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Around the Northwest Suburbs & Nearby
🪔 Experience Diwali | Buffalo Grove
📅 Nov. 6 | 5:30–7:30 p.m.
Celebrate the Festival of Lights with live entertainment, arts, crafts and family activities at the Community Arts Center. Free admission.
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🎪 Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey | Rosemont
📅 Nov. 6–8
The Greatest Show on Earth returns to Allstate Arena for a full weekend of performances.
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🛍️ Palatine High School Fall Craft Fair | Palatine
📅 Nov. 7 | 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Shop more than 140 vendors offering gifts, décor, food and handmade goods.
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🎉 Recreation Park Community Center Grand Opening | Arlington Heights
📅 Nov. 7 | 10:30 a.m.–noon
Celebrate the reopening of the newly renovated Recreation Park Community Center.
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🎺 Palatine Concert Band Fall Concert | Palatine
📅 Nov. 8 | 3:30–5 p.m.
Enjoy an afternoon concert at Cutting Hall Performing Arts Center.
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🇺🇸 Veterans Day at the Museum | Arlington Heights
📅 Nov. 11 | 10 a.m.–7 p.m.
Visit the Arlington Heights Historical Museum for exhibits and activities honoring local veterans.
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🎖️ Veterans Day Celebration | Buffalo Grove
📅 Nov. 11 | 12:15–2 p.m.
Buffalo Grove hosts a community Veterans Day celebration at the Scott Jacobson Community Arts Center.
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🇺🇸 American Legion Veterans Day Ceremony | Des Plaines
📅 Nov. 11 | 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
Honor local veterans during a special Veterans Day ceremony at Prairie Lakes Theater.
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✨ Lightscape | Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe
📅 Begins Nov. 13
Walk a glowing illuminated trail filled with large-scale light displays, music and more than 80% new installations for 2026.
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✨ Willow Hill Lights | Northbrook
📅 Begins Nov. 13
Drive through a 2.5-mile holiday light display featuring more than a million lights, tunnels and a giant illuminated tree.
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🎃 Pumpkin Palooza | Wheeling
📅 Nov. 13
The Learning Experience in Wheeling hosts a festive fall celebration with seasonal activities, family fun and plenty of autumn-themed excitement for young children and their families.
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🎸 Rock the Vets 2026 | Arlington Heights
📅 Nov. 14 | 5–10:30 p.m.
Merle Guild American Legion Post 208 hosts a charity concert featuring OH YES, with ticket and event proceeds benefiting local veterans.
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🏀 Windy City Bulls vs. Grand Rapids Gold | Hoffman Estates
📅 Nov. 14 | 5 p.m.
Catch the Chicago Bulls’ G League affiliate in action at NOW Arena.
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✨ Illumination: Tree Lights | Morton Arboretum
📅 Begins Nov. 14
The popular one-mile light trail returns with 22 displays, including a new Northern Lights-inspired canopy.
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🎶 Buffalo Grove Symphonic Band Fall Concert | Vernon Hills
📅 Nov. 14 | 7 p.m.
The Buffalo Grove Symphonic Band performs its fall concert at Vernon Hills High School.
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🏒 Chicago Wolves vs. Manitoba Moose | Rosemont
📅 Nov. 15 | 3 p.m.
Catch the Chicago Wolves at Allstate Arena for an afternoon of AHL hockey.
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🎁 Grove Heritage Association Holiday Market | Glenview
📅 Nov. 12-15
Holiday shopping comes to The Grove’s historic Redfield Estate with seasonal vendors and gifts.
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🎂 Adults Over 60: Birthday Party Bingo | Skokie
📅 Nov. 17 | Noon–1:30 p.m.
Celebrate with pizza, birthday cake and ice cream, followed by an hour of bingo and prizes at the Oakton Community Center. Registration is required by Nov. 12.
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🎄 Candy Cane Holiday Bazaar | Glenview
📅 Nov. 18–19
Shop seasonal gifts, crafts and holiday items at the Glenview Park Center.
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🎄 Friendship Tree Lighting Ceremony | Hoffman Estates
📅 Nov. 21 | 5 p.m.
Kick off the holiday season with Hoffman Estates’ annual Friendship Tree Lighting Ceremony, featuring festive activities and the official lighting of the community tree.
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✨ Light Up the Park | Rosemont
📅 Nov. 21 | 2–6 p.m.
Kick off the holiday season at Parkway Bank Park with visits from Santa and Mrs. Claus, free horse-drawn sleigh rides, carolers, ice sculpting and the lighting of more than 80,000 holiday lights at 5:30 p.m. Ice skating begins at 11 a.m., with free rink admission and $8 skate rentals.
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🎄 Schaumburg Holiday Market | Schaumburg
📅 Nov. 21 | Noon–5 p.m.
Meineke Park hosts food vendors, live entertainment, Santa, crafts, holiday shopping and seasonal activities.
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🎁 Merry Makers Market | Palatine
📅 Nov. 21 | 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Browse handmade goods, seasonal décor, gifts and local creations at Palatine’s first Merry Makers Market.
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🎄 Palatine Annual Tree Lighting | Palatine
📅 Nov. 21 | 4–7 p.m.
Head to Towne Square for live music, treats, Santa and the official tree lighting at 5 p.m.
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🎄 Tree Lighting at City Hall | Wood Dale
📅 Nov. 21
Celebrate the start of the holiday season with Wood Dale’s annual Tree Lighting at City Hall, featuring festive activities and the official lighting of the community tree.
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⛳ Weber Park Turkey Tournament | Skokie
📅 Nov. 22 | 1 p.m.
Teams of two compete in a festive best-ball golf tournament at Weber Park Golf Course, with on-course contests, prizes and holiday surprises. $35 per player; registration required.
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🎄 Christkindlmarket + Tree Lighting | Mount Prospect
📅 Nov. 25 | 4–7 p.m.
Shop the Christkindlmarket at Village Hall before the village tree lighting at 5 p.m., with music, hot chocolate and candy canes.
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🏃 Turkey Trot & Sammy Scurry | Palatine
📅 Nov. 26 | 8–10 a.m.
Start Thanksgiving morning with Palatine Park District’s annual Turkey Trot at Harper College.
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✨ Holiday Tree Lighting | Elk Grove Village
📅 Nov. 27 | Begins at 4 p.m.
Enjoy cookies, hot chocolate, carolers, the Elk Grove Express train ride, a 5:30 p.m. tree lighting, fireworks and Santa.
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🎄 Holiday Tree Lighting | Arlington Heights
📅 Nov. 27 | 4:30–6:30 p.m.
North School Park lights up with holiday music, performances, treats and more than 100,000 lights.
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⛸️ Turkey Skate | Glenview
📅 Nov. 24–30
Hit the ice at the Glenview Community Ice Center.
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🎅 Holiday in the Park & Parade | Glenview
📅 Nov. 28 | 4–6 p.m.
A holiday parade leads into Jackman Park for Santa, hay rides, a kids train, carolers, cookies and hot chocolate.
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✨ Winter Wonderland | Itasca
📅 Nov. 29
Kick off the holiday season in Itasca with a festive Winter Wonderland celebration featuring seasonal activities, holiday lights and family-friendly fun.
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Chicago Worth the Trip
🎄 Christmas Around the World & Holidays of Light | Griffin Museum of Science & Industry
📅 Begins Nov. 7
See more than 50 decorated trees representing cultures from around the world, plus the museum’s massive Grand Tree and seasonal displays.
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⛸️ Maggie Daley Park Skating Ribbon | Downtown Chicago
📅 Opens Nov. 13
Skate along the winding quarter-mile ice ribbon with downtown skyline views.
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🎭 A Christmas Carol | Goodman Theatre
📅 Begins Nov. 13
The Goodman’s longtime Chicago holiday tradition returns for its 49th annual production.
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🛍️ Randolph Street Holiday Market | Chicago
📅 Nov. 14–15
Shop vintage finds, antiques, fashion, décor and one-of-a-kind holiday gifts at Plumbers Hall.
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🛍️ Chicago Artisan Market | Fulton Market
📅 Nov. 15 | 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
More than 115 Midwest artisans bring food, fashion, home goods and art to Morgan Manufacturing.
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🎄 City of Chicago Christmas Tree Lighting | Millennium Park
📅 Nov. 20 | 6 p.m.
Chicago officially kicks off the holiday season with the annual Christmas tree lighting in Millennium Park.
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🎁 Christkindlmarket Chicago | Daley Plaza
📅 Begins Nov. 20
Chicago’s famous German-inspired holiday market celebrates its 30th season with food, drinks, ornaments and European-style vendors.
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🎁 Christkindlmarket Wrigleyville | Gallagher Way
📅 Begins Nov. 20
Another Christkindlmarket location opens next to Wrigley Field as part of the neighborhood’s winter festivities.
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✨ ZooLights | Lincoln Park Zoo
📅 Begins Nov. 20
More than 3 million lights transform Lincoln Park Zoo with illuminated displays, rides, Santa and seasonal entertainment.
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⛸️ McCormick Tribune Ice Rink | Millennium Park
📅 Opens Nov. 20
Skate beneath the Chicago skyline and the city Christmas tree in Millennium Park.
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🦃 Chicago Thanksgiving Parade | State Street
📅 Nov. 26 | 7:45–10 a.m.
The annual Thanksgiving morning parade fills State Street with giant balloons, floats, marching bands and performers.
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🦃 Thanksgiving Dinner Buffet | Chicago
📅 Nov. 26 | Seatings at Noon, 2, 4 & 6 p.m.
Celebrate Thanksgiving at The Ambassador Room in the Gold Coast with a holiday buffet featuring turkey, prime rib, ham, salmon, traditional sides and desserts. Advance reservations are recommended.
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