Things to Do in Chicago Under $20.
High-value entertainment, cheap eats, and fun activities that won't break the bank.
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Upcoming Events & Happenings
Daley Plaza Farmers Market & Food Truck Rally
Chicago's longest-running outdoor farmers market held in the heart of The Loop beneath the iconic Picasso sculpture, featuring fresh local produce, baked goods, and lunch food trucks.
Kingston Mines Live Chicago Blues Weekend Showcase
Authentic, high-octane live Chicago blues across two continuous stages running until 4:00 AM at the world-famous Lincoln Park blues institution operating since 1968.
Late-Night Jazz Jam Session at The Green Mill
Historic Uptown cocktail lounge and former Prohibition-era speakeasy hosting late-night live jazz jam sessions and quartet performances rolling until 3:30 AM.
Green City Market Lincoln Park
Chicago's premier sustainable open-air farmers market connecting local Midwest farmers and artisan food makers with the community beneath Lincoln Park's tree canopy.
Navy Pier Summer Lakefront Fireworks
Award-winning choreographed fireworks lighting up Lake Michigan and the downtown skyline, free to view along the 3,300-foot pier promenade and surrounding lakefront parks.
Logan Square Farmers Market
Vibrant open-air Sunday community market along Milwaukee Avenue offering regional seasonal produce, local honey, artisan pastries, specialty coffees, and live street buskers.
Tuesdays on the Terrace at MCA Chicago
Free live outdoor evening music and art gathering on the MCA sculpture garden terrace, featuring prominent Chicago musicians and museum gallery admission.
47th Annual Chicago Jazz Festival
A celebrated Labor Day weekend Chicago tradition organized by DCASE and the Jazz Institute of Chicago, featuring world-renowned jazz artists and local Chicago legends across Jay Pritzker Pavilion and park lawns.
Labor Day Weekend Queen! at Smartbar
Chicago's legendary weekly Sunday LGBTQ+ underground house and disco party at Smartbar, featuring resident selector Derrick Carter, Michael Serafini, and Shaun J. Wright on the subterranean Funktion-One sound system.
Hand-Picked Venues & Spots in Chicago
Millennium Park (Cloud Gate)
★ 4.8Chicago's premier civic center featuring Cloud Gate, Crown Fountain, and Jay Pritzker Pavilion
A 24.5-acre lakefront park in the Loop home to Anish Kapoor's iconic 'Bean' (Cloud Gate), Jaume Plensa's interactive Crown Fountain, Lurie Garden, and Frank Gehry's stainless steel Jay Pritzker Pavilion.
Chicago Riverwalk
★ 4.8Scenic 1.25-mile pedestrian promenade along the main branch of the Chicago River
A dynamic waterfront pedestrian walkway divided into distinct thematic coves lined with alfresco restaurants, wine bars, kayak launches, and unbeatable views of landmark skyscrapers.