Welcome to 2026, Chicago!

BEST DATE NEWS

Jan. 8, 2026: Best Date News Volume #160

Welcome to Best Date News, your go-to guide for what’s happening in Chicago! This week, we’re diving into the Bears and Packers playoff matchup, new Chicago taxes and fees for 2026, the State & Lake CTA construction project, Chicago Theatre Week and much more.

Jan. 8: National Holidays

• National Argyle Day

• National Bubble Bath Day

• National English Toffee Day

• National Typing Day

• National Winter Skin Relief Day

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Legend of the Yeti

• The Escape Game: Chicago’s go-to escape room spot in River North just unveiled a brand-new experience. Introducing Legend of the Yeti, a 60-minute immersive expedition and a perfect indoor activity to tackle with friends.

• A team of explorers has disappeared amid their search for a mysterious jewel. You’ll step into their abandoned outpost, half-buried in snow high in the Himalayas. From there, you’ll navigate icy rooms, solve puzzles and race against the clock to uncover the legendary treasure.

• If you haven’t checked out The Escape Game yet, you need to. It’s a top-of-the-line, elaborate escape room experience and one of our favorite indoor activities in Chicago. They offer five different games, each accommodating up to eight players.

• The Escape Game is open daily from 8 a.m. to midnight, with extended hours until 1 a.m. on weekends. It’s family-friendly, great for all ages and an experience you won’t forget. Book now!

Chicago News

• Bears Ticket Prices: The Chicago Bears host the Green Bay Packers this Saturday, Jan. 10, and you’re going to have to pay up to get in. The matchup is expected to be the most expensive NFL Wild Card game ever, according to ticketing platform TickPick, and it also marks the priciest Bears home game in TickPick’s history dating back to 2011. This will be the third Bears–Packers matchup in just over a month, and if the Bears win, they’ll host another home playoff game in the Division Round.

• 2026 New Taxes & Fees: As the new year begins in Chicago, several new taxes and fee increases are now in effect and will impact everyday spending. Checkout bag fees have risen to 15¢, Uber and Lyft rides within downtown congestion zones now include a $1.50 surcharge between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. (60¢ fee if it’s a shared ride). The Chicago Skyway toll is now $8.10 for standard two-axle vehicles, and starting March 1, a new 1.5% retail liquor tax will apply to beer, wine and spirits sold for off-premise consumption.

• State & Lake: Construction began Monday at the State & Lake “L” station, one of the CTA’s busiest stops in the Loop. The elevated station serves Green, Brown, Pink, Orange and Purple Line trains and will remain closed through 2029 as part of a $444 million renovation project. Originally built in 1895, the station will be modernized with wider platforms, ADA-compliant elevators, new entrances and a glass canopy. The Red Line Lake station remains open during construction.

• American Airlines: Here’s some good news if you’re looking to book a spring break trip in the next couple of months. American Airlines is adding 100 new daily departures out of O’Hare, giving Chicago travelers more nonstop options, better flight times and easier connections to popular spring break destinations like Las Vegas, Florida and California. The expanded schedule restores pre-pandemic flight levels at ORD and includes extended seasonal service to Paris and Dublin.

• Lost Never Found: A Wrigleyville favorite has closed its doors after Lost Never Found served its final guests this past Sunday, Jan. 4. The two-floor, disco-themed bar opened in September 2022 and became a popular late-night spot in the neighborhood. During the holidays, the space was also home to the Rudolph’s Bar holiday pop-up.

Just For Fun

• Chicago Theatre Week: Tickets are now on sale for the 14th annual Chicago Theatre Week, running Feb. 5–15 across the city. More than 75 productions are participating, giving audiences a chance to enjoy the diverse offerings of Chicago’s dynamic theatre scene at discounted $15 and $30 price points, with select shows priced even lower. Check out the full list of participating shows and grab tickets before they sell out.

• Barnes & Noble: State Street is getting a major new retailer this summer, with Barnes & Noble opening a massive bookstore at 150 N. State St. inside the former Old Navy space. The new location will span 30,000 square feet, making it the brand’s largest Chicago store. It’s one of four new Barnes & Noble locations planned for the Chicago area this year, with additional openings coming to Hyde Park, Oak Park and Skokie.

• Michigan Ave Restaurants: A long-vacant Michigan Avenue building is getting a full dining makeover, with multiple restaurants planned across different floors just steps from Millennium Park. City filings show Velvet Taco taking the ground floor at 174 N. Michigan Ave., with Washington, D.C. area restaurants Genki and Kanpai Hot Pot & BBQ expected to open on upper levels.

• Bruno Mars: Bruno Mars announced The Romantic Tour this morning, with a Chicago stop set for Saturday, May 16 at Soldier Field. The 38-show tour will span North America, Europe and the U.K. Fans can sign up now for artist presale access ahead of the general on-sale beginning Thursday, Jan. 15 at 12 p.m.

• Nikki Glaser: One of comedy’s biggest names is heading back to Chicago as Nikki Glaser brings The Stunning Tour to The Chicago Theatre on Saturday, Nov. 14. Venue presale tickets opened this morning at 10 a.m. You can use the special code SOCIAL to access tickets before the public, which opens tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 9 at 10 a.m.

Weekend Plans

• Bears vs. Packers: All of Chicago will be glued to their TVs Saturday night as the No. 2 seed Chicago Bears take on the No. 7 seed Green Bay Packers at 7 p.m. at Soldier Field. The game will air on both Prime Video and FOX32 Chicago, so you can still watch even if you don’t have Amazon Prime. Here are three must-know storylines, the weather outlook and a list of Chicago bars to watch the game.

• CFB Playoffs: If college football is more your speed, the College Football Playoffs continue tonight and tomorrow on ESPN. Tonight’s Fiesta Bowl features Miami vs. Ole Miss at 6:30 p.m. Tomorrow, two Big Ten teams face off at 6:30 p.m. as the Indiana Hoosiers take on the Oregon Ducks in the Peach Bowl. The best place in Chicago to watch a Hoosiers game is at Kirkwood Bar in Lakeview. The winners will play in the National Championship on Jan. 19.

• Ben Johnson Lookalike Contest: We have another lookalike competition happening in the Chicago area, and this one is for Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson. The Ben Johnson lookalike contest takes place this evening, Thursday, Jan. 8 from 5–8 p.m. at the Wintrust Sports Complex in Bedford Park, with huge cash prizes awarded in good, better and best fashion.

• Bill Murray in Concert: Chicago’s own Bill Murray returns to town this weekend as Bill Murray & His Blood Brothers perform at Thalia Hall in Pilsen on Jan. 9 and 10. The band performs a variety of classic rock covers. Get tickets before they sell out.

• Edgewater Indoor Market: This Saturday, Jan. 10 is the first of five free Edgewater Indoor Markets (Jan. 10, Jan. 31, Feb. 14, Feb. 28 and March 14) taking place at the Broadway Armory this winter. Each market will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will have 70+ vendors in attendance.

Poll Question of the Week

Last Newsletter's Poll Results

Poll Results: Last week, we asked if you were going out or staying in for New Year’s Eve. 75% of you said staying in, 25% said going out.

Sunrise & Sunset in Chicago

Here is today’s outlook in Chicago (compared to last week):

• Sunrise: 7:17 a.m. (1 minute earlier)

• Sunset: 4:36 p.m. (7 minutes later)

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