Chicago Offers 21 Activities and Events This Week

- The 118th Chicago Auto Show runs through Feb. 16 and includes a "Family Zone" and special-themed days such as First Responders & Military Appreciation Day. The venue, McCormick Place, is a cashless facility, and all attendees are subject to security screening with a strict clear bag policy. - Coinciding with the events is Chicago Theatre Week, running from February 5-15, 2026, where value-priced tickets for over 75 productions are available for $15 or $30. The event, now in its 14th year, is presented by the League of Chicago Theatres and includes dramas, musicals, improv, and family-friendly shows. - For several days this week, Illinois residents can receive free admission to the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry. Permanent exhibits at the museum include the Henry Crown Space Center, a captured German U-505 submarine, and Science Storms, an exhibit focused on the physics of natural phenomena like tornadoes and avalanches. - The Adler Planetarium also has free admission days for Illinois residents this week, though tickets must be reserved online in advance. Ongoing sky shows include "Destination Solar System" and "Imagine the Moon," which are presented in state-of-the-art theaters. - The Lunar New Year for 2026, the Year of the Horse, officially begins on Tuesday, February 17th. While outside this week's date range, the annual Chinatown parade celebrating the new year is scheduled for Sunday, March 1st, and will travel north on Wentworth Avenue from 24th Street. - The Frank Lloyd Wright Trust offers educational programs that can be adapted for coaching, such as "Homeschool Explorations: Stained Glass Discovery" for students, which explores how the architect interpreted nature in his designs. Tours of his Oak Park Home and Studio focus on his revolutionary use of open-concept spaces and architectural elements designed to connect with the natural environment.