Blue Skies Ahead: Lunar New Year Parades, Art Walk and Coffee and Cocoa Crawl

Puxatany Phil has declared six more weeks of winter, so The Phoenix compiled a list of events to help you make the most of the cold weather. 

Enjoy the fresh air with a visit to the Wicker Park and Bucktown First Fridays Art Walk, or opt to keep warmer by participating in the Coffee and Cocoa Crawl in Andersonville. 

Lunar New Year celebrations continue this week with two parades in the city — one in Chinatown and the other in Uptown.

Chicago Auto Show

If you’re a fan of cars, trucks or electric vehicles, head to McCormick Place for the Chicago Auto Show — the largest car show in North America — which will run Feb. 8-17.

The event will feature the newest models from manufacturers, some of which will be available for test driving. Tickets are $17 for adults and available at the Drive Chicago website.

Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade

Visit Chinatown this week to see the neighborhood’s Lunar New Year Parade, beginning at 1 p.m. Feb. 9 at the corner of West 24th Street and South Wentworth Avenue. 

The parade will travel north toward West Cermak Road and feature floats, lion dancers and marching bands. Admission is free, and no reservation is needed. 

For more information, visit the Chicago Chinatown Community Foundation website.

Argyle Lunar New Year Celebration

For those who want to celebrate the Lunar New Year but don’t want to stray far from the Lake Shore Campus, the parade in Uptown is an option. 

The parade will begin at 1 p.m. Feb. 8 at the corner of West Argyle Street and North Sheridan Road. It’ll include more than 20 local community groups as well as dancers and drummers. 

Outside the parade, additional performances and activities will be available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free, and no reservations are needed. For more information, visit the Explore Uptown website.

First Fridays Art Walk

This monthly event will return Feb. 7 in Wicker Park and Bucktown, allowing visitors to explore participating art galleries until late in the evening, as all the included shops and artistic spaces will remain open until 8 p.m. 

Visitors will be able to speak with gallery owners and view a variety of art by local vendors. For a list of participating locations and more information on the event, visit the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce website.

Coffee and Cocoa Crawl

This event will return this year to Andersonville Feb. 1, and participants will be invited to start at the Swedish American Museum to receive their route. 

From there, visitors will sample coffee, cocoa and baked goods at various participating locations. 
Tickets are $30 and include a souvenir mug. They’re available for purchase on the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce website.