AAPI Heritage Month Events in Chicago

This May, Chicago will celebrate the city’s diverse AAPI communities. Here are a few ways to participate:

Plus more exciting events, film festivals, exhibits, and more happening all month long.

The beginning of May marks the start of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the perfect time to honor and explore the rich contributions of these diverse communities in Chicago and beyond.

Our city is filled with opportunities to engage with cuisine, culture, and art from across the Asian and Pacific Islander diasporas, whether you’re wandering the streets of our vibrant Chinatown or enjoying dim sum in Uptown’s Asia on Argyle.

Here’s a roundup of Chicago events, exhibits, and beyond to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2026.

AAPI Heritage Month events and activities

Glow Wild at Brookfield Zoo
Glow Wild at Brookfield Zoo

Glow Wild at Brookfield Zoo (May 1 – 3 and 7-10)
Brookfield Zoo bursts with light each evening, thanks for a dazzling display of handcrafted lanterns. The last two weekend of Glow Wild will feature performances from local organizations, including demonstrations on Hawaiian hula, traditional Chinese lion dances, and more.

Cambodian Music: The Living Tradition (May 3)
Cambodian classics resonate in a new way through a striking mix of Cambodian and European traditional instruments, performed by Crossing Borders Music alongside the National Cambodian Heritage Museum’s Traditional Music Ensemble. This free program showcases thoughtfully reimagined arrangements created for the Cambodian Day of Remembrance. 

Free admission at the Heritage Museum of Asian Art (Fridays in May)
Enjoy free admission at the museum every Friday evening (5 – 8 p.m) in May. Plus, join a free guided tour on select dates, with wine and appetizers provided. The 40‑minute tour leads visitors through the galleries, where docents spotlight unique works of art and share engaging stories and perspectives from across the collection. RSVPs are encouraged. 

EVOLUTION: Asian American Arts Festival (May 2 – 3)
The festival highlights more than 125 Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian artists and performers delivering boundary-pushing creativity in every form. Experience dynamic music and dance showcases, live standups, independent film screenings, and more at the Lookingglass Theatre. Tickets include access to all performances, the food and craft marketplace, and the one-of-a-kind photobooth.

Asian American Showcase at the Gene Siskel Film Center (May 7 – 12)
The 29th Annual Asian American Showcase shines a spotlight on Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander filmmakers and stories through screenings of 12 powerful films.

Chicago White Sox AAPI Heritage Night (May 12)
Join the White Sox at Rate Field for an exciting event that honors the cultures, traditions, and stories of the AAPI community. This special ticket package includes an exclusive AAPI T‑shirt and entry to the White Sox vs. Kansas City Royals game. 

Chicago Cubs AAPI Heritage Month Celebration (May 18)
Head to Wrigley Field to watch the Chicago Cubs take on the Milwaukee Brewers and host a ballpark celebration for AAPI Heritage Month. Purchase the AAPI Heritage Month special ticket offer to receive a limited-edition jersey with your admission to the game.

Check out more events happening in Chicago throughout AAPI Heritage Month:

Exhibits & museums celebrating Asian culture

Cyrus Tang Hall of China at the Field Museum
Explore the intricacies and rich cultural history of the vast country of China and its evolution over more than 10,000 years. From recovered cargo in a sunken trading vessel to bronze weapons dating back centuries, there are a variety of artifacts to marvel at and learn from.

National Cambodian Heritage Museum
In the diverse Albany Park neighborhood, the National Cambodian Heritage Museum and Killing Fields Memorial raises awareness of the Cambodian genocide and celebrates the renewal of the Cambodian community and culture here in the United States.

Art Institute of Chicago
Take a trip to the Art Institute of Chicago to immerse yourself in the captivating world of Asian art from antiquity through today. Start at the New Gallery for the Arts of Korea, the museum’s first permanent space fully dedicated to the region, and explore the nearby Chinese and Japanese galleries. And don’t miss the temporary exhibits Korean National Treasures: 2,000 Years of Art and Japan’s Great Female Poets, open through July 2025.

Heritage Museum of Asian Art
For more than 10 years, this museum in the Bridgeport neighborhood has been showcasing a wide range of art forms, spanning a diverse array of Asian cultures and eras. Visit on the third Friday of the month for free admission, tours of the museum, and unique performances.

Chinese American Museum of Chicago
The Chinese American Museum has been a staple in Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood for the past 20 years. Examine Chinese American culture through rotating exhibits, such as Race Making: American Advertising Trade Cards and Chinese Identity, and permanent installations like an exhibit dedicated to Chinese American Veterans: Unsung Heroes.

The Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures
Visit the University of Chicago’s world-renowned museum that houses 350,000 artifacts encompassing 10,000 years of history in West Asia and beyond. Learn about the beginnings of human life and discover how people thousands of years ago forged a collective identity, giving rise to the world’s first villages, cities, and empires.

Explore more: Discover our guide to Asian art and culture in every corner of Chicago.

Asian culture in Chicago’s neighborhoods

Nha Hang in Uptown

Asia on Argyle in Uptown
Located just off the Argyle Red Line stop in Uptown, you can find a variety of local businesses, family-owned restaurants, and supermarkets in the cultural corridor known as Asia on Argyle. Get takeout at Nha Hang Viet Nam or Ba Le Sandwiches and walk to the Margate Fieldhouse for a fun picnic in the park. Or, make dinner plans at Sun Wah BBQ for the best Peking duck in Chicago.

Chinatown
From architecture to shopping to some of the best bites in the city, Chicago’s Chinatown reflects both traditional Chinese elements and Western influences. Visit the Chinese American Museum of Chicago, see the Nine Dragon Wall on the corner of Cermak and Wentworth, and find your Chinese zodiac calendar animal in Chinatown Square.

Devon Avenue in West Ridge
On Devon Avenue in West Ridge sits Chicago’s main cluster of South Asian restaurants with a vibrant mix of cultures and a strong feeling of community on display. From traditional bakeries to clothing shops to international grocers, the Devon Corridor, also known as “The International Marketplace,” has Middle Eastern and South Asian populations. Enjoy Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, and vegetarian cuisine as well as bookstores, clothing stores, bakeries, and more.

AAPI-owned businesses in Chicago

This month and every month, there are so many ways to support local AAPI-owned businesses. Check out a few favorite local AAPI-owned restaurants in Chicago: