Chicago Loop Holiday Gift Guide
2 MIN READ – Crossing items off your holiday shopping list can be hard, especially when you’re drawing blanks. Get inspired by this Loop holiday gift guide that’ll surely draw nothing but smiles this holiday season.
Archivos: Listings
Your insider's guide to the best things to do, see, and experience in Chicago.
New to the Loop: A First Look
5 MIN READ — Big things are on the horizon for the Loop! From brand-new storefronts to exciting expansions, a wave of businesses is set to open their doors by the end of 2025. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s coming soon to the heart of Chicago.
New Year’s Eve in Chicago’s Loop: Free and Ticketed Events to Know
2 MINUTE READ — Ring in the New Year in the heart of Chicago! The Loop comes alive with dazzling celebrations—from iconic citywide spectacles to intimate cultural events—offering something for every kind of reveler. Whether you’re looking for free community festivities, live performances, riverfront fireworks, or ticketed parties with a view, the Loop is the place to be as we count down to 2026.
Chicago Loop Happy Hour Guide
3 MIN READ — After work, go out for drinks! Happy hour is happening all throughout the Loop, so you can wind down after a long day. Choose from all these unique venues, each with their own style and atmosphere.
Coming Home to Dance: Libby Dennen and the Rise of the Southland Arts Movement
5 MIN READ — This December, Libby Dennen steps onto the stage as Anastasis in Beyond the Nutcracker, it’s more than a return — it’s a full-circle moment. Nearly a decade after first performing the role as a young student, the now–Ballet 5:8 Solo Artist brings to it the artistry, grace, and maturity shaped by years of growth on and off the stage.
Arts and culture continue to charge Loop’s economic engine
4 MIN READ — Chicago Loop Alliance (CLA) released its quarter three 2025 State of the Loop report on downtown activity, using a variety of data sources, produced by CLA since July 2020. The report tracks pedestrian and transportation activity, investment, retail, arts and culture, and more.
Chicago…best big city in the U.S., nine years running
5 MIN READ — Chicago has once again been crowned the Best Big City in the U.S. in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, one of the most prestigious recognitions a destination can receive. This is the ninth consecutive year Chicago has claimed this title, a streak unprecedented in the awards program’s more than 30-year history.
Falling for the Loop campaign leverages arts and culture, Loop’s “secret sauce”
4 MIN READ — Chicago Loop Alliance is announcing programming for the fall season under the campaign, Falling for the Loop, positioning the month of October as a celebration of arts and culture.
What's Happening
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Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise Aboard First Lady
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.
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Creepy Cruise
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.
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Sightseeing River & Lake Cruises
abril 17, 2026
Chicago River & Lake Michigan cruise with skyline views, iconic landmarks, and engaging guides sharing the city’s history and stories.
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Chicago by Night River & Lake
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.
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Theater of the Mind - with The Goodman
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…
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Canine Cruise
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.
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THE MAGIC PARLOUR - Presented by The Goodman and Petterino's
septiembre 4, 2026
Experience Jaw-Dropping Magic. Enter through the doors at 50 West Randolph to discover a hidden world where the impossible becomes…