Chicago Christmas markets turn the Loop, the lakefront and half the neighborhoods into one long holiday festival from late November through New Year’s. The anchor is Christkindlmarket, the German-style market that now runs in three locations, but it’s far from the only show in town: Lincoln Park Zoo strings up millions of lights, Navy Pier fills Festival Hall with an indoor winter carnival, and artisan markets pop up everywhere from The Mart to Andersonville.
This guide covers every major market and holiday event in the Chicago area for the 2026 season, with dates, hours and costs verified on official pages as of October 2026. Where 2026 details haven’t been announced yet, we say so plainly. If you’re comparing cities, our roundup of top Christmas markets for 2026 puts Chicago alongside New York, Germany and Austria.
2026 Chicago Christmas markets at a glance
| Market / event | 2026 dates | Location | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christkindlmarket Chicago | Nov 20 – Dec 24 | Daley Plaza, the Loop | Free |
| Christkindlmarket Wrigleyville | Nov 20 – Dec 31 | Gallagher Way, 3635 N Clark St | Free |
| Christkindlmarket Aurora | Nov 20 – Dec 24 (mostly Thu–Sun) | RiverEdge Park, Aurora | Free |
| Millennium Park Holiday Market + tree lighting | Nov 20–22 (lighting Nov 20) | Millennium Park | Free |
| ZooLights | Nov 20 – Jan 3, 2027 | Lincoln Park Zoo | $7–$20; free Mondays with registration |
| Wintrust Winter WonderFest | Nov 27 – Jan 3, 2027 | Navy Pier, Festival Hall | $27 advance / $32 door |
| One of a Kind Holiday Show | Dec 3–6 | The Mart, 7th floor | $15 (valid all four days) |
| Andersonville holiday events | Not announced as of Oct 2026 | Clark Street, Andersonville | Varies |
Christkindlmarket: three locations in 2026
Christkindlmarket is Chicago’s flagship holiday market — wooden stalls, German vendors, bratwurst, potato pancakes and Glühwein served in the collectible annual mug. Admission is free at all three locations, and all three open Friday, November 20, 2026. All are closed Christmas Day.
Daley Plaza (the Loop)
The original, at 50 W Washington St, runs daily November 20 – December 24, 2026. Hours are 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with shortened 11 a.m.–4 p.m. hours on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. It’s the most atmospheric and by far the most crowded — weekday afternoons are much more pleasant than weekend evenings.
Wrigleyville (Gallagher Way)
The market next to Wrigley Field at 3635 N Clark St runs the longest: November 20 – December 31, 2026, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Hours are 3–9 p.m. Monday–Thursday, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Friday–Saturday and 11 a.m.–7 p.m. Sunday, with extended 11 a.m.–9 p.m. hours December 21–23 and 28–30 and short hours (11 a.m.–4 p.m.) on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Gallagher Way also has an ice rink alongside the stalls most seasons.
Aurora (RiverEdge Park)
The suburban edition sits on the Fox River at 360 N Broadway in Aurora, November 20 – December 24, 2026. Unlike the city markets it’s closed most Mondays–Wednesdays; regular hours are Thursday 11 a.m.–7 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.–6 p.m., with extra openings November 25 and December 21–23. It’s the easiest of the three for driving and parking.
Millennium Park: tree lighting, holiday market and ice rink
The city lights its official Christmas tree in Millennium Park on Friday, November 20, 2026 — per the city’s announcement, gathering starts at 4 p.m., the ceremony at 6 p.m., and the lighting around 6:30 p.m. That same opening weekend, the free Millennium Park Holiday Market runs on the park’s North Promenade with 40+ local vendors: noon–8 p.m. November 20 and 21, noon–5 p.m. November 22.
Skating at the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink on Michigan Avenue is free with a reservation (skate rental costs extra). The 2026–27 opening date and session times hadn’t been posted on the city’s page as of October 2026; the rink has typically run from mid-November into early February, with reservations opening two weeks before each session.
ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo
ZooLights runs November 20, 2026 – January 3, 2027, 4:30–9 p.m. nightly, closed Tuesdays (except December 22 and 29) plus Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Fixed-date tickets are $7–$12 depending on the night; a $20 flexible ticket works any night of the season. Rides and attractions are $4.50 per ticket. Four free-admission Mondays — November 23 and 30, December 7 and 14 — require registration, with free tickets released a week ahead at 11 a.m. It’s a light display with food and drink stands rather than a shopping market, but it’s one of the city’s best free-ish holiday nights out.
Wintrust Winter WonderFest at Navy Pier
Chicago’s indoor option: Festival Hall at Navy Pier becomes a winter carnival with rides, slides and an ice rink, November 27, 2026 – January 3, 2027. Doors open at 10 a.m. daily; closing times vary (10 p.m. most Fridays and Saturdays, earlier on many December weekdays). It’s closed to the general public November 30 – December 2 and on Christmas Day. Tickets are $27 online at least 24 hours ahead, or $32 at the door or within 24 hours; kids 2 and under are free, ice skating is included, and a same-day Centennial Wheel ride is a $10 add-on. Because it’s entirely indoors, it’s the one to save for the day the lake-effect wind makes Daley Plaza miserable.
One of a Kind Holiday Show at The Mart
For serious gift shopping, the One of a Kind Holiday Show brings hundreds of artists and makers to the 7th floor of The Mart (222 Merchandise Mart Plaza), December 3–6, 2026. Hours are 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Thursday–Saturday and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sunday; a $15 ticket is valid for entry on all four days. It’s indoors, heated and far less crowded per square foot than Daley Plaza.
Andersonville and neighborhood markets
Andersonville, Chicago’s historically Swedish neighborhood, does the holidays well: the Julmarknad handcraft market at the Swedish American Museum, Late Night Andersonville shopping along Clark Street, and assorted makers markets. As of October 2026 the Andersonville Chamber hadn’t posted 2026 dates (its site says updates are coming); in 2025, Julmarknad ran December 5–7 and Late Night Andersonville was December 12. Check andersonville.org closer to the season.
Renegade Craft usually holds a Chicago holiday market in mid-to-late December as well. One third-party craft-fair listing shows December 18–20, 2026 at the Bridgeport Art Center, but we couldn’t verify that on Renegade’s own site as of October 2026 — confirm at renegadecraft.com before planning around it. Dozens of one-day neighborhood markets (Ravenswood, Pilsen, Rogers Park and more) typically get announced in November; Choose Chicago keeps a running list.
Where to stay on points
Daley Plaza, Millennium Park and Navy Pier are all walkable from the Loop and River North hotel clusters, which are stacked with Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton and IHG properties — December weekends book up, but award space midweek is usually reasonable. We’ve covered the best downtown points hotels for market season, with programs and typical rates, in our separate guide: Chicago at the Holidays on Points: Christkindlmarket 2026 and Where to Stay Downtown.
Getting there and around
Both airports connect to the markets by CTA train: the Blue Line runs from O’Hare to Washington station, a block from Daley Plaza, and the Orange Line runs from Midway into the Loop. For Wrigleyville, take the Red Line to Addison; for Navy Pier, it’s a short bus or rideshare from Michigan Avenue; for Aurora, RiverEdge Park sits near the Aurora Transportation Center at the end of Metra’s BNSF line. If you’re still choosing airports and award flights, see our guide to O’Hare vs. Midway for award travelers.
Booking a Chicago market weekend on points? Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer to World of Hyatt, United and Southwest — three of the most useful programs for flights into O’Hare or Midway and a downtown hotel. You can compare current offers and apply with our Chase referral link.
Disclosure: This is our personal Chase referral link. If you’re approved through it, we may earn a referral bonus, at no extra cost to you. You can always apply directly on Chase’s website. See our Advertising & Referral Disclosure.
Our take
If you only have one evening, do Daley Plaza on a weekday and walk over to the Millennium Park tree. If you have a weekend, add ZooLights (book a cheap fixed-date ticket) and either Winter WonderFest with kids or One of a Kind for gift shopping in early December. Be honest with yourself about the downsides: Daley Plaza on a December Saturday is shoulder-to-shoulder, Glühwein and food-stall prices add up fast at a “free” market, and Chicago in December is genuinely cold — the indoor and suburban options exist for a reason. Opening weekend (November 20–22) packs the tree lighting, the Millennium Park market, ZooLights and all three Christkindlmarkets into three days, which is the single best weekend to visit if crowds don’t scare you.
Sources
- Christkindlmarket — official site, plus the Daley Plaza, Wrigleyville and Aurora pages
- Shaw Local: Christkindlmarket returns to RiverEdge Park in Aurora, two Chicago locations
- Navy Pier: Wintrust Winter WonderFest
- Lincoln Park Zoo: ZooLights press release (Oct 6, 2026)
- City of Chicago/DCASE release: 2026 tree lighting and Millennium Park Holiday Market and the chicago.gov Christmas tree page
- chicago.gov: McCormick Tribune Ice Rink
- One of a Kind Show — holiday edition
- Andersonville Chamber: holidays
- Choose Chicago: holiday markets guide
- The Craft Map: Renegade Craft Fair Chicago holiday market listing
Prices, points rates, schedules and entry rules change often; confirm details with the airline, hotel or organizer before you book. Points Capital is not a financial advisor.
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