Watch the tree switch on above Washington Street
At 6:30 p.m. on Friday, November 20, 2026, the crowd along Washington Street goes quiet for a second, then the tree in Millennium Park comes alight and the fireworks answer it. The evening starts earlier than that: festivities get going at 4 p.m., the ceremony itself begins at 6 p.m., and the main stage sits on Washington Street next to the Chicago Cultural Center, with large screens and several viewing areas so you can still follow the program if you're standing a block back. Expect holiday performances and seasonal treats alongside the lighting. If you can't be there, ABC7 Chicago, the official media partner, broadcasts the ceremony live.
The tree is chosen through a public search: submissions run through Friday, October 23, 2026, to DCASE@CityofChicago.org, with the owner's contact details, the tree's history and at least two photos, one from a distance and one close up. It has to stand at least 45 feet tall and grow within 50 miles of the Loop, with preference for trees within 15 miles; Norway Spruce or Fir is preferred, and pines are ineligible because they aren't sturdy enough. Once lit, the tree stays illuminated in the park through Sunday, January 10, 2027, so a visit in early January still gets you the lights without the lighting-night crush.
Shop forty-plus makers on the North Promenade
The Millennium Park Holiday Market sets up more than 40 local artisans and small businesses along the North Promenade, and it runs a short, concentrated weekend around the lighting: Friday, November 20 and Saturday, November 21 from noon to 8 p.m., and Sunday, November 22 from noon to 5 p.m. Come on the Friday afternoon before the ceremony and you can shop the stalls, then walk over to the stage as the evening builds. Vendor applications for the 2026 market close Sunday, October 18, 2026, if you know someone who should be behind a table.
Skate, sing and wander the cultural campus
Beyond the tree, the city's holiday programming includes the Millennium Park Holiday Sing-Alongs and ice skating at the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink, presented by American Airlines. Additional holiday programming is announced later in the season, so check Chicago.gov/Holiday closer to your dates before you lock in an itinerary.
Build a full day around the park itself. It's open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., bordered by Randolph Street to the north, Columbus Drive to the east, Monroe Street to the south, and Michigan Avenue along its western edge. The surrounding cultural campus includes the Chicago Cultural Center, Maggie Daley Park and the Art Institute of Chicago, which gives you warm indoor options between outdoor stops. Details are at MillenniumPark.org.
Time your trip to the lighting weekend
The single date worth planning around is Friday, November 20, 2026, when the market opens at noon and the ceremony runs from 4 p.m. into the evening. If you want the market without the crowds, Sunday, November 22, from noon to 5 p.m. is the shorter, calmer window. For the tree alone, any day through January 10, 2027 works, and the park's 6 a.m. opening means an early morning walk past the lights is possible before the city fills in. The city's holiday sponsors for the season include Wells Fargo as presenting sponsor of the tree, with CTA and Millennium Garages as additional sponsors, which is useful to know if you're deciding whether to drive or take transit into the Loop.
Start with the date, then build the weekend
Put Friday, November 20, 2026 on the calendar first, then work outward: a market afternoon on the North Promenade, the 6 p.m. ceremony and 6:30 p.m. lighting on Washington Street, and a slower Sunday at the rink and the sing-alongs before the market closes at 5 p.m. Check Chicago.gov/Holiday for the programming announced later in the season, confirm park hours and access at MillenniumPark.org, and you'll have a holiday weekend in the Loop that runs from the first fireworks to the last of the tree's lights in January.