Chicago events / April 2019
We recommend the best events, festivals, and fun things to do in Chicago, Illinois.
Flower show
April 1 – 7, 2019
Macy’s Flower Show features flowers and exotic topiaries in landscapes, plus scheduled events at Macy’s on State Street. Free.
Stylish jazz party
April 4, 2019
(7 to 10 p.m.)
Dance to Chicago jazz star Dandy Wellington and his band playing “jazz classics from the 1900s to 1940s” at Spring Swing, with a cash bar and a chance to explore the International Museum of Surgical Science for age 21+. You are welcome to wear vintage attire.
Baconfest
April 5 – 6, 2019
Chicago’s best chefs serve bacon dishes and drinks for lunch and dinner at Baconfest Chicago in UIC Forum.
International Game Night
April 6, 2019
Play traditional games and buy ice cream sundaes, German beer, and international food (German, Haitian, Chinese) at International Game Night on the fifth floor of Dank Haus German American Cultural Center.
Festival of colors
April 6, 2019
Wear white and buy brightly colored organic flour for $2 to throw at friends and foes to celebrate Holi and mark the arrival of spring, with music and Indian food for sale at the Grand Pavilion in Naperville.
Robots at the museum
April 6 – 7 and 13 – 14, 2019
Celebrate National Robotics Week by viewing robots on display, interacting with some, hearing talks by robotics professors, and watching a live robotics competition at the Museum of Science and Industry.
Museum party
April 12, 2019
(9 p.m.)
Mix and mingle, visit the bar, eat snacks, see exhibits, and dance to bands at After Dark in the Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago for age 21+.
Beer and wine festival
April 13, 2019
28 miles SW
Tinley Park Brew & Vine Festival features breweries, vintners, restaurants, and live entertainment at Tinley Park Convention Center.
Easter for kids in Schaumburg
April 13, 2019
(10 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
Celebrate spring with egg hunts, games, crafts, moon bounce, concessions, and pony rides at Bunny Bash at the Community Recreation Center.
Made in Chicago
April 13 – 14, 2019
Shop from vendors of locally made clothing, housewares, jewelry, food, and drink at Made in Chicago Market at 412 N Paulina Street. Free admission and parking.
Easter brunch – Macy’s
April 13 – 20, 2019
Chicago and Oak Brook
Bunny Brunch buffet at Macy’s includes entertainment for kids (face painter, balloon artist, and Easter Bunny). Ticket sales begin March 6, 2019.
- April 13, 14, 20 – State Street, Chicago
- April 20 – Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook
Easter at the zoo
April 13 – 21, 2019
Breakfast with the Bunny is an all-you-can-eat buffet and a visit with the Easter Bunny at Brookfield Zoo on April 13, 14, and 20. Easter Champagne Brunch is a more formal event on April 21, 2019.
Easter brunch on the farm
April 19 – 20, 2019
Bunny Brunch offers a buffet, spring crafts, and barnyard animals but no egg hunts at Lambs Farm in Libertyville.
Zombie, horror, sci-fi convention
April 19 – 21, 2019
Zombie lovers unite at Walker Stalker Con for panels, celebrities, vendors, and a costume party at the convention center in Rosemont.
Easter at the arboretum
April 19 – 21, 2019
Enjoy a breakfast buffet or a fine brunch, plus a visit with the Easter Bunny at Morton Arboretum in Lisle.
- April 19 to 20 – Breakfast with the Bunny
- April 21 – Easter Brunch
- Western suburbs Easter egg hunts
Easter at Lincoln Park Zoo
April 20 – 21, 2019
Eat breakfast with the Easter Bunny, hunt for eggs, visit animals, and ride the train & carousel (if it’s dry) at the Saturday Easter Egg-Stravaganza, or make reservations for the Easter Sunday Brunch at Lincoln Park Zoo.
Easter dining cruise
April 21, 2019
Celebrate Easter on a cruise departing from Navy Pier. The brunch cruises include an Easter Bunny character.
- Brunch – Odyssey Cruises or Spirit of Chicago
- Dinner – Odyssey Cruises
Wine tasting
April 25, 2019
(6:30 to 9:30 p.m.)
Sample wine with hors d’oeuvres on the Spring Wine Stroll in the shops of Lincoln Square and Ravenswood on your choice of five routes.
Rum tasting
April 27, 2019
(1 p.m.)
A ticket to Chicago Rum Festival (formerly Midwest Rum Fest) gets you 1/4 ounce pours, snacks, music, a souvenir snifter, mellow music, and brand seminars at Logan Square Auditorium for age 21+.
Japanese children’s festival
April 27 – 28, 2019
(10 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
Learn about children’s celebrations in Japan at Malott Japanese Garden Spring Festival. Listen to koto harps and shakuhachi flutes, hear folktales, and watch a tea ceremony at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe. Free except parking.
