October brings some of the year’s biggest events to Chicago, from the Chicago Marathon and Chicago International Film Festival to the opening of Northwestern’s new Ryan Field. Eric Idle, Gorillaz, the Smashing Pumpkins, David Byrne, and Robert Plant are among the major names on a packed arts and culture calendar. And with glowing jack-o’-lanterns, haunted Chicago, pumpkin patches, and other seasonal favorites in the mix, there’s plenty to do all month long.
Tag us in your October adventures at @makeitbetter_foundation — we’d love to see where the month takes you.
Oct. 1: Smithsonian Starstruck: An Immersive Experience
The Smithsonian brings the universe to Chicago with Starstruck, a new immersive experience developed with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and built from real astronomical data from the Smithsonian, NASA, and the European Space Agency. During the hour-long experience, including 40 minutes in virtual reality, visitors travel alongside the Hubble, James Webb, and Chandra space telescopes, moving through thousands of galaxies and encountering exoplanets, dying stars, and a supermassive black hole. The production was selected for competition at Venice Immersive, part of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. Recommended for ages 10 and up, Starstruck opens Oct. 1 at Fever Hub Chicago at Germania Place.
Oct 2: New Ryan Field Opens at Northwestern
Northwestern opens its new $875 million Ryan Field on Oct. 2 with a sold-out primetime college football game against Penn State, 100 years after the original stadium hosted its first game.
The 35,000-seat stadium was built as a year-round sports and entertainment venue, with concerts, community programming, and other events planned beyond football. Fans who missed tickets to opening night have two more chances to see the Wildcats in the new stadium this month: Homecoming against Ball State on Oct. 10, and Family Weekend against Rutgers on Oct. 24.
Also debuting is the Great Chicago Food Festival, a 50,000-square-foot culinary experience that will return for every home game and future concert. It features concepts from Rick Bayless, Stephanie Izard, Gibsons Restaurant Group, and other Chicago chefs, plus rotating Evanston and North Shore restaurants, and opens two hours before each event. Get tickets.
Oct. 3: TEDxChicago: We The People
TEDxChicago returns to Harris Theater for Music and Dance, a Make It Better Foundation 2026 Philanthropy Award winner, with “We The People,” a day of ideas spanning culture, health, science, politics and social change. This year’s lineup includes Joshua Doss, senior pollster and political strategist at HIT Strategies; comedian and caregiver Pat Tomasulo; mental health researcher Dr. Jessica Schleider; brain resilience scientist Dr. Tamar Gefen; women’s sports strategist Clarissa Flores; and physician and health care executive Dr. Omar Lateef. Live music, visual art and other performances round out the program.
Oct. 4: A Talk and Singalong with Monty Python’s Eric Idle
Monty Python legend Eric Idle joins Chicago Humanities to discuss his new book, Idle in Provence, and the crumbling French property that became his creative escape from the height of Python fame. Idle will share stories of writing, creativity, and famous visitors including George Harrison, Robin Williams, and Paul Simon, along with reflections on life, purpose, and laughter. And, fittingly, the afternoon includes a singalong. Get tickets.
From Oct. 7: Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns
More than 1,000 real pumpkins illuminate the Chicago Botanic Garden during this annual Halloween tradition, including approximately 75 intricately carved pumpkins weighing up to 150 pounds. New highlights this year include a 20-foot illuminated Monarch Skull inspired by the monarch butterfly and carvings celebrating 150 years of Chicago Cubs baseball, alongside designs featuring dragons, comic book characters and Día de los Muertos. The nighttime trail also features live carving demonstrations, costumed entertainers and seasonal food and drinks. Get tickets.
Oct. 8: Gorillaz: The Mountain Tour
Gorillaz bring The Mountain Tour to Chicago following the 2026 release of The Mountain, the ninth studio album from Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett’s genre-bending virtual band. The North American tour is drawing from across the group’s 25-year catalog, from its self-titled debut and Demon Days to Plastic Beach, Humanz and the new album, with recent sets featuring favorites including “Feel Good Inc.,” “19-2000” and “On Melancholy Hill.”
Oct. 9: Julia Child Award Ceremony Honoring Sam Kass at the Obama Presidential Center
The Julia Child Foundation brings its annual award ceremony to Chicago for the first time to honor Chicago native Sam Kass, the chef, author and former White House Senior Policy Advisor for Nutrition whose relationship with the Obama family began here nearly two decades ago. Donnie Madia of One Off Hospitality Group, where Kass previously worked at avec, will emcee the ceremony and dinner at the newly opened Obama Presidential Center. Kass is being recognized for his work advancing equitable food systems and a healthier planet and will direct the award’s $50,000 grant to Urban Growers Collective, American Farmland Trust and God’s Love We Deliver. Special guests will be announced.
Oct. 9-10: Beck: Ride Lonesome Tour
Eight-time Grammy winner Beck brings his Ride Lonesome Tour to Chicago for two nights, following the Sept. 18 release of his new album, Ride Lonesome. More than three decades after “Loser” and Mellow Gold introduced him to a national audience, Beck has built a catalog that moves between alternative rock, folk, funk and orchestral pop, including the Grammy-winning Odelay and Morning Phase. Ioanna Gika and Wayne Faler join him for the Chicago dates.
Oct. 10: Salt Shed Open House: Fall Fun and Free Trees from Morton Arboretum
The Salt Shed opens its doors for a free, all-ages fall afternoon with activities throughout the former Morton Salt complex. Visitors can play games at Elston Electric, browse Umbrella Vintage, FRET12, and RISE, visit the Three Top Lounge rooftop, grab a drink at the Goose Island Salt Shed Pub, and decorate pumpkins to take home. The Morton Arboretum will also give away a variety of trees while supplies last. The open house runs noon to 5 p.m. at 1357 N. Elston Ave.; free RSVPs are available but do not guarantee admission.
Oct. 11: Bank of America Chicago Marathon
One of the world’s six Abbott World Marathon Majors, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon brings more than 50,000 runners from around the world to a 26.2-mile course through 29 Chicago neighborhoods. Spectators can watch the race for free along the route, with especially large crowds gathering downtown and near the start and finish in Grant Park. Public transportation is recommended on race day.
Oct. 14: Dance Theater of Harlem
Dance Theatre of Harlem comes to Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre with a program spanning classical ballet, neoclassical works, and the company’s signature Firebird, which reimagines the Russian folk tale in a vibrant Caribbean setting with choreography by John Taras, Stravinsky’s score, and sets and costumes by Geoffrey Holder. The program also includes George Balanchine’s Donizetti Variations and Artistic Director Robert Garland’s Return, a high-energy work set to music by James Brown and Aretha Franklin. Founded by Arthur Mitchell on the belief that ballet belongs to everyone, Dance Theatre of Harlem has spent more than five decades expanding who performs, creates and sees themselves represented in classical ballet.
Oct. 14-25: 62nd Chicago International Film Festival
The Chicago International Film Festival returns with more than 150 films from around the world and a lineup of filmmakers and actors appearing in person. This year’s honorees include Jordan Firstman, Sophie Okonedo, Carrie Coon, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Marlon Wayans, with Bob Odenkirk and Tim Blake Nelson also scheduled to appear. The festival closes with Tony Gilroy’s Behemoth!, starring Pedro Pascal, Olivia Wilde, Eva Victor and Will Arnett. Chicago stories are represented, too, including the world premiere of Ever After, following Michelin-starred chef Curtis Duffy. Cinema/Chicago, the nonprofit behind the festival, is a Make It Better Foundation 2026 Philanthropy Award winner.
Read more: Chicago International Film Festival 2026: Programmers Share Their Top Picks
Oct. 14: The Smashing Pumpkins: The Rats In A Cage Tour
After headlining Lollapalooza this summer, The Smashing Pumpkins return to Chicago with The Rats In A Cage Tour. The United Center performance Oct. 14 will feature two sets: the first devoted entirely to Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, followed by a second drawing from the band’s nearly four-decade catalog. The United Center date continues a stretch of major hometown appearances for the band and Chicago native Billy Corgan, who recently staged A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness at Lyric Opera of Chicago and has since joined the organization’s board. Get tickets.
Oct. 15: David Byrne on Sleeping Beauties
Chicago Humanities and the Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture partner to present an evening with Talking Heads co-founder David Byrne, who will discuss his new book, Sleeping Beauties: Why Good Ideas Go Dormant and How They Wake Up. The book looks at groundbreaking ideas and creators that were overlooked in their time, from Bach and Vermeer to continental drift and solar power, examining why some disappear and what allows them to resurface years or even centuries later. General-public tickets are sold out, but Chicago Humanities members can join the waitlist. Copies of Sleeping Beauties will be available at the event through Chicago’s Seminary Co-op Bookstores, the country’s first not-for-profit bookstore.
Oct. 15: Robert Plant: Up the Sharp End Tour
Robert Plant closes out his fall U.S. Up the Sharp End Tour in Chicago with Saving Grace, his band featuring vocalist Suzi Dian. The former Led Zeppelin frontman brings the group’s blend of folk, blues and roots music to The Chicago Theatre, with rockabilly and country artist Rosie Flores joining as special guest.
Oct. 17: Thrift Riot
Wicker Park and Bucktown celebrate their longtime vintage and resale scene with the first Thrift Riot, a neighborhood-wide shopping event featuring more than 20 thrift, vintage, and resale boutiques along Damen, Division, and Milwaukee. Shoppers can visit participating stores independently for free or purchase a ticket for the Thrift Riot Shopping Shuttle, which includes transportation between shops, exclusive discounts, snacks, a swag bag, and other perks. Five stores will also hide specially marked items, with shoppers who find and purchase them receiving a $50 gift card to that store. Shuttle sessions run noon to 3 p.m. and 3 to 6 p.m.
Oct. 17-18: Chicago International Film Festival Physical Media Fair
The Chicago International Film Festival adds its first-ever Physical Media Fair to the opening weekend of its 62nd edition, celebrating Blu-rays, DVDs, VHS, and other physical formats. The free two-day event kicks off Saturday with filmmaker and industry conversations, film trivia, and a physical media swap in partnership with Revolution Brewing. On Sunday, collectors can shop Blu-rays, DVDs, VHS tapes, posters, books, and movie and Festival merchandise from a variety of vendors. The fair takes place at 1511 N. Halsted St., Suite A119, around the corner from AMC NEWCITY.
Oct. 23, 25, 28: Omar at Lyric Opera of Chicago
Pulitzer Prize-winning opera Omar makes its Lyric Opera of Chicago premiere, bringing the true story of Omar ibn Said to the stage for three performances only. Born in present-day Senegal, the Islamic scholar was captured and enslaved in 1807 and later wrote his autobiography in Arabic, the only known American slave narrative written in the language. Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels, whose film scores include Jordan Peele’s Get Out, Us, and Nope, created the opera, weaving West African musical traditions together with hymns, spirituals, gospel, and bluegrass. A Lyric co-commission, Omar premiered at Spoleto Festival USA in 2022 and won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Music.
Oct. 24: Edward Scissorhands in Concert
Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands returns to the big screen with Danny Elfman’s Grammy-winning score performed live by the Chicago Philharmonic, a Make It Better Foundation 2026 Philanthropy Award winner. The 1990 film, starring Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder, marked one of Burton and Elfman’s defining collaborations, with its blend of orchestra and choir helping create the film’s distinctive gothic fairy-tale world. The complete film will screen while the Chicago Philharmonic performs Elfman’s score live. Get tickets.
Oct. 24 – 25: Manhattan Vintage Chicago
New York City’s Manhattan Vintage brings its popular fashion market to Chicago for the first time, launching a new twice-annual event at Morgan Manufacturing in Fulton Market. The two-day market pairs dealers from the flagship New York show with Chicago vintage sellers, offering everything from rare designer and archival fashion to denim, jewelry, accessories, and finds across decades and price points. The expansion is also a homecoming for Manhattan Vintage owner Amy Abrams, a Chicago native. Tickets start at $25, with a $40 Preview Hour ticket offering early access to shop the market.
Oct. 28–31: The Spirit Cabinet at The Magic Parlour
Just in time for Halloween, third-generation magician Dennis Watkins brings back The Spirit Cabinet, a limited five-performance exploration of the spookier side of magic. Inspired by classic spiritualist magic theater, the 75-minute show conjures unseen forces, messages from beyond and crystal-ball revelations. The Halloween engagement is part of Watkins’ long-running The Magic Parlour, presented by Goodman Theatre, a 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award winner, and Petterino’s. The Magic Parlour recently extended its run through May 2.
Ongoing
Visit the Best Pumpkin Patches and Apple Orchards in and Around Chicago
Is there anything more perfect than spending a beautiful fall weekend apple or pumpkin picking? Here is a list of apple orchards and pumpkin patches around Chicago — or a short drive away — to help you make your plans. Just don’t forget to check the hours and the U-Pick status before you head out. See the list.
The Most Haunted Places in Chicago
From raging fires to mob history, shipping disasters to phantom hitchhikers, Chicago has something to satisfy any ghost hunter’s palate. So don’t be content just to let fires burn and caldrons bubble. Double your toil and trouble by visiting one of these notorious spots whose spectral inhabitants anxiously await your presence. See the list.
Through Jan. 3: Mary Cassatt: After Impressionism
Marking the centennial of Mary Cassatt’s death, Mary Cassatt: After Impressionism examines a pivotal period in the career of the groundbreaking artist — the only American to exhibit with the French Impressionists. The first Art Institute exhibition devoted to Cassatt in more than 25 years brings together more than 75 paintings, pastels, prints, and other works, focusing on the innovative directions she pursued after the final Impressionist exhibition in 1886. The Art Institute of Chicago is a Make It Better Foundation 2026 Philanthropy Award winner.
Through Dec. 19: Inner Worlds: Visions from the Hirshhorn Collection
Three pioneering women artists come together in Inner Worlds: Visions from the Hirshhorn Collection at Wrightwood 659. Drawn from the permanent collection of the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the exhibition features works by Mary Bauermeister, Yayoi Kusama, and Niki de Saint Phalle, who arrived in New York from Germany, Japan, and France by the early 1960s and helped shape the postwar avant-garde. Their distinctive approaches to pattern, repetition, and abstraction offer a focused look at three women who achieved international recognition while helping change the course of 20th-century art.
Through April 11: Pokémon Fossil Museum
Making its North American debut at the Field Museum, Pokémon Fossil Museum pairs beloved Pokémon with real-world paleontology in an exhibition that encourages visitors to see both through a new lens. Interactive displays compare fossil-inspired Pokémon such as Tyrantrum and Archeops with actual prehistoric specimens, including the museum’s iconic SUE the T. rex, highlighting the connections between science, discovery, and imagination. Developed in collaboration with Japan’s National Museum of Nature and Science and The Pokémon Company, the exhibition runs through April 11, 2027 and is expected to be one of Chicago’s most in-demand museum experiences of the year. Tickets are limited and subject to availability.
Through Oct. 4: The Humanities at Victory Gardens Theater
Victory Gardens Theater continues its long tradition of bringing new stories to the stage with the world premiere of The Humanities, a contemporary drama by acclaimed playwright and Northwestern University professor Zayd Ayers Dohrn. Directed by five-time Jeff Award winner Eddie Torres and featuring an all-Chicago cast, the play follows the fallout after a controversial speaker is invited to lecture at an elite American university, exploring questions of identity, race, campus protests, political violence, and the forces dividing the country. Performances begin Sept. 10, with the official opening Sept. 13. Tickets on sale now. Get 25% off all Adult and Senior tickets for performances on September 10, 11, and 12 with promo code PREVIEW.
Through Oct. 18: Play On! at Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Shakespeare gets the jazz treatment when Play On! opens Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s 40th Anniversary Season. Inspired by Twelfth Night and set to Duke Ellington classics including “It Don’t Mean a Thing” and “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” the three-time Tony-nominated jazz musical returns with original director Sheldon Epps and a newly updated book by Cheryl L. West. Broadway veterans lead the cast, including Hailee Kaleem Wright (Moulin Rouge!, SIX), Krystal Joy Brown (Merrily We Roll Along, Hamilton), and Edred Utomi, who recently played Alexander Hamilton in Hamilton on Broadway. A special Black Creativity Night on Sept. 22 will celebrate Black excellence, brilliance, and joy across music, dance, and art with a pre-show gathering featuring cocktails, music, and an artistic conversation. Get tickets.
Through Nov. 1: Topdog/Underdog at Steppenwolf Theatre
Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks’ acclaimed Topdog/Underdog opens Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s new season with Tony Award-winning director Kenny Leon at the helm. Steppenwolf ensemble members Glenn Davis and Namir Smallwood star as brothers Lincoln and Booth in the funny examination of sibling rivalry, resentment, race, and survival.
Through Nov. 29: 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, a Make It Better Foundation 2026 Philanthropy Award Winner, 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 Nov. 29.
Learn more about Theater of the Mind in our interview with David Byrne.
Through Oct. 11: ‘The Attic: Things I’ve Seen While Lying on My Back’
Goodman Theatre, a Make It Better Foundation 2026 Philanthropy Award Winner, opens its 101st season with The Attic: Things I’ve Seen While Lying on My Back, a new theatrical memoir from Tony Award-nominated circus artist Shana Carroll. A co-founder of Montreal’s internationally renowned collective The 7 Fingers, Carroll draws on her own life and career as a trapeze artist for a production combining contemporary circus, dance, theater, and aerial performance. An international company of performers brings her memories to life in a deeply personal exploration of fear, courage, and the experiences that shape us.
Through Oct. 10: Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue
Making its Midwest debut at EXP Rosemont, Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue brings the video game into the real world in an escape-room-esque interactive attraction through seven Minecraft-inspired environments on a mission to save a village from a zombie attack. Using handheld interactive devices, participants collaborate to complete challenges, gather resources, and encounter iconic friends and foes from the game. Designed for players and non-players (a great crash course for unfamiliar parents), the limited-run experience combines immersive environments with the creativity and problem-solving that have made Minecraft the best-selling video game of all time. Learn more and get tickets.
More from Better
- Tom Morello on Music, Activism and Bringing ‘Revolution(s)’ to Chicago’s Goodman Theatre
- Billy Corgan Reimagines Smashing Pumpkins’ ‘Mellon Collie’ for Lyric Opera
- David Byrne’s ‘Theater of the Mind’ Turns Neuroscience Into an Immersive Experience
Brooke McDonald is the editor in chief of Better Magazine, the publishing hub of the Make It Better Foundation. She writes about entertainment, travel, and theme parks and her work has appeared in Insider, The Points Guy, Parents, TravelPulse, and more. Her favorite nonprofits to support include SeaLegacy and the Vitalogy Foundation. Find her on Instagram @brookegmcdonald, Threads @brookegmcdonald, Bluesky, and X @BrookeGMcDonald.
