April in Chicago brings fresh blooms, a spotlight on the planet, and springtime fun — from Earth Month films and art to flower shows and live theater. Say hello to the new season and dig into a month packed with can’t-miss music, film, shows and more. Keep reading for the best things to do in and around Chicago this month.
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All Month
Spring Flower Show: Showers of Flowers
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.
Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color
Jazz, one of the most important artist books from the 20th century, includes 20 color plates and text by Matisse. This exhibition marks the first time Jazz has been on view in its entirety since acquisition, and includes more than 50 works by Matisse from across the Art Institute’s collection. See this exhibit through June 1, 2026.
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
“Ma Rainey’s band is waiting. It’s 1927 Chicago, and “The Mother of the Blues” takes her time getting ready to record. Tensions and temperatures rise as the musicians recount tales of rage, joy, betrayal and faith in astonishing stories and a heart-stopping climax. Chicago legends Chuck Smith and Harry J. Lennix reunite for the play.” Catch this show through April 26 at the Goodman Theatre — a 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award Winner.
FAULT at Chicago Shakespeare
Television star Enrico Colantoni and Golden Globe winner Teri Hatcher star in a wickedly dark new comedy directed by Jason Alexander. Full of blistering humor and searing revelations, Fault makes the case that being honest with ourselves might be the trickiest game we play in life and love. Catch it between April 18 and May 24.
Crafting Characters: The Costumes of Paul Tazewell
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.
The Movement You Need
“Brendan Hunt (Ted Lasso’s co-creator/writer/“Coach Beard”) presents his hilarious new one-man show fueled by bittersweet memories of his Chicago childhood, a love for The Beatles that got him through it and the tongue-tied moment he met Paul McCartney. The Movement You Need is a laugh-filled love letter to the family that makes us, the music that shapes us and the crazy shit life throws our way.” Grab your tickets for show running April 19-May 10.
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.
The Merry Wives of Windsor at Chicago Shakespeare
The secret lives of Windsor wives reveal more than just dirty laundry in an endlessly entertaining new take on Shakespeare’s most raucous comedy. Acclaimed director Phillip Breen brings together an ensemble cast stacked with some of Chicago’s most talented actors to create an endlessly entertaining new take on the play. Reserve your tickets while you can, running April 2-May 3.
Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibition
Since 1970, Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibition has made an annual appearance at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry — making it the longest-running exhibition of Black art. The exhibit features paintings, drawings, fine art prints, sculpture, mixed-media, ceramics, and photography from artists both professional and amateur, including youth artists between the ages of 14 and 17. The show is open now through April 19 — get your tickets: Griffin Museum of Science and Industry.
Hamilton
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.
Jewels of Spring: Lincoln Park Conservatory Flower Show
The 2026 spring flower show at the Lincoln Park Conservatory, “Jewels of Spring,” highlights the amazing flowers of the Tower of Jewels, also known as Echium or Pride of Madeira. It’s a dramatic, colorful plant which grows flower spikes that are two to three feet tall. Accompanying these gems are a host of our favorite spring beauties, tulips such as ‘Gold Rush’ and ‘Flaming Flag’, ‘4D Violet Ice’ African daisies, Cymbidium Orchids, Delphinium ‘Cobalt Dreams’, and Primula ‘Wild Flame Shades’. All are planted against a backdrop of our treasured camelias, azaleas, peonies, and hydrangeas. See this magnificent flower show until May 10.
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 until April 12, 2026 at Lyric Opera of Chicago, a 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award Winner.
Theater of the Mind
Theater of the Mind, co-created by Academy, Grammy, and Tony Award–winning artist David Byrne and writer and investor Mala Gaonkar and directed by Andrew Scoville, is an immersive theatrical experience at Goodman Theatre that unfolds as a guided journey through a series of sensory environments. In groups of 16, audiences move through interconnected rooms over 75 minutes, engaging sight, sound, taste, and touch in experiences inspired by neuroscience that challenge how we perceive and construct reality. The run has been extended through July 12.
Ruthless! The Musical at Citadel Theatre
8-year-old Tina is a charming, sociopathic child star who’ll stop at nothing to land the lead role in her school musical. As her ambitious mother, Judy, transforms from a naive housewife to a Broadway diva, Tina’s psychotic drive for fame escalates, leading to a hilariously dark and twisted musical journey. Citadel Theatre will be running this show from April 17-May 17, 2026.
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.
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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.
April 1: Chicago Philharmonic presents Njioma Grevious
On April 1, Chicago Philharmonic spotlights Artist in Residence Njioma Grevious in Saint‐Saëns’ Violin Concerto No. 3. The program also features the U.S. Premiere of Elżbieta Sikora’s Liquid Air, celebrating the artistry of women shaping the future of classical music. Tickets are free but must be reserved. The Chicago Philharmonic is a 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award Winner.
April 9-12: EXPO Chicago
Contemporary and modern art galleries return to Navy Pier, alongside a wide program of talks, curated sections, and on-site installations. EXPO CHICAGO draws on the Chicago’s rich history as a vibrant international cultural destination, while highlighting the region’s contemporary arts community. Buy your tickets and find more event details online at EXPO Chicago.
April 12: Together In Song: Annual Spring Benefit Concert & Silent Auction
Join us for an uplifting afternoon of music with Perfect Harmony Chorus, an LGBTQ+ ensemble whose rich harmonies and nearly 30 years of singing have inspired belonging and courage across southern
Wisconsin. This joyful gathering celebrates community while supporting the scholarship program and retreat ministry of Siena Retreat Center.
April 14: Zara McFarlane Celebrates Sarah Vaughan
Performing music from her most recent album, Sweet Whispers: Celebrating Sarah Vaughan, Zara McFarlane pays tribute to the American jazz legend. In this project, McFarlane “is not afraid to put her
own stamp on the music while acknowledging Sarah Vaughan in a most respectful and tasteful manner.” Hosted by Harris Theater — a 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award Winner.
April 15: PlayLab PlayDate: Arab American Heritage Month Storytime & Craft
This interactive, bilingual storytime session will feature books and crafts honoring Arab American Heritage Month. The event will also feature a special guest from the University of Illinois Chicago’s Arab American Cultural Center. Visit the Field Museum online for more information.
April 16-27: 42nd Chicago Latino Film Festival
Returning for a remarkable 42nd year — making it the longest running Latino film fest in the states — the Chicago Latino Film Festival will deliver to audiences a lineup of films from Latin America, Spain, Portugal, the US and more. Audiences can expect to fall in love with Latino cinema all over again, or for the first time, as the fest has something for everyone. For a full list of screenings and more details, visit Chicago Latino Film Fest.
April 19-26: Building American Pop
Step into a musical time capsule as we revisit the Brill Building era of the 1950s and ’60s with WTTW’s Geoffrey Baer. These irresistible pop classics evoke songwriting genius converging under one roof — and their magic still strikes a chord today. Find show dates and tickets at Building American Pop online.
April 22-27: One Earth Film Festival
The One Earth Film Festival returns — kicking off on Earth Day — with virtual and in-person screenings across Chicagoland. This year’s theme is GenWe: All Together Now. More details can be found on the One Earth Film Festival website.
April 23: Nomad
Olivier Award–winning Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui explores fluidity and adaptability in extreme, harsh environments in Nomad. The Belgian-Moroccan choreographer pieces together a mosaic of animate and inanimate elements of the desert and displays how the spirit of togetherness is key to survival and evolution in an arid world. US premiere, held at Harris Theater — a 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award Winner.
April 24: Sneaker Ball
For 35 years, After School Matters has been investing in Chicago teens. Join us at Sneaker Ball on Friday, April 24th at 7:00 PM and wear your “coolest kicks” to celebrate and support Chicago teens at an evening of great food, drinks, teen performances, and a raffle with exciting prizes!
April 24-26: CineYouth Film Festival
CineYouth Festival, Cinema/Chicago’s annual youth film festival, showcases short films by filmmakers aged 22 and under from Chicago and around the world. The festival supports emerging talent by giving
young creators a platform to share their work, connect with peers, and learn from industry professionals. FREE to attend. Cinema/Chicago is a 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award Winner
April 24-26: One of a Kind Show + Sale
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350 artists and makers from around the country are coming together for a makers market at Merchandise Mart, including 35 emerging artists and over 150 new participants debuting at the show this year. Bring friends and family to this seasonal market, which features everything from ceramics to fashion, woodworking to gifts and more. Visit One of a Kind Show online for a full lineup of artists and what to expect at the show.
April 25: Chicago Rum Festival
Celebrating 10 amazing years, the Chicago Rum Festival will bring together rum lovers and trade professionals from all over the nation for an afternoon of drinking and mingling at Logan Square Auditorium. While sampling to your heart’s content, enjoy speaker programing, entertainment and more. Tickets can be purchased at Chicago Rum Festival.
More from Better:
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- Vic Mensa on Art, Advocacy, and Investing in the Chicago Community That Shaped Him
- As Book Bans Surge and Reading Rates Fall, This Museum Champions the Power of Writing
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 Chicago.
