As Chicago winter makes its last stand, the March calendar is filling with reasons to get out the door. From St. Patrick’s Day celebrations and museum exhibitions to buzzworthy stage premieres and neighborhood food festivals, there’s no shortage of ways to spend a late-winter weekend around Chicagoland — but we’ll help you narrow it down.
Here are the 31 best things to do in Chicago and the suburbs this March, including standout events hosted by 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award winners — because the most meaningful nights out are often the ones that give back.
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All Month
The Irish… and How They Got That Way
The Irish … and How They Got That Way is an irreverent musical history of Ireland through the tumultuous 20th and 21st centuries seen through the eyes of Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Frank McCourt, coupled with a glorious score that spans 100+ years. Get tickets now — running until March 15 at Porchlight Music Theatre.
Carroll Dunham: Drawings, 1974-2024
Visit the Art Institute of Chicago — a 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award Winner — now through June 1, 2026 for a chance to see a unique exhibit featuring the work of Carroll Dunham. Over the course of five decades, Dunham has engaged in wide-ranging formal and thematic experimentation across various media, yet his drawings represent a distinct, interconnected body of work. Grab your tickets and find information on the Art Institute website.
Two Sisters and a Piano
Two Cuban sisters yearn for freedom and love in this moving drama by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Anna and the Tropics. Catch this passionate piece of work from now until March 29, 2026. Visit Writers Theatre — a 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award Winner — online.
Spring Flower Show: Showers of Flowers
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Step into Showers of Flowers, the 2026 spring flower show at the Garfield Park Conservatory. The exhibition highlights more than 80 hanging baskets that showcase creative vertical possibilities for home gardeners. Displays feature trailing vines such as ivy and sweet potato, bushy asparagus ferns, and colorful blooms including pansies, petunia, and calibrachoa.
Guests can wander beneath cascading florals while taking in ground plantings of seasonal favorites such as daffodils, tulips, lupines, cymbidium orchids, astilbe, snapdragons, and ranunculus, all set against a backdrop of azaleas, camellias, and hydrangea. The exhibition is on view through May 10.
Second Saturdays at the Goodman
Saturdays at the Goodman are family-focused, intergenerational workshops centered on joy, creativity, and sharing space, held now through July 2026. Join them to participate in workshops facilitated by Goodman Teaching Artists as they celebrate creativity and the art of storytelling. Second Saturdays are ideal for littles (ages 4-10), and their families. Find more details online at Goodman Theatre — a 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award Winner.
Korean National Treasures: 2,000 Years of Art
From 6th-century gilt bronze Buddhist sculpture through Joseon dynasty painting and white porcelain and contemporary paintings of the late 20th century, the works of art in this exhibition demonstrate the artistic legacy produced on the Korean peninsula over millennia. See it for yourself, March 7-July 5, 2026 at the Art Institute of Chicago — a 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award Winner.
Madama Butterfly
Meet Cio-Cio-San — known as Madama Butterfly — a faithful but doomed geisha in love with B.F. Pinkerton. Everyone but Butterfly knows the Navy lieutenant will break her heart and ruin her life. And the rest, is for the audience to find out. A timeless tragedy, in dazzling contemporary technicolor, see it from March 14 – April 12, 2026 at Lyric Opera of Chicago, a 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award Winner.
The Orchid Show: Feelin’ Groovy
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Step back into the spirit of the 1960s and 1970s at Chicago Botanic Garden’s Orchid Show: Feelin’ Groovy, where 10,000 vibrant orchids transform the space into a kaleidoscope of color and nostalgia. Cascading floral installations stretch toward the ceiling in radiant waves, while a 10-foot lava lamp glows with layers of brilliant blooms. A flower-filled Volkswagen Beetle evokes a Route 66 daydream, turning the exhibition into an immersive celebration of retro style and botanical artistry.
Crafting Characters: The Costumes of Paul Tazewell
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Now through September 7, to witness the craftsmanship and genius of costume designer Paul Tazewell, look no further than Chicago’s Griffin Museum of Science and Industry. This exhibit is “deeply inspiring, immersive, and invites you into the world of Paul Tazewell’s creative journey — tracing the artistry, imagination and craftsmanship that inspired the creation of iconic costumes from the blockbuster sensation Wicked to Broadway’s Hamilton to Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story and more. Displays of his masterpieces combined with his narration and video, photos and sketches draw back the curtain to show how imagination becomes reality.” For tickets and more information, visit Crafting Characters: The Costumes of Paul Tazewell online.
Hamilton
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The unforgettable story of passion, unstoppable ambition, and the dawn of a new nation, seen by more than 28 million people around the world, has returned to Chicago. From March 4 – April 26, 2026, see the show that took the world by storm. Grab your tickets while you can, and find all other information at Hamilton Musical.
ADMISSIONS
At an elite prep school, Sherri Rosen-Mason champions equity and reform — until her own son’s Ivy League ambitions put her principles under pressure. As personal and professional worlds collide, this compelling drama examines parental loyalty, privilege, and the uncomfortable truths that emerge when ideals meet self-interest. Catch the show from now through March 15 at Citadel Theatre in Lake Forest.
On Loss and Absence: Textiles of Mourning and Survival
On Loss and Absence brings together over 100 objects from diverse cultures dating from antiquity to today to reveal the ways people use textiles to sustain spiritual beliefs, understand death, cope with grief, remember those who have passed, and heal from trauma, both personally and collectively. See it through March 15, 2026 at Art Institute of Chicago — a 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award Winner.
Tiffany Lamps: Beyond the Shade: Driehaus Museum
Tiffany Lamps: Beyond the Shade — open through March 15, 2026 at Driehaus Museum, a 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award winner — casts a new light on one of the Gilded Age’s most recognizable names. The show moves past the familiar glow of Tiffany’s stained-glass shades to reveal the full scope of the studio’s work between the 1890s and 1920s — from bronze boxes and pottery vases to a monumental chandelier rarely seen by the public. With pieces drawn from both the Driehaus collection and the Richard H. Driehaus Art Exhibition Lending Foundation, guest curator Alexandra M. Ruggiero frames the story around the artistry, materials, and influential designers that helped make Tiffany a household name.
March 1: Polar Plunge® Chicago for Special Olympics Illinois
With Lake Michigan just to the east, Chicagoans can’t help but flock to it year round — even in the winter, and especially for a good cause. The Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Illinois, presented by Special Children’s Charities, will be hosted once again to raise funds for Special Olympics Illinois. There is still time to register, donate, and be one of the many individuals plunging for a good reason this March. Get more information and sign up at Special Children’s Charities.
March 1: A Cup of Hope
An elegant afternoon tea hosted by Northern Illinois Food Bank’s Executive Women’s Council, A Cup of Hope brings together community members to raise awareness and funds to help solve hunger. The event will be emceed by ABC7 Chicago news anchor Judy Hsu and will feature the Lake Forest Civic Orchestra.
March 1-8: Hamnet
The U.S. premiere of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Hamnet runs through March 8, at Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s The Yard. Adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti from Maggie O’Farrell’s best-selling novel and directed by Erica Whyman, the production traces the intertwined lives of Agnes Hathaway and William Shakespeare, and the devastating loss of their 11-year-old son, Hamnet, during a time of plague. Moving between love, childbirth, grief, and the natural world, the play examines how private sorrow shapes creative legacy, offering a deeply human reimagining of the forces behind one of the English language’s most enduring works.
March 1-8: North Side Restaurant Week
Discover a piece of the culinary scene alive in Chicago during North Side Restaurant Week! Hosted by five business organizations, this event takes you across Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, Albany Park, Edgewater, Irving Park, Northcenter, North Park, and Rogers Park. From Argentinian and French to Serbian and modern American cuisine, participating restaurants will showcase their unique offerings with special prix fixe menus. Visit North Side Restaurant Week online for all your dining details.
March 1-8: Holiday
Tony Award winner Richard Greenberg brings a sharp contemporary lens to Philip Barry’s society comedy, the play that inspired the classic Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn film. Set among the moneyed Seton family on the Upper East Side, romance collides with class when an unexpected outsider enters the picture, putting privilege, ambition, and personal fulfillment under pressure. Directed by Robert Falls, this reimagining is witty, pointed, and quietly incisive. Catch it through March 8 at Goodman Theatre, a 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award winner.
March 9: Patti Smith: An Evening of Songs and Stories
WBEZ, Poetry Foundation, and University Club of Chicago present “Patti Smith: An Evening of Songs and Stories,” featuring Patti Smith alongside Tony Shanahan and Jackson Smith, with Jeff Tweedy joining Patti in conversation. The program centers on Smith’s bestselling memoir Bread of Angels, a reflection on her childhood, artistic awakening, love, and loss, and includes live acoustic performances of select songs. Each ticket includes a copy of the book, and the evening is presented in partnership with Exile in Bookville, bringing together literature, music, and conversation for a one-night celebration of Smith’s enduring creative legacy.
March 11-May 31, 2026: Theater of the Mind
Theater of the Mind, co-created by Academy, Grammy, and Tony Award–winning artist David Byrne and writer Mala Gaonkar, and directed by Andrew Scoville, is an immersive theatrical experience at Goodman Theatre — a 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award winner — that blends storytelling with neuroscience to explore how perception, memory, and identity shape our understanding of the world. Guided through a surreal 15,000-square-foot installation in small groups of just 16 participants, audiences move through a series of interactive environments over 75 minutes, engaging their senses through sight, sound, taste, and touch while encountering experiences inspired by historical and contemporary brain research. The production invites visitors to question the reliability of their senses and consider how fluid the boundaries of self and reality may be.
March 13-14: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – 25th Anniversary – In Concert
Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring live in concert at the Auditorium Theatre. Experience the epic motion picture on a 60-foot screen, accompanied by Howard Shore’s Academy Award-winning score performed by 238 musicians, including symphony orchestra, chorus and soloists.
March 13-22: 2026 Winning Works
The Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet, a 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award Winner, will present five world premieres from the Winning Works Choreographic Competition. This year’s winners — Fran Diaz, Julia Feldman, DaYoung Jung, Daniel Ojeda, and Alexandra Schooling — each will choreograph an original work created for the Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet Conservatory, Trainees, and Joffrey Studio Company. This annual event never disappoints, request your tickets now at Winning Works online.
March 14: Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Chicago’s favorite Irish tradition is back in full swing celebrating over 70 years. Following the Chicago River dyeing at 10am, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade kicks off at 12pm. The parade route follows Columbus Drive between Balbo Drive and Monroe Drive and will be lined with jubilant Chicagoans decked in green. Head over to the parade website for more information.
March 14: Uncorked: Chicago Wine Festival
Join the Uncorked: Chicago Wine Festival at the Field Museum for a complete wine-lovers experience. Sip & Swirl over 100 wines & bubblies from across the globe while you explore everything this incredible museum has to offer — plus delicious bites and dancing to a DJ’s curated music. This year will also feature plenty of NA options, for those who want the fun but not the spirits. Visit Uncorked: Chicago Wine Festival for tickets and details.
March 14: She Was with Artemisia Vocal Trio
She Was, performed by Artemisia Vocal Trio in celebration of Women’s History Month at Brushwood Center, a 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award Winner, is an interdisciplinary vocal performance honoring the stories and lived experiences of women across generations. Blending folkloric vocal traditions, original compositions by the trio, and four newly commissioned works by contemporary female composers, the program brings overlooked narratives to life through music exploring themes of identity, remembrance, grief, joy, and transformation. The experience is further enriched by a seasonally inspired culinary offering from Chef Lindsay Johnson, creating an intimate, multisensory gathering that celebrates women’s artistic voices and enduring cultural influence within Brushwood’s natural setting.
March 15: 2026 South Side Irish Parade
Celebrate the roots of the Irish community in Chicago at the South Side Irish Parade. This display of Irish heritage and pride — the largest community-based parade for the holiday outside of Ireland — will route through 103rd and Western Avenue, marching south to 115th and Western, starting at noon. More specifics and historical information at South Side Irish Parade.
March 15: Sanctuary: The Power of Resonance and Ritual
Grammy Award–winning Silkroad Ensemble and Artistic Director Rhiannon Giddens explore how we can experience music to better understand our world, find comfort, process loss and a changing environment, and rebuild community based on our own humanity. Run Time: 2hr, including intermission.
March 19-29: Lake Geneva Balloon Adventure
Balloon Adventure returns to PIER 290 in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin with a colorful, crawl-worthy world of oversized bugs and playful surprises. The all-ages event features more than 100,000 balloons of towering bug-themed installations. Explore hands-on science elements and photo-ready moments designed to spark curiosity and joy.
March 20-22: Villain Arts Chicago Tattoo Festival
Ink lovers unite! The Villain Arts Chicago Tattoo Arts Festival is back in town this year and is bringing together everyone from experts to beginners to spectators. See the full lineup of artists, events, and programming for the weekend-long event.
March 21: Dirty Dancing in Concert
This live-to-film experience is accompanied by a live band and singers performing every unforgettable song from the soundtrack. Feel the romance, rhythm, and emotion with every iconic moment amplified by the power of live music. After the final scene, the fun keeps going with a dance-along encore party. Don’t forget to wear your favorite 1980s outfit! Get tickets online at Chicago Philharmonic — a 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award Winner.
March 22: Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle
Runners in Chicago know that with St. Patrick’s Day comes the annual Shamrock Shuffle — which offers three distances, the 8K Run, 2-Mile Walk and The Mile. Weave through the heart of Chicago’s beautiful downtown, ending at Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park for a post-race party. Register at Shamrock Shuffle.
March 26: Brahms, Shostakovich, and Schubert – Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
This program at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, a 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award Winner, brings together three landmark works, each a defining moment in the the journey of Brahms, Shostakovich, and Schubert. These powerhouses illuminate a journey of passion, perseverance, and profound expression. Brahms Scherzo (1853); Shostakovich Trio No. 2 in E minor (1944); Schubert Trio No. 2 in E-flat major (1827).
March 28-29: International Women’s Day Market
The Lincoln Square Ravenswood neighborhood is brimming with locally owned businesses. On March 28-29, in honor of International Women’s Day (March 8), the community will be hosting their 5th annual International Women’s Day Market. Local, women-owned vendors will congregate at Artifact Events for a day of shopping small and giving big, with booths that carry jewelry, home goods, beauty products, food, drink and much more. Details at Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce.
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Margaret Smith is a Chicago-based writer and editor with a passion for socio-political storytelling about their community. They are a graduate of Columbia College Chicago.
