Your insider's guide to the best things to do, see, and experience in Chicago.
Malik Gillani understands the power of stories. As the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Silk Road Rising, America’s first theatre and media arts organization dedicated to telling stories of Asian and Middle Eastern communities, Gillani has helped bring hundreds of stories to life in the Loop’s Chicago Temple Building.
When Marion Batey heard she had been named the Loop Employee of the Month for March, her first thought was not how the recognition might serve her, but how she could use that recognition to draw attention to her team and their work.
Batey has been the Business Relations Specialist for the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership for the past seven years.
Vincent Naples, who is curating “ACTIVATE: TunnelVision” under the project name DreamBait, will be lighting up the Sullivan Center alley with projections and other digital media on July 12.
Get to know Hot Kitchen, the art curators of ACTIVATE: (EVO)lution.
For the first time ever, Chicago Loop Alliance is teaming up with one curatorial team for the entire ACTIVATE season. Get to know the people behind Canvas Chicago.
Party Noire, an inclusive cultural hub celebrating Black femmes, queer women of color and Black womynhood along the gender spectrum, is joining Canvas Chicago in co-producing “ACTIVATE: A.K.A. Power House” on Aug. 16.
As a placemaking pop-up art program, ACTIVATE encourages people to see the Loop anew. And it didn’t fail to deliver at A.K.A. Power House as it transformed Garland Court into a visual exhibition.
Known as the “Hotel of Presidents,” The Blackstone Hotel was the tallest building in Chicago. Although taller buildings dwarfed the hotel over the years, its story looms larger than many skyscrapers.
marzo 15, 2026
Chicago’s top-rated architecture boat tour, 90 minutes with expert CAC guides, stunning skyline views, open-air seating, and onboard amenities.
marzo 21, 2026
Explore Chicago’s haunted past on a nighttime river cruise featuring ghost stories, mob history, and eerie secrets of the Windy City.
abril 17, 2026
Chicago River & Lake Michigan cruise with skyline views, iconic landmarks, and engaging guides sharing the city’s history and stories.
abril 17, 2026
Experience Chicago at night on a 90-minute river and lake cruise, featuring a glittering skyline, cool breezes, and lively, family-friendly commentary.
abril 22, 2026
Directed by Andrew Scoville. Co-created by Academy, Grammy, and Tony Award-winning artist David Byrne* and writer Mala Gaonkar, Theater of the Mind is a new theatrical…
mayo 23, 2026 | 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Cruise from the Chicago Riverwalk to Lake Michigan for skyline views and a 3D-enhanced fireworks show with music and narration.
junio 1, 2026
Let your creative potential shine this summer with a class at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, with options available for kids, teens and…
julio 11, 2026
Cruise Chicago’s waterways with your dog. Pet friendly, scenic, and fun. Available July to October every Saturday and Sunday for pups of all sizes.
agosto 26, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Taste of Greektown comes early to Renaissance! Featuring a special evening celebrating local Mediterranean heritage with an artisanal mezze spread…
