"Free, Free, Free!" is an e-newsletter and website that provides a monthly curated list of free programs, events and activities happening throughout the city in our libraries, museums, cultural centers and parks. We encourage you to express your culture through the arts and take advantage of the many opportunities the City of Chicago provides you to engage, create and participate!
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Rahm Emanuel
Mayor
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Mark Kelly
Commissioner
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Year of Creative Youth
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Presented by
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The Year of Creative Youth is a citywide initiative to celebrate Chicago's young artists and the mentors who inspire them! Check out the Year of Creative Youth website for more arts events and programs featuring and for young Chicagoans all year long:
cityofchicago.org/yocy
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Juicebox
First and Third Fridays & Saturdays, 11-11:45am
Chicago Cultural Center, Preston Bradley Hall, 78 E. Washington St.
Garfield Park Conservatory, Horticulture Hall, 200 N. Central Park Ave.
With engaging music and dance in a kid-friendly setting, the FREE admission Juicebox
 presented by
Lifeway Foods, programs are geared toward the stroller set and enjoyable for the whole family. Children will experience a diverse range of artistic and educational presentations, with hosts regularly inviting youngsters to move, dance and interact with performers. View additional details and the full schedule of events on the
website.
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Exhibit: OUT OF SIGHT
June-November
Maggie Daley Park, 337 E. Randolph St.
OUT OF SIGHT is a hopscotch (also referred to by the French "marelle") designed to be installed on the ground and used by the public. The piece is aimed to inspire all walks of life- especially young people-to think creatively about the direction of their lives and to encourage positive thinking and visualization. The artist's philosophy for the project is about encouragement and inspiration; it is about developing positive thoughts and strategies for achieving goals.
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Flying Creatures
Fall, Winter and Beyond
Hanging from the street poles along Wabash Ave. between Washington and Randolph Streets
The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) is pleased to present the
Flying Creatures as part of the
Year of Creative Youth - a citywide celebration of Chicago's young artists and the mentors who inspire them. An array of kinetic street sculptures - or modern gargoyles - the Flying Creatures were created by students from the youth art programs at SkyART, After School Matters, Dundee-Crown High School, Marengo Community High School and YOUmedia Chicago.
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Chicago Humanities Festival at the Chicago Cultural Center
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Visualizing Women with Donna J. Cox
Sunday, November 4, 12:30-1:30pm Chicago Cultural Center, Claudia Cassidy Theater, 2nd Floor North
Donna J. Cox, an internationally acclaimed computer artist, designer, writer and recognized pioneer in scientific and data visualization, presents her new book "New Media Futures," which explores the women who turned the Midwest into a hotbed of explorations in the emerging digital arts. A book signing will follow.
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The New World: Industrial, Corporate and Sponsored Films
Sunday, November 4, 2:30-4pm Chicago Cultural Center, Claudia Cassidy Theater, 2nd Floor North
Chicago Film Archives presents a short program of innovative corporate and industrial films which showcase how the filmmakers skillfully navigated the bounds of corporate culture and values while frequently challenging the conventions of the sponsored film. This 67-minute screening will be followed by a Q&A led by Lara Allison of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
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Midcentury Design and Opportunity
Sunday, November 11, 3-4pm Chicago Cultural Center, Preston Bradley Hall, 3rd Floor South
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Millennium Park Campus Holiday Programming
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Millennium Park will be the epicenter of holiday cheer in Chicago, featuring your favorite seasonal traditions, Chicago's official Christmas Tree, ice skating, music, exhibitions, a NEW holiday art market, the Lurie Garden in winter and free family fun. The Millennium Park Campus is comprised of events and attractions at Millennium Park, the Chicago Cultural Center, Maggie Daley Park, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Harris Theater and Park Grill. For the complete schedule of events, visit
millenniumpark.org.
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105th Annual Chicago Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
Friday, November 16, 6pm Millennium Park, Wrigley Square, Michigan Ave. & Randolph St.
Enjoy the
glittering tree set among Chicago's sparkling skyline and the iconic art and architecture of Millennium Park. Miguel Cervantes, star of
Hamilton Chicago Company playing Broadway In Chicago's CIBC Theatre, will serve as the emcee for the ceremony featuring music and special guests.
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Caroling at Cloud Gate
Fridays, November 23 & 30, December 7 & 14 and Wednesday, December 12, 7pm Millennium Park, Cloud Gate
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Wreathing of the Lions
Friday, November 23, 10am
Art Institute of Chicago, Michigan Avenue entrance, 111 S. Michigan Ave.
Outdoor wreathing is FREE; museum entry requires general admission, though children under 14 are FREE
Start the winter season with this Chicago family favorite. The
outdoor ceremony, emceed by cast members from the Joffrey Ballet's
Nutcracker, celebrates the 125th anniversary of the museum's Michigan Avenue home. Then move indoors to enjoy fun-filled art activities at the Ryan Learning Center.
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Chicago Thanksgiving Parade
Thursday, November 22, 8-11am
State St. from Congress to Randolph
Looking for family entertainment on Thanksgiving morning? Please join us on State Street for the
Chicago Thanksgiving Parade featuring the nation's best marching bands, giant popular inflatable balloons, spectacular performance acts and much more! Or tune into WGN9 or WGN America to watch us on live TV!
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Film Screening: A Wrinkle In Time (2018)
Saturday, November 3, 2-4pm Brighton Park, 4314 S. Archer Ave.
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Exhibit Opening: Forced Migration Photovoice Project
Wednesday, November 7, 6:30-8pm Sulzer Regional, 4455 N. Lincoln Ave.
Refugees and asylum seekers who are living in Chicago and who participated in a
Forced Migration Photovoice Project will share photos and stories about their experiences in Chicago.
- 6:30pm - Opening Reception
- 7:00pm - Program
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Makers on 8 - ArtWorks Studio
Wednesday, November 21, 4:30-7:30pm Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State St.
Bring your creative ideas to this
weekly drop-in art studio. Sessions are directed by the participants and all materials are provided. Each session is facilitated by graduate students from the School of the Art Institute's Art Therapy Department.
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Presented by Mayor Rahm Emanuel,
Night Out in the Parks brings over 1,000 cultural events to neighborhood parks each year. Chicagoans and visitors alike, enjoy the breadth of world-class events in every one of the city's 77 community areas. Here are a few programming highlights happening in November, but be sure to check out their
website (or
download the app!) for a full listing of events!
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Back Room Shakespeare at Theater on the Lake
Monday, November 5, 6-9pm
Theater on the Lake, 2401 N. Lake Shore Dr.
Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors by Back Room Shakespeare Project at TOTL
Back Room Shakespeare Project does Shakespeare in bars and other unconventional spaces. With limited rehearsal (generally 2), no director (the choices are actor driven), and a boatload of daring, BRSP has been an underground phenomenon since 2011. Doors at 6pm, Show begins at 7pm.
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Everyone's Design Storytelling at Tuley
Tuesday, November 13, 6-8pm
Tuley Park, 501 E. 90th Pl.
Join Illinois Humanities for an exploration of the role played by everyday Chicagoans in the history of art and design in the city. Bring a unique object from your home to this live storytelling event and share how your personal space reflects your history, culture, and community. Cultural historian Tim Samuelson and designers Tim Parsons and Jessica Charlesworth will be on hand to provide historical and design context.
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Yulia Lipmanovich Piano Concert at Indian Boundary
Sunday, November 25, 3-4:30pm
Indian Boundary Park, 2500 W. Lunt Ave.
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Museum of Science and Industry
Monday, November 12, 9:30am-4pm 5700 S. Lake Shore Dr.
On
Illinois Free Days, Museum Entry is free for all Illinois residents who show valid proof of residency. The Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago-one of the largest science museums in the world-is home to more than 400,000 square feet of hands-on exhibits designed to spark scientific inquiry and creativity.
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The Field Museum
Sunday, November 11 and Sunday, November 18, 9-5pm
1400 S. Lake Shore Dr.
On
Free Admission Days, Basic admission is free for Illinois residents with proof of residency. Discounted passes are available in person and cannot be purchased online in advance.
Free Admission Days are the perfect opportunity to explore our general admission exhibitions with your family or a group of science-loving friends. Or, use these days to check out special ticketed exhibitions or a 3D movie with a discounted Discovery or All-Access Pass.
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