The winter holidays are fast approaching, and Chicago has a festive haul of concerts, performances, and events to usher in the celebrations. From all corners of the city and beyond, take part in holiday cheer with a wide range of merriment. And click here to see an in-depth guide to WFMT’s holiday programming on air!
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Orchestras, Ensembles, Brass | Messiahs | Choral | Caroling | Around the World | Jazz |Nutcrackers | Christmas Carols | Theater | Holiday Spectacles
Orchestras, Ensembles, and Brass
Music of the Baroque in concert (Photo: Elliot Mandel Photography)
Music of the Baroque: Christmas Oratorio
11/24 & 11/25: Various locations, from $33
Music of the Baroque kickstarts the holiday season with Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. The performance will be available for on-demand streaming the following week.
Elgin Symphony Orchestra: Holiday Brass & Percussion
12/1-12/3: Schaumburg & Barrington, free
Rousing classical music arranged for brass and percussion is sure to get you ready for the holidays.
The NAUGHTY Little Madrigal
12/5-12/9: Newport Theatre, from $25
A raucous performance featuring Renaissance music, burlesque, comedy, and variety acts!
Rembrandt Chamber Musicians Holiday Concerts
12/6 & 12/7: Various locations, $39
Chicago-based Rembrandt Chamber Musicians dates back to 1990. This year’s installment of the group’s holiday chamber tradition features musicians from the CSO and music by Bach and Handel. A livestream is available for one of the performances.
A Very Brassy Christmas
Appearing as part of Ravinia’s early-December Winter Weekend, Philadelphia Big Brass — founded and led by Rodney Marsalis, cousin of Wynton — shares brass works for the season.
Holiday Festival
12/8: Athenaeum Center, from $14
North side community ensemble Lakeview Orchestra shares in musical holiday merriment.
Celebrate the Holidays with Civitas and Friends!
12/8: Nichols Concert Hall, from $8
Seasonal works by great composers — Bach, Vivaldi, and Piazzolla — make up a warm chamber concert featuring Civitas Ensemble, baritone Hugh Russell, and CSO flutist Emma Gerstein.
Alexis Ffrench (Photo: Alex Lake / Two Short Days)
Christmas Piano with Alexis Ffrench
12/11 (two shows): Stan Mansion, from $53
Appearing as part of Fever’s Candlelight series, British classical-soul composer, pianist, and producer Alexis Ffrench visits Logan Square for a solo piano concert in the historic Stan Mansion.
Brandenburg Concertos
12/11: Harris Theater, from $34
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center makes its annual December visit to share the complete suite of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg concertos.
ESO: Holiday Spectacular
12/14 & 12/15: Hemmens Cultural Center, from $20
Elgin Symphony Orchestra music director Chad Goodman leads three performances of the orchestra’s annual holiday extravaganza.
DuPage Symphony: Holiday Magic
12/15 (two performances): Wentz Hall, Naperville, from $15.50
A family friendly fete taps into festive favorites… and might just welcome Jolly Old Saint Nick as a guest of honor.
Chicago Sinfonietta: Holidays of Joy
12/19: Auditorium Theatre, from $27 (pay-what-you-can available)
Conductor Chelsea Tipton II and vocalist Alfreda Burke join the Chicago Sinfonietta for a mesmerizing recital of Christmas music and more.
3rd Coast Brass
Music of the Baroque: Holiday Brass & Choral Concerts
12/19-12/22: Various locations, from $33
Music of the Baroque’s annual holiday concert showcases the ensemble’s respected choral and brass sections. Available for on-demand streaming.
Kohlights featuring the Chicago Junior Klezmer Orchestra
The Maxwell Street Klezmer Band and the Junior Klezmer Orchestra team up for a concert at the Kohl Children’s Museum in Glenview.
3rd Coast Brass: A Very Brass Christmas
12/19: Epiphany Center for the Arts, $30
Chicago-based brass outfit 3rd Coast Brass — featuring performers from the CSO, Lyric, the Cleveland Orchestra and other prestigious ensembles — closes out its 2024 season with its 10-piece brass Christmas concert.
“Le’Haim” Hanukkah concert
A festive, kid-friendly concert celebrating Hanukkah.
Messiahs
Martin Luther Clark
DIY Messiah
12/6: Church of St. Mary, Lake Forest, from $12.50
Join in the festivities and make your voice heard (literally) in this sing-along rendition of Handel’s beloved Messiah featuring the Niles Metropolitan Chorus and the Musica Lumina Orchestra.
The Sparkle of the Season
12/14: Ottawa Township High School Auditorium, from $20
Soprano Jenilyn Roether solos and conducts the Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra in choral holiday music, including excerpts from the Messiah and “The Many Moods of Christmas” by Robert Shaw and Robert Russell Bennett.
Apollo Chorus: Messiah
12/14 & 12/15: Various locations, from $50
Vocal soloists Josefien Stoppelenburg, Kayleigh Decker, Martin Luther Clark, and Stephen Clark star in this presentation of the Messiah, with performances in Chicago’s Lincoln Park and in Evanston.
Apollo’s Fire: Messiah
12/15 & 12/16: Various locations, from $30
Jeannette Sorrell conducts Apollo’s Fire in the Messiah in locations in Chicago and Winnetka.
Choral
Joyce DiDonato (Photo: Salva López)
Holidays a cappella
12/6-12/14: Various locations, from $38 (pay-what-you-can minimum $20)
Chicago a cappella shares Christmas music magic, plus a performance of Dylan Thomas’s “A Child’s Christmas in Wales.” Available for streaming starting 12/15.
Chicago Master Singers: Arise! Shine!
12/7 & 12/8: Glenview Community Church, from $18
Choral works for the season, with highlights by Charles Ives, John Rutter, and more, led by Chicago Master Singers music director John C. Hughes.
Christmas with the Tallis Scholars
12/9: St. James Cathedral, from $50
The Tallis Scholars, one of early music’s most respected ensembles, visits Chicago for one night only. In this Near North Side appearance, the UK-based group shares festive choral music from the medieval era to today.
Chanticleer Christmas
12/10: Symphony Center, from $45
The men’s vocal ensemble takes the Orchestra Hall stage for music of Yuletide of all eras and regions.
Joyce DiDonato + Kings Return present KINGS ReJOYCE! with Craig Terry
12/13: Harris Theater, from $39
Star mezzo Joyce DiDonato returns to the Harris for a festive vocal program featuring a cappella group Kings Return and pianist Craig Terry
Advent Vespers
12/14: Monastery of the Holy Cross, free
A free service of the Advent Vespers featuring singers from the Chicago chorale and the order’s Benedictine monks.
Christmas With Vox Venti
12/14: Resurrection Lutheran Church, $25
Choral classics for Christmastime, hosted at Lakeview’s Resurrection Lutheran Church.
Uniting Voices Chicago (Photo: Kyle Flubacker)
Songs of the Season
12/14: Harris Theater, from $5
Uniting Voices features young singers from every corner of the city — hear a rich blend of cross cultural music for the Winter holidays.
Anima — Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus Winter Concert
12/14: First United Methodist Church of Glen Ellyn, $18
Celebrating its 60th anniversary, Anima — Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus shares a winter concert with music from the Muppets, a Christmas Cantata, and a sing-along.
Merry, Merry Chicago!
12/18-12/23: Symphony Center, from $55
The CSO’s cherished annual Christmas spectacular returns.
Winter Solstice Celebration
12/21: St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, free
The EcoVoice Project, which is committed to climate action through music, ends its 2024 season with a musical celebration of the Winter Solstice.
DuPage Chorale Christmas
12/8: McAnnich Arts Center, $17
The DuPage Chorale, an audition-free community ensemble that welcomes all, shares music for the season with organist Stephen Uhl.
Caroling
(Photo: St. Charles Singers)
2024 Caroling with the Carillon Concert
12/6: University of Chicago Rockefeller Chapel, free
UChicago’s Rockefeller Memorial Chapel opens its doors for caroling to accompany the church’s iconic carillon bell tower.
Candlelight Carols
12/6-12/8: Various locations, from $45
The St. Charles Singers share carols spanning from the 16th-century (John Taverner) to today (John Rutter) help launch the Christmas season.
Christmas Carol Sing
12/8: Hyde Park Union Church, free
Lend your voice to a caroling session with the Chicago Chorale. Optional donations will benefit music programs at Hyde Park’s Ray Elementary School.
Around the World
Cherish the Ladies (Photo: Roisin Lavelle)
Christmas in Vienna
11/30: Symphony Center, from $29
The prestigious Vienna Boys’ Choir shares carols at Symphony Center.
WASSAIL! An Irish-American Christmas
12/6: Ravinia Festival, $60.00
Cleveland Baroque ensemble Apollo’s Fire has made Chicago its second home — here they share their cross-cultural exploration of Irish and Appalachian Christmas traditions.
A South Asian Holiday Party
South Asian dance troupe Kalapriya shares Christmas celebrations from India — including traditional Indian Christian dances and cuisine.
Cherish the Ladies “A Celtic Christmas”
12/13: Irish American Heritage Center, from $30
Irish music group Cherish the Ladies presents a Celtic Christmas celebration, an evening of spirited music and dance.
Newberry Consort: A Latin American Christmas
12/13-12/15: Various locations, from $45 ($25 affordable access tickets available)
Last year, the Newberry Consort’s heralded Mexican Christmas added musical traditions of other Latin American countries. This year, the program continues with Christmas music from Guatemala, Chile, and Mexico at locations in and around the city.
Bella Voce with Artistic Director Andrew Lewis (Photo: Joe Mazza)
A 17th-Century German Christmas
12/15: St Luke’s, Evanston, from $35
Bella Voce teams up with the Madison Bach Musicians for a home-and-home, performing 17th century German Christmas music in Wisconsin’s capital city on Saturday before convening in Evanston on Sunday.
Mariachi Herencia De México: A Mariachi Christmas
12/15-12/21: Various locations, from $40
Chicago’s Mariachi Herencia De México shares spirited music for Christmas in sets at Pilsen’s Thalia Hall and Lincoln Square’s Old Town School of Folk Music.
Christmas O’Carolan
A musical celebration that supports more musicmaking! Sharing Notes, a nonprofit that brings live music performances to hospitals, delivers a benefit concert from Lincoln Park Irish pub Galway Arms.
Salute to Vienna New Year’s Concert
12/29: Symphony Center, from $37
Vienna is the center of New Year’s celebrations. Enjoy a tribute to the city’s indispensable New Year’s Day concerts featuring the Chicago Philharmonic and the Strauss Symphony of America.
Jazz
William Parker (Photo: Peter Gannushkin)
Is It Kwanzaa Yet?
12/11: The Promontory, from $15
A festive evening of manifold musical influences: jazz, soul, and more, featuring jazz bassist Jonathan Michel and vocalist Christin Devine.
Bryan Eng: A Nat King Cole Christmas
12/13 (two performances): Winter’s Jazz Club, from $27.75
Actor and musician Bryan Eng pays tribute to one of music’s most beloved voices — Nat King Cole — in a two-set stand at Winter’s Jazz Club.
Mich Shirey Trio: A Charlie Brown Christmas Tribute
12/19: Sleeping Village, free (RSVP required)
Avondale’s Sleeping Village will host a spirited rendition of Vince Guaraldi’s beloved and timeless jazz score for A Charlie Brown Christmas.
Matt Wilson’s Christmas Tree-O
12/2o & 12/21: Green Mill, $20
A two-night stand of Christmas jazz at Uptown’s legendary Green Mill.
34th Annual Winter Solstice Evening Concert
12/21 & 12/22: Constellation Chicago, from $30
Double bassist William Parker is the guest for a solstice-oriented evening of live jazz.
A Charlie Brown Christmas with Chris White Trio
12/22: West Lawn Branch, Chicago Public Library, free
The evocative jazz music of Vince Guaraldi will fill the air in a free set at the West Lawn Chicago Public Library branch.
Nutcrackers
The Joffrey Ballet’s The Nutcracker (Photo: Cheryl Mann)
Ruth Page’s The Nutcracker
11/23-12/22: Various locations, from $15
The Gold Coast dance school’s Nutcracker — which showcases the academy’s students — dates back to 1965.
Salt Creek Ballet’s The Nutcracker
11/30-12/15: Various locations, from $28
North Shore’s Salt Creek Ballet tours its Nutcracker to venues in Hinsdale, Skokie, and Glen Ellyn with the orchestral backing of the New Philharmonic.
Ballet 5:8 — Beyond the Nutcracker
11/30-12/22: Athenaeum & Lincoln-Way East, from $28 (pay-what-you-can available)
An original take on The Nutcracker celebrates its 10th anniversary. Beyond the Nutcracker keeps the classic Tchaikovsky tunes, but reimagines the story and backdrop, setting the action in WWII-era London.
Joffrey Ballet Nutcracker
12/6-12/28: Lyric Opera House, from $36
Joffrey’s bespoke, Chicago-themed Nutcracker sets its action around the city’s landmark 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.
Duke it Out! Nutcracker
12/7: Nichols Concert Hall, from $20
Jazz meets classical as dancers and musicians present Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker and its Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn reimagining in this family friendly event that also features a musical instrument petting zoo to foster interest in music for young fans.
The Hip Hop Nutcracker
12/10-12/15: CIBC Theatre, from $35
A hip-hop take on the quintessential Christmas ballet, led by Tony-nominated director/choreographer Jennifer Weber (Juliet & KPOP).
Ballet Chicago: The Nutcracker
12/20-12/22: Harris Theater, from $31
The Loop-based ballet academy celebrates its 30th year with its Nutcracker.
A Christmas Carol
Bri Sudia and Christopher Donahue in Goodman Theatre’s A Christmas Carol (Photo: Liz Lauren)
Goodman’s Christmas Carol
Through 12/30: Goodman Theatre, from $27
One of Chicago’s most revered productions, Goodman Theatre’s production returns for another six-week slate.
A Christmas Carol at Met Performing Arts Centre
11/24-12/23: Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, from $45
This Arlington Heights Carol welcomes audiences ages 5+ in a kid-friendly, 80-minute run.
Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol
11/29-12/22: Lifetime Theatre, from $40
A one-man transposition of Dickens’s Christmas classic from the perspective of Ebeneezer Scrooge’s business partner, Jacob Marley.
Charles Dickens Begrudgingly Performs ‘A Christmas Carol’ Again
12/5-12/22: The Den Theatre, from $32
For the 171st year in a row, audiences and readers will revel in A Christmas Carol… much to the chagrin of its author, Charles Dickens. This comedic sendup pokes good spirited fun at this Yuletide tradition.
Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol
12/13 to 12/29: Studebaker Theater, from $55
An original retelling of A Christmas Carol featuring puppetry and set during the 2020s.
More Theater
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas
Through 12/29: Marriott Theatre, from $53
A beloved Christmas musical in the round.
The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley
11/14-12/15: McAnnich Arts Center, $50.50
An original Christmas play creates drama and warmth from the beloved characters of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.
The Beatrix Potter Holiday Party
11/23-12/29: Chicago Children’s Theatre, $42.25
Created specifically for audience members 8 and under, this original holiday presentation brings four Beatrix Potter stories to the stage.
It’s a Wonderful Life Live in Chicago
11/29-12/22: American Blues Theater, from $30
Frank Capra’s 1946 film flopped when it came out, but has gone on to be the definitive Christmas movie. American Blues Theater returns with its time-honored radioplay setting.
A Nativity Tribute
12/4 & 12/5: Driehaus Museum, from $50.00
A holiday spectacular inspired by the Langston Hughes work “Black Nativity.”
Jane Lynch’s A Swingin’ Little Christmas
12/12-12/15: Steppenwolf Theater, from $79
A star-studded Christmas special stars Jane Lynch, Kate Flannery, and Tim Davis in a lighthearted mix of comedy and Christmas tunes.
It’s A Wonderful Life Radio Play
12/13/2024-12/29: Athenaeum Center, $33
The Christmas classic is mounted in the style of a live radio broadcast. Jazz and refreshments are on the menu before the performances.
Holiday Spectacles
The Enchanted Forest at Morton Arboretum’s Illumination (Photo: Morton Arboretum)
Illumination
Through 1/4 : Morton Arboretum, from $24
The flora of the Morton Arboretum is lit in brilliant fashion at Morton’s ADA compliant, 1-mile loop.
Lightscape
Through 1/5: Chicago Botanic Garden, from $34
The Chicago Botanic Garden comes alive with an electrifying light display that spans a 1.3 mile trail.
ZooLights
Through 1/5: Lincoln Park Zoo, from $7 (free on Mondays)
Chicago’s free zoo opens its doors after hours. Through early January, the Lincoln Park Zoo lights up its impressive campus. Entrance is free Mondays and maxes out at $10 on peak days.
City of Chicago Tree Lighting
The city comes together to launch the Christmas season an enormous and expertly decorated tree right at Millennium Park. The tree remains on display through December.
Love Actually in Concert
12/7: Auditorium Theatre, from $59
The ensemble cast Christmas rom-com classic screens with a live score performed by the Chicago Phil.
Elf in Concert
12/13-12/15: Symphony Center, from $59
The warmhearted, Will Ferrell-led Christmas movie classic gets the live score treatment at the CSO.
