Chicago’s Fall festival guide
Harvest weekends, film and art gatherings, open-house traditions, and neighborhood celebrations across the city.
57 festivals to know
- Chicago Jazz Festival — September 3–6, 2026
- ARC Music Festival — September 4–7, 2026
- North Coast Music Festival — September 4–6, 2026
- Taste of Polonia — September 4–7, 2026
- Great American Lobster Fest — September 5–6, 2026
- Bike The Drive — September 6, 2026
- German-American Fest — September 11–13, 2026
- El Grito Chicago — September 12–13, 2026
- Printers Row Lit Fest — September 12–13, 2026
- Ravenswood Art Walk — September 12–13, 2026
- Chicago Humanities Festival (Fall) — September 14 – November 14, 2026
- Destinos Latino Theater Festival — September 15 – October 11, 2026
- Englewood Jazz Festival — September 2026 date TBA
- Reeling Film Festival — September 17–27, 2026
- Old Town Oktoberfest — September 18–20, 2026
- Retro on Roscoe — September 18–20, 2026
- Riot Fest & Carnival — September 18–20, 2026
- Chicago Live! — September 19–20, 2026
- Lakeview East Festival of the Arts — September 19–20, 2026
- World Dumpling Fest — September 19–20, 2026
- Chicago Gourmet — September 24–27, 2026
- Cold Waves Festival — September 24–27, 2026
- African/Caribbean Festival of Life — September 25–27, 2026
- Oktoberfest Chicago at St. Alphonsus — September 25–27, 2026
- World Music Festival Chicago — September 25 – October 4, 2026
- Beverly Art Walk — September 26, 2026
- Clark Street Live — September 26–27, 2026
- Hyde Park Jazz Festival — September 26–27, 2026
- WingOut Chicago — September 26–27, 2026
- Meet Me on Milwaukee — September 27 and October 25, 2026
- Lincoln Square Ravenswood Apple Fest — October 2–4, 2026
- West Town Art Walk — October 2–4, 2026
- Chicago Fashion Week — October 8–18, 2026
- Lincoln Park Wine Fest — October 9–11, 2026
- Historic Pullman House Tour — October 10–11, 2026
- Oktoberfestiversary — October 10–11, 2026
- Chicago Marathon — October 11, 2026
- Chicago International Film Festival — October 14–25, 2026
- Loop Arts Fest — October 17, 2026
- Open House Chicago — October 17–18, 2026
- Spooky Zoo — October 17, 2026
- Zoo Brew: Howls and Growls — October 23–24, 2026
- Arts in the Dark Halloween Parade — October 24, 2026
- Día de los Muertos Xicágo — Late October 2026 — date TBA
- Lincoln Scared — October 25, 2026
- Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade — October 31, 2026
- 312 Comedy Festival — November 5–15, 2026
- Lightscape at Chicago Botanic Garden — November 13, 2026 – January 3, 2027 (select dates)
- Illumination at The Morton Arboretum — November 14, 2026 – January 2, 2027
- City of Chicago Christmas Tree Lighting — Mid/late November 2026 — date TBA
- Christkindlmarket Aurora — November 20 – December 24, 2026 (Thu–Sun)
- Christkindlmarket Chicago (Daley Plaza) — November 20 – December 24, 2026
- Christkindlmarket Wrigleyville — November 20 – December 31, 2026
- ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo — Late November 2026 – early January 2027 — dates TBA
- Magnificent Mile Lights Festival — November 21, 2026
- Chicago Thanksgiving Parade — November 26, 2026
- CTA Holiday Train — Late November – December 2026 — schedule TBA