Fun Chicagoland Events for Tweens and Teens

Fun Chicagoland Events for Tweens and Teens

  • Chicago Parent Staff
  • 05/10/22
It seems like teens and tweens are always looking for something fun to do. With school ending and summer approaching, you’ll want to find some activities that you approve of, too.

We’ve compiled a list of fun (and safe) events that are sure to be a hit! Check out our online calendar for even more family events and things to do with teens.

Tree-Mendous Trees! Secret Code Search

May 1-31, 2022

For the month of May, visitors of Emily Oaks Nature Center can come out to decode the secret message.

SHOUT! The Mod Musical

May 5-June 11, 2022 (Sundays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays)

This musical transports viewers into the 1960s with an array of powerhouse songs, far out fashion and groovy dance moves.

DIY Origami Butterflies

May 9-13, 2022 

Teens and tweens can drop-in on this event at Clearing Branch. Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month by creating a colorful, origami butterfly. All supplies are provided. Registration not required.

A&A Presents Carnival of the Animals and Firebird

May 14, 2022

The show features new choreography by Kremnev and sand art animation by Anastasia Antropova. Additional choreography for “The Firebird” will be done by Braeden Barnes.

Celebrating Seniors Scavenger Hunt

May 14, 2022

All ages can come and hunt solo or in a group and on bicycle or on foot. Track down the answers to questions that correspond to 60-plus locations designated on a specially designed map. Participants will receive a keepsake item.

Switch on Summer 2022

May 14, 2022

Celebrate the start of summer in Grant Park at Buckingham Fountain for ComEd’s 8th annual Switch on Summer. This event will feature family-friendly activities, entertainment, local food vendors, fun giveaways and special guest appearances.

New Acquisitions to the Video Game History Collection

May 15, 2022 

Come and play some of the most important, influential and enduring games from the 20th century. Some of the classics include Space Invaders, Pac-Man, Oregon Trail, Super Mario Brothers, more. Advanced registration required.

Creative Writing Class: My BIG Adventure

May 16-June 13, 2022 

This class will help students explore poetry and prose. They will create two adventure stories, one as an individual and one with a group.

Long Grove Chocolate Festival

May 20-22, 2022

The fest is known for its chocolate dipped treats like strawberries, donuts, cupcakes, cake pops, truffles, croissants, eclairs, funnel cakes and more. There will also be tons of live entertainment on multiple stages throughout the town.

Native Truths: Our Voices, Our Stories

Opens May 20, 2022

Hear from Native Americans and Indigenous people about their music, dance, art and stories at the Field Museum’s newest permanent exhibit.

Art in the Park

May 21, 2022 

See more than 85 artists showing paintings, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics and more. The event features live music in the gazebo, youth art activities and festival food.

Hidden Treasures

May 21, 2022 

Find some unique treasures at this pop-up shop with local vendors.

Lincoln Roscoe Spring Art & Craft Fair

May 21, 2022

  • Address: Lincoln Ave. From Roscoe to School, Chicago
  • Cost: Free 

Come shop original art and handmade crafts from 60 artists. Also, live music, art activities for kids, festival food and more.

Barrington Art Festival

May 28, 2022 

This fest features 130 artists in all media including paintings, sculpture, jewelry, wearables and more. Live music and youth art activities add to the weekend’s fun.

Belmont-Sheffield Music Fest

May 28-29, 2022

This festival will have top local tribute bands on the main stage, a second community entertainment stage, food and drinks and other performers.

 

The Dreamer by The School of Ballet 5:8

May 28-29, 2022

The Dreamer is an original, full-length ballet with a cast of more than 300 dancers that will enchant audiences through breathtaking dancing and innovative story-telling.

Blue Man Group Chicago 

Now playing

A dynamic combination of art, music, comedy and technology, Blue Man Group encourages audiences to reconnect with their inner (and outer) child in order to see the world through a new perspective.

Frida: Immersive Dream

Through May 28, 2022

Check out 500,000 cubic feet of art at Lighthouse ArtSpace Chicago. There’s also 1,200,000 frames of video and 90,000,000 pixels at this experience.

Human+Nature

Now-May 30, 2022

Foster your love of trees and plants, while enjoying the outdoors with friends and family, as you explore large-scale sculptures created by South African artist Daniel Popper.

Into the Woods

Now-May 15, 2022 (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays)

Ages 10 and up will enjoy a performance based on their favorite fairy tales. The show has dark themes present despite fairy tale material.

Lookingglass Alice

Through July 31, 2022

Lookingglass Alice returns for a circus-infused spin on the classic hit. Adapted and directed by Ensemble Member David Catlin. It has toured the country and now it’s coming back home to Lookingglass Theatre.

Six

Through July 3, 2022

The ex-wives of Henry VIII join forces for an electrifying pop-concert spectacle—shining a spotlight on these six women as never before. Recommended for ages 12 and older.

Remembering Dr. King: 1929-1968

Through July 4, 2022

The exhibition invites visitors to walk through a winding gallery that features over 25 photographs depicting key moments in Dr. King’s work and the Civil Rights movement, with a special focus on his time in Chicago.

The Art of the Brick

Through Sept. 5, 2022

It will feature more than one million LEGO bricks transformed into more than 100 sculptures by artist Nathan Sawaya at The Art of the Brick. The display includes Sawaya’s original sculptures as well as re-imagined versions of some of the world’s most famous art masterpieces

Shanghai: Safe Haven During the Holocaust

Through Sept. 5, 2022

The exhibition, which highlights Rothstein’s photographs and features artifacts from local Holocaust Survivors, is a tribute to human endurance, capturing both the enormous hardship and fierce perseverance of refugees and their families as they managed to not only survive but thrive while living in the Shanghai ghetto.

Nancy Rubins: Our Friend Fluid Metal

Through Sept. 30, 2022

Artist Nancy Rubins’ newest creation repurposes equipment from playgrounds, amusement parks, and coin-operated rides into sculptures of art of the former children’s play objects.

Millions of Moments: The Chicago Sun-Times Photo Collection

Through Dec. 31, 2023

Featuring 150 images from the Chicago History Museum’s Chicago Sun-Times collection, Millions of Moments is a first look at highlights from five million negatives spanning the 1940s to the early 2000s. 

Vivian Maier: In Color

Through May 8, 2023

Vivian Maier: In Color is a multimedia exhibition featuring 65 color images made during her time as a suburban Chicago nanny from the 1950s to 1970s, most of which have never been on display, as well as film clips, quotations, and sound bites.

Wild Color

Through May 8, 2023 

Rooms at the Field Museum will be dedicated to different colors of the light spectrum and visitors can see how color is displayed in the natural world: gems, minerals, animals that glow under UV light and more. The presentation includes sounds, vibrant visuals and media projections.

This post is updated monthly.


 

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