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Best Things to Do for Kids
in Chicago in July 2026
NASCAR Weekend at Chicagoland Speedway
Downtown
Friday - Sunday, July 3-5, 2026
NASCAR returns to Chicagoland for an unforgettable summer weekend packed with racing, entertainment, family activities, and nonstop energy. Fans can experience the excitement of NASCAR together with kid-friendly experiences across the property and kids tickets starting at just $10. Website
Frontier Days (at Recreation Park)
Arlington Heights - FREE
Wednesday - Sunday, July 1-5, 2026
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. Website
Taste of Oak Brook
Oak Brook - FREE
Friday, July 3, 2026
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. Website
International Festival of Life (in Union Park)
Washington Park
Friday - Sunday, July 3-5, 2026
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. Website
Tinley Park Fourth of July Celebration
Tinley Park
Saturday, July 4, 2026
Enjoy music, food, kiddie rides, fireworks, and more at Tinley Park's annual Fourth of July Celebration. Website
4th on 53rd Parade and Free Festival
Hyde Park - FREE
Saturday, July 4, 2026
Celebrate the 4th of July in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood with a beloved local tradition going back more than 30 years. The parade kicks off at 11am with marching bands, floats, community groups, and kids on decorated bikes. A free festival takes place after the parade from 12-3 pm featuring performances, games, bouncy houses, face painting, a magician, and more. Website
Goldilocks and the Three Bears (at Beverly Arts Center)
Beverly
Wednesdays - Fridays, July 8-31, 2026
This musical is JUST RIGHT! This show is based on the classic story of a young girl who ventures into the woods and stumbles on a cute house with three bowls of porridge, three chairs, and three beds. Website
Taste of Chicago (in Grant Park)
Downtown
Wednesday - Sunday, July 8-12, 2026
Foodies of all ages can enjoy Chicago restaurants, live music, and family-friendly activities at the annual Taste of Chicago outdoor food festival. Website
CircEsteem Around Chicago Summer Tour
Parks throughout Chicago
Thursdays, July 9, 16, & 30; Fridays, July 10 & 24, 2026
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. Website
Fresh Fest! (at Navy Pier)
Downtown - FREE
Friday & Saturday, July 10 & 11, 2026
Youth performers play and sing music, dance, and perform spoken word art at Navy Pier's Wave Wall at this free festival. Website
Square Roots Fest (at Lincoln Square)
Lincoln Square
Friday - Sunday, July 10-12, 2026
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. Website
Kids Fest at Wampum Lake
Thornton - FREE
Saturday, July 11, 2026
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. Website
Butterfield Park District Family Fun Fest
Lombard - FREE
Saturday, July 11, 2026
Kids can set sail for some summer fun at this pirate-themed family party. Activities include games, crafts, raffles, giveaways, and food. Admission to the pool is free during the event. Website
Chicago Water Lantern Festival (at Humboldt Park)
Humboldt Park
Saturday, July 11, 2026
The Water Lantern Festival is a celebration of life, where guests can design and light a floating lantern and launch it into the water. There will also be food, music, and fun. Website
Southport Art Festival
Lakeview
Saturday & Saturday, July 11 & 12, 2026
Visitors can peruse and purchase many various kinds of art on tree-lined Southport Avenue at this West Lakeview street festival. Browse unique, high-quality art, savor the food of local restaurants, and explore charming boutique shops and theaters. Enjoy a Kids Art Zone, face painting, personalized poems, and tons of other activities for the whole family. Website
Fearless & Fun Summer Jam (at Elmhurst History Museum)
Downtown - FREE
Sunday, July 12, 2026
Celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence at Elmhurst History Museum. Enjoy old-fashioned lawn games and patriotic crafts. Engage with community groups and local merchants outdoors on the museum grounds, and head inside to explore the museum’s History of Her: Women Who Shaped Chicagoland exhibit. Taylor Swift cover band Fearless will play on the museum's outdoor stage. Website
Bastille Day at Navy Pier
Downtown - FREE
Sunday, July 12, 2026
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. Website
Insect Fest (at Cummings Square in River Forest)
River Forest - FREE
Thursday, July 16, 2026
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. Website
El Gran Festival Colombiano (in Humboldt Park)
Humboldt Park
Friday - Sunday, July 17-19, 2026
Colombian culture takes center stage at this festival in Humboldt Park. Families can explore Colombian music and entertainment, arts and crafts, and cuisine and beverages. Website
West Fest Chicago
West Town
Friday - Sunday, July 17-19, 2026
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. Website
Tacos y Tamales Festival
Pilsen - FREE
Friday - Sunday, July 17-19, 2026
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. Website
DuPage Children's Museum Touch-A-Truck
Naperville
Saturday, July 18, 2026
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, planes, and trains inside. In addition to regular touch-a-truck activities, kids can enjoy car and truck washes, a sensory bin with building materials, and a Blu Truck racing station. Website
Backyard Fest (at Music House Humboldt Park)
Humboldt Park
Saturday, July 18, 2026
Spend the day outside for great live music, food, drinks, art, and family fun at this outdoor summer music festival in the heart of Humboldt Park. The festival includes a full day of live performances from incredible local bands and artists, plus activities for kids, games, crafts, and a Young Artists Pop-Up Market, featuring handmade goods and creations by artists and makers up to age 18. Website
Foam Fun Fest (at Wonder Works Children's Museum)
Oak Park
Sunday, July 19, 2026
Families can celebrate the magic and science of bubbles at Wonder Works Children's Museum with Glowby the Bubbler and the Foam Pit. 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, and many different bubbles in this 30-minute show. When Glowby is not performing, the Foam Daddy cannon will create a large foam pit for the kids to play. The foam will be chest high and full for 30 minutes… until Glowby performs again! Website
DuPage County Fair
Wheaton - FREE
Thursday - Sunday, July 23-26, 2026
Families can celebrate the agricultural history of DuPage County with entertainment, exhibits, a pie eating contest, demolition derby, carnival, food concessions, and karaoke. Website
Chicago Gospel Music Festival (at Millennium Park)
Downtown - FREE
Friday & Saturday, July 24 & 25, 2026
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. Website
Wicker Park Fest
Wicker Park
Friday - Sunday, July 24-26, 2026
The annual Wicker Park Fest will take place along Milwaukee Avenue from North Avenue to Division Street, featuring restaurant vendors and musical entertainment for the whole family, including a dedicated "Kids Fest" stage and kids' activities on Saturday and Sunday, such as balloon animals, face painting, and games! This year's festival will include a pet fest with paw paintings, pet portraits, musical sits, and a dog ice cream eating contest. Website
Disability Pride Parade
Downtown - FREE
Saturday, July 25, 2026
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. The parade steps off promptly at 11am at Plymouth Court and Van Buren. It moves west on Van Buren to Dearborn, then marches up the street to Daley Plaza. The post-parade festivities are at Daley Plaza from 12-2pm. Website
Chinatown Summer Fair
Chinatown - FREE
Saturday & Sunday, July 25 & 26, 2026
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. Website