This holiday season, Chicago’s Millennium Park will transform into the festive backdrop to an array of exciting events and activities that are sure to spread cheer to the community throughout the city.
“It’s one of the few events that everybody’s there, every demographic, people that have been coming for years, young people…I think it really highlights the diversity and the beauty of the citizens that make up Chicago,” says Clinée Hedspeth, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Commissioner for the City of Chicago.
This year’s festivities include the viewing of the city’s iconic Christmas tree, ice skating at the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink and holiday sing-alongs. Don’t forget to enjoy the snacks and hot drinks from Momentum Coffee and Millennium Hall, next to the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink.
See the famous Chicago Christmas Tree
Chicago’s holiday season has officially begun with the lighting of the city’s Christmas Tree in Millennium Park, presented by Powering Chicago with leadership support from the Millennium Park Foundation and the Pritzker Foundation.
This year’s tree — a 53-foot Colorado Blue Spruce — has been generously donated by the Holden-Shaddick family of Logan Square. The tree was planted almost 50 years ago by their home’s previous owner, Jim Mulligan, and was donated by the Holden-Shaddick family in honor of him. Mulligan worked for the city and was said to be a staple of Logan Square. The tree will stand near the intersection of N. Michigan Ave. and E. Washington St. through Jan. 8, 2025.
“There’s a process where people submit into our Special Events Department and citizens can take a picture of the tree and write their personal narrative, and then there’s a committee that looks at it…and the stories are incredible. Some of these stories were so moving,” shares Hedspeth.
Glide across the ice at the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink
Ice skating at the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink in Millennium Park is presented by Discover Financial Services and runs Nov. 15 until Feb. 2, 2025 (weather permitting). Admission to the ice rink is free, but reservations are required.
Free skating lessons will be available, made possible by the McDonald’s Active Lifestyles Endowment managed by the Millennium Park Foundation. Skates are available to rent if you don’t have your own. Lessons take place from 9-10 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, weather permitting, through Feb. 2, 2025.
Visit MillenniumPark.org for hours of operation, lesson details, and to reserve skate times.
Enjoy more holiday festivities at Millennium Park this season
Back this year is the always-popular Millennium Park Holiday Sing-Along. Join fellow Chicagoans at 6 p.m. every Friday at Cloud Gate for an evening of holiday songs celebrating the city’s diverse cultural traditions. The sing-alongs will take place from Dec. 6-20. This year’s schedule features performances by the Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center on Dec. 6, Leo High School on Dec. 13 and the Chicago Chamber Choir on Dec. 20. The sing-alongs are made possible by the Millennium Park Foundation, with support from the Pritzker Foundation.
Tips for enjoying Millennium Park during the holidays
Here are some tips to help you enjoy your visit to Millennium Park during the holiday season:
- Parking is available at a number of nearby garages: Grant Park North Garage, 25 N. Michigan Ave.; Grant Park South Garage, 325 S. Michigan Ave.; and Millennium Park Garage & Millennium Lakeside Garage, 5 S. Columbus Dr.
- Consider public transit to avoid dealing with congested traffic and parking
- Dress warmly and bring any accessories you might need for the city’s unpredictable weather, like a beanie or umbrella
- Have cash on-hand for vendors who may not take credit cards
“It’s a time to celebrate and I think that the idea of traditional Christmas, it looks different now to people. And so the fact that we can all gather and celebrate the unique space and in a public space that’s open to all of us, I think that’s very very special,” says Hedspeth.
Content sponsored by City of Chicago Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Learn more and make your plan to visit now.
