New Year celebrations need not necessarily be too lavish and expensive though, especially if you are on a tight budget but still want to have a memorable New Year salvo with your family.
There’s no need for you to spend a sum of money to have a grand slam New Year celebration, well in fact, you can enjoy a variety of activities to do in Chicago to bid 2015 goodbye and these are absolutely free.
Chicago boasts of all kinds of New Year’s attractions like concerts, parties, and events and you can also find more than a few ones that won’t actually cost you a dime for you simply have to be there. Below are some of the entertaining yet cheap ways to celebrate the New Year:
Witness the Captivating Navy Pier Fireworks Display
The grand fireworks display at the Navy Pier starts at midnight and you can witness the stunning event for about twenty minutes which costs more than $20,000 worth of explosives. The Navy Pier is one of the vantage points in Chicago and not as crowded as well. If you want to break away from the mad crowd, you can also opt to go down the museum campus and watch the show from the lakeshore which is about two and a half miles south.
Fireworks over Navy Pier, Chicago
Go People-Watching on Public Transport
If you are someone who enjoys people-watching, you can check out what Miller Lite, a brewing company in Chicago is offering. They are running free rides on the CTA starting from 10 P.M to 4 A.M to help both the locals and tourists to get home safely after a night of celebration. You can join the pre- and post- parties on the trains or enjoy the free ride along and watch the travelers on board.
Immerse Yourself in Chi-town Rising Festival
Chicago’s newest and hip New Year’s Eve Festival hosts a free family event which starts from 3 P.M to 6 P.M and is held in Wrigley Square at Millennium Park. The festival aims to bring families together to New Year’s celebrations around the world by showcasing diverse activity stations uniquely created for every culture. The adult party along the Riverwalk charges for admission but you can start out at this free event the later on discover a lookout over the Chicago River to listen to live concerts, or watch a gigantic star make its way up to 360 feet into the sky.
Have Your Own Romantic Date at the Park
For couples, you can opt to take a tour around Millennium Park and see some to Chicago’s lovely landmarks. You can either take a “midnight selfie” at Cloud Gate a.k.a as The Bean, or check out their beautiful Christmas tree. Also check out the Lurie Garden located at 201 Randolph St. which is open until 11 P.M so you can bring in some snacks with you, sit on a bench and have a wonderful picnic for two.