Chicago Events and Activities for Kids in July 2025

Frontier Days Festival
Arlington Heights - FREE
Wednesday, July 2-Sunday, July 6
Arlington Heights' annual Fourth of July fun fest has live entertainment, a carnival, a 5k race, food vendors, a Fourth of July parade, and fireworks. Visit the website here.

Taste of Oak Brook
Oak Brook - FREE
Thursday, July 3
The Village of Oak Brook offers local families a taste of its cuisine and a little fun at the annual Taste of Oak Brook festival. Kids' activities include face painting, a bounce house, and a petting zoo. Fireworks will start at 9:30pm. Visit the website here.

Elmhurst 4 on the 4th and Kids 1K
Elmhurst
Friday, July 4, 2025
Run four miles to celebrate the Fourth of July! Kids ages 5-12 can participate in a 1K kids' dash. No strollers will be allowed in the 4-mile. Visit the website here.

Glen Ellyn 4th of July Fireworks
Glen Ellyn - FREE
Friday, July 4, 2025
Lake Ellyn Park hosts its annual fireworks to celebrate America's birthday. Visit the website here.

CHICKEN LITTLE at Chicago Kids Company
Belmont Cragin
July 10, 11, 16, and 17
The Sky is Falling! Join Chicken Little and her friends --Ducky Lucky, Goosey Loosey, Turkey Lurkey and others-- as she journeys to tell The King the news!Visit the website here.

Circus Abyssinia: Ethiopian Dreams
Downtown
Wednesdays through Sundays, July 10- August 3
The world-famous Circus Abyssinia comes to Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier this summer for a limited engagement! You’ll be astounded by heart-stopping acrobatics, stunning feats of juggling, high-flying hilarity, and death-defying tricks—all set to the irresistible beats of Ethiopian music. Visit the website here.

Fresh Fest!
Downtown - FREE
Friday, July 11
Youth performers play and sing music, dance, and perform spoken word art at Navy Pier's Wave Wall at this free two-day festival. Visit the website here.

International Festival of Life
Washington Park
Friday, July 11-Sunday, July 13
The International Festival Of Life features a very diverse showcase of culture and music from the Caribbean, Africa, Latin America, and United States. The objective of the festival is to bring nations together and live together as one. Visit the website here.

CircEsteem Around Chicago Summer Tour
Parks throughout Chicago
July 11 - Aug 15
The show features youth from across the country who come together to teach each other, create a show together, and perform together! Enjoy an evening of music and fantastic feats like juggling, trapeze, acrobatics, clowning, aerial arts, and more. Visit the website here.

Kids Fest at Wampum Lake
Thornton - FREE
Saturday, July 12
Families can get to know the Forest Preserves of Cook County at this kid-friendly event that includes nature exploration, outdoor activities, creative crafts, and an adventure zone featuring archery and canoes. Visit the website here.

Butterfield Park District Family Fun Fest
Lombard - FREE
Saturday, July 12
Kids can set sail for some summer fun at this nautical-themed family party. Activities include games, crafts, raffles, giveaways, and food. Admission to the pool is free during the event. Visit the website here.

Chicago Gospel Music Festival
Downtown - FREE
Saturday, July 12
Music fans of all ages can enjoy free performances during the Chicago Gospel Music Festival, which features a range of gospel music, from traditional choirs to contemporary urban gospel mixed with hip-hop and house music. There will also be kids activities and vendors in Millennium Park on Saturday. Visit the website here.

Square Roots Fest
Lincoln Square
Friday, July 12-Sunday, July 14, 2024
Family fun featuring live music, local eats, and kids' activities abound at this neighborhood festival. You'll find food for every taste including tacos, Thai food, burgers, sushi, and everything in between. Kids of all ages can enjoy the art tent, instrument petting zoo, and all the other activities throughout the festival. Visit the website here.

Elmhurst Family Farm Fest
Downtown - FREE
Sunday, July 13
Join the Elmhurst History Museum for a family-friendly visit back in time to the early days of Elmhurst. Enjoy live music from Bluegrass band Bourbon Aristocracy, meet chickens, goats, and llamas at the petting zoo, touch a historic tractor, learn about harvesting honey from a beekeeper, try your hand at old fashioned farm chores, and more! Visit the website here.

Bastille Day at Navy Pier
Downtown - FREE
Sunday, July 13
Celebrate Bastille Day with open air dining (a Pique Nique) at Navy Pier. The Committee of French Speaking Societies will host this event on the Lake Lawn with French cuisine and performances. Families can also learn to play the French game of Petanque and kids can have their faces painted, decorate cupcakes, and enjoy a bubble show. Visit the website here.

Insect Fest
Cummings Square, River Forest - FREE
Thursday, July 17
Kids can go on a bug hunt, explore insects through dance, and follow the migratory pattern of insects at this family friendly event. Kids can also create a make your own bug craft. Visit the website here.

West Fest Chicago
West Town
Friday, July 18-Sunday, July 20
The West Town Chamber of Commerce hosts West Fest, an annual street festival featuring neighborhood retailers and restaurants, fine artists, crafters, and entertainment for the whole family. There is also a designated "Kid Fest," including family-friendly live music, pony rides, local dance and theatrical performances, family friendly vendors, games, and more. Visit the website here.

Highwood Days with Taste of Highwood
Highwood - FREE
Friday, July 18- Sunday, July 20
Formerly the North Shore Taco Festival, this refreshed event now features foods from local vendors showcasing Highwood's diversity. Families can enjoy a variety of food vendors and vote for their favorite. Other features include a carnival, live music, and a 5k run or walk. Visit the website here.

Tacos y Tamales Festival
Pilsen - FREE
Friday, July 18-Sunday, July 20
Families can enjoy some authentic Mexican food at the Annual Tacos y Tamales Festival, a street fair based on a traditional Mexican market known as the Tianguis. Visit the website here.

Taste of Chicago Pullman Park
Pullman Park - FREE
Saturday, July 19
Foodies of all ages can enjoy Chicago restaurants, live music, and family-friendly activities at the annual Taste of Chicago outdoor food festival. This summer's festival will be hosted in four different neighborhood parks, one in each month. Visit the website here.

Transportation Zoo
Naperville
Saturday, July 19
Little drivers-to-be and pilots-in-training can celebrate their love of things that go at this event presented by Navistar at the DuPage Children's Museum. Kids can touch and climb into various vehicles in the museum's parking lot and enjoy activities involving boats, plans and trains inside. Visit the website here.

Foam Fun Fest
Oak Park
Sunday, July 20
Families can celebrate the magic and science of bubbles at Wonder Works Children's Museum in Oak Park. Glowby the Bubbler and the Foam Pit are returning to Wonder Works Children’s Museum for just one day this summer.Glowby’s bubble show is like no other. He features Guiness Book of World Record winning nets that fill the sky with bubbles. Giant bubbles. Cloud bubbles. Solid bubbles. Bubbles that come out of a pipe. During each 30 minute show, your children will be amazed by all the types of bubbles that Glowby can create. Visit the website here.

Book Up! Theater in the Parks
Various Chicago Parks - FREE
Wed Jul 23, 2025 - Sun Aug 10, 2025
Repeating every week — Sundays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays through August 10, 2025.
Various times
Ages: 0-5
A traveling librarian rolls into town with their magical book cart, ready to spark big imaginations everywhere and beyond! With a little wiggle, a little giggle, and a whole lot of wonder, stories leap off the pages through juggling, tumbling, clowning and aerial acrobatics. Every book holds a new adventure—where will we go next? This wonderous outdoor circus spectacle invites little ones (and their grown-ups!) to move, play, and discover the magic of reading. Visit the website here.

Performance schedule as follows:

Wednesday, July 23
Harrison (Carter) Park: 1824 S. Wood St., Chicago, IL 60608

Thursday, July 24
Bosely (William) Park: 3044 S. Bonfield St., Chicago, IL 60608

Saturday, July 26
Kosciuszko (Thadeuz) Park: 2732 N. Avers Ave, Chicago, Il 60647

Sunday, July 27
West Lawn Park: 4233 W. 65th St., Chicago, IL 60629

Wednesday, July 30
Hale (Nathan) Park: 6258 W. 62nd St., Chicago, IL 60638

Thursday, July 31
Hayes (Francis) Park: 2936 W. 85th St., Chicago, IL 60652

Saturday, August 2
Haas (Joseph) Park: 2402 N. Washtenaw Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Sunday, August 3
Marquette Park: 6743 S. Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL 60629

Wednesday, August 6
Homan Square Community Center Park: 3559 W. Arthington, Chicago, IL 60624

Thursday, August 7
Brighton Park Community Campus: 4830 S. Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60609

Saturday, August 9
Portage Park: 4100 N. Long Ave, Chicago, IL 60641

Sunday, August 10
Oriole Park: 5430 N. Olcott Ave, Chicago, IL 60602

DuPage County Fair
Wheaton - FREE
Thursday, July 24-Sunday, July 27
Families can celebrate the agricultural history of DuPage County with entertainment, exhibits, a pie eating contest, demolition derby, carnival, food concessions, and karaoke. Musical acts are TBD. Visit the website here.

Disability Pride Parade
Downtown - FREE
Saturday, July 26
Chicago hosts the longest running disability pride parade in the country, and everyone is invited to celebrate and strengthen the pride, power, and unity of people with disabilities, their families, and allies! This year's theme is: Disability Pride Will Not Be Denied. Visit the website here.

Chinatown Summer Fair
Chinatown - FREE
Saturday, July 26-Sunday, July 27
The whole family can enjoy the annual Chinatown Summer Fair, featuring a Dragon & Lion Dance Procession, artisan booths, delicious neighborhood cuisine, and activities for families and children. Visit the website here.

Rock and Roll Playhouse at Gallagher Way
Wrigleyville
Sunday, July 27
Kids can rock out to various genres of music with Rock and Roll Playhouse shows featuring movement and stories. Shows at Gallagher Way give kids a chance to look into the window rock history. On July 27, families are invited to listen and groove to the music of Phish. Visit the website here.