Chicago is a diverse and inclusive city that caters to all. And this short list of free attractions proves it.
It’s a city that caters to the growing idea that the good life should not be reserved for a select few but the majority. Nothing expresses this better than the free quality attractions that Chicago opens up to the public every year. Here are a few of our top picks.
Chicago Cultural Center
Two Tiffany stained-glass domes mark the spot under which potential cocktail receptions and galas in this rentable, architecturally stunning building. But the “oohs” and “ahhs” are best reserved for its bustling calendar of free art exhibits, dance, musical performances and film screenings.
Music, Dance & Art
These are easy to piggy back on. Popular picks are the Chicago Jazz Festival, held this year at the Chicago Cultural Center over Labor Day weekend, and the World Music Festival Chicago, a citywide, multi-venue, festival held in September. In summer months, the Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park (also home to the beloved 106 headless “Agora” sculptures) blossoms into an urban dance space, with dance lessons kicking off to over 40 different bands.
Urban Greenery
The Chicago Park District offers countless activities for groups among lush and colorful (not to mention rentable) event space. More than 250 outdoor movie screenings were shown across the city last year, while hundreds of theatrical performances, like Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” concerts and cultural dance events also happen throughout the year. There are also interesting venues intermixed, such as the historic Lincoln Park Conservatory, bordering the Lincoln Park Zoo.
