Writing in Chicago for free
15 upcoming events
Get writing in Chicago for free in your weekly roundup.
See it on a mapVenues at a glanceOazis lists 15 writing events in Chicago for free, pulled from ticket sites and venue calendars, updated every day.
Right now, most of the action is around Chicago Public Library, Austin Lo'ren Dance Academy & Boutique and Manning Library.
Events — writing in Chicago for free
Sat14
Saturday 14 November
Mon16
Monday 16 November
Wed18
Wednesday 18 November
Later
Fri 20 · 6:30 PMFree
WritingCinema
Cinema Heal
Vjosa Cafe & Events
Mon 23 · 1 PMFree
Writing
Teens in the Park Signature at Harrison
Harrison Park
Mon 23 · 4 PMFree
WritingAccessible
Teen Art Club: Paint and Swap
Humboldt Park Library
Mon 23 · 6 PMFree
WritingCrafts
Your Story Matters: Storytelling Through Words and Art
Budlong Woods Library
Mon 23 · 6 PMFree
PoetryWriting
The Bezazian Writers Collective
Bezazian Library
Mon 23 · 6:15 PMFree
PoetryWriting
Writing Circle
Manning Library
Mon 30 · 4:30 PMFree
PoetryWriting
Novel November: Teen Creative Writing Series
Lincoln Belmont Library
Sat 9 Jan · 6:30 PMFree
Writing
Writing Cross-Genre Fiction — Weekend Workshop with Lillian Lippold
Time and a half Books
Mon 11 Jan · 4:30 PMFree
WritingAccessible
Crafty Monday: Let's Start a Bullet Journal
Blackstone Library
See also in Chicago for free
Sat 14 · 4 PM
PopConcert
Russell Dickerson @ Aon Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier
Aon Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier, Chicago
At 6:30 PM
JazzConcert
Libby York Quartet - Hit the Road To Dreamland: The Artistry of Johnny Mercer & Co.
Winter's Jazz Club, Chicago
Fri 20 · 5 PM
JazzConcert
A.J. Pierzynski and Friends
City Cruises Navy Pier, Chicago
Sat 12 Dec · 3 PM$52–539
ClassicalConcert
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
Harris Theater, Chicago
At 2 PM
ClassicalConcert
Antoine’s Organ | Miguel de la Cerna
The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
At 6 PM$20
JazzConcert
1st Set With Mario Abney
Andy's Jazz Club, Chicago
At 1 PM
Open airClub
Rooftop Oasis Hours
Offshore Rooftop, Chicago
Sun 22 · 12 PM
Outdoors
Santa’s Splashy Arrival Marks the Start of the Holiday Season at Navy Pier
Navy Pier, Chicago
Sat 21 · 8:30 PM
DJ set
Winter Fireworks
Navy Pier, Chicago
Sat 14 · 11 AM
Open airOutdoors
Bottomless Mimosas on the Riverwalk - Every Weekend in Chicago
Island Party Hut, Chicago
At 7 PM
Food
Bar Bambi at The Alston
The Alston, Chicago
At 10 PMFree
DJ setClub
Empty Promises
Hideaway, Chicago
At 6 PM
Parties
Member and Volunteer Celebration
Chicago River
At 10 PM
Reggaeton
Gasolina Thursday
Gold Coast Social, Chicago
At 6 PM$75–170
Parties
The Social Affair
The Skyline Club, Chicago
At 7:30 PM$23.58
Parties
Mother Knows Best: Singles Mixer / Mother's Tavern, Old Town
Mother's Tavern, Chicago
Tomorrow · 10 PM
ClubDJ set
Ground Zero: 001
Sayat Nova, Chicago
Tomorrow · 10 PM
ClubDJ set
Elderbrook (DJ SET)
Tao Chicago
At 7 PM$84–203
Theatre
A Midsummer Nights Dream
Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
At 7 PM
Theatre
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Sun 15 · 7 PM$38.80–634.6(172)
TheatreBoat trip
The Jury Experience – The Deadly Boat Ride: Will Chicago Deliver Justice?
Edlis Neeson Theater - MCA, Chicago
At 7:30 PM
Musical
2026/27 Little Shop of Horrors
Porchlight Music Theatre, Chicago
At 7 PM
Stand-up
Ohjay Lamont & Friends
The Comedy Bar - Chicago Main Stage
At 7 PM$88
TheatreComedy
A Drunk Christmas Carol
The Lion Theatre - Chicago
Tomorrow · 7 PM
Socials
Concerts of Dance: Kara Hunsinger
Driehaus Museum, Chicago
Wed 2 · 12:30 PMFree
Talk
Dreaming Big: Navigating Sleep in the First Year
The Northwestern Children's Practice (NWCP), Chicago
Thu 5 · 12 PMFree
Food
Chicago African Restaurant Week 2026
Chicago
Tomorrow$9.95–164.5(6)
Heritage
Skip the Line: American Writers Museum
American Writers Museum, Chicago
At 6:30 PM$355
TalkScience
Fascist Aesthetics: Beauty, Violence, and Spectacle (Chicago)
Goethe-Institut Chicago
At 5 PM
ExhibitionOpening
The Taste of Italian Design Opening Reception
Design Museum of Chicago
Tomorrow · 11 AM
PoetryLiterature
“River in the Sky” Mural Banner Dedication on Chicago Riverwalk
Chicago Riverwalk
At 7 PM
TalkArchitecture
Realigning with Nature: A Conversation with MacArthur Fellows
Chicago Architecture Center
Tomorrow · 10 AMFree
CraftsOutdoors
Chicago Fall Artisan, Trade and Vendor Expo
331 E Randolph St, Chicago
At 6 PMFree
LiteraturePoetry
Anna Martine Whitehead: FORCE! an opera in three acts
Graham Foundation, Chicago
At 6 PMFree
TalkPhotography
Artist Talk: Marzena Abrahamik
Leica Gallery, Chicago
Sat 14 · 11 AM$125
Food
Before Midnight - A Cinderella Tea Experience at The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago
The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago
Sat 14 · 10 AMFree
TalkLiterature
AmericanA fa tappa a Chicago! Breakfast +Book presentation with the author!
Eataly, Chicago
Your passions nearby
Tap what you're into — we'll find the outings around you.
Venues — writing in Chicago for free
Chicago Public Library
4 events
Austin Lo'ren Dance Academy & Boutique
1 event
Manning Library
5 events
Harrison Park
1 event
Chicago Bee Library
1 event
Humboldt Park Library
1 event
Blackstone Library
2 events
Haymarket House
1 event
Bezazian Library
1 event
4754 N Rockwell St
1 event
North Austin Library
6 events
Budlong Woods Library
6 events
Frequently asked questions
How many writing events are there in Chicago for free?
15 coming up on Oazis.
Where can you catch writing in Chicago for free?
Notably Chicago Public Library, Austin Lo'ren Dance Academy & Boutique and Manning Library. See the full list of venues above.