Chicagoans consider the city’s unique holiday appeal

“Chicago in the Summer” is as much a local cultural ethos as it is a unique selling point for driving tourism to the Windy City. That said, the city does not hibernate the rest of the year. It is home to many holiday traditions and other cultural events. Many locals and even those throughout the state and surrounding Midwest make traditions of visiting the city during the winter holiday season. Whether it is visiting the annual ZooLights display at Lincoln Park Zoo or shopping through the Christkindlmarket exhibition, both city and suburban residents delight in what the city has to offer during the holiday season.

The Harris Poll recently surveyed a representative sample of Cook County adults to investigate whether locals maintain uniquely “Chicago” holiday traditions and whether they plan to participate in any holiday attractions & events this year. Below are the key findings. 

Traditions increase feelings of connection. Cook County residents that have a Chicagoland-specific winter holiday tradition more frequently report increased feelings of connection during the winter holidays than those without a tradition.

More than half (58%) of Cook County residents who have a winter holiday tradition that is specific to the Chicagoland area feel more connected to their loved ones during the winter holiday season, compared to just 41% of those without a Chicago-specific winter holiday tradition. Those with traditions also feel more connected to their community (40%) than those without a tradition (14%). The same goes with feeling connected to people all over the world (33%, vs. 15% of those without a tradition).

Two-thirds (66%) of Cook County residents with winter holiday traditions specific to Chicago are looking forward to celebrating the upcoming winter holiday season in the city (vs. 38% of residents without a Chicago-specific winter holiday tradition). Two-thirds of residents with winter holiday traditions specific to Chicago (64%, vs. 43% of those without a Chicago-specific winter holiday tradition) think the greater Chicagoland area is a good place to visit during the winter holiday season.

Many Cook County residents plan to incorporate attractions specific to the Chicagoland area into their winter holiday celebrations. Many think these unique holiday attractions make Chicago an enticing winter tourism destination.

One in four (25%) Cook County residents have a winter holiday tradition—such as seeing an annual show or attending an event—that is specific to the Chicagoland area. Two in five (42%) plan to attend at least one winter holiday event or attraction that is unique to the Chicagoland area this winter holiday season. Half (48%) think the greater Chicagoland area is a good place to visit during the winter holiday season, and nearly as many (46%) think winter holiday events are a good way to attract visitors to the greater Chicagoland area.

Seeing Chicago’s unique holiday displays and visiting downtown shops are the most frequently cited attractions that residents would recommend to visitors and plan to attend themselves. 

Two-thirds (66%) of Cook County residents who plan to attend one Chicagoland-specific winter holiday attraction are interested in visiting a holiday light show or display (e.g., ZooLights, Lightscape) this year. Half plan to visit a holiday market like Christkindlmarket (54%) and the Chicago Christmas Tree (50%). Two in five (39%) had wanted to attend the the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, and the same (38%) plan to shop in downtown Chicago’s thoroughfares like Magnificent Mile and State Street.

Residents are also “Chicago in the Winter” boosters: half (52%) of Cook County residents would recommend visiting a holiday light show or display to someone visiting the greater Chicagoland area during the winter holiday season. Nearly half would also recommend visiting the Chicago Christmas Tree (49%), visiting a holiday market (46%), the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival (45%), and shopping downtown (45%).

This survey was conducted online in the United States by The Harris Poll from September 12th, 2024 to September 26th, 2024 among 1,000 Cook County, IL adults, aged 18+. Figures have been weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions within the population. Respondents for this survey were selected from a pool of potential respondents who have agreed to participate in The Harris Poll’s online research.