Chicago Cultural Alliance

Architecture & Design Film Festival
2025-01-31 - 2025-02-02 | Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 164 N State St, Chicago, IL, 60601, United States
The Architecture & Design Film Festival (ADFF) and Chicago Architecture Center (CAC), in collaboration with the Gene Siskel Film Center, present ADFF:CHICAGO—an international festival highlighting the best films dedicated to the creative spirit of architecture and design.
The festival program showcases films with both a design focus and a human story for a broad audience of industry professionals, design-conscious consumers, and fans of nonfiction storytelling.
ADFF:CHICAGO 2025 presents 13 feature-length screenings in two downtown venues—with many screenings including Q&As with the filmmakers.

View the full list of films & their screening times here

Black History Month
2025-02-01 - 2025-03-01, 2026-02-01 - 2026-03-01, 2027-02-01 - 2027-03-01, 2028-02-01 - 2028-02-29, 2029-02-01 - 2029-03-01

CAMOC Lunar New Year Party
2025-02-01 14:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | Chinese American Museum of Chicago, 238 W. 23rd St, Chicago, IL, 60616, United States
Celebrate the 2025 Lunar New Year at CAMOC!
Date: Saturday, February 1, 2025
Time: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Ticket Price: $8.88
Free Entry for Museum Members!
Join us at our annual Lunar New Year Fair on Saturday, February 1, 2025, at 2:00 PM for an afternoon of festivities.
We will welcome the Year of the Snake with a buffet-style lunch, a performance from Yu’s LD Sports Association (@yuliondance_chicago), games & prizes, traditional paper-cutting & calligraphy, and more. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn and celebrate this important holiday in Chinese culture for new beginnings, family, and prosperity with us!
Purchase your tickets today through Zeffy.

A Loooooooong Celebration: Lunar New Year Show
2025-02-01 18:00 - 21:00 | 3500 S Morgan Street, 3500 S Morgan St 3F, Chicago, IL, 60609, United States
A long year deserves a looooooong celebration!

Join us on Saturday, February 1, from 6–9 PM for a grand and memorable farewell to the Year of the Dragon with art, performances, live music, food, drinks, and fortune-telling. Let’s enter the Year of the Snake with creativity, friendship, and community.

This event will feature artists and art groups including Beyond This Point, Hun Hazy, Friends of the Gamelan, Lili Xie, and Q.I.U 求人不如求己.

Artist Bio:
Beyond This Point
Beyond This Point is a Chicago-based music ensemble dedicated to performing new and experimental music across a variety of genres. Composed of a diverse group of musicians, the ensemble aims to push the boundaries of musical expression through innovative performances and collaborations.

Hun Hazy
Hun Hazy is a Mongolian fusion duo founded by Tamir Hargana and Naizal Hargana. They blend the evocative sounds of the Morin Khuur and Tovshuur with the ancient art of Khoomei (throat singing). Their music bridges Mongolia’s rich traditions with modern influences, crafting a sound that is both timeless and innovative. Through their dynamic performances, Hun Hazy offers audiences around the world a powerful and immersive journey into the heart of Mongolian culture.

Friends of the Gamelan
Friends of the Gamelan, also known as FROG, is a Chicago-based ensemble dedicated to the performance and promotion of Indonesian gamelan music. The ensemble performs traditional Javanese gamelan music, as well as contemporary compositions and collaborative works that bridge various musical genres and cultural backgrounds.

Lili Xie
Lili Xie is an artist and educator based in Chicago, known for her multidisciplinary approach that includes photography, sculpture, and installation art. She reactivates Chinese traditional mythical practices through various artistic approaches, including readings and community events.

Q.I.U 求人不如求己
Q.I.U. 求人不如求己 is an artist collective that reimagines Chinese cultural practices through an artistic lens. Q.I.U. explores various realms, including fortune-telling, tea ceremonies, holiday celebrations, scholar painting, and stone sculpture.

When we offer a sliding scale ticket option, the Heritage Museum of Asian Art acknowledges the diverse financial situations of our community members and aims to reduce financial barriers to participation.

We invite you to assess your own financial situation and select the ticket price that best suits you:

$0: In need of support

This option is for those who may be experiencing financial difficulties or are unable to contribute at this time. We want everyone to feel welcome, regardless of their ability to pay.

$35: Doing fine

This option reflects the cost of participation for those who are managing their expenses adequately and are able to contribute a standard amount.

$60: Comfortable

For individuals who are financially stable and can afford to contribute a bit more, this option helps sustain the event and ensure its success.

$120: Able to support others

If you are in a position to give generously, this option allows you to not only cover your own ticket but also help support those who may not be able to contribute financially.

We appreciate your thoughtful consideration in choosing a price that fits your situation. Thank you for your support!

We can’t wait to celebrate Lunar New Year 2025 with you—thank you for being part of our community!
Please note tours may be canceled or postponed due to unforeseen circumstances.
This is generously funded by the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation as part of the Dragon Within: Loong and Global Symbols event series.

Accessibility
The Heritage Museum of Asian Art’s Entrance is on West 35th Street. Take the elevator to the third floor and turn right to the Museum Reception Desk. Accessible and standard toilets are located on the same floor. Free parking space is available next to the museum via West 35th Street.

Sweetheart Round Dance & Art Market
2025-02-08 12:00 - 19:00 | American Indian Center, 3401 West Ainslie Street, Chicago, IL, 60625, United States
Looking for a fun and unique date night? Join us for the Sweetheart Round Dance & Art Market on
Saturday, February 8 at the American Indian Center (3401 W Ainslie)
Art Market | Noon – 7 PMFind the perfect, one-of-a-kind Valentine’s gift for your sweetheart while supporting Native artists!
Indian Tacos & Frybread | Starting at 1 PM (while supplies last!)
Special Dance Exhibition featuring our Cultural Ambassador Ronnie Preston | 2:30 p.m.
Round Dance | Starts at 4 PMMake it a date night to remember! The round dance is an interactive and social dance where everyone moves together in a circle to the heartbeat of the drum. Whether you’re dancing with your partner, friends, or meeting new people, there are plenty of opportunities to join in!
Specials & Contests: Best Ribbon Shirt & Skirt Contest Spot Dances Two-Step Special (perfect for couples!)
Hosted by Cultural Ambassador Ronnie Preston, with Stick Man Brennan Potack (LCO Ojibwe) and an incredible lineup of singers: Sterling BigBear (Ponca/Yankton) Sergio Ceron (Otomi-Pame) Winfield Wounded (Ojibwe/Northern Cheyenne) Niyol Spencer (Mississippi Chata/Diné)
Suggested donation: $10 per couple | $5 per person
Whether you’re bringing your partner, coming with friends, or just looking for a great time, this is a night of culture, community, and connection you won’t want to miss!

Bronzeville Children's Museum Annual Black History Month Celebration
2025-02-08 13:00 - 15:00 | Bronzeville Children’s Museum, 9301 S Stony Island Ave, Chicago, IL, 60617, United States
We will be Honoring Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
The Celebration will include Music, Singing, Crafts, Story Telling, Balloons and other activities.

Engineering Fest 2025
2025-02-22 10:00 - 14:00 | Willis Tower, 233 S Wacker Drive, The Metropolitan, 66th Floor, Chicago, IL, 60606, United States
Engineering Fest is the CAC’s premier family event, where young people are invited to imagine and design the worlds they want, need and deserve. Join us for FREE hands-on activities that explore Sustainable Engineering!
What is Engineering Fest?
Engineering Fest is the Chicago Architecture Center’s premier family event, where young people are invited to imagine and design the worlds they want, need and deserve. Join for hands-on activities that explore Sustainable Engineering!
On Saturday, February 22, 2025, visit between 10am and 2pm to build and learn, explore the Willis Tower, meet engineers, and learn how architecture and engineering partner to create sustainable cities.
COST
This festival is FREE with pre-registration.
If you find programs like these valuable, please consider donating to the CAC to help us create more of them!
WHERE WILL THIS EVENT BE HELD?
Willis Tower, 233 S Wacker Dr. Chicago, IL 60606.
Who is this event for?
Activities are geared toward youth ages 8-12, but the whole family is welcome to join!
Groups of youth from other organizations are welcome to attend with chaperones.
What will I learn?
Engineering Fest 2025 is all about Sustainable Engineering! How is Chicago’s unique architecture responding to evolving climate needs? What can we learn from past engineering innovation? How can we design a more sustainable future for all?
Expect all the following, and more!

Hands-on activities — Design, build and test engineering solutions at drop-in stations
Interactions with professionals — Learn about education and career pathways from activity facilitators working in engineering and related fields
Walking tours — Deepen understandings of sustainable engineering with CAC’s expert Education Guides
Exposure to further CAC Learning offerings
Free passes to visit the Chicago Architecture Center, with brief survey completion

Questions? Email caclearning@architecture.org
CAC’s Engineering Fest is a part of the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Youth Learning Programs.

Summer Youth Social Powwow
2025-05-31 12:00 - 19:00 | Trickster Cultural Center, 190 S Roselle Rd, Schaumburg, IL, 60193, United States
This youth-led community event is FREE and open to the general public event. This “Summer Youth Social Powwow” event aims to foster community relations, youth literacy, cultural exchange with a powwow and provide local community resources at Trickster Cultural Center.

DANK Haus Oktoberfest Celebration
2025-09-27 18:30 - 23:30 | DANK Haus German American Cultural Center, 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, 60625, United States
Prost! Celebrate Oktoberfest at the DANK Haus on Friday, September 27th, from 6:30–11:30 PM with an indoor festival straight out of Munich! Our historic Marunde Ballroom on the 5th floor will be transformed with biergarten-style tables, traditional festival décor, and our signature vintage bar pouring imported German Bier like Spaten Oktoberfest and Würzburger, alongside other authentic German brews on tap.
Feast on German classics—Thüringer, Bratwurst, Leberkäse, potato salad, sauerkraut, pretzels, and Landjäger—while enjoying live entertainment, including the Alpine Thunder band, Schuhplattler dancers, and the mesmerizing Alphorn Duo!
Test your strength in our famous Stein Holding Contest, dance the night away, and come dressed in your finest Dirndl or Lederhosen.
We appreciate your RSVP, with special packages available when you reserve your spot. Don’t miss the Oktoberfest of the season at the DANK Haus!

Daughters of Anacaona: A Groundbreaking Art Exhibition Celebrating Feminine Strength, Resilience, and Integrity
2025-10-09 - 2025-12-12 | Alliance Française de Chicago, 54 West Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60654, United States
The Alliance Française de Chicago, in partnership with Partners In Health, proudly announces the opening of Daughters of Anacaona. This groundbreaking art exhibition in celebration of feminine strength and integrity will be on display in the Alliance’s Eleanor Wood Prince Salon.
This compelling exhibition invites audiences to reflect on the legacy of Anacaona, the legendary Taíno cacica (chief), poet, and composer whose resistance and sacrifice symbolize the strength and dignity of Caribbean women across history. Curated by three dynamic exhibiting women artists from the Haitian diaspora—Chantal Bethel, Véronique De Mesmaeker, and Persida Louison—this exhibition is a convergence of ancestral memory, historical truth, and contemporary creative expression. Their work spans mixed media, acrylic, fiber, ceramics, and poetry. A special grand opening will be held at 6:00 p.m. Thursday, October 9 at AF-Chicago in River North. The program will feature a moderated conversation with the artists led by Chantal Bethel and a presentation by Partners In Health, as well as light refreshments, drinks, and cultural exchange.
$10 Suggested Donation

Open House Chicago 2025
2025-10-18 - 2025-10-19
Taking place Oct. 18-19, OHC is a FREE public festival that provides access to places of architectural, historical and cultural significance across 20+ Chicago neighborhoods.
Each October, the Chicago Architecture Center (CAC) hosts Open House Chicago (OHC), a free public festival that offers rare behind-the-scenes access to sites of architectural, historical and cultural significance. The event also spotlights businesses, organizations and creative leaders contributing to the vitality of Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods.
OHC is one of the largest events of its kind in the world. This festival is a part of Open House Worldwide, a network of almost 60 organizations hosting festivals and conversations about architecture, design and cities across the globe.
Subscribe to our newsletter for updates on the festival, photo competition, and the featured sites and neighborhoods, which will be announced as the event dates approach. We look forward to seeing you out there!

The German Imprint on our American Christmas
2025-12-13 13:00 - 15:00 | DANK Haus German American Cultural Center, 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, 60625, United States
The German Imprint on our American Christmas | Presented by Mike Haas
Christmas — or Weihnachten — is Germany’s most beloved holiday, and America’s too! What many Americans don’t realize is just how deeply German immigrants have shaped the way we celebrate the season.
From the Christmas tree to Santa Claus, from mistletoe and gingerbread houses to Nutcrackers and Advent calendars, so many of our favorite traditions have German origins. Even our cherished Christmas music from Handel’s Messiah to O Tannenbaum to Silent Night carries the spirit of that heritage. And who could forget A Charlie Brown Christmas or the joyful Christmas markets that now brighten towns across the United States?
Join us for an insightful and festive presentation exploring the stories behind these beloved traditions. Whether you come to learn, share, or simply celebrate, you’ll leave with a deeper appreciation of the German influence on America’s most cherished holiday.

Holi
2026-03-07 16:00 - 18:00 | Chicago Women’s Park & Gardens, 1801 S Indiana Ave, Chicago, IL, 60616, United States
Come celebrate Holi with Kalapriya! Famously known as the Festival of Colors, Holi is an annual celebration of spring, love, and new life throughout North India. This exciting celebration is filled with dancing, singing, and throwing of colored powder and water. We’ll have dancing, music, food, arts & crafts, and more…
Build your community & friendships!
Savor some Indian appetizers!
Dance away with Bollywood songs!
Splash some colors and have unlimited fun!

Assyrian Cultural Renaissance
2026-04-17 19:00 - 2026-04-19 17:00 | Hyatt Regency O’Hare, 9300 W. Bryan Mawr, Chicago, IL, 60618, United States
The Renaissance Continues.
Mark your calendars as the Assyrian Renaissance returns to Chicago on April 2026.
Through music, art, literature, and more, we’ll gather once more to celebrate who we are and where we come from.
Join us for three unforgettable days of culture, community, and pride.
April 17–19, 2026 | Chicago, IL

Enchantment: A bioplay of the life and music of Ravi Shankar
2026-04-26 14:00 - 16:30 | The International House/University of Chicago, 1414 E 59th St, Chicago, IL, 60637
Enchantment is an intimate theatrical journey into the inner life of music giant Ravi Shankar.
This is not a standard retelling of Shankar’s legendary career. Instead, this bioplay steps into the inner world of the sitar maestro — his doubts, regrets, struggles, and the fierce resolve that carried him from a boy dancer in Paris to one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Through moments of vulnerability and brilliance, the play reveals how Ravi Shankar transformed adversity into artistic triumph.
Written by Gowri Ramnarayan and shaped by the maestro’s own witty and poignant words, Enchantment weaves theatre, live dance, and music into a richly immersive experience. The production features Ravi Shankar’s original sitar recordings and exclusive compositions rendered by Bombay Jayashri, with Aditya Prakash, Vignesh Ishwar, and Chaitra Sairam.
