Since my dad’s birthday and Father’s Day are so close together (my dad’s birthday is in May), I like to treat my dad to an experience vs. giving him a gift. Last year, the weather was absolutely beautiful so Ryan and I invited our dads over for some BBQ and drinks by the pool. We basically treated them like the kings they are – bought and cooked them lunch, delivered drinks to them by the pool and played some water volleyball. They loved every minute of it. The year before that we took my dad to an arts festival and lunch in Old Town and again, it was a huge success!
I think it’s easy to forget that our city is so wonderful with so much to do, especially during the summertime, and while we have access to it daily, our parents don’t. Treating them to a nice day out where they don’t have to worry about anything and seeing their face light up with joy has become my favorite way to celebrate.
As I was researching ideas for this year, I thought I’d pull together all the options I found in case you wanted to treat your dad to an experience too! If you’re not able to take your dad out, I shared a gift guide of fun, unique things you can gift here.
Let me know what you end up doing! I love getting new ideas from you all!
Xo,
Jo
Free Chicago Events:
- Taste of Randolph: A free festival in the west loop with food, vendors and bands playing from 12PM-10PM. Plus, if it gets too hot or you’re not feeling the food offered, you can always head to one of the million delicious restaurants in the neighborhood! (Hot tip: Upon entering the festival you’ll get asked to pay a $10 suggested donation. I used to work festivals like this and this basically means that there is no entrance fee. Since it is suggested, you can either pay the $10, pay however much you want, or not pay anything at all!)
- Ribfest Chicago: I don’t know about your dad, but my dad LOVES ribs and growing up we would always stop by a rib joint after Saturday polish school. This event is the perfect place for my dad and likely somewhere we might end up going this year. Similar to Randolph, this festival goes from 12PM-10PM and is free, with a $10 suggested donation at the gate.
- Pilsen Taco Fest: There isn’t too much detail available yet, but two words is really all I needed to see for this to grab my attention – “taco fest.” Admission is free, it’s also from 12PM-10PM and there will be vendors and live music on-site. But most importantly, tacos 😊
Other Chicago Activities:
- Baseball game: While the Cubs aren’t playing at home on this day, if your dad is a Sox fan, or if he’s just a baseball fan rooting for either Chicago teams, take him out to the ball game! I’m not much of a baseball fan (I prefer basketball, although I’ve never been to a Bull’s game) so I won’t pretend that I know anything about it, but I do love to go for the experience – hot dogs, overpriced beer and a good tan? I’m in! It looks like they’re playing the New York Yankees that day and tickets look cheap if you’re interested.
- The Comedy Bar + Brunch: I LOVE going to comedy shows and although I’ve never been to The Comedy Bar, I love the idea of my favorite things together – brunch, laughs and my dad.
- Axe Throwing: Full transparency, I have yet to go to one of these but it’s definitely on my list! Sure, me with an axe may scare some, but I think I can do it, haha! It looks like you can schedule your session in advance (which I would recommend since it’s a special occasion). This is another one of those activities that I think my dad would really enjoy..so maybe Ribfest, followed by Axe throwing? Sounds fun to me!! Side note, I really want to talk to the person that started this idea, like what made you think of introducing this to the public? Were you drunk when you thought of it? Are you surprised by how popular it became? Just a look into my curious brain, haha!
- Arlington Heights Race Track: Okay, so this activity is outside of the city, but it’s worth going to. We came here for Mother’s Day a few years back and my dad loved it. There are various tickets you can get, but general admission is $18 which isn’t bad! This is another top contender for this year. Just make sure you check the weather and also bring sunglasses and sunblock (a good gift for dad to pair with the race track tickets 😊).
DIY Activities:
- BBQ & games: If your dad is more of a homebody and getting him to go to an event is like pulling teeth, you can still give him an experience without forcing him to leave the house! Gather some of his favorite food for the grill, grab a few board games or outdoor games (like bags) and take reigns of the day by grilling out, filling his drinks and letting him relax.
- Picnic & fishing: If your dad likes to fish in his free time, what better gift than to spend time doing what he loves. Pack up a picnic basket and head to a local park district with access to fishing. Bring a few board games and his favorite beer and see who can catch the most fish!
