We are in the process of updating this post for 2010. Please be patient while we work to get you all the details

Chicago Summer Events 2010
May 2010 Summer Events

Chicago Celtic Fest – May 8 & 9, 2010 at Millennium Park. 11am – 9pm.

Chicago Turkish Festival 2010 – May 23-26, 2010 at Daley Plaza.

Bike The Drive – May 30, 2010 on Lakeshore Drive.

Chicago Gospel Music Festival 2010 – June 5-6, 2010 at Millenium Park.

June 2010 Summer Events
Yoga at Millenium Park – Saturday mornings. June 6 through Sept 19. (not yet updated for 2010)

Chicago Blues Fest 2010 – June 11 to 13, 2010 at Chicago’s Grant Park.

Sister Cities Festival – June 15-18, 2010 at Daley Plaza. (not yet updated for 2010)

Chicago Ribfest 2010 – June 11-13, 2010 at Irving Park and Damen.

Grant Park Music Festival 2010 – June 16 to August 21, 2010 (various dates) – Millenium Park

Chicago Summer Dance 2010 – June 17 to August 29, 2010 (Thurs-Sun) – 601 S. Michigan Ave in Grant Park.

Wrigleyville Summerfest 2010 – August 14-15, 2010 at Seminary & Roscoe St.

Chicago’s Naked Bike Ride – June 13, 2010 leaves from Union Park. (not yet updated for 2010)

Andersonville Midsommarfest 2010 – June 12 & 13, 2010 at 5200 N. Clark Street.

Taste of Randolph 2010 – June 18-20, 2010 at 800 W. Randolph.

Chicago World Cup 2010 – June 20th, 26th, 27th The Chicago YMCA, 2700 S. Western Avenue. (not yet updated for 2010)

Taste of Chicago – June 25 to July 4, 2010 at Chicago’s Grant Park.

Pride Parade – June 26, 2010 in Boystown.

July 2010 Summer Events
Chicago Thai Festival – July 8 to 10, 2010 at Daley Plaza. (not yet updated for 2010)

Chicago Outdoor Film Fest – Tuesday nights, July 14 to August 25, 2010 in Chicago’s Grant Park. (not yet updated for 2010)

Pitchfork Music Festival – July 16 to 18, 2010 at Chicago’s Union Park.

Chicago Venetian Night – July 25, 2010 at Grant Park. (not yet updated for 2010)

Chicago Criterium – July 26, 2010 in Chicago’s Grant Park. (not yet updated for 2010)

August 2010 Summer Events
Lollapalooza 2010 – August 6 to 8 at Chicago’s Grant Park.

Retro on Roscoe – August 7 & 8, 2010; 2000 W. Roscoe Street.

Chicago Air Show 2010 – August 14 & 15 at North Avenue Beach.

Chicago Dancing Festival – August 25-28, 2010 at Various Locations.

AVP at North Avenue Beach – August 27-29, 2010 at North Avenue Beach.

September 2010 Summer Events
Not Done Yet

Chicago Jazz Fest – September 4 to 5, 2010 in Chicago’s Grant Park.

Chicago Latin Music Fest – September 17 & 18, 2010 in Millennium Park.

October 2010 Summer Events
Chicago Country Music Festival – October 8 & 9, 2010 at Millennium Park. 11am – 9pm.

2010 Chicago Marathon – October 10, 2010 starts and ends at Grant Park.

Ongoing Summer Events
Chicago Neighborhood Tours – Throughout the Summer. (not yet updated for 2010)

Navy Pier Fireworks – Weds and Sat, Throughout the Summer. (not yet updated for 2010)

Chicago Bike Valet offers a secure place to park your bicycle at many of the Chicago’s largest summer events. (not yet updated for 2010)

The Chicago Water Taxi is a great way to see the sights.

Free Days at The Museum of Science and Industry does not include the Omnimax Theatre, U-505 Submarine or any special exhibits. The museum is open Mon–Sat: 9:30am-4pm; Sun: 11am-4pm; Omnimax-only tickets on Free Days are $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and $6 for children. Normal prices apply for other features;

The Museum of Science and Industry is open Mon–Sat 9:30am – 4pm; Sunday 11am – 4pm.

Museum of Science and Industry Free Days 2010
January 4-8, 11-15, 18-22, 25-29
February 8, 14
March 18
April 19-23
May 3
June 7-11
August 30
September 7-14, 20-21, 27-28
October 4- 6
November 11
December 6

Chicago Museum Free Days Calendar

The Adler Planetarium Free Days is located in the Museum Campus. The Adler Planetarium Free Days have many days that overlap with Shedd Aquarium Free Days, and since both museums are located conveniently in Grant Park’s Museum Campus, it is easy to get a full day (or two) of free learning and exploration. (Download our Museum Free Days Calendar to see it all in an easy to read format)

Tickets to Planetarium showings are available for an additional fee.

Adler Planetarium Free Days are open daily 9:30am–6pm during the summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day); Daily 9:30am–4:30pm off-season (Labor Day to Memorial Day); The Adler Planetarium is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Free Days do not include free admission to the Planetarium Show. Free Days include free admission to the museum.

Adler Planetarium Free Days 2010
January 5, 11-15, 19, 26
February 2, 8-12, 16, 23
March 2, 9, 16, 23
April 20, 27
May 4, 11-12, 18, 25
June 7-11
September 7, 13-17, 21, 28
October 5, 12, 19, & 26
November 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
December 7, 14, 21

Chicago Museum Free Days Calendar

2010 Field Museum Free Days are the 2nd Monday of every month and other random days. During Field Museum Free Days you get free access to all Field Museum exhibits, including any special or temporary exhibits that might otherwise be ticketed for an extra fee. The Field Museum Free Days are open from 9am to 5pm, every day except Christmas.

Field Museum Free Days 2010
January: 11th, 13th, 14th, 19th, 20th, 26th, 27th
February: 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 10th, 11th, 16th, 17th, 23rd, 24th
March: 2nd, 3rd, 8th
May: 10th
June: 2nd, 3rd, 14th
July: 12th
August: 9th, 24th
September: 13th, 15th, 16th, 21st, 22nd
October: 5th, 6th, 11th, 13th, 14th, 19th, 20th
November: 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 10th, 16th, 17th, 30th
December: 1st, 7th, 8th, 13th, 15th, 16th

Chicago Museum Free Days Calendar

Updated February 26, 2010

Art Institute of Chicago Free Days have been available for the entire month of February.

Art Institute Free Days are every Thursday evening from 5-9pm. The Art Institute of Chicago is usually open 9am-5pm during the week, so not only do you get to visit the Art Institute of Chicago for Free Thursday evenings, you also get some special extended hours.

Chicago Museum Free Days Calendar

Every week, Target sponsors MCA Free Tuesdays at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA). The MCA is open from 10am-8pm on Tuesdays, and admission is free for everyone. The MCA is located at 220 East Chicago Avenue, (1 block East of Michigan Avenue). MCA Free Tuesdays are a great chance for you to take in all that the MCA has to offer without braving the crowds at First Fridays or paying the usual admission fee.

In the evenings, MCA Free Tuesdays also offers a wide range of events in the cafe. Events change week to week and have included bingo & tango, stitch & bitch, and musical showcases. Check out the MCA Free Tuesdays website to find out what’s going on this week.

Museum of Contemporary Art

The MCA offers a range of free and wildly interesting events in the cafe almost every Tuesday evening from October through May. Museum admission is free to everyone on Target Free Tuesdays so come early and visit the galleries and then stick around for constructive entertainment accompanied by a glass of wine or a cup of Joe and a tasty snack from Puck’s Cafe.

Chicago Museum Free Days Calendar

After attending Looptopia 2007 and Looptopia 2008, I am declaring Looptopia an official bust. Most of my time at Looptopia has been spent standing on my toes in poorly arranged venues trying get a peak at the action.

I arrived at Looptopia 2008 at 9:30pm and was greeted with the information that the organizers had already given out all of the Looptopia wristbands, which were required for attendance to any events that took place after midnight. We then stood around in Daley Plaza until 10pm, where the Midnight Circus was performing – the problem is that there not a raised stager or bleachers, so only the first few rows of people could see anything. We moved to several different areas, trying to catch a glimpse of what the circus was doing, but we could only see the occasional acrobat jumping into the air.

Mid-way through the Midnight Circus performance at Daley Plaza, we headed to Palmer House to see Looptopia’s Broadway in Chicago Cabaret – but when we arrived, it was impossible to get a view of the stage. After fighting through the crowd for 20 minutes, the cabaret started and we left.

It was now 11pm and we headed to Millenium Park – surely the park was open during Looptopia, right? Wrong. Security guards were there to make sure that nobody could enjoy the crown jewel of Chicago’s park system during Looptopia.

After my experience at Looptopia 2008 and the fiasco that was Looptopia 2007, I won’t plan on attending Looptopia again – but I have created a list of 5 Ways to Fix Looptopia that might provide some ideas for creating a better event in the future.

Stay tuned to Chicago Hot Blog for updates on Looptopia 2008 or get new posts emailed to your inbox.

Looptopia

Wikipedia : Looptopia is a annual event taking place in the city of Chicago. It premiered on the evening of May 11 through the morning May 12, 2007 that resembled Nuit Blanche held annually in Paris. The event took place in Chicago’s central business district, the Loop. There are many universities, museums, restaurants, parks and tourist attractions in the loop which made Looptopia more interesting. It was the first event of its type held in Chicago or the United States. The 2nd Looptopia event is scheduled for the evening of May 2nd, 2008.

Chicago Events
Chicago Summer Events
Pitchfork Music Festival
Lollapalooza
Navy Pier Fireworks

Update Feb 18, 2010

The Shedd Aquarium’s Free Days have many days that overlap with Adler Planetarium Free Days, and since both museums are located conveniently in Grant Park’s Museum Campus, it is easy to get a full day (or two) of free learning and exploration. (Download our Museum Free Days Calendar to see it all in an easy to read format)

Shedd Aquarium Free Days provide free General Admission to Waters of the World galleries. Entry to the Oceanarium and Wild Reef is available for an additional fee.

The Shedd Aquarium is open daily 9am–6pm during summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day); Weekdays 9am–5pm and Weekends 9am–6pm off-season (Labor Day to Memorial Day); The Shedd Aquarium is closed on Christmas Day.

Shed Aquarium Free Days – Updated February 2010
Free Days 2010:
January 4-5, 11-12, 16-21, 25-26
February 1-2, 8-9, 15-19, 22-23
June 14-18
September 13-14, 20-21, 27-28
October 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 25-26
November 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30

Chicago Museum Free Days Calendar

Chicago Museum Free Days Calendar

Never Miss a Free Day Again!: Chicago Hot Blog is proud to announce that our Museum Free Days Calendar is available for your iCal, Google Calendar or Outlook Calendar! Click the link below and you’ll be directed to a PayPal/Credit Card page. After payment (PayPal or Credit Card) you will receive an email (1-5 minutes) that contains your personal code and simple instructions for how to use the code to display the Museum Free Days Calendar in your iCal, Google Calendar or Outlook Calendar.

The Chicago Museum Free Days Calendar Feed is updated at the beginning of each month and shows the current and next month’s Free Days. For only 99¢ you will get a FULL YEAR of Calendar updates.

Pay with your Credit Card or PayPal.

Adler Planetarium Free Days
The Adler Planetarium is open 9:30am – 6pm during the summer; 9:30am – 4:30pm otherwise;

Free Days 2010:
January 5, 11-15, 19, 26
February 2, 8-12, 16, 23
March 2, 9, 16, 23
April 20, 27
May 4, 11-12, 18, 25
June 7-11
September 7, 13-17, 21, 28
October 5, 12, 19, & 26
November 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
December 7, 14, 21

Art Institute of Chicago Free Days
The Art Institute of Chicago is free to the public every Thursday evening from 5pm-8pm.

Free February 2010: The Art Institute of Chicago is Free for the entire month of February, 2010.
Free Days 2010: Every Thursday evening 5pm-8pm.

Brookfield Zoo Free Days
The Brookfield Zoo offers free admission to all U.S. Armed Forces active military and reservist personnel.

Free Days 2010: Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday – January 1, 2010 through February 28, 2010

Chicago Children’s Museum Free Days
The Chicago Children’s Museum is open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Location: 700 East Grand Ave at Navy Pier

Hours:
Daily 10am-5pm
Thursday evenings 5-8pm

Free Days 2010:
Free for everyone – Every Thursday evening, 5-8pm
Free for ages 15 and under – First Sunday of every month

Chicago History Museum Free Days
The Chicago History Museum is free to the public every Monday, 9:30am-4:30pm.

Location: 1601 North Clark Street. (Clark & North Ave)

Free Days 2010: Every Monday, 9:30am-4:30pm;

Field Museum Free Days
The Field Museum is Free (basic admission) on the Second Monday of every month, thanks to a donation from Target. Additional free days are also available.

Free Days 2010:

January: 11th, 13th, 14th, 19th, 20th, 26th, 27th
February: 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 10th, 11th, 16th, 17th, 23rd, 24th
March: 2nd, 3rd, 8th
April: 12th
May: 10th
June: 2nd, 3rd, 14th
July: 12th
August: 9th, 24th
September: 13th, 15th, 16th, 21st, 22nd
October: 5th, 6th, 11th, 13th, 14th, 19th, 20th
November: 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 10th, 16th, 17th, 30th
December: 1st, 7th, 8th, 13th, 15th, 16th

Lincoln Park Zoo Free Days
The Lincoln Park Zoo is free and open to the public 365 days per year. Generally open 10am-5pm.

Location: Lincoln Park Zoo is located off Lake Shore Drive at the Fullerton Parkway exit.

Free Days 2010: Free to the public 365 days per year.

MCA Free Tuesdays
The Museum of Contemporary Art has Free Days every Tuesday. Special events every week. The museum is open 10am – 8pm on these free days.

Free Days 2010: Every Tuesday of 2010, 10am – 8pm.

Museum of Contemporary Photography
The MoCP is CLOSED when Columbia College Chicago is closed, including: Thanksgiving Weekend: Thursday- Sunday; Holiday Break and Installation: Monday, December 24, 2009 – Wednesday, January 27, 2010; The museum will for free on Thursday, January 28, 2010 with an opening reception for 50% Grey: Czech Photography Reconsidered.

Location: Columbia College Chicago, 600 S. Michigan Ave

Hours: (Closed till January 28, 2010)
Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm
Thursday, 10am-8pm
Sunday, 12-5pm

Free Days 2010: The Museum of Contemporary Photography is Free every day of 2010

Museum of Science and Industry
The Museum of Science and Industry is free (basic entry) to the public on various dates throughout the year. The museum is open Mon–Sat: 9:30am-4pm; Sun: 11am-4pm; Omnimax-only tickets on Free Days are $9 for adults, $8 for seniors and $7 for children. Normal prices apply for other features;

Free Days 2010:
January 4-8, 11-15, 18-22, 25-29
February 8, 14
March 18
April 19-23
May 3
June 7-11
August 30
September 7-14, 20-21, 27-28
October 4- 6
November 11
December 6

Nature Museum Free Days
The Chicago Nature Museum has “Suggested Donation Days” every Thursday.

Location: 2430 N. Cannon Drive in Lincoln Park, just north of the Lincoln Park Zoo.

Free Days 2010: Every Thursday, 9am-4:30pm;

Shedd Aquarium Free Days
During Shedd Aquarium Free Days, general admission is free. Wild Reef admission is sold at a reduced rate. The aquarium is open Weekdays 9am–5pm and Weekends 9am–6pm. Click Here to get a 2 for 1 pass to the Shedd (good through Jan 3, 2010).

Free Days 2010:
January 4-5, 11-12, 16-21, 25-26
February 1-2, 8-9, 15-19, 22-23
June 14-18
September 13-14, 20-21, 27-28
October 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 25-26
November 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30