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Things to Do in Chicago This Weekend: Maggie Daley Skating Ribbon, Lycée French Market and Randolph Street Holiday Market

Juliana Yeager

Looking for the best things to do in Chicago this weekend? The holiday season is officially warming up. First, the Maggie Daley Park Skating Ribbon opens for the season on Friday. Then the Lycée French Market brings more than 65 artisans to Lincoln Square on Saturday and Sunday. Plus, the Randolph Street Holiday Market moves indoors in the West Loop. And kids under 12 get in free. Also, Thanksgiving is coming fast, so CPS families should mark November 26 and 27 as days off. Here is everything worth your time for November 13 to 15, 2026.

Skates laced. Let’s go.

Maggie Daley Park Skating Ribbon Opening Weekend

Opens Friday, November 13 | Weekend sessions 8am to 10pm | Rentals $21 online, own skates $5 | Maggie Daley Park, 337 E. Randolph St.

The Skating Ribbon is one of the best winter things a Chicago kid can do. It is a quarter mile loop of ice winding through the park, with the skyline all around. And this Friday, it opens for the 2026 to 2027 season. Every skater needs a timed ticket for a two hour session. On weekends, sessions start at 8am, 11am, 2pm, 5pm and 8pm.

Here is the money saver. Bring your own skates to the 8am weekend session, and skating is free. Otherwise, it is $5 with your own skates. Rentals are $21 online on Fridays and weekends. Also, skate aids are $11 for little ones still finding their balance. Book at maggiedaleypark.com.

Local tip: Tickets drop online at noon on set Mondays, in two week blocks. So book early, because walk up tickets only exist when a session is not sold out. Take the CTA to Washington/Wabash, then walk east on Randolph through Millennium Park. If you drive, the Millennium Park garages sit right under the park. Afterward, warm up over pancakes at Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe, 130 E. Randolph St. Then let the kids climb in the Maggie Daley play garden before you head home.

🏡 Realtor mom take: Downtown living with kids is more real than people think. Just east of the ribbon, Lakeshore East wraps around a six acre park with a playground. Families there walk to the Riverwalk, the lakefront and Maggie Daley in minutes. Plus, you get full amenity buildings, garage parking and no shoveling. If a high rise with a view sounds like your next chapter, start here. I will show you what is available right now. ⛸️🏙️❄️

Not sure where to start? Fill out a quick form and I will send you a curated list of homes that match what you are looking for, including off-market options.

Find Your Next Chicago Home

22nd Annual Lycée French Market in Lincoln Square

Saturday and Sunday, November 14 and 15 | Saturday 10am to 5pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm | $5 suggested donation | Lycée Français de Chicago, 1929 W. Wilson Ave., Lincoln Square

For one weekend, the Lycée Français de Chicago turns into a Parisian style marketplace. More than 65 local and French artisans sell apparel, jewelry, home décor and gourmet treats. Meanwhile, the on site bistro serves French recipes, and there is live music all day. Plus, there are activities just for kids. So it is the perfect place to start your holiday list and shop small at the same time. Details at choosechicago.com.

Local tip: Take the Brown Line to Damen, then walk a few blocks to Wilson. After the market, make it a full Lincoln Square day. Grab lunch at Gene’s Sausage Shop, 4750 N. Lincoln Ave. Then split a pastry at Café Selmarie, 4729 N. Lincoln Ave., right on Giddings Plaza. On Saturday, swing south to the Ravenswood Makers Market at KOVAL Distillery, 4241 N. Ravenswood Ave., from 1pm to 6pm. It is more handmade gifts, and it is free to browse.

🏡 Realtor mom take: Lincoln Square feels like a small European village tucked inside the city. Families love Welles Park, the Sulzer Regional Library and the Brown Line. Also, Waters Elementary on Campbell is a big draw. The brick single family homes on the side streets still move fast, even in November. And when rates drop, every buyer who waited will want one. If Lincoln Square is on your list, let’s get you in before that happens. 🥐🇫🇷🏡

Randolph Street Holiday Market in the West Loop

Saturday and Sunday, November 14 and 15 | Saturday 10am to 7pm, Sunday 10am to 5pm | Adults from $14 online, kids under 12 free | 1340 W. Washington Blvd., West Loop

Randolph Street Market goes fully indoors for its November Holiday Market. Expect antique dealers, vintage finds, jewelry designers, artisans, vinyl and specialty foods. Plus, the Little Elves Workshop gives kids their own corner of the fun. Early Buy Saturday runs 9am to 10am. And a portion of those proceeds supports the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boys and Girls Club. Details at randolphstreetmarket.com.

Local tip: There is free onsite parking, which is rare in the West Loop. On the CTA, take the Green or Pink Line to Ashland and walk two blocks south. After shopping, let the kids run at Union Park, 1501 W. Randolph St., right around the corner. Then grab lunch at Time Out Market, 916 W. Fulton Market, where everyone picks their own stall. Best of all, the market is indoors, so nobody cares if it snows.

🏡 Realtor mom take: The West Loop keeps growing up, and families are a big part of that story. Skinner West Elementary, Mary Bartelme Park and Union Park make it work for kids. Plus, newer construction here often comes with garage parking and outdoor space. So you get city energy with room to breathe. Want to see what the West Loop looks like at your budget? Let’s look together. 🎁🛍️🏙️

Save the Date: ZooLights, Christkindlmarket Wrigleyville and the Lights Festival

Friday and Saturday, November 20 and 21 | ZooLights from $7 | Christkindlmarket and Lights Festival free | Lincoln Park, Wrigleyville and N. Michigan Ave.

Next weekend, Chicago flips the switch on the holidays. First, ZooLights opens Friday, November 20, at Lincoln Park Zoo from 4:30pm to 9pm. Tickets run $7 to $20, and Mondays are free with registration, except December 21 and 28. The same day, Christkindlmarket Wrigleyville opens at Gallagher Way, 3635 N. Clark St., for its 30th anniversary season. Then on Saturday, November 21, the Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival takes over Michigan Avenue. Festival Lane runs 11am to 4pm with free photos with Santa. The parade steps off at 5:30pm from Oak Street, and fireworks light up the river at 7:30pm.

Local tip: Bring cash to Christkindlmarket, since many vendors do not take cards. For the parade, street closures start as early as 3pm, so claim your curb spot early. Also, save Saturday, November 28, for the Lincoln Square Tree Lighting at Giddings Plaza, 4731 N. Lincoln Ave. The tree lights at 5:30pm, and DANK Haus pours hot cider.

🏡 Realtor mom take: Lincoln Park and Lakeview are where the holidays feel the most like home. ZooLights, Christkindlmarket and the Southport shops all sit a few minutes apart. That is a big reason families buy here and stay for decades. Our team lives and works in these neighborhoods every day. Want to know what is coming soon in Lakeview or Lincoln Park? Let’s talk. 🎄✨🦁

Quick Hit List: More Things to Do in Chicago This Weekend

Here is everything else worth knowing this weekend and beyond.

Real Estate Corner: Rates Fell Three Weeks in a Row, So Why Wait?

Here is what everyone is thinking right now. “Rates are finally coming down, so let’s wait for them to fall more.” I get it. Freddie Mac reported the 30-year fixed at 7.18% on November 5. That is the third straight weekly drop, down from 7.24% the week before.

But here is the flip. Every family waiting for a lower rate is waiting for the same thing. So when rates fall in the new year, they all come back at once. That is the spring rush. Think packed open houses, multiple offers and prices pushed higher.

Remember my 20 year rate cycle story? We bought our second condo at about 7% in 2005. Then we moved again in 2014 at a lower rate. The lesson has not changed. Lock in now. Then refinance when rates come down in the new year. You can always change your rate. You cannot go back and buy the home you missed.

For buyers: Right now you have the inventory and the space to make a good decision. The weeks before the holidays are some of the quietest of the year for showings. That means fewer people touring the homes you love and more time to think. So stretch for the home you truly want, with a payment that works today. Then refinance when rates fall. Keep looking, because the right one will show up before spring, and I want you ready.

Not sure where to start? Fill out a quick form and I will send you a curated list of homes that match what you are looking for, including off-market options.

Find Your Next Chicago Home

For sellers: The buyers touring homes the week before Thanksgiving are not browsing. They are serious, pre-approved and ready to write. Plus, you have less competition from other listings now than you will in April. In the spring, you are one of many. Right now, you stand out. We would love to sell your home, and we are always grateful for the opportunity to work together.

Curious what your home is worth right now? Fill this out and I will send you a custom value estimate and a selling game plan for your neighborhood. Want a quick number first? Get your instant home value here.

Thinking of Selling? Let’s Talk

For investors: Now through the end of the year is your season. Fewer buyers are bidding, so there is more room to make the numbers work. Lincoln Square two flats, West Loop condos and Lakeview rentals all deserve a look. And when rates drop, your refinance improves your cash flow right away. Text me now at 773.732.1063.

Let’s Talk Investment Property

Check out the podcast below where I visited @corrvalues and talked about the market and more.

Before You Go: This Weekend in Chicago

So that is your weekend. Lace up on the Skating Ribbon, then shop small at the French Market and Randolph Street. Also, CPS is off November 26 and 27 for Thanksgiving, so plan ahead. On the real estate side, lock in your rate now and refinance when rates come down in the new year. Have a question about a home or a neighborhood? Text me at 773.732.1063 or just reply to the newsletter. Thank you for shopping local and showing up for this city.

Enjoy Chicago, Juliana

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