Chicagohenge is almost here! One of Chicago’s most unique experiences takes place for the spring and fall equinoxes every year offering an extraordinary collaboration between the magic of nature and Chicago’s glorious architecture.
You’re likely familiar with the prehistoric boulder formation in Wiltshire, England. During the summer and winter solstice, the sun rises behind Stonehenge’s Heel Stone, where its rays are captured within the rock frame, creating a glorious spectacle that thousands of people flock to witness.
The equinoxes provide a similar sight in Chicago. Dubbed “Chicagohenge,” twice a year, the sun lines up directly with Chicago’s streets and beams down the heart of the city, splashing through Chicago’s artificial valleys.
This year, Chicagohenge is best experienced on the official first days of spring and fall: Thursday, March 20th, and September 22nd.
Remind me what an equinox is again?
We have seasons because the Earth is tilted toward the sun. An equinox happens twice a year when the sun is positioned directly above the equator, making day and night approximately equal in length. In Latin, equinox means “equal night.”
It is also the time of the year in which the Northern and Southern Hemispheres are distributed equal amounts of light.
Which means a solstice is what?
While both the equinox and solstice are based on the relationship between the sun and the earth, they are not quite the same. The solstice ushers in the summer and winter seasons and occurs at the sun’s highest and lowest points in the sky.
As such, the solstice indicates the longest day of the year (June 20th, 2025) and the shortest day of the year (December 21st, 2025), with daylight lasting longer during the summer months and shorter in the winter months.
What does the equinox mean for Chicago?
The phenomenon of “Chicagohenge” corresponds with the spring and autumn equinoxes. Because Chicago was built on a grid system, with streets arranged at right angles into the shape of a grid, they lined up nearly perfectly on a compass, north to south and east to west.
In the week before each equinox, the sun aligns perfectly with Chicago’s east-west facing streets for both sunrise and sunset, meaning it beams down the middle of Chicago’s largest downtown streets to create the “Chicagohenge.”
When is the Spring Chicagohenge 2025?
This year, the spring equinox falls on March 20th, 2025, and peak viewing times are between March 19 and 21. The sun will align perfectly with Chicago’s east-west-facing streets for both sunrise and sunset.
You can find the sunrise and sunset times below.
- Wednesday, March 19, 2025: Sunrise at 6:54 am, sunset at 7:01 pm
- Thursday, March 20, 2025: Sunrise at 6:53 am, sunset at 7:03 pm
- Friday, March 21, 2025: Sunrise at 6:51 am, sunset at 7:04 pm
Where can I see the Chicagohenge 2025?
Park yourself on any east-to-west running street in Chicago just after sunrise or before sunset, and you’ll experience the Chicagogenge. Some favorite spotting locations include Kinzie, Madison, and E Randolph Street between N State St. and N Michigan Avenue.
For the full Chicagohenge experience, you can capture the phenomenon along Washington Street from Millennium Park.