Enjoy your well-earned day off (and say goodbye to summer) with three festivals that will get you grooving, shopping and eating. Then, enjoy some quality family time at Arlington Park and the Chicago Botanic Garden.
Chicago Jazz Festival
Sept. 3-6
Chicago
The Chicago Cultural Center and Millennium Park will once again host this Labor Day weekend tradition, now in its 37th year. Performers include Muhal Richard Abrams, José James, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Butler, Bernstein & the Hot 9.
The Magnificent Mile Shopping Festival
Sept. 4-7
Chicago
There’s no better place to shop this weekend than the Mag Mile, where you’ll find more than 50 special offers and savings. Plus, the first-ever Magnificent Mile Pop-up Marketplace will take place at Pioneer Court on Friday and Saturday, and the Magnificent Mile Chicago Women’s Half Marathon & 5K will occur on Sunday.
Chicago’s Best Summer WingFest
Sept. 5
Chicago
Chicago’s Best WingFest has taken place every February for the past 16 years, but now, due to popular demand, Chicago’s Best Summer WingFest is here. In addition to wings, enjoy live music, carnival games, a vendor market, and craft beer and full bar. Plus, proceeds will benefit Variety – The Children’s Charity of Illinois.
Family Day at Arlington Park
Sept. 6-7
Arlington Heights
Take your family out to the racetrack for pony rides, a petty zoo, face painting, a caricaturist, a bounce house, educational content and more. Or, visit on Friday for Party in the Park and Saturday for Horses & Hops.
Butterflies & Blooms
Ends Sept. 7
Glencoe
Relax this weekend with a walk around Chicago Botanic Garden’s gorgeous grounds and a stop at the Butterflies & Blooms exhibition, which closes on Monday.
Start Your Weekend Early
- Kohl Children’s Museum’s Chagall for Children exhibit ends Sept. 3. If you haven’t been yet, don’t miss this multi-sensory, hands-on experience that introduces children to artist Marc Chagall.
Looking Ahead
- RSVP today for Women’s A-Wear-Ness Inside and Out, a fall fashion show and networking event benefitting NorthShore University HealthSystem’s Kellogg Cancer Center at Highland Park Hospital. Tickets are free, but a $10 donations is suggested at the door. Find more information and a list participating businesses, click here.
