You don’t need to reach for your wallet to get your fill of fun things to do all around the city. Here are 10 of our favorite free events and activities this month in Chicago, including exciting outdoor adventures, cultural celebrations, flower shows, free museum days, and so much more. Start planning your budget-friendly Chicago adventures with these free things to do in February 2025.
1. Celebrate Lunar New Year in Uptown
Welcome the Year of the Snake with this exciting Lunar New Year parade. The Uptown neighborhood will kick off the new year with its annual Argyle Lunar New Year Celebration on Saturday, Feb. 8, featuring a parade of community groups, cultural institutions, dancers, and performers. There will also be pop-ups with family-friendly activities.
Check out more Lunar New Year celebrations in Chicago for the Year of the Snake.
2. Catch a colorful parade in Chinatown
Head to Chicago’s historic Chinatown neighborhood for the annual Lunar New Year Parade on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025. This colorful cultural celebration features traditional dragon and lion dancing teams, elaborate floats, marching bands, and more.
The parade will begin at 1 p.m. at 24th Street and Wentworth Avenue and travel north on Wentworth toward the viewing stand at Cermak and Wentworth.
Tip: Take advantage of the last day of Chicago Restaurant Week 2025 to get a great deal on brunch, lunch, or dinner at Qiao Lin Hotpot in Chinatown.
3. Admire the first blooms of spring
It might be cold outside, but it’s always springtime in the city’s indoor conservatories.
Named the best garden in North America, Garfield Park Conservatory will be hosting its annual spring flower show from Feb. 12 through May 11, 2025. This year’s theme “Rooted in Mystery” will explore the mysterious but vital ways plants use their roots.
For visitors, admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, and free for children under 18. Admission is free for all Chicago residents,
You can also visit the Lincoln Park Conservatory, which offers free admission throughout the year.
4. Enjoy the winter weather during Polar Adventure Days
Make the most of the wintry weather during Polar Adventure Days, a free outdoor program from the Chicago Park District. Held at Big Marsh Park, the event features activities like a roaming puppet show, encounters with live animals, demonstrations from husky sled teams, ice carvings, winter crafts, live music, hot cocoa, and more. Polar Adventure Days will take place on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025.
5. Get free admission at Chicago museums
Spend an afternoon wandering through a Chicago museum, where you can dive into fascinating history, provocative contemporary art, and galaxies far, far away.
Here are the upcoming free museum days in Chicago during February 2025 for Illinois residents:
- Museum of Science and Industry: Feb. 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27
- Shedd Aquarium: Feb. 4 – 6, 11 – 13, 18 – 20, and 25 – 27
- Field Museum: Wednesdays through March 26, 2025
- Art Institute of Chicago: Weekdays through March 14
- Chicago History Museum: Feb. 4 – 7, 11 – 14, 17, 18 – 21, 25 – 28
- Adler Planetarium: Wednesdays from 4 – 10 p.m.
- DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center: Wednesdays all day
6. Explore the Chicago Botanic Garden
Located just outside Chicago, the sprawling Chicago Botanic Garden is offering various free admission days throughout the winter. This month, the gardens are free to all on Feb. 2 – 7 and 17. Explore the snowy grounds then warm up inside the tropical greenhouses. Tickets are free but pre-registration is required.
7. Discover the Chicago Cultural Center
A landmark attraction in the Loop, the Chicago Cultural Center is a stunning public space featuring art exhibits, fascinating history, a local makers market, and soaring architecture. Make the most of your visit with the free guided tours that meet every Thursday and Friday afternoon year-round.
This February, honor Black History Month in Chicago at the A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration exhibit.
8. Visit a historic zoo
Lincoln Park Zoo is Chicago’s free zoo and one of the oldest in the country. It’s open all year long, including throughout the winter. Stroll through the snowy grounds, where you can watch polar bears, penguins, and snow monkeys play outside. And warm up inside the animal houses, where you can meet penguins, gorillas, lions, and more.
9. Explore the Poetry Foundation
Come explore a Chicago hidden gem, the Poetry Foundation, which houses a massive library, an exhibition gallery, a tree-lined courtyard, and a performance space. Visitors will find an array of events that are free and open to the public, from readings and lectures to workshops and discussions. Come hear an up-and-coming poet, catch a film screening, or just find a moment of tranquility.
10. Discover a new neighborhood
Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a long-time resident, there’s always something new to discover in Chicago. Get to know a new neighborhood on a free Chicago Greeter tour, led by a friendly local who will show you each neighborhood’s landmarks, hot spots, and hidden gems. Sign up today to be matched with a Chicago Greeter.
Bonus! Immerse yourself in global cultures at Navy Pier
Looking ahead to March, Navy Pier will be hosting its annual International Carnivale celebration. Head to the Pier on Saturday, March 1 to get a taste of the many unique ways this global tradition is celebrated around the world, all coming to life in the soaring Aon Grand Ballroom.
Looking for more? Check out our guide on free things to do in Chicago all year long.
