Parades & Holiday Events Chicago 2019

Now in its 28th year, this festive family affair is meant to ring in the holiday season in Chicago. The event includes two days of free, family-friendly activities such as cheesecake decoration and photos with Santa along Michigan Avenue. The festivities culminate with a tree-lighting parade that features Minnie and Mickey Mouse as the exuberant grand marshals; the parade ends with a firework display over the Chicago River. The parade is broadcast on ABC7 Chicago and is aired in more than 90 percent of the country during the holiday season. Next: November 22-23, 2019

The 64th annual parade featured bagpipers, dance troops, and local politicians donning green sashes. There were also several floats, decked with sparkling clovers and more festive tropes. This year, the parade route was packed with eager onlookers, many of whom wore green themselves, and waved Irish flags. Special guests included the mayor of Cork, Ireland. Next: March 14, 2020

This holiday spectacle features marching bands from all over the country, along with giant balloons, equestrian units, floats, and performances from dancers and special guests. Now broadcast nationally on WGN, the tradition began in 1934 and was intended to boost the spirits of Chicagoans during the great depression. Next: November 28, 2019

A Chicago tradition for 90 years, this is known as the largest African American parade in the country; it’s drawn notable guests such as Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama. Meant to close out the summer and welcome the new school year, the parade offers contests in areas such as Best Float and Best Dance Team. Broadcast on ABC 7 Chicago, the parade has some one million viewers at home and on the sidelines. At the culmination of the parade, all attendees are invited to join a party in the park that includes hiring fairs, face-painting services, and more. Next: August 2020

The 2019 parade had special significance, as it celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, which marked the beginning of the Gay Rights movement. Plus, this year Chicago’s first openly lesbian mayor, Lori Lightfoot, was grand marshal. The rainbow-flecked, high-energy event winds through four miles of Chicago’s north side, and draws about one million spectators each year. Next: June 28, 2020

A holiday tradition since 1996, this German-style marketplace takes over Chicago’s Daley Plaza for several weeks during holiday season; it also has outposts in Wrigleyville and across state lines in Milwaukee. At the quaint marketplace, wooden huts feature wares ranging from roasted nuts to cuckoo clocks and tree ornaments. The Christkind (a fairy-like character derived from German folklore) also roams the marketplace to meet with children. Next: November 15-December 24, 2019

After a wreath-laying ceremony in Daley Plaza and a 21-gun salute, the parade steps off from State and Lake and ends at Van Buren Street. With thousands of onlookers, the event featured dozens of floats, marching bands, and Veterans groups. Next: May 25, 2020

This Little Village parade celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019 and featured 50 grand marshals who represented community businesses and nonprofits. Some 200,000 spectators crowded the streets to take in the colorful procession of floats, mariachi bands, and dance troupes. The parade’s end point is the Fiestas Patrias, a party on 26th street that features music, food, and carnival games. Next: September 2020

Now in its 67th year, this parade features more than 110 units. In celebration of Italian-American culture, floats, bands, marchers, and more travel down State Street. Prior to the parade, some celebrants gather in Little Italy for a morning Mass and a wreath-laying ceremony at the foot of the neighborhood’s Columbus statue. Next: October 12, 2020

This spirited event, known as the largest motorcycle parade in the world, sees nearly 50,000 bikers delivering toys to underprivileged children. Apart from its kind-hearted mission, the event makes for quite a spectacle: Many bikers ride in whimsical costumes and deck their motorcycles with festive holiday decor. Next: December 1, 2019

Held the night before New Year’s Eve, this annual event raises money for HighSight’s scholarship program. At the black-tie-optional bash, guests dance to live music while nibbling on hors d’oeuvres and sipping drinks from the open bar. Some 2,000 revelers—many of them young professionals—make it out each year. Next: December 30, 2019

Some 1,000 guests gathered at this sweet event, which dished out chocolatey treats from 22 vendors. Partygoers noshed on white-chocolate waffles with chicken, Mexican hot chocolate brownies, and dark-chocolate gnocchi, among other snacks. The event includes a competition that awards prizes in such categories as Best Sweet and Best Savory; there’s also an innovative “punchboard raffle” that allows guests to punch holes in a paper wall to find prizes on the other side. The event grossed more than $200,000 to support the foundation’s services. Next: December 5, 2019