Cirque Italia Water Circus. Photo by Joseph Gage via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
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Teen performers. Photo courtesy of CircEsteem
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St. Louis has tons of kid-friendly things to do. Photo courtesy of the City Museum in St. Louis
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Rides, a children's museum, and more on Navy Pier. Photo courtesy of Navy Pier
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Ride high on Maxx Force at Six Flags Great America.
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Tiny Picassos can enjoy different activities every day at the Art Institute’s Family Room. Photo by Maureen Wilkey, for Mommy Poppins
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State parks near Chicago offer more than just hiking. Photo courtesy of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources
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Checking out CAMP's new immersive experience in Chicago. Photo by Maureen Wilkey for Mommy Poppins
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Love Bug Dance photo courtesy of the Dupage Childrens Museum
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Enjoy a kid-friendly tube fest at Sunburst Ski Hill. Photo courtesy of Sunburst Ski Hill
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Hit the spa with your kid for a spa party in Chicago. Photo by Lisa Gagne for Canva
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Photo courtesy of Enterrium in Schaumburg
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Climb and play all day no matter the weather, at Present Place. Photo courtesy of Present Place
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Free activities for kids in Chicago include the Lincoln Park Zoo, which is always free. Photo courtesy of the museum via Facebook
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There are many popular bar and bat mitzvah venues in Chicago. Photo courtesy of Pinstripes
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Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago. Photo by @zoblue, Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
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Pancakes served all day long in Chicago's West Loop! Photo courtesy of The Little Goat, Facebook
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Chicago's museums are some of the top attractions in the city. Photo courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
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Semicolon is a Black-owned bookstore in Chicago. Photo courtesy of Semicolon
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The iconic ConAgra mural in Chicago, created by artist Jeff Zimmermann, is visible from the 606 elevated Bloomingdale Trail. Photo courtesy of jazim.com
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Spectacular city views of the Chicago Skyline in River North. Photo courtesy of Wendella Boat Tours.
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St. Patricks' Day Weekend 2024 in Chicago: Parades, Festivals, Music, and More

St Patricks Day parade in downtown Chicago. Photo by US Army Reserve photo by Sgt 1st Class Michel Sauret via Flickr.
St Patricks Day parade in downtown Chicago. Photo by US Army Reserve photo by Sgt 1st Class Michel Sauret via Flickr.
3/13/24 - By Maureen Wilkey

The biggest, greenest party of the year in Chicago, St. Patrick's Day weekend has arrived! There are so many family-friendly St. Patrick's Day celebrations all over town. The biggest and greenest, of course, is the annual dyeing of the Chicago River on Saturday. But with kids, it might be just as fun to hit one of the many neighborhood celebrations—the South Side St. Patrick's Day Parade on Sunday is family-friendly, as are the Northwest Side celebration, and the St. Patrick's Festival at the Irish American Heritage Center. If you're not as interested in St Patrick's Day, make this weekend extra sweet by hitting up the Sugar Bush Festival or the Maple Tree Festival to see how maple syrup is made.

Spring break is right around the corner, and if you haven't made plans yet you can use our guide for cheap spring break travel ideas, or sign your kids up for a spring break camp. Speaking of camps, if you haven't signed up for summer camps yet, now is a great time to look into our summer camp guide before they're all filled up!

Wishing you the luck of the Irish on this St. Patrick's Day weekend in Chicago!


More Things To Do in Chicago this Week with Kids

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Paw Patrol Pirate Day production. Photo VStar Entertainment Ltd
Paw Patrol Pirate Day production. Photo VStar Entertainment Ltd

Things to Do St. Patrick's Day Weekend With Chicago Kids

Fairly Grimm Tales at the Mudlark Theatre

Evanston
Thursday, March 14-Sunday, March 17
Once upon a time…You’ve heard the story of Hansel & Gretel, Jack & the Beanstalk, and Goldilocks. But you’ve never heard it quite like this. Join Mudlark for a zany, sometimes dark, but always funny journey through these beloved fairy tales. READ MORE

Find Lucky the Leprechaun in Winnetka Parks

Winnetka - FREE Friday, March 15-Sunday, March 17
Lucky the Leprechaun will be hiding out at a different park each week. A new clue for Lucky’s location will be posted on the Winnetka Park District Facebook page each weekday at 12pm. Each week, Lucky will pack up and find a new park to hide out at and a new set of clues for his location will be shared. READ MORE

Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt at Lincoln Marsh

Wheaton
Friday, March 15 & Saturday, March 16
Find eggs using a series of clues Easter egg hunts in Lincoln Marsh. You'll find the eggs when you solve the riddle! READ MORE

Flashlight Egg Hunt at Arrigo

University Village
Friday, March 15
Search for eggs with your flashlight or cell phone in Arrigo Park! This event is for kids ages 3-12 accompanied by an adult chaperone. READ MORE

Maple Tree Festival at North Park Village Nature Center

North Park - FREE
Saturday, March 16 & Sunday, March 17
Celebrate and honor maple trees, how they are beneficial in nature, and the special gift of sap. Participate in activities that build empathy for trees, observe (and taste) the maple syrup process, and enjoy a day out in nature to notice the ways that animals (people and wildlife) engage with trees. READ MORE

Sugar Bush Fair

Schaumburg
Saturday, March 16 & Sunday, March 17
Spring Valley Nature Center's annual celebration of maple sugar is sweet. See demonstrations of how maple syrup and enjoy historic reenactments. READ MORE

The Dyeing of the Chicago River & St. Patrick's Day Parade

Downtown - FREE
Saturday, March 16
The Irish and Irish at heart can join the City of Chicago in the annual dyeing of the Chicago River in honor of St. Patrick's Day. The best place to see the dyeing is the intersection of Michigan Avenue, Wacker Drive, and the river. READ MORE

St. Patrick's Festival at the Irish American Heritage Center

Mayfair
Saturday, March 16 & Sunday, March 17
Celebrate all things Irish at the Irish American Heritage Center following the downtown St. Patrick's Day parade. Activities include contemporary Irish music, Irish dance, arts and crafts, vendors, exhibits, Irish language lessons, genealogy workshops, and a book sale. The Wiggleworms will perform for the kids. READ MORE

Bunny Bash

Lombard - FREE
Saturday, March 16
Celebrate Spring with the Easter Bunny! Enjoy doing the bunny hop, watching a balloon artist create balloon animals, going on an Easter egg scavenger hunt, and coloring crafts at North Riverside Park Mall. READ MORE

Friends of Holstein Park Easter Event

Roscoe Village
Saturday, March 16
Visit Holstein Park for an egg hunt, pictures with the Easter bunny, music, and crafts. The bunny will be available inside the Fieldhouse for pictures starting at 10:15am. READ MORE

Easter Bunny Bash at North Riverside Park Mall

North Riverside - FREE
Saturday, March 16
Meet the Easter Bunny at Center Court for coloring crafts, the bunny hop, face painting, balloon animals, and pictures. An Easter egg scavenger hunt will add to the fun. READ MORE

Chicago Fire FC Kids' Day

South Loop
Saturday, March 16
Join Chicago Fire FC for their annual Kids' Day match vs. CF Montreal at Solider Field. With banner painting, a Meet & Greet with lovable mascot Sparky and members of the Paw Patrol, a special giveaway – Chicago Fire FC Friendship Bracelets – and so much more, Kids' Day sure to be a fun-filled day for the whole family! READ MORE

NEWCITY Hosts 4th Annual Egg Hunt Egg-stravaganza

Old Town - FREE
Saturday, March 16
Get ready to level up at NEWCITY's “Super Egg Hunt” Egg-stravaganza. Jump into a world of family fun inspired by Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros., where power-up prizes, mystery blocks, and a dinosaur egg hunt await.  READ MORE

Filament Theatre presents Cloud Man

Old Irving Park
Opens Saturday, March 16
Filament Theatre is delighted to present the magical Constellation Points’ Cloud Man. The show features exquisite puppetry and invites audience members to follow the clues to the very top of Cloud Mountain, where the views are always surprising. The story is told by cloud expert Cloudia, who always had her head in the clouds.  READ MORE

Shamrockfest 2024

LaGrange
Daily through Sunday, March 17
Families can enjoy Irish music and dancing along with pub foods and beverages at Palmer Place in LaGrange on the weekends leading up to St. Patrick's Day. See the website for the full schedule of entertainment. READ MORE

FITZGERALDS Annual St. Patrick's Day Celebration

Berwyn
Saturday, March 16
Fitzgerald's hosts its annual family friendly St. Patrick's Day celebration featuring Fitz & The Celts, Switchback, The Shannon Rovers, and Mayer School Stepdancers. Families can also taste Irish fare from Babygold Barbecue. READ MORE

Paw Patrol Live! The Great Pirate Adventure at the Chicago Theatre

Downtown
Saturday, March 16 & Sunday, March 17
It’s Pirate Day in Adventure Bay and Ryder will need all paws on deck as he and the PAW Patrol discover a secret treasure map while on a mission to rescue Cap’n Turbot from a mysterious cavern. It’s up to Chase, Marshall, Skye and all their heroic pirate pup friends to save the day and find the pirate treasure before Mayor Humdinger finds it first! READ MORE

South Side Irish Parade

Beverly - FREE
Sunday, March 17
The South Side Irish Parade will step off at noon from 103rd & Western and proceed south down Western Avenue to 115th Street. The Parade is one of the largest community-based St. Patrick's Day Parades outside of Ireland. READ MORE

Northwest Side Irish Parade

Norwood Park - FREE
Sunday, March 17
The 19th Annual Northwest Side Irish Parade will kick off at noon at Onahan School. The parade will end around 1:30 pm at Harlem Ave. The official after-party will begin at 1 pm at St. Thecla Falcon Hall.   READ MORE

Maple Syrup Festival at River Trail Nature Center

Northbrook - FREE
Sunday, March 17
This festival includes tree tapping, maple syrup samples, games, and crafts. You will even get to learn a bit about the history of maple syrup. READ MORE
Top Toddler and Preschooler Birthday Party Places in Chicago. Photo courtesy of Purple Monkey Playroom.
Top Toddler and Preschooler Birthday Party Places in Chicago. Photo courtesy of Purple Monkey Playroom.

More Seasonal Activities in and Around Chicago

School Break Camps: Holiday and Spring Break Camps That'll Keep Kids Busy on Days Off

When school is on break, parents need extra help, so we found lots of awesome camps! READ MORE

Meet the Easter Bunny at Bunny Brunches and Easter Bunny Pictures in Chicago

Say peeps! It's time for a photo op with the Easter Bunny. READ MORE

Best Summer Camps for Teens in Chicago

Summer camp fun doesn't have to stop after middle school. READ MORE

Top Toddler and Preschooler Birthday Party Places in Chicago

Here's where to celebrate your little one. READ MORE

Best Chicago Museums For Kids and Families

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Places featured in this article:

Vera Meineke Nature Center at Spring Valley