Explore accessible events!

How to use the calendar

Filter events by typing keywords into the search field below, or click on a keyword in an event to filter all events by that category.

Select "Submit an Event" to have your cultural organization's accessible event added to the Access Calendar.  

submit an event

A Christmas Carol at Goodman Theatre

Chicago's favorite holiday tradition for four decades. Nearly two million theatergoers have experienced Chicago’s must-see annual holiday tradition, Goodman Theatre’s A Christmas Carol. With first-rate performances— starring award-winner Larry Yando […]

  • Spanish captioning

A Christmas Carol at Goodman Theatre

Chicago's favorite holiday tradition for four decades. Nearly two million theatergoers have experienced Chicago’s must-see annual holiday tradition, Goodman Theatre’s A Christmas Carol. With first-rate performances— starring award-winner Larry Yando […]

  • Captioning

Georgiana & Kitty: Christmas at Pemberly

The beloved characters from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice return for a third and final installment of the Pemberley trilogy (Miss Bennet, The Wickhams). The youngest Darcy and Bennet sisters […]

  • Audio Description
  • Captioning

Teen Creative Agency | Zine Fest at MCA

Join the Teen Creative Agency at the MCA as we celebrate 11 years (and counting) of DIY publications by teens! This event showcases the original artwork, activism, and social practice of Chicago-area youth, as captured in zine form. Join us for music, free snacks, free zines, and more! This event is designed and produced by […]

  • ASL Interpreted

Trouble in Mind at Timeline Theatre

A cutting yet humorous behind-the-curtain drama that examines pervasive racial dynamics within the American theatre and the tolls of superficial representation on stage. ACCLAIMED BY THE NEW YORK TIMES as “a rich, unsettling play that lives up to its title lingers in one’s memory long after its conclusion.” At a Broadway theater in New York […]

  • Audio Description

Georgiana & Kitty: Christmas at Pemberly

The beloved characters from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice return for a third and final installment of the Pemberley trilogy (Miss Bennet, The Wickhams). The youngest Darcy and Bennet sisters have become fast friends, and eagerly await the arrival of Georgiana’s secret correspondent. Mixups of manners and overprotective big brother Mr. Darcy keep romance from […]

  • ASL Interpreted
  • Captioning

A Christmas Carol at Goodman Theatre

Chicago's favorite holiday tradition for four decades. Nearly two million theatergoers have experienced Chicago’s must-see annual holiday tradition, Goodman Theatre’s A Christmas Carol. With first-rate performances— starring award-winner Larry Yando as Ebenezer Scrooge for the 15th year—and “amazing sets, gorgeous costumes and eye-popping effects” (Chicago Reader), the heartwarming story of generosity’s triumph over greed comes […]

  • ASL Interpreted

A Christmas Carol at Goodman Theatre

Chicago's favorite holiday tradition for four decades. Nearly two million theatergoers have experienced Chicago’s must-see annual holiday tradition, Goodman Theatre’s A Christmas Carol. With first-rate performances— starring award-winner Larry Yando as Ebenezer Scrooge for the 15th year—and “amazing sets, gorgeous costumes and eye-popping effects” (Chicago Reader), the heartwarming story of generosity’s triumph over greed comes […]

  • Sensory Friendly

Resilience Series (monthly)

Join us on the 2nd Monday of each month in G.A.R. Hall to build resilience through artist-led sessions of various creative modalities. Resilience helps deal with difficult challenges with flexibility and creativity. The Resilience Series is open to anyone interested in exploring art as a healing practice. All programs are free and open to the […]

  • Captioning

A Christmas Carol at Goodman Theatre

Chicago's favorite holiday tradition for four decades. Nearly two million theatergoers have experienced Chicago’s must-see annual holiday tradition, Goodman Theatre’s A Christmas Carol. With first-rate performances— starring award-winner Larry Yando as Ebenezer Scrooge for the 15th year—and “amazing sets, gorgeous costumes and eye-popping effects” (Chicago Reader), the heartwarming story of generosity’s triumph over greed comes […]

  • Audio Description
  • Touch Tour

Family Day | Uplift

About the Event Designed and led by Chicago artists, Family Days are monthly programs at the MCA for all families and youth. Enjoy FREE admission while taking part in workshops, open studio sessions, gallery tours, and performances. On December 10, engage in programs and activities focused on uplifting visual art-making and bomba and plena performances. […]

  • All Gender Restrooms
  • ASL Interpreted

Trouble in Mind at Timeline Theatre

A cutting yet humorous behind-the-curtain drama that examines pervasive racial dynamics within the American theatre and the tolls of superficial representation on stage. ACCLAIMED BY THE NEW YORK TIMES as “a rich, unsettling play that lives up to its title lingers in one’s memory long after its conclusion.” At a Broadway theater in New York […]

  • Captioning

Nia Witherspoon’s Priestess of Twerk

Priestess of Twerk is a new work-in-development from National Theater Project Award-winning theater-maker, vocalist, and composer Nia Witherspoon. A Black feminist temple of pleasure, Priestess of Twerk is inspired by the "bad bitches" of hip hop, the reproductive justice movement, and sacred sex workers that graced ancient Egyptian temples. This extraordinary, theatrical collaboration between creatives […]

In Progress | Cat Mahari

Livestream with captioning available. Dance-maker Cat Mahari shares a new performance process, Blk Ark: the Impossible Manifestation, which ruminates on ties, binding, and community. Through Mahari’s movement practice of anarcho-choreographic hip-hop, Blk Ark asks: “What will it take to get free?” and “Can we see a new world from here?” In Progress is a series […]

  • Captioning
  • Hybrid Program

In Progress | Cat Mahari

Livestream with captioning available. Dance-maker Cat Mahari shares a new performance process, Blk Ark: the Impossible Manifestation, which ruminates on ties, binding, and community. Through Mahari’s movement practice of anarcho-choreographic hip-hop, Blk Ark asks: “What will it take to get free?” and “Can we see a new world from here?” In Progress is a series […]

  • Captioning
  • Hybrid Program

The Island at Court Theatre

THE ISLAND BY ATHOL FUGARD, JOHN KANI, AND WINSTON NTSHONA DIRECTED BY GABRIELLE RANDLE-BENT Nov 11, 2022 — Dec 04, 2022 “ has the rough majesty of a classic… this […]

  • ASL Interpreted

The Island at Court Theatre

THE ISLAND BY ATHOL FUGARD, JOHN KANI, AND WINSTON NTSHONA DIRECTED BY GABRIELLE RANDLE-BENT Nov 11, 2022 — Dec 04, 2022 “ has the rough majesty of a classic… this […]

  • Captioning

Dooby Dooby Moo at Lifeline Theatre

The County Fair is coming, and the grand prize in the talent competition is a trampoline! Duck wants that prize, but with Farmer Brown watching around every corner, how will […]

  • Sensory Friendly

MCA | Sensory Friendly Morning

Sensory-Friendly Morning at the MCA is a free, sensory-friendly program for neurodiverse visitors of all ages. Preregistered individuals and their families can visit the museum before it opens to the […]

  • All Gender Restrooms
  • Low Lighting
  • Quiet Spaces
  • Sensory Friendly

The Island at Court Theatre

THE ISLAND BY ATHOL FUGARD, JOHN KANI, AND WINSTON NTSHONA DIRECTED BY GABRIELLE RANDLE-BENT Nov 11, 2022 — Dec 04, 2022 “ has the rough majesty of a classic… this […]

  • Audio Description
  • Touch Tour

The Island

THE ISLAND BY ATHOL FUGARD, JOHN KANI, AND WINSTON NTSHONA DIRECTED BY GABRIELLE RANDLE-BENT Nov 11, 2022 — Dec 04, 2022 “ has the rough majesty of a classic… this […]

  • Audio Description
  • Touch Tour

The Island at Court Theatre

THE ISLAND BY ATHOL FUGARD, JOHN KANI, AND WINSTON NTSHONA DIRECTED BY GABRIELLE RANDLE-BENT Nov 11, 2022 — Dec 04, 2022 “ has the rough majesty of a classic… this […]

  • Audio Description
  • Touch Tour

The Island

THE ISLAND BY ATHOL FUGARD, JOHN KANI, AND WINSTON NTSHONA DIRECTED BY GABRIELLE RANDLE-BENT Nov 11, 2022 — Dec 04, 2022 “ has the rough majesty of a classic… this […]

  • Audio Description
  • Touch Tour

Patti Smith

Patti Smith is one of America’s most acclaimed singer-songwriters, and she is also a beloved photographer and poet. In A Book of Days, Smith shares over 365 photographs – inspired […]

  • Assistive Listening Devices
  • Captioning
  • In Person
  • Large Print Programs
  • Wheelchair Accessible

Don Carlos

Don Carlos masterfully reveals the private turmoil of very public personalities. In 16th-century Spain, King Philip II is torn apart by his own jealous suspicions that his son, crown prince […]

  • Audio Description
  • Touch Tour

The Locusts at Theatre Wit

The Gift Theatre presents the world premiere of The Locusts at Theater Wit. When a serial killer frightens Ella’s small hometown of Vero Beach, Florida, she’s called down from FBI […]

  • Audio Description
  • Sensory Friendly
  • Touch Tour

Dooby Dooby Moo at Lifeline Theatre

The County Fair is coming, and the grand prize in the talent competition is a trampoline! Duck wants that prize, but with Farmer Brown watching around every corner, how will […]

  • Captioning

Dooby Dooby Moo at Lifeline Theatre

The County Fair is coming, and the grand prize in the talent competition is a trampoline! Duck wants that prize, but with Farmer Brown watching around every corner, how will […]

  • Captioning

RECONNECT

After a nearly 3-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the A.B.L.E. ensemble is producing their first ever full-day festival in partnership with Chicago Shakespeare Theater. RECONNECT will feature the work of […]

  • ASL Interpreted
  • Captioning

“Plaid as Hell” by Cat McKay

PLAID AS HELL is an honest, slightly raunchy, queer comedy which introduces us to Cass, who is hoping her annual camping trip will go well this year. But with her best friend Emilie sniping at Cass’s new girlfriend Jessica, not to mention the serial killer on the loose, the weekend is off to a rocky […]

  • All Gender Restrooms
  • Captioning
  • In Person
  • Masks Required

“Plaid as Hell” by Cat McKay

PLAID AS HELL is an honest, slightly raunchy, queer comedy which introduces us to Cass, who is hoping her annual camping trip will go well this year. But with her best friend Emilie sniping at Cass’s new girlfriend Jessica, not to mention the serial killer on the loose, the weekend is off to a rocky […]

  • All Gender Restrooms
  • Captioning
  • In Person
  • Masks Required

Le Comte Ory

High jinx ensue when Countess Adèle sequesters herself in her castle while her valiant brother is away on a crusade. In his absence, the amorous Count Ory stops at nothing […]

  • Audio Description
  • Touch Tour

Elizabeth Alexander on The Trayvon Generation at MCA

This event is a collaboration between the MCA Chicago and the Chicago Humanities Festival. Join us for a conversation with one of the great literary voices of our time, Elizabeth […]

  • ASL Interpreted
  • Captioning
  • Wheelchair Accessible

Resilience Series (monthly)

Join us on the 2nd Monday of each month in G.A.R. Hall to build resilience through artist-led sessions of various creative modalities. Resilience helps deal with difficult challenges with flexibility and creativity. The Resilience Series is open to anyone interested in exploring art as a healing practice. All programs are free and open to the […]

  • Captioning

“Plaid as Hell” by Cat McKay

PLAID AS HELL is an honest, slightly raunchy, queer comedy which introduces us to Cass, who is hoping her annual camping trip will go well this year. But with her best friend Emilie sniping at Cass’s new girlfriend Jessica, not to mention the serial killer on the loose, the weekend is off to a rocky […]

  • All Gender Restrooms
  • Captioning
  • In Person
  • Masks Required

The Locusts at Theater Wit

The Gift Theatre presents the world premiere of The Locusts at Theater Wit. When a serial killer frightens Ella’s small hometown of Vero Beach, Florida, she’s called down from FBI […]

  • Captioning

“Plaid as Hell” by Cat McKay

PLAID AS HELL is an honest, slightly raunchy, queer comedy which introduces us to Cass, who is hoping her annual camping trip will go well this year. But with her best friend Emilie sniping at Cass’s new girlfriend Jessica, not to mention the serial killer on the loose, the weekend is off to a rocky […]

  • All Gender Restrooms
  • Captioning
  • In Person
  • Masks Required

The Locusts at Theatre Wit

The Gift Theatre presents the world premiere of The Locusts at Theater Wit. When a serial killer frightens Ella’s small hometown of Vero Beach, Florida, she’s called down from FBI headquarters in Washington D.C. to come help. At home, she’s confronted by the life she left behind: her struggling family and the dark events of […]

  • Captioning

Social Media and Young Mental Health (The Verge Program 3)

It’s often said that social media is bad for our mental health, and while that can be true, the full story isn’t so cut and dry. At CHF, Nicole Wetsman, Health Tech Reporter for The Verge moderates a panel between Dr. Megan Moreno, a leading researcher on adolescent social media, and Margot Lee, a high-profile […]

  • ASL Interpreted
  • Assistive Listening Devices
  • Audio Description
  • Captioning
  • In Person
  • Large Print Programs
  • Sensory Friendly
  • Wheelchair Accessible

The Future of the Feed (The Verge Program 2)

You probably know that algorithms play a huge role in what we see online, but what happens to society when this type of curated content begins to influence our real lives? Join The Verge Deputy Editor Alex Heath and a special guest for a conversation about how personalized and relatable content on social media is […]

  • ASL Interpreted
  • Assistive Listening Devices
  • Audio Description
  • Captioning
  • In Person
  • Large Print Programs
  • Sensory Friendly
  • Wheelchair Accessible

How Social Media Rewired Our Minds & Our World with Max Fisher (The Verge Program 1)

We’ve all been told too much social media is bad for us, but why is that? At CHF, New York Times investigative reporter and author of The Chaos Machine Max Fisher explains how, through the pursuit of unfettered profits and maximum engagement, Big Tech has rewired our minds, and instigated a cultural shift toward polarization […]

  • ASL Interpreted
  • Assistive Listening Devices
  • Audio Description
  • Captioning
  • In Person
  • Large Print Programs
  • Sensory Friendly
  • Wheelchair Accessible

Reza Aslan on an American Martyr in Persia

Join Reza Aslan (No god but God and Zealot) for the spellbinding tale of a martyr for democracy. Howard Baskerville was a 22-year-old missionary who went to Iran in 1907 and died fighting in the Persian Constitutional Revolution. Was he the “American Lafayette of Iran” or a naive “white savior”? In this talk, Aslan explores […]

  • ASL Interpreted
  • Assistive Listening Devices
  • Audio Description
  • Captioning
  • In Person
  • Large Print Programs
  • Sensory Friendly
  • Wheelchair Accessible

Family Day | Express Yourself Through Movement

Designed and led by Chicago artists, Family Days are monthly programs at the MCA for all families and youth. Enjoy FREE admission while taking part in workshops, open studio sessions, gallery tours, and performances. On November 12, engage in programs and activities focused on movement and self-expression. Family Days are organized by Christiana Castillo, Manager […]

  • All Gender Restrooms
  • ASL Interpreted

Marianne Williamson on Love & Politics

In the wake of the midterm elections, join former presidential candidate, political activist, and spiritual thought leader Marianne Williamson for an intimate conversation with Sen. Nina Turner about the state of American politics. In an era of divisiveness, Williamson comes to CHF with a new vision for American politics built on social responsibility, democracy, and […]

  • ASL Interpreted
  • Assistive Listening Devices
  • Audio Description
  • Captioning
  • In Person
  • Large Print Programs
  • Sensory Friendly
  • Wheelchair Accessible

Open Door: Arnold Kemp, AJ McClenon, Ayanah Moor & isra rene

Join us for a live in-person reading with Arnold Kemp, AJ McClenon, Ayanah Moor, and isra rene. The Open Door series highlights creative relationships in Chicago, including mentorship and collaboration. Arnold J. Kemp is an artist and writer. Kemp has mounted solo shows at The Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society at the University of […]

  • ASL Interpreted
  • Captioning

Rubin Museum: Mindful Connections

Mindful Connections is a free monthly program that offers engagement between adults living with dementia and works of art. Join Rubin Museum staff and docents for an hour of close looking, discussion, and interpretation of traditional and contemporary Himalayan art.

  • Free Event

Artmaking & Incarceration: Nicole R. Fleetwood with Maria Gaspar

Despite the isolation, degradation, and cruelties of the criminal justice system, American prisons are filled with the art of the people incarcerated in them. At CHF, Nicole R. Fleetwood (Marking Time) is joined by interdisciplinary artist Maria Gaspar for a conversation about how these artists use limited supplies in harsh conditions to create elaborate works […]

  • Assistive Listening Devices
  • Captioning
  • In Person
  • Large Print Programs
  • Wheelchair Accessible

Swing State

It's hard to know who your friends are in a world that's more divided than ever. Tony Award-winner Robert Falls and his longtime collaborator, Pulitzer Prize finalist playwright Rebecca Gilman, team up again for their sixth Goodman production—a contemporary portrait of America's heartland in a time when it feels like everyone's way of life is […]

  • Captioning

Swing State

It's hard to know who your friends are in a world that's more divided than ever. Tony Award-winner Robert Falls and his longtime collaborator, Pulitzer Prize finalist playwright Rebecca Gilman, team up again for their sixth Goodman production—a contemporary portrait of America's heartland in a time when it feels like everyone's way of life is […]

  • Spanish captioning

Whistleblower: Chelsea Manning with Pussy Riot’s Nadya Tolokonnikova

In 2010, Chelsea Manning disclosed thousands of classified US military and diplomatic records to the public while working as an intelligence analyst in Iraq. Since her initial sentencing and conviction, followed by early release, Manning has become a globally recognized whistleblower and activist. Join her in conversation with Nadya Tolokonnikova (of the feminist protest and […]

  • Assistive Listening Devices
  • Captioning
  • In Person
  • Large Print Programs
  • Sensory Friendly
  • Wheelchair Accessible

Youth-Led Programming | Hip-Hop & Healing: Intersecting Paths to Abolition

Join Circles & Ciphers’ Youth Care Collective (YCC) to discuss how restorative justice is connected to hip-hop and how it meets at the intersection of prison abolition. This includes sharing examples of the earliest roots of hip-hop in Chicago, and how hip-hop and the arts can be used for harm prevention and reduction for a […]

  • All Gender Restrooms
  • ASL Interpreted

Swing State

It's hard to know who your friends are in a world that's more divided than ever. Tony Award-winner Robert Falls and his longtime collaborator, Pulitzer Prize finalist playwright Rebecca Gilman, team up again for their sixth Goodman production—a contemporary portrait of America's heartland in a time when it feels like everyone's way of life is […]

  • Audio Description
  • Touch Tour

Jim Jarmusch in Conversation with Jonathan Ames

Jim Jarmusch isn’t just the director and screenwriter for classics of independent cinema, including Stranger Than Paradise, and star studded films like The Dead Don't Die, he’s also a prolific collage artist. At CHF, Jarmusch chats with writer Jonathan Ames (creator of HBO’s Bored to Death and author of You Were Never Really Here, A […]

  • Assistive Listening Devices
  • Captioning
  • In Person
  • Large Print Programs
  • Wheelchair Accessible

A Visual Tribute to Black Resistance with Devin Allen

You’ve probably seen Devin Allen’s photography on the cover of TIME magazine, featuring images of protests in response to the police murders of Freddie Gray (2015) and George Floyd (2020). At CHF, join Allen—who has spent nearly a decade documenting the Black Lives Matter movement—for a conversation with Michal Raz-Russo, Programs Director at the Gordon […]

  • Assistive Listening Devices
  • In Person
  • Large Print Programs
  • Wheelchair Accessible

Jerry Saltz: Art Is Life

Picture an art critic, and you probably think of Jerry Saltz: a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer on the importance of art in our cultural lives. At the top of his field, Saltz has a knack for making contemporary art cool and accessible in a way few critics have before. In a conversation with Michael Darling, Saltz […]

  • Assistive Listening Devices
  • Captioning
  • In Person
  • Large Print Programs
  • Wheelchair Accessible

Kevin Nealon: Brushes with Fame with Tim Meadows

Join Saturday Night Live alum, standup comedian, and caricature artist Kevin Nealon for an evening of stories: from backstage at SNL with Chris Farley and Dana Carvey to hanging out in Tiffany Haddish's vegetable garden. At CHF, Nealon will chat with former SNL castmate Tim Meadows about his new book I Exaggerate: My Brushes with […]

  • Assistive Listening Devices
  • Captioning
  • In Person
  • Large Print Programs
  • Sensory Friendly
  • Wheelchair Accessible

The Church, State, & the Information Crisis in America

What happens when people get their news from the pulpit? At CHF, Bonnie Kristian (author of Untrustworthy and columnist at Christianity Today), Russell Moore (Editor in Chief at Christianity Today), and David French (senior editor at The Dispatch) unpack this question. Join them for a discussion about the power the evangelical church wields in shaping […]

  • Assistive Listening Devices
  • Captioning
  • In Person
  • Large Print Programs
  • Sensory Friendly
  • Wheelchair Accessible