2027 Chicago Auto Show

• The 119th edition of a show running since 1901, staged more times than any other auto show in North America
• New model debuts and manufacturer stands, with most production cars unlocked to sit in
• Indoor test track ride alongs (free, 42 inch minimum height) plus outdoor test drives on Chicago streets
• Chi-Town Alley, the show's exhibit of Chicago's own car culture, and Overlanding Chicago's specialty rigs
• A Family Zone for kids aged 2 to 16 years with a Power Wheels track

Best Way to Experience It

• Adult tickets are US$20, seniors aged 62 and over and children aged 4 to 12 are US$15, and kids aged 3 and under go free with a paying adult; Chicago and Cook County add 12 percent amusement tax at checkout
• Tickets for 2027 go on sale late 2026, online or at the box office on the day (card only, sales final)
• Wednesday 17 February is free for first responders and active or veteran military with ID, and their companions get US$5 off adult entry
• CATA member new car dealers hand out US$5 off weekday adult admission

Good to Know

• Getting there: McCormick Place is on the lakefront just south of downtown Chicago. A CTA Auto Show Shuttle ran from Union Station and Ogilvie at regular bus fare in 2026, the Lakefront Trail runs straight to the complex with bike parking, and drop off is Gate 4 on Martin Luther King Drive
• Parking: Lots A, B and C at McCormick Place, card only, no in and out privileges; Lot A is closest to the show floor; off site spots book through SpotHero. Pickup trucks are banned from Lake Shore Drive, so trucks come via I-55 to Lot A
• Hours: 10am to 9pm daily, except Sunday 14 February which closes at 6pm
• Tickets and reentry: one scan per ticket with same day reentry by hand stamp; the box office closes an hour before the show
• Bringing things in: clear totes 12 by 12 by 6 inches or smaller and small clutches only, all subject to inspection; outside food and drink are fine within the bag policy, outside alcohol is not; strollers and diaper bags come in with an infant
• Cash and cards: McCormick Place is fully cashless, parking, food and box office included
• Weather and kit: Chicago in February is well below freezing; the show is indoors and coat check near the Grand Ballroom is generally under US$5 per item
• Based on the 2027 edition. Last updated 12 October 2026.

Best fit if ...

• You want to sit in next year's cars; most production models are unlocked
• You want free test rides and real test drives on city streets without a dealership visit
• You are taking kids; the Family Zone covers ages 2 to 16 years and kids aged 3 and under enter free

Not ideal if ...

• You want engine noise and track action; outside the test tracks this is a static indoor show
• You carry a regular backpack; only clear totes and small clutches get through the door