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Things to do in and around Chicago during Fourth of July weekend Besides fireworks and parades, there are plenty of options for fun throughout the Chicago area this holiday weekend. The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) announces the return of several beloved free traditions to Millennium Park. Chicago will come alive once again with the rhythm and spirit of summer as the city announces its highly anticipated Summer Music Series, running from June 26 through August 7. Bartlett 4th of July Fest Bartlett Park | July 3–6 Carnival rides, food, bands and fireworks (July 4 at 9:15 p.m.) Regional Fireworks (July 3) Aurora – 9 p.m., McCullough Park. Berwyn – 8 p Here’s your guide to the best things to do in Chicago over the Fourth of July weekend 2025. See the Navy Pier fireworks. Saturday, July 5, 2025 at 10 p.m. Head to the lake to catch Chicago’s Independence Day fireworks display at Navy Pier. The annual spectacle, set to patriotic music, is part of Navy Pier’s beloved free summer fireworks Photo/DCASE site. Summer is the perfect time to get your blood pumping, and what better way than with free group workouts at Millennium Park! The 2025 free summer workout series returns nearly every Saturday this season, with 45-minute classes teaching yoga, pilates, and more. Millennium Park Summer Music Series features a wide variety of music from established and emerging artists at the iconic Jay Pritzker Pavilion. The Abbey Resort, just a short drive from Chicago, will host a full day of free family-friendly festivities on July 4. From 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., activities at the resort’s West Shore Pavilion will include inflatables, lawn games, face painting, temporary tattoos, live magic shows, a scavenger hunt, and a bonfire with s’mores . Our picks for events in and around Chicago this weekend, including the fireworks shows, the band Chicago at Ravinia and the Grant Park Music Festival’s annual bash in Millennium Park. From July 7-14 at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago, Evanston. Tickets: $30, master class and student concert are free. Visit musicinst.org. The Village of Tinley Park and the Tinley Park Park District will host an Independence Day celebration on July 4 at McCarthy Park, 16801 S. 80th Ave. Festivities start at 4 p.m. with live WAMI LIVE July 4th, Independence Day Night Cruise! See Chicago's fireworks this Saturday, plus parades, bar crawls, concerts, and suburban celebrations. Plan your holiday weekend now. Welcome. The Grant Park Music Festival is a ten-week classical music concert series held annually in Chicago, Illinois’ Millennium Park. It features the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus, along with guest performers and conductors, and is one of the only free outdoor classical-music concert series in the US. Fireworks can be seen at 9 p.m. at Willow Stream Park on July 4, following a concert by the Symphonic Band at 7 p.m. The concert and the fireworks are both free admission. Carol Stream The parade kicks off at 11 a.m. with marching bands, floats, community groups, and kids on decorated bikes - with a free festival after the parade from 12-3 p.m. featuring performances, games, bouncy houses, face painting, magician, and more! Holidays in the city are nothing short of pure entertainment’ that of course includes a Chicago 4th of July weekend! Celebrate this grand country’s independence at any (or all) of these locations around Chicago. Thousands in US plan 'Free America' protests on Independence Day. Women's March leads rallies, vigils against Trump's policies. Events span all 50 states with marches and block parties. Protesters aim to protect civil liberties. Demonstrations follow earlier anti-Trump actions. Various cities host events with diverse formats. The goal is to celebrate true freedom and unity across the nation. The Millennium Park Summer Music Series offers free outdoor concerts in downtown Chicago, showcasing a diverse range of established and emerging musicians in a spectacular setting. This beloved series features artists from across genres, including R&B, house, disco, jazz, pop, country, alternative, and world music. And plenty of the things to do in Chicago this 4th of July weekend are perfect for littles who can't stay up late enough to see fireworks: Kids can enjoy parades in Hyde Park, Hinsdale, or Arlington Heights, or concerts in Rosemont or C antigny Park. Beat the heat this weekend in Chicago at one of the best free public pools or lakeside beaches. Celebrate the Fourth of July in Chicago with the Independence Day fireworks display on Saturday, July 5. The breathtaking show lights up the sky over Lake Michigan, accompanied by a soundtrack of patriotic music.
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Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
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