Each winter, Chicago’s Chinatown comes alive with color and celebration as thousands gather for the annual Chinese New Year Parade. Held along Wentworth Avenue, the event is one of the largest Lunar New Year celebrations in the Midwest and a cherished tradition for families across Illinois.

Celebrations take place from February to March, and the parade marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year on the traditional Chinese calendar. With this being the year of the horse. Spectators line the streets to watch vibrant dragon and lion dances, marching bands, cultural performances, and community organizations make their way through the neighborhood. The steady beat of drums and the flash of red and gold decorations create a festive atmosphere, even on the coldest winter day.

The lion and dragon dances are highlights of the celebration, symbolizing good fortune, prosperity and strength in the year ahead. The event not only celebrates heritage but also invites visitors from all backgrounds to learn more about Chinese culture and traditions.

Beyond the parade, Chinatown’s restaurants and shops buzz with activity. Families gather for special meals, storefronts are decorated with lanterns and banners, and local businesses welcome guests exploring the neighborhood.

Chicago’s Chinese New Year Parade reflects the rich cultural diversity that makes Illinois unique. It’s a joyful reminder that even in the heart of winter, communities across our state find meaningful ways to come together and celebrate new beginnings.

Time Magazine recently released its “World’s Top Universities” list, ranking the 500 best colleges from around the globe.

Holding the fifth spot on that list is the University of Chicago, following the University of Oxford, Yale University, Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Five other Illinois schools also made the list: Northwestern University (No. 99), University of Illinois Chicago (No. 151), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (No. 235), Illinois Institute of Technology (No. 266) and Southern Illinois University (No. 338).

Chicago’s legendary jazz scene is preparing to shine on the world’s stage in April, when the city hosts the UNESCO International Jazz Day 2026 for the first time. The global event will kick off April 1 with weeks of educational programming, master classes and special performances to the city. The month will culminate in the All-Star Global Concert on April 30 at Chicago’s Lyric Opera House. It will feature more than 40 international artists, including Herbie Hancock, Kurt Elling, Dianne Reeves, Ernest Dawkins, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Terence Blanchard.

The story of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz begins with Dorothy and Toto in Kansas, but where did the idea for one of the best-known tales in American literature take shape?

L. Frank Baum, author of the original book, wrote the story while he was living in Chicago. A New York native, Baum was a lifelong writer, having established two amateur journals by the time he was 17 and publishing his first book at 30 in 1886. From there, he experimented in theater and later worked as a newspaper editor.

For the first time since 1972, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve will broadcast live from downtown Chicago, putting the city on a national stage as viewers across the U.S. ring in 2026.

Traditionally set in Times Square in New York City, the beloved New Year’s Eve special has become a cultural institution. Celebrating its 55^th year, the broadcast is taking on a historic expansion with Chicago hosting the Central Time Zone live countdown and a Spanish-language live broadcast from Puerto Rico.