It's a whole new month with tons of exciting events ready to fill up your weekend! We're at the final weekend of Chicago Restaurant Week, first weekend of the Chicago Auto Show and Chicago Theatre Week, opening day of Chicago Black Restaurant Week and so much more! So get ready for some amazing shows, great food, and everything else Chicago has to offer!
Let's get on with your curated weekend!
ART GALLERIES & SPECIAL EVENTS
- All Star Press is constantly putting up new prints for you to decorate your space with! RIGHT NOW they are showing "ParkLife" BY Blake Jones and Friends!
- Chicago Gamespace is the perfect spot to check out the hairy present and future of the gaming realm!
- Rotofugi is the perfect nexus of art and toys! Head over to see what new pieces of art they have in stock and on display in their gallery space! Right Now they're showing Further Isn't Far Enough, Paintings and Prints by Chuck U!
- WNDR Museum is an ever-evolving immersive art and technology experience designed to ignite your curiosity! See exhibits like the Light Floor, Try to Get Higher, and the Digital Gallery.
- Garfield Park Conservatory is open! Book a reservation to see all the beautiful gardens! See what current exhibits are on display now.
- Lincoln Park Conservatory is open! Book a reservation to see all the beautiful gardens
EVENTS THIS WINTER SEASON!
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6
Taste of Ravenswood @ Ravenswood Event Center, 4021 N Ravenswood Ave, 6:30pm - 10:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: Taste of Ravenswood returns for the first time since 2019
SO WHAT: Along with being home to Malt Row, Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood boasts a vibrant community of culinary dynamos and decorated restaurants. A wide array of chefs, brewers, bakers, and distillers have conjured up a menu of one-night-only dishes that showcase the diversity of Ravenswood's culinary scene. Guests will also enjoy music by acclaimed pianist Casey Cross and bassist Jeffrey Parker, live painting by Ravenswood artist Alexandra Stevenson, stunning floral installations by The Flower Girl Company, all set among a private collection of vintage neon signs and classic cars.
NOW WHAT: Tickets start at $108.55 for 7:30pm entry, $140.56 for 6:30pm entry which includes a cocktail hour, and $1068.91 for a VIP table reservation for 8 guests. Tickets go off sale at 11:59pm on Thursday so get you tickets now!
FRIDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6 - 8 (& BEYOND)
The Neo-Futurists’ The Infinite Wrench @ The Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N Ashland, Friday and Saturday 10:30pm, Sunday 7pm, 16+
WHAT: Quick plays live and online!
SO WHAT: The Neo-Futurists' Infinite Wrench is an ongoing, ever-changing attempt to perform 30 plays in 60 minutes for a live audience.
NOW WHAT: Join the Neo-Futurists this weekend for $15-20! The Infinite Wrench and more is also available over at their Patreon!
SATURDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7 & 8 (& BEYOND)
Fika Fest @ Andersonville, Various Locations, Various Times, All Ages
WHAT: A taste of the Scandinavian roots of Andersonville
SO WHAT:Andersonville‘s annual Fika Fest (formerly Hygge Fest) is a go this year with plenty of fun activities. For two days businesses around Andersonville will be embracing the state of mind of Fika (a coffee and cake break) with some great promotions. There will be a Coffee & Cocoa Crawl on February 7 and a Puzzle Exchange on February 8! Plus there will be the Great Andersonville Puzzle Throw-down happening during Puzzle Exchange at RAYGUN (5207 N Clark from 11AM-2PM). Contestants will compete to see who can finish a secret puzzle the fastest!
NOW WHAT: Head out and support some local businesses
2026 Chicago Auto Show @ McCormick Place, 2301 S Martin Luther King Dr, 10:00am -9:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: Chicago Auto Show is back for another year
SO WHAT: Head out to McCormick Place to see the latest vehicles, experience added outdoor test tracks, or take a test drive on city streets! It’s North America’s largest auto show and will be open to the public February 7 – 16, so indulge in your love of automobiles! Check out our photo gallery of 2024’s show here!
NOW WHAT: Ticket are $17 adults, $12 seniors 62+, $12 for children 4-12, and children 0-3 are free!
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8 (& BEYOND)
Chicago Black Restaurant Week @ Various Locations, Various Times, All Ages
WHAT: Two weeks of this incredible dining opportunity
SO WHAT: Chicago Black Restaurant Week returns February 8-22 with another exciting lineup of local eateries. CBRW was designed to create a platform for Black-owned eateries inviting foodies to check out our town’s hidden gems and maybe find some new favorite locales in the process.
NOW WHAT: Check out all the participating restaurants on their website and get ready for some great food!
Handmade Market Chicago @ Empty Bottle, 1035 N Western Ave, Noon – 4:30pm
WHAT: Shopping, eating, and drinking all in one place
SO WHAT: Grab a drink from the Empty Bottle Bar, and start shopping the Handmade Market Chicago! They will bring a nice collection of makers with beautiful and unique items to the Empty Bottle! Join in and see what all the sellers will have to offer. You can check out some of the sellers that will be featured over on their Facebook page.
NOW WHAT: This event as always is free!
THE WHOLE CURATED WEEKEND & BEYOND
Chicago Theatre Week 2026 @ Various Locations, various times
WHAT: A glorious return of Chicago Theatre Week
SO WHAT: Chicago Theatre Week is meant to give theater-lovers a chance to discover a new theater company in person. This year they are back in person with over 100 performances throughout the city ready to dazzle you with improv, dramas, musicals and more! Check out the lineup of theaters and shows over at their website! And be sure to check out our Stages page for reviews of many of the shows featured in this event!
NOW WHAT: Tickets range from $15 to $30 or even less! head out and discover some incredible shows!
Chicago Restaurant Week 2025 @ Various Restaurants, Various Times
WHAT: Another edition of this annual culinary celebration!
SO WHAT: Over 550 restaurants (a new record) will take part in Restaurant Week (which is actually 17 days long!), letting everyone have a taste of Chicago’s restaurant scene from Italian, French, Spanish, Chinese and more! You can feast on delicious multi-course menus all across the city and suburbs. You can find all the participating restaurants on the Restaurant Week website!
NOW WHAT: These multi-course meals are $30 for brunch or lunch, and $45 or $60 for dinner (excluding beverages, tax, gratuity, and delivery fees).
Weekend Shows @ Lincoln Hall & Schubas, 2424 N Lincoln Ave & 3159 N Southport Ave, various times, 18+
WHAT: A full weekend of amazing shows at Schubas and Lincoln Hall!
SO WHAT: Lincoln Hall and Schubas are some of our favorite venues in the city and they always have something great going on. This weekend is the start of their month long festival TNK, so you can check out what those show have going on just above this!
- 2/5 - Schubas Open Mic HOSTED BY SHARRON PALM and SAM SELBY @ Schubas (Upstairs)
- 2/5 - Erin LeCount La Lune Tour + Cosette @ Schubas SOLD OUT
- 2/5 Venna North American Tour 2026 + Senite @ Lincoln Hall
- 2/6 - Dean Johnson + Lily Seabird @ Schubas SOLD OUT
- 2/6 - Meet Me Upstairs Presents: Clark Street Jams + Tommaso + Sorrbet @ Schubas (Upstairs)
- 2/7 - The Vulgar Boatmen + American Elm @ Schubas
- 2/7 - UpBeat Music Student Showcase @ Schubas
- 2/7 Latter Anti-Valentine's Day: Crippling Alcoholism + Ganser + Missouri Executive Order 44 + Blood Nymph@ Lincoln Hall
- 2/7 - Sam Dicke + Diya Basrai @ Schubas (Upstairs)
NOW WHAT: Head out to Schubas & Lincoln Hall and enjoy this great lineup of shows!
Winterland @ Gallagher Way, 3635 N Clark St, various times, All Ages
WHAT: Some more winter festivities
SO WHAT: Enjoy the return of Gallagher Way’s Winterland with all the fun activities! Enjoy Holiday Movie nights, ice skating, the Holiday train, and plenty of popups around the area!
NOW WHAT: Entry to the Winterland is FREE!
Movies on the Big Screen and Home @ Music Box Theatre, 3733 N Southport Ave, various times
WHAT: A great way to support a great local movie theater
SO WHAT: The Music Box Theatre recently underwent some great renovations, and it's ready for all your movie needs with some excellent films like Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, Arco, The Testament of Ann Lee, Honey Bunch, and so much more!
NOW WHAT: Sit back and enjoy a new film at one of our favorite movie theaters in the city!
Chicago Humanities: New Talks and Video Archives @ Various Locations & Chicago Humanities Festival YouTube channel, your favorite browser or YouTube app, any time you want some inspiration, All Ages
WHAT: Interesting conversations with interesting people!
SO WHAT: Chicago Humanities Festival always brings some of the best ideas to the surface with entertaining programming that captures your imagination. There's tons of talks going on this season, so head over to their website, which is constantly updated with new talks. And be sure to check out their podcast Chicago Humanities Tapes, which features conversations with some of their best presenters and other great humanities-minded minds! Check out their talk with Ed Helms below!
- 2/9 George Saunders on Vigil @ Francis W. Parker School
- 3/5 Jokermen Live: Cut Worms with Jeff Tweedy
- 4/15 Michael Pollan: A World Appears @ Francis W. Parker School
- 4/18 Dr. Ibram X. Kendi: Chain of Ideas @ Ramova
- 4/23 A Night With NPR’s Planet Money @ Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture
NOW WHAT: Head over to take a look at their past events here! You should also sign up for their email list to get updates on upcoming talks in 2025
University of Chicago Folk Festival @ Your favorite spot in your home, All Ages
WHAT: A fantastic folk festival
SO WHAT: University of Chicago Folk Festival might have come and gone but their digital presence is still around, making sure the wonderful music reaches as many people as possible! You can check out the past few years of performances on their Facebook page and their YouTube channel any time you want! This past year's performers included bohola – Jimmy Keane and Pat Broaders; Rhys Jones, Joseph Decosimo & Nokosee Fields; The Alum Ridge Boys & Ashlee; Nathan Gourley, Laura Feddersen, and Brian Miller; T'Monde; Izaki Metropoulos, Sophia Metropoulos Laouto & Geroge Lawler; Gabe Carter, and many more!
NOW WHAT: Head over to their Facebook page and their YouTube channel and enjoy the show! We highly encourage you to donate to help support this fantastic folk festival!
