Photo: Christine Zenino from Chicago, US · CC BY 2.0Park · Millennium Park, the Loop · Free
Chicago Christmas Tree 2026
The city's official tree in Millennium Park, donated each year by a local family, lit at a free ceremony with music and fireworks, with the ice rink and skating ribbon nearby and the State Street windows a short walk away.
Nov 20, 2026 – mid-January 2027
Google 4.6 ★ · 271 reviews
At a glance
- Lighting 2026
- Friday, November 20, 2026, 7 pm, Millennium Park
- Stays up
- Into January — the 2025 tree was on display until Jan 11, 2026
- Cost
- Free, no tickets needed
- Where
- Millennium Park at Michigan Avenue and Washington Street, the Loop
- Nearby
- McCormick Tribune Ice Rink, Maggie Daley skating ribbon, the State Street windows
Lighting ceremony Nov 20, 2026 at 7 pm. The 2025 tree stayed up until January 11.
Is it worth it?
An essential, free Chicago December moment — pair it with skating.
What visitors say
Visitors say the whole downtown goes all out and the tree with the ice rink feels like a scene from a Christmas movie. The lighting ceremony, with music and fireworks, is free.
- Free lighting ceremony with fireworks
- Ice rink and skating ribbon nearby
- Tree donated by a local family
- Downtown decorations all around
Getting there and getting in
- CTA to Washington/Wabash or Madison/Wabash, a short walk to Millennium Park. Garages are under the park.
Worth knowing
- Pair it with the Christkindlmarket at Daley Plaza and the McCormick Tribune ice rink nearby.
Questions people ask
- What time is the Christmas tree lighting in Chicago?
- On Friday, November 20, 2026, at 7 pm in Millennium Park. In 2025 the pre-show started at 5 pm and the tree was lit at about 6:25.
- Do you need tickets to see the tree lighting?
- No. The ceremony and the tree are free and open to everyone; come early for a spot near the stage.
- How long does the Chicago tree stay up?
- Until mid-January. The 2025 tree was on display until Sunday, January 11, 2026.
- Where is the tree?
- In Millennium Park near Michigan Avenue and Washington Street. It's a short walk to the ice rink, the Maggie Daley skating ribbon and the State Street holiday windows.
Checked 2026-09-30. Sources: City of Chicago — tree lighting 2025 · Do312 — tree lighting 2026. Last season's numbers are labelled with their year until the organiser publishes 2026.
