Head to Chicago for a Spring Date

        This spring, come to Chicago! As the season arrives, outdoor music festivals, street revelries, art markets, and various exhibitions are blossoming like spring buds. Below, follow our guide to discover the highlights of this spring in Chicago!

        The Hamilton exhibition, corresponding to the globally renowned musical of the same name, will be open to the public in Chicago on April 27. As the exhibition’s first stop, Chicago offers visitors an immersive experience. Here, you can learn about Alexander Hamilton, the founding father and first Secretary of the Treasury.

        Using high-tech interactive techniques, the exhibition provides an immersive journey. Backed by academic expertise from university historians, detailed historical materials bring Hamilton’s legendary life to life. The 360-degree immersive experience allows audiences to trace Hamilton’s childhood and early years in New York through audio narration and interactions, as well as explore his life beyond politics as a family man. The audio is recorded and narrated by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of the musical. Original letters and document replicas are displayed, and a life-sized model of 18th-century New York reconstructs the historical setting. Additionally, there are guided tours specially designed for students.

Address: Northerly Island, Chicago

Exhibition Dates: April 27 – September 8

Time: Monday & Tuesday 12:00–18:00 (last entry at 16:00)

Wednesday 10:00–18:00 (last entry at 16:00)

Thursday–Saturday 10:00–20:00 (last entry at 18:00)

Sunday 10:00–18:00 (last entry at 16:00)

For more details, visit https://hamiltonexhibition.com

        As one of the most popular musicals in Chicago’s theater scene this year, this Broadway classic is playing to sold-out crowds at the CIBC Theatre. The production has garnered widespread attention for its record-breaking ticket sales and numerous awards, hailed as a groundbreaking artistic achievement.

Address: CIBC Theatre, 18 W. Monroe St.

Dates: Now until July 21

For more information, visit: https://www.broadwayinchicago.com/show/hamilton-an-american-musical/?type=month&date=2019-04-01

        The popular Art on theMART returns this spring with a new 2019 spring edition themed around Chicago theater, in response to this year’s Chicago Theater Year promotion. Since its launch last September, it has drawn tens of thousands of visitors to the riverwalk to witness the magic of this multimedia tech spectacle.

        The spring light show on theMART, themed around Chicago theater, is produced by renowned lighting designer John Boesche. Seven prominent Chicago theater artists will present their individual performances. The theme of the Art on theMART light show updates quarterly, with the next season starting in June, featuring works by stage designer John Musial and Lucky Plush Dance Company artistic director Julia Rhoads.

        The spring light show continues to amplify the influence of Chicago’s diverse, multidisciplinary theater scene. Each carefully selected artist interprets Chicago theater in unique ways, showcasing their perspectives on the large screen of theMART, bringing a new iconic shift to public art.

        The spring light show runs weekly from Wednesday to Sunday, starting about 15 minutes after sunset and lasting for two hours. The best viewing spots are along the riverwalk or the sidewalks on Wacker Avenue.

        Chicago’s title as the “City of Gardens” is well-deserved. A spring without visiting a flower show would feel incomplete. The Lincoln Park Conservatory is known as one of the best flower-viewing spots in Chicago. This year’s flower show, themed “Supremacy of Bright Yellow,” features flowers predominantly in white and yellow, including azaleas, camellias, orchids, daffodils, daisies, and tulips. There are also playful installations resembling eggs and sounding like wind chimes.

        The Lincoln Park Conservatory also offers guided tours to help visitors gain deeper insights into the rare flowers in the Lily Pool and Conservatory & Gardens, as well as exotic trees and plants from around the world. For more tour info, visit http://lincolnparkconservancy.org/events-tours/park-tours/

Address: 2391 N. Stockton Dr.

Dates: Now until May 12

Time: 9:00–17:00

       In addition to the Lincoln Park Conservatory, the Garfield Park Conservatory also brings a forest to the west side of Chicago with its spring flower show titled “Under the Canopy: Layers of Light,” featuring plants that typically grow in forest canyons.

       Visitors can walk toward the sunlight beneath arching trees, step through the conservatory’s glass doors, and explore a world composed of plants, shrubs, mushrooms, and flowers—species that thrive in the shade and within forests. For more information on the flower show, visit https://garfieldconservatory.org/exhibits/

Address: 300 N. Central Park Ave.

Dates: Now until 5:00 PM on May 12

Hours: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Open until 8:00 PM from Wednesday to Friday

       Acclaimed by TIME magazine as the “Oscars of the food world,” the annual James Beard Awards honor the best and most promising culinary talent in the United States. Hundreds of Chicago restaurants will pay tribute to the culinary legacy of James Beard this week, gearing up for the awards ceremony and celebrating this vibrant food festival.

For a list of participating restaurants and dishes, please visit:

https://www.choosechicago.com/restaurants/foodies-and-fine-dining/james-beard-awards/

Dates: April 26 to May 6

The 2019 James Beard Awards Ceremony will take place on Monday, May 6, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, bringing together nearly 2,000 guests, including top chefs, restaurants, food media, and culinary enthusiasts.

For ticket information, visit: jamesbeard.org/awards

       As the birthplace of house music, Chicago welcomes back its annual Chicago House Music Festival during Memorial Day Weekend at Millennium Park. This free festival features live DJ performances showcasing various styles of house music, making it a must-attend event for house music fans.

Address: Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park

Dates: Memorial Day Weekend (May 23–25)