Gates open at 4:30 p.m. for the free Pritzker Pavilion showcase, with previews of The Notebook and The Outsiders headlining.

Her one-woman show on motherhood and aging kicks off a national tour with just five Chicago shows through Sunday.

Three time slots remain for the August 14 dome show, with phones locked away and the Northern Lights on the ceiling.

Daniel Kraus, Scott Turow and Geoff Bennett lead a sprawling 2026 lineup at Chicago’s free Printers Row Lit Fest.

Giant iridescent bubbles are transforming the Chicago Botanic Garden into a playful summer art walk through September 20.

Northlight Theatre cut the ribbon on a new 285-seat home at 1012 Church Street in Evanston, a roughly $33 million project that returns the company to its birthplace. The 2026–27 season opens this fall with The Front Page.

Arts and cultural programming drew nearly 1.5M visits to the Loop in Q2 and generated roughly $395M, boosting restaurants and sparking conversions even as weekday traffic lags.

Oil Lamp Theater will move from its 60-seat Glenview Road storefront into the former Ten Ninety Brewing space as part of a $5M "Light the Way" campaign to open a larger theater by 2028.

Neighbors in Bronzeville say the Nat King Cole mural at 43rd and King Drive was taken down during exterior repairs, and residents are demanding a transparent plan for restoration.

Dave Malloy’s Octet transfers from Raven’s sold‑out 130‑seat run to the Goodman’s Owen Theatre July 15–Aug. 2 with the original cast and a Miranda film in the wings.

A new block of Obama Presidential Center museum tickets goes on sale July 8 at 10 a.m. CT. Founding Members had early access July 1; here’s what to know about prices and how to try.

Chicago’s Shannon Rovers mark their centennial with a Soldier Field gala that blends family tradition, parade pageantry and a village‑style celebration.

The Leather Archives & Museum is closed for a year for a roughly $2.2M renovation that will expand galleries, add an ADA entrance and modern climate control for archives.