The city lights its official Christmas tree in Millennium Park on Friday, Nov 20. The celebration starts at 4 PM, the ceremony at 6, and the tree goes on around 6:30. Christkindlmarket and the Millennium Park Holiday Market open the same weekend.
Chicago kicks off the holidays downtown on Friday, November 20, when the city lights its official Christmas tree in Millennium Park. Festivities start at 4 PM, the formal ceremony begins at 6 PM on the main stage on Washington Street next to the Chicago Cultural Center, and the tree is lit at about 6:30 PM.
The city is still choosing this year's tree from nominations sent in by Chicagoans. Make a night of it: Christkindlmarket opens at Daley Plaza, a few blocks west, the same day, and the Millennium Park Holiday Market runs on the park's North Promenade all weekend.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 against the City of Chicago DCASE announcement (Oct 2, 2026), as reported by the Sun-Times and ABC7. Confirm with the city before you go.
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