Women’s History Month in Chicago: Ways to Celebrate

March is dedicated to honoring the remarkable contributions of women throughout history, and Chicago is the perfect place to celebrate. From engaging educational events to delicious dining experiences, the city offers a variety of opportunities to learn, honor, and uplift women in the community. Whether your interest lies in art, history, or activism, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Women’s History Month events

La Femme Dance Festival, Red Clay Dance Company

Sustaining Womxn, Sustaining Lives at the Kehrein Center for the Arts
Sunday, March 1
Enjoy an evening of reflection and renewal, bridging the close of Black History Month and the beginning of Women’s History Month. This free event at the Kehrein Center will offer music, dialogue, and community connection.

Women in Art and Science at the Field Museum
Wednesday, March 4
Meet the visionary women who power the museum’s discoveries as they share their innovative work inside the Grainger Science Hub. Drop in to meet the researchers, go behind the scenes, and get an up‑close look at science in action.

Women’s Month Concert at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance
Saturday, March 7
Deeply Rooted Dance Theater and Chicago Sinfonietta unite for a powerhouse evening honoring women who defy limits, highlighting works by Florence Price, Shirley J. Thompson, and more.

Chicago Public Library event series
Multiple dates
Throughout the month, the Chicago Public Library will spotlight women’s history, achievements, and creativity through workshops, arts and crafts, book clubs, film screenings, and more at library branches across the city.

Chicago History Museum event series
Multiple dates
There are several opportunities to celebrate Women’s History Month at the Chicago History Museum. Learn about the exceptional women featured in the museum’s Aquí en Chicago exhibition. Or join the family-friendly Commemorative Day, spotlighting women who use the arts for social change.

La Femme Dance Festival at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance
Saturday, March 28
This biennial festival helmed by Red Clay Dance Company returns to the stage with its fifth edition. The performance will offer a dynamic salute to the artistry, power, and global influence of Black women in dance.

International Women’s Day Market at Artifact Events
Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29
Shop a curated pop-up marketplace of local women-owned businesses selling unique products — including jewelry, beauty products, home goods, food, drinks, and more.

Women-focused culinary events

Women in Wine tasting class at Uvae
Saturday, March 7
In Andersonville, this tasting class at Uvae Kitchen and Wine Bar will feature female Sommeliers and female winemakers.

Tuesday Trivia – Women’s History Month at ERIS Brewery and Cider House
Tuesday, March 10
Test your knowledge of revolutionary women across history, culture, sports, and entertainment during this fun trivia event at Chicago’s top women-owned cider house.

Women winemakers tasting at Le Sud
Thursday, March 12
Head to Roscoe Village for an intimate tasting event featuring women trailblazers in the wine industry. You’ll have the opportunity to sample four wines paired with charcuterie and even take home a bottle.

Women’s History Month Wine Tasting at Bronzeville Winery
Monday, March 30
Led by internationally acclaimed wine expert Regine Rousseau, this guided tasting experience at Bronzeville Winery will demonstrate how women are reshaping the global wine industry.

Let’s Talk Womxn at Moe’s Cantina River North
Tuesday, March 31
Close out Women’s History Month with a retro revolution dance party with food tastings, drag performances, dancing, and full‑on retro joy led by the city’s leading women food and beverage entrepreneurs.

Women’s history landmarks and museums

The Light of Truth Ida B. Wells National Monument
This powerful monument is dedicated to the trailblazing journalist and civil rights activist. Born a slave in Mississippi in 1862, Ida B. Wells-Barnett went on to bravely report on the lynching of American Americans and was posthumously awarded the Pulitzer Prize. Her Bronzeville home, where she and her family lived for 10 years, is a National Historic Landmark.

Jane Addams Hull-House Museum
This free museum, housed inside a National Historic Landmark, offers insight into the history of social justice and activism in Chicago. The museum is located in two of the original settlement house buildings run by Jane Addams, the first American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

Chicago Legacy Walk
This outdoor LGBTQ+ history museum stretches across a dynamic corridor of the landmark Northalsted neighborhood. The moving landmark commemorates the lives of influential members of the LGBTQ+ community, including notable women such as Jane Addams, Audre Lorde, Frida Kahlo, Sally Ride, Lorraine Hansberry, and more.

Mahalia Jackson Court
In the Chatham neighborhood, an area known as “Mahalia’s Mile” pays tribute to an important facet of the South Side’s rich musical legacy. An internationally renowned gospel singer, Mahalia Jackson lived in the Chatham neighborhood and was instrumental in bringing the genre to the world stage.

Gwendolyn Brooks Park
This Kenwood neighborhood green space features a bust of Gwendolyn Brooks, the park’s namesake and former Chicago resident. A prolific poet, Brooks lived on Chicago’s South Side and went on to become a Pulitzer Prize winner.

Chicago Women’s Park and Gardens
Tucked away in the historic Prairie Avenue district, Chicago Women’s Park and Gardens is a charming green space surrounded by landmark homes. The name honors the many local women who have made important contributions to the city, nation, and world. The park also contains a monument for Jane Addams, a famous Chicago social reformer.

Women-owned businesses in Chicago

A neon sign at Soul Veg City in Greater Grand Crossing — Soul Veg City in Greater Grand Crossing

14 Parish in Hyde Park; photo by Abel Arciniega :: @tequilagraphics

Women’s History Month is an excellent opportunity to seek out women-owned establishments across Chicago, including restaurants and shops. These businesses enrich the city’s landscape by offering unique flavors, products, and services while fostering inclusivity, making them vital to the local economy and community.