7 Top Chicago Area Events for February 2026

7 Top Chicago Area Events for February 2026

Chicago winters can be TOUGH, so events worth looking forward to provide an extra lift to make it through the season. Fortunately, we have some great events to look forward to in the Chicago suburbs this February:

1. Downers Grove Ice Festival: While the Ice Festival does techinically begin in January, you can enjoy impressive ice sculptures lining the streets of Downers Grove on February 1. There will be live carving demos on January 30 (5:30pm-7:30pm) and January 31 & February 1 11am-3pm.
2. Groundhog Days in Woodstock: Ok, ok, Groundhog Days officially starts looking for its shadow in January but the official "Groundhog Day" is on February 2, making this a great option for those eary days of February. The event includes tours of film sites from Groundhog Day, movie viewings, wood carving demos, a chili cook off, and more. The 2026 celebration runs January 29-February 2.
3. Lake County Flavor Festival: The month of February Lake County's Restaurant Week fuses with the Libation Trail in order craft a month full of special tastes, drink concoctions, foodie temptations, live entertainment, and more.
4. The Orchid Show at Chicago Botanic Garden: The Orchid Show remains one of my favorite events in February. Every year, The Orchid Show invites an exploration of brilliant blooms during some of the grayist days of winter. This year's theme, The Orchid Show: Feelin' Groovy promises to delight with the good vibes of the '60s and '70s. The show runs February 7, 2026-March 22, 2026. Reserve tickets and times online.
5.  Village of Long Grove 9th Annual Cocoa Crawl: Chocolate always provides an inspiration for getting out and exploring. During Long Grove's 9th Annual Cocoa Crawl, enjoy special chocolatey sips from tents in town while exploring local businesses. This year's event is February 7 12PM-3PM.
6. Juniper Junction at The Morton Arboretum: February 14-February 22 follow the model trains as they traverse a large scale model railroad exhibit inside the Firefly Pavilion. Admission is included in general admission.
7. Winterfest at Bartlett Nature Center: Fresh air and fun -- meet sled dogs, enjoy a demo, and learn about dog sledding during this winter festival. Other winter activities will include snowshoeing, snow painting, and more. Winterfest will be held from 10AM-2PM on February 28.