there are 1000 different vehicles on display (plus accessories) in the show!
Don’t get me wrong as there isn’t only the exhibition! You can hop behind the wheel for indoor and outdoor test drives, too. I think it is a unique show that can convert you into a car enthusiast, or you might fall harder if you already are one!
Celebrate Black History Month With Community
To celebrate the birth month of African icons Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, February is known to be Black History Month. Several places pay their respects with gatherings and events on Black History Month in Chicago to honor the past and appreciate the present!
- Dive into the captivating stories as struggles and victories unfold on the big screen, making it a truly immersive experience. Appreciate Black History Month at The DuSable Museum with Film Screenings 🎬that offer a profound insight into history from a unique perspective. Stepping into their shoes feels pretty overwhelming, so carry a brave heart! Engage in lively discussions that bring you face-to-face with filmmakers, the cast, and storytellers who weave narratives like no other. This is your chance to absorb their perspectives and treasure tips on capturing history through the lens.
- During Black History Month, absorb the lively rhythms and poignant melodies of the Chicago Black History Month Concert Series, 💃 reflecting the richness of African culture. African music’s effect isn’t confined to Chicago; it resonates globally. Let the rhythm become the bridge that unites your heart, mind, body, and soul, paving a beautiful journey for every listener.✨ This year’s theme, “Soul to Soul: The Evolution of African Music in America,” takes center stage. It celebrates the impeccable growth and unwavering popularity shaping the essence of Black History Month.
😋Handy Hints and Tips: Keep your networking radar on at the events. You never know who ends up becoming the next Oscar winner, after all!
Freeze the Winter at Music Frozen Dancing
Heat up the winter chill as Goose Island Beer Co and Empty Bottle team up for the 10th annual Music Frozen Dancing! It’s a spectacular showcase featuring elite artists from all corners of the nation, like Lifeguard, Upchuck, Nancy Beloved, Cel-Ray, and Radio DJ spinning records! Hold onto your earmuffs because here’s the best part: admission is absolutely free! We’re all about spreading the good vibes, but if you’re feeling extra generous (and who wouldn’t be?), donations are more than welcome at the gate.🤗 Some of those contributions go straight to supporting the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless.
The Irresistible Flair of Annual Festivals
Did you miss out on some amazing festivals last February? Don’t worry; there’s a spectacular lineup of annual festivals in Chicago that you can cover up! Climb up for a good cause, set on a cinematic journey of film fest, and immerse yourself in the scent of flowers. These thrilling traditions happen like clockwork each February, so if you missed out last time, get ready to check off some bucket-list moments!
- It’s time to climb for a good cause. Calling all champions of clean air for the Hustle Chicago® Charity Stair Climb, an epic journey where every step benefits the Respiratory Health Association‘s fight for fresh air. An enthusiast for a climb🪜 or a hero scaling in honor of a loved one, this trek comes with breathtaking views. Cheering won’t let you stop, and a medal worthy of your bravery awaits on your triumphant arrival at the finish line.🥇 The Hustle Chicago After Party is surely a good motivation at the end. Ascend together and leave Chicago breathless in the best way possible!
- A dose of colorful beauty and aromatic fragrance is all you need to cheer up your day and widen your smile. 100 vibrant blooms at The Orchid Show of Wonders this February are a delight to ogle any time of the day!👀 This year’s show is inspired by carnival and circus attractions, so it’s obvious that the dose of fun and silliness is overloaded! Listen to classic circus tunes throughout the show while walking under the Ferris wheel🎡 and marvel at unicycles on tightropes. It will feel as if the attractions have come to life in a unique way with gravity-defying rules!
- Since 1999, The Chicago Irish Film Festival, a cinematic smorgasbord celebrating Irish storytelling, is back!📽 The four glorious days of laughter, tears, and everything in between will showcase the best and brightest talents. With a glamorous opening night gala for “Verdigris,” where pre-screening drinks and a delectable buffet will awaken your inner Oscar night star.😎 Dust off your shamrock sweater and grab your film-loving crew for captivating stories, witty dialogues, and quintessentially Irish charm. It’s an experience that’ll leave you saying, “Sláinte, and more, please!”
😋 Handy Hints and Tips: Our advice would be to have a safe spot because getting separated from your mates in crowds might ruin the festival experience!
Candlelight Specials in Tribute to Your Loved Artists
The Candlelight Concert concept is an experience of music performances with a unique ambiance, taking music to a completely new light!🕯️ After listening to the same tunes in these beautiful concerts, you will fall harder in love with the music, artists, and musicians.
Now, just imagine listening to Adele’s magical songs at these concerts with top musicians surrounded by candles. Candlelight: A Tribute to Adele will leave you overwhelmingly satisfied and make you clueless about how to face the outer world again.🎻 The immersive experience will leave you speechless when you attend the Candlelight Special for Tribute to Coldplay. The mellow and inspirational tunes bring out just the right flavor of Coldplay in just the right setup.
Under the warm and gentle glow of candles, Jazz music hits all the right nerves.🎷 A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong is another Candlelight event for lovers of classics. The aura feels like a warm hug, especially when you visit with your loved ones!
Roaring Laughter at Comedy Shows!
February may be jam-packed with festivals, but guess what? The laughter never takes a break! Comedy shows in Chicago keep rolling in, making sure there’s never a dull moment. The amazing comedians are here to make winters a little less cold with laughter and lots of drinks!
- Since 2009, Best Night Ever has been tickling Chicago’s funny bone with the freshest comedic talent, both local and national. The responsibility to keep you roaring with laughter falls on David Cross, Kyle Kinane, and Beth Stelling – all under the cozy roof of Lincoln Lodge. Every Tuesday night, this show transforms the space into a laughter factory.🤣 Come prepared to end up with sore cheeks and a scratchy voice because the laughter ain’t stopping!
- If you are the victim of Seasonal Affection Disorder, then keep reading. Well, winter can be pretty cold and tough to survive, so why not warm it up with a drinking game and laughter? DRINK: a Sketch Comedy Drinking Game challenges you to have a few drinks (or way more), so pace yourself! It will surely help you leave your sorrows behind, even if that’s for an hour or two!
Handy Hints and Tips: Select your seats wisely. Just saying the front-row seats are the target for a good roast session! 👀
Lace Up to Fly on Ice Skating Rinks!
Sliding on the ice-skating rinks in the chilly season is one of people’s favorite activities in Chicago. There is no lack of skating rinks in the city meanwhile, these have become the go-to favorite for everyone.⛷️ After all, what is more beautiful than watching the city skyline while skating through white clouds?
- Tell me a better plan in the winter season instead of skating the evening away (I’ll wait)! There are many places to do so, but with the city’s skyline as a backdrop, Maggie Daley Park Ice Skating tops our list! The ice-covered path is double the length of any regular rink. Mondays are free entry, so it’s best to spend your long weekend’s extra day skating.❄️ You can either bring your skates or just rent them from the park; you have all the options!
- For over two decades, Millennium Park’s ice skating rink has been Chicago’s winter wonderland, offering frosty fun for all skill levels. Lace-up your blades and glide beneath the watchful gaze of Cloud Gate. Feeling wobbly and scared? Fear not, as there are free skating lessons most weekends, mastering graceful glides (no guarantees, but hey, dreams are free!).⛸️ Just remember, reservations are your golden ticket, so don’t get left out in the cold! Admission is free. So, what are you waiting for? Sharpen your skills and grab your mittens today!
😋 Handy Hints and Tips: If you don’t know how to skate, don’t be brave enough to go alone. Trust me, it is not easy to get up once you fall down! 🥲
Immersive Exhibitions at Westfield Old Orchard
The curiosity of exploring Titanic is something that every individual has from time to time. If you can’t go and see it, Chicago will bring it home. The Titanic Exhibition is an interactive experience brought to life. Step inside to see the recreated ship’s interior 🚢, explore the artifacts, and learn about tales of passengers, designs, voyages, and the tragedy that left the world speechless. The doors are open for you.🚪 Although, the tickets are selling out in thin air, so be quick with bookings!
You are in luck because this isn’t it! Westfield Old Orchard has something extra that will drive you even further!
Are you craving a portal to your beloved show? The Downtown Abbey Exhibition is the back gate to your favorite show. Peek into the Crawleys’ world, strolling through iconic sets like the bustling kitchen, Carson’s meticulous office, and the grand dining room where secrets simmered alongside lavish feasts🤫. Get a chance to see the costumes that you all fell in love🙈 with, and imagine wearing them (like you always do)!
It’s Time for a Wrap-Up!
Surprisingly, every beloved festival and annual event of the city has ended up in February 2024 in Chicago! There are so many reasons to relish every single moment in Chicago this month.
So, there you have it – the ultimate guide to conquering February in Chicago! From dancing in your skivvies to roaring laughter at comedy shows and delving into the richness of Black History Month, this month is bursting with experiences that will warm your heart even in the coldest winter. Whether you’re savoring the vibrant parades, getting revved up at the Chicago Auto Show, or embracing the infectious flair of annual festivals, February in Chicago has it all.🤯 So, tie your shoes, don your favorite mask, and let the adventures unfold – because winter wonders and mesmerizing memories await in the Windy City!
If you wish to explore any events in Chicago further, click on the link below to have the events that will make your January a blast!
