The coronavirus pandemic has devastated Chicago’s cultural landscape, and that pain is likely to continue into 2021, Mark Kelly, commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, said during Thursday’s budget hearings.

The trail, which took nearly 60 years to complete, was one of 30 designated a National Recreation Trail by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Open House Chicago will now run through Nov. 1, with additional online programming to be made available during the seven-day extension.

From apples and pumpkins to pig races, hay rides, petting zoos and beyond, we’ve rounded up some options for fall fun in the Chicago area.

The possibility for high school students to play all fall sports is again at a standstill. We discuss the situation with a student, a lawyer and a doctor.

Trick-or-treating is not banned in the city, but groups should be limited to no more than six people that stay on the move, according to the guidelines.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released guidelines Tuesday to help people understand the potential risks associated with common fall and winter traditions, like trick-or-treating and holiday travel.

Visitors can choose from a slew of free activities at more than a dozen sites Saturday. Among the options, you can take a nature walk, learn the basics of camping, build a toy boat, meet some critters or join a scavenger hunt.

How some Gage Park residents are giving back to their community during the pandemic.

Chicagoans are raising chickens, growing food and experimenting with all sorts of sustainable-living practices — all in their urban backyards. See how it’s done during this weekend’s annual Windy City Coop and Eco-Yards Tour. 

The revamped Open House Chicago features walking and biking trails and celeb-led virtual tours of the architecture and history of more than 20 city neighborhoods. 

Matt Sparapani and Alison Newberry weren’t planning to be in Chicago this summer. But like many of us, they had to rethink their plans. What the local teachers have learned about the natural areas of Chicago.

​Mexican Independence Day celebrations are a community staple across many communities in Chicago and beyond. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, those celebrations are looking very different this year.

DANK Haus is offering all the fixings for a classic German feast this weekend, in lieu of what would have been the 100th anniversary of Chicago’s annual German Day celebration.

Make the most of the three-day weekend by exploring the Chicago region’s abundant hiking and biking trails.  

The weeklong social media campaign coincides with the 104th anniversary of the creation of the National Park Service on Aug. 25.