Millennium Park hosts holiday events from 20 November

Millennium Park hosts Chicago’s 2026 holiday events from 20 November, including the City of Chicago Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and a three-day market. The programme gives visitors to Chicago, USA, a series of public events at the park between November and December.

Chicago holiday programme starts with tree lighting

The City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events has scheduled the 113th Annual City of Chicago Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony for Friday, 20 November 2026. The city’s official tree will be illuminated at 6pm near the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Washington Street, with the ceremony followed by fireworks.

The tree will remain illuminated through Sunday, 10 January 2027. The city’s programme also includes the Millennium Park Holiday Market from 20 to 22 November, the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink from 20 November, weather permitting, and Holiday Sing-Alongs on 4, 11 and 18 December 2026.

The market occupies the park’s North Promenade and includes shopping, live entertainment and concessions. The city lists noon to 8pm for 20 and 21 November, and noon to 5pm for 22 November. The official holiday events programme places the tree, rink, market and sing-alongs within the same seasonal schedule.

Millennium Park’s 2004 opening shapes the setting

Millennium Park forms part of Grant Park in central Chicago. The Encyclopedia of Chicago describes it as a 24-acre park, garden, underground parking garage and cultural centre bounded by Michigan Avenue, Randolph Street, Columbus Drive and Monroe Street.

The park was constructed from 1998 to 2004 and officially opened on 24 July 2004. Its public spaces include works by artists and designers such as Frank Gehry, Jaume Plensa and Anish Kapoor, alongside the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the BP Bridge and the Crown Fountain. The park’s historical record identifies the site’s boundaries, construction period and principal artistic additions.

That history gives the 2026 programme a clear physical arrangement: the tree lighting uses the Washington Street side, the market uses the North Promenade, and skating takes place at the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink. The holiday schedule therefore connects separate visitor areas within a park designed as a combination of garden, cultural venue and public square.

Visiting Millennium Park: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The City of Chicago Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony takes place on Friday, 20 November 2026, near Michigan Avenue and Washington Street.
• The Holiday Market runs from 20 to 22 November 2026 in the North Promenade; the city’s listed times are noon to 8pm on 20 and 21 November and noon to 5pm on 22 November.
• The park is in central Chicago, within Grant Park, between Michigan Avenue, Randolph Street, Columbus Drive and Monroe Street.
• The setting combines gardens, open public spaces and cultural buildings across 24 acres, so visitors should expect outdoor walking between the tree, market and rink areas.

Searching for Millennium Park on social platforms

These links open searches for Millennium Park on each platform.

Frequently asked questions about Millennium Park

When does the holiday programme take place at Millennium Park?

The tree lighting is scheduled for 20 November 2026, the Holiday Market runs from 20 to 22 November, and Holiday Sing-Alongs are planned for 4, 11 and 18 December 2026.

Where is Millennium Park and how do you get there?

The park is in central Chicago within Grant Park, bounded by Michigan Avenue, Randolph Street, Columbus Drive and Monroe Street.

What is Millennium Park?

It is a 24-acre public park, garden, underground parking garage and cultural centre that officially opened on 24 July 2004.