Free things to do this weekend in and around Chicago
Chicago's Top Picks for FREE family-friendly fun Friday, July 17, 2026 to Sunday, July 19, 2026
(Scroll down for full, detailed list of free weekend activities.)
- Kids Bowl Free - Register your kids for a Summer Fun Bowling Pass today! - Kids Bowl Free - Find a participating bowling center near you today! - July 17-19, 2026; see website for details.
- Grant Park Music Festival: Fauré Requiem - Jay Pritzker Pavilion, East Randolph Street, Chicago, IL, USA - July 17-18, 2026; Friday at 6:30 pm; Saturday at 7:30 pm.
- Virtual Class: Happy Holidays, Texas - Bullock Texas State History Museum - 1800 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701, United States - July 17, 2026; 10 am to 10:45 am.
- Virtual Class: Saving La Belle - Bullock Texas State History Museum - 1800 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701, United States - July 17, 2026; 2 pm - 2:45 pm.
- Join the Mall Walker Club at North Riverside Park Mall - North Riverside Park Mall - 7501 West Cermak Road, North Riverside, IL 60546, United States - July 17-19, 2026; Monday – Saturday 9AM – 8PM; Sundays 10AM – 6PM.
- Summer Fireworks at the Navy Pier 2026 - Navy Pier - 600 East Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, United States - July 18, 2026; Saturdays 10 pm - 10:10 pm.
- 2026 Forge Fest - The Forge Adventure Park & Ziplines - Heritage Quarries Dr, Lemont, IL, USA - July 18, 2026; 4 pm.
- July Free Museum Day at the American Writers Museum - American Writers Museum - Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, USA - July 19, 2026; 10 am - 5 pm.