Choose Chicago media relations:

Michelle Gonzalez, mgonzalez@choosechicago.com
Stephanie D’Adamo, stephanie@letssipp.com

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (February 2020) – After gallantly weathering an unprecedented year, and earning the designation of “Best Big City” in the U.S. for the fourth year in a row by Condé Nast Traveler’s discerning readers, the city of Chicago is off to an auspicious start in 2021. An eclectic mix of new hotels are springing up, from the new Pendry Chicago in the landmarked Carbon & Carbide Building, to the Sable Hotel (a Hilton Curio Collection Property) at Navy Pier, and the debut of the St. Regis Chicago in Jeanne Gang’s highly anticipated Wanda Vista Tower, projected to be the third tallest skyscraper in the city. The resumption of indoor dining is augmented by the launch of some exciting new restaurants, including Venteux by Chicago’s youngest Michelin-starred chef, Donald Young (Temporis, Les Nomades, Bistrot Saveurs), a new concept by the prestigious Alinea Group at the Wanda Vista Tower and more. As museums cautiously begin to reopen with strict health and safety procedures under the city’s Tier 1 mitigation plan, Chicago is excited to welcome eagerly anticipated exhibitions such as Immersive Van Gogh at Lighthouse ArtSpace Chicago, Frida Kahlo: Timeless at the Cleve Carney Museum of Art, Mandela: Struggle for Freedom at the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes at the Museum of Science and Industry and The Obama Portraits, coming to the Art Institute of Chicago this summer on the first stop of its U.S. tour. And finally, the city looks ahead to the future of business travel with the launch of Phase 1 of Healthy Meetings Chicago, an interactive digital platform in collaboration with the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) which showcases the health and safety advantages of hosting future meetings and events at Chicago’s GBAC STAR™ accredited McCormick Place Campus, the largest convention center in North America.

Check out what’s new and happening in Chicago this winter and spring below, and visit www.ChooseChicago.com for more information.

Accolades:

New accommodations:

Pendry Hotels & Resorts announced its further U.S. expansion with the renovation of the Art Deco Chicago landmark, the Carbide & Carbon Building (and former St. Jane Hotel), as Pendry Chicago. Featuring 364 redesigned guest rooms and suites in a contemporary palette awash in warm minimal tones and comfortable finishes, the Pendry Chicago will also feature public spaces thoughtfully designed by Alessandro Munge’s, Studio Munge. The hotel’s signature restaurant and bar concept, Venteux will be helmed by Executive Chef-Partner Donald Young (Temporis, Les Nomades, Bistrot Saveurs), Chicago’s youngest Michelin-starred chef, and overseen by hospitality and nightlife pioneer, Andy Masi, and his Clique Hospitality group. In addition, the hotel will feature a lobby bar and lounge, a spectacular rooftop lounge, 12,000 square feet of meetings and event space, curated fitness and wellness programming, and an extensive art collection. The hotel is expected to debut in spring 2021.

Sable Hotel at Navy Pier (a Curio Collection by Hilton property) will be perched aside one of Chicago’s most beloved and iconic destinations – Navy Pier – and located just steps from cultural attractions like Chicago Shakespeare Theater and the Crystal Gardens. Featuring 223 guest rooms, over 4,200 square feet in event space and two restaurants – the first floor’s Iberian & American influence restaurant bar Lirica and Offshore Rooftop and Bar, the nation’s largest rooftop, with a 20,000 square foot terrace, multiple firepits and an entertainment area. The hotel is accepting reservations from March 15, 2021 and beyond.

The Chicago Hotel Collection will welcome two new locations to its portfolio with outposts in Wicker Park and Millennium Park. The decor of the properties include bespoke details such as one-of-a-kind art installation in the lobbies and modern furnishings in the guestrooms and bathrooms. Flexible room types include classic King, Queen and Double rooms, as well as Signature Studios with custom bunk style beds for fun family or group stays. Covid-19 implementations include streamlined contactless check-in, mobile room keys, frequent sanitation of common areas and limited housekeeping during guest stay. Furthermore, guests will receive an incredible daily amenity package featuring 3 drinks per night, free Wi-Fi, use of Peloton Bikes on site with reservation, early check-in/late check-out, booking credits to use for your next stay when booked direct and a complimentary 1-year Club 1 Hotels membership (with instant access to their travel portfolio with worldwide hotels, car rentals, activities and more up to 60% plus a $50 Club 1 Hotels booking credit for your first reservation). The new locations are projected to open in May 2021.

The Reserve Hotel, located on South LaSalle Street in the heart of Chicago’s financial district, will be a 234-room luxury hotel occupying the top five floors of a historic landmark building. (It will sit atop the JW Marriott Hotel, which already occupies the first 12 stories of the former Continental building.) Expected completion of the property is projected for October 2021.

Chicago’s newest Vista Tower skyscraper, the third-tallest building in Chicago, is being rebranded as The St. Regis Chicago, after the owners signed an agreement with St. Regis Hotels & Resorts to manage a 191-room luxury hotel. The St. Regis Chicago also will include 393 luxury condominiums, complete with a sky terrace and outdoor pool on the 47th floor, as well as a private lounge and dining room, a demo kitchen, golf lounge and more. The award-winning Alinea Group from Chef Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas (Alinea, Next, Aviary, Roister) will operate a fine dining restaurant with an outdoor terrace, an all-day restaurant and lounge overlooking the Chicago River and a bar with an outdoor terrace as part of the luxury hotel. The hotel is scheduled to open during Q3 of this year.

Anniversary and staycation packages:

A new year calls for a change of scenery and with Hotel Zachary’s “Work Anywhere” Stay Pass, you can take the much-needed time and space away from your home to dig back into your work, creative endeavors or latest project. With this package, you can check-in at 6AM., stay the night and check out the following day at 6PM., all for a special rate. Those who book will also experience our enhanced Wi-Fi and receive a $10 F&B credit to be applied toward our Grab & Go menu. Click here to book your work retreat.

On December 31, 2020, The Drake Hotel celebrated 100 years of legendary service. To commemorate the centennial anniversary, the hotel is offering guests special $100 room rates during their Centurion: 100 Days of $100 Rates promotion, running January 1 – April 10, 2021. There is also a social media contest to win a stay in the hotel’s famed Princess Diana suite! Click here to book.

The Peninsula Hotel’s “Sweet Home Chicago” package allows residents and regional guests to relax and rejuvenate with guaranteed upgrade to the next available room category, daily American breakfast for two, complimentary overnight parking (one vehicle, first night stay), $50 credit to use on hotel dining or The Spa, per stay, and flexible check-in and check-out. Guests will also enjoy access to the fitness centre, with a half-Olympic length swimming pool, access to the “keys to the city” program offering exclusive experiences at Chicago’s best attractions and high-speed WiFi and worldwide VOIP calls. Pricing from $575 per night; package available until March 31, 2021. Click here to book.

For visitors traveling in a small, safe group, or “pod” for business or leisure, Thompson Chicago is offering the seclusion of a full floor buyout or “Thompson Bubble” of 5 to 14 rooms (7 Kings, 1 Lakeview King, 3 Doubles, 1 Lakeview Double, 1 Corner King and 1 Junior Suite). Guests will have access to self-serve sundries and bath amenities, extra linens and towels, snacks, drinks and mini bar offerings, an additional mini-fridge and Keurig coffee maker and Atari Flashback 9 (with 110 classic games). Guest room services are available on request only and a discounted penthouse suite with pool table is available on a separate floor. Convert one guest room into a production office or utilize the 4th floor event space.

Restaurants & dining:

Chicago Restaurant Week will return from March 19-April 4, supporting the local dining community with a series of special prix fixe menus from restaurants throughout Chicago and nearby suburbs. These multi-course meals are $25 for brunch or lunch, and $39 and/or $55 for dinner (excluding beverages, tax, gratuity, and delivery fees) and this year

diners will have the flexibility to experience Chicago Restaurant Week through indoor and outdoor dining, or at home with delivery and takeout options. Chicago Restaurant Week 2020 featured a record-breaking number of restaurants, including more than 50 in the suburbs and over 80 participating for the first time in 2020. Check back here for updates of participating restaurants.

Decorated Chicago Chef Doug Psaltis (RPM Restaurants) will open Andros Taverna in February, a new restaurant and his passion project built out of love — love for food, family and community, honoring both heritage and tradition. Andros will be a contemporary Greek restaurant in Chicago’s vibrant Logan Square neighborhood, adjacent to the city’s forthcoming public park and green space expansion. Doug is joined at Andros by Hsing Chen, a pastry chef with an impressive pedigree (Manresa Restaurant, The French Laundry, The Peninsula Hotels, Jean-Georges Restaurants) who also happens to be his wife. The pair partnered with another husband-and-wife duo, Ryan and Anna O’Donnell, successful restaurateurs and founders of Ballyhoo Hospitality (Gemini, Old Pueblo Cantina, Coda di Volpe, Sophia Steak) to form Andros Restaurant Group. Fittingly, the husband-and-wife-led teams will open Andros for takeout on Valentine’s Day weekend, followed by limited indoor dining the week following. More updates are available here and the Valentine’s Day offers are live for pre-orders on Tock.

Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises has brought back Papagus Taverna, serving classic Greek dishes available for carryout and delivery in downtown Chicago. Papagus first opened its doors in Chicago’s River North in January 1992, with a second location that opened in Oak Brook in 1997, both restaurants were open for about 10 years. Chef / Partner John Chiakulas (Beatrix, Antico Posto, L. Woods) was a part of the original Papagus team and has created the menu for the carryout and delivery only concept.

Opened on January 15, 2021, Pilsen Yards is a bar-centric and music-driven hangout in the heart of Pilsen with an open air vibe and plenty of room to spread out safely and comfortably. Executive chef Armando Gonzalez’s menu of inspired Latin street food, from tacos to ceviches, hummus to carne asada is plated up next to a mezcal, tequila, & whiskey charged bar program from beverage director Lance Bowman, and it’s all on the cheap. Pilsen Yards includes a covered, heated outdoor patio with a radiant-heated cement floor, radiant overhead heaters, a clear roof, and exposed wooden beams. Tucked within Pilsen Yards is The Alderman, an intimate, 18-seat speakeasy-inspired cocktail bar.

This Spring 2021, Chicago’s youngest Michelin-starred chef, Donald Young (Temporis, Les Nomades, Bistrot Saveurs) will breathe new life into the city with the debut of Venteux, a lively French brasserie featuring a swanky oyster and Champagne bar located in the new Pendry Chicago. As Executive Chef-Partner, Young will open the high-energy brasserie in partnership with acclaimed national entertainment maverick and restaurant operator, Clique Hospitality (Pendry Hotels & Resorts, MGM Resorts International, Blackstone Group). Located at 230 North Michigan Avenue within the city’s historic 1920s art deco landmark Carbide & Carbon Building, Venteux has commissioned world-renowned design firm Studio Munge to create a luxurious ambiance that invites guests in to get wrapped up in comforting French fare imbued with Young’s signature creativity.

Museum & art exhibitions:

Art Institute of Chicago is open and is excited to welcome two acclaimed portraits to its galleries in summer 2021: The Obama Portraits, Kehinde Wiley’s painting of President Barack Obama and Amy Sherald’s portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama. On loan from the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, the Obama portraits come to Chicago for the first stop of a five-city tour. As the family’s longtime home, Chicago has a unique connection to the Obamas, as does the Art Institute. The First Lady recalls visiting frequently with her family when she was growing up on the South Side, and the museum was also the site of the couple’s first date. The portraits will be on June 18–August 15.

Other Art Institute exhibits to keep on your radar this year include:

  • Landscape in Light: The Tiffany Window at the Art Institute of Chicago, this spring 2021, the Art Institute unveils the monumental Hartwell Memorial Window, a pinnacle of achievement in the medium of stained glass designed more than 100 years ago by Agnes F. Northrop for Tiffany Studios. Previously housed in the Central Baptist Church of Providence, Rhode Island (now Community Church of Providence), it has been relocated to the Art Institute where it can be conserved to ensure its long-term stability and remain on public view.
  • Monet and Chicago, the first exhibition to explore Chicago’s pioneering connection to the great Impressionist artist, will run through June 14, 2021.
  • Toulouse-Lautrec and the Celebrity Culture of Paris, a focused installation of the artist’s works comprising posters, paintings, and painted objects, will run through June 2021.
  • Bisa Butler: Portraits, portrait quilts which vividly capture personal and historical narratives of Black life, will be on display through September 6, 2021.

Cleve Carney Museum of Art will host the Frida Kahlo: Timeless exhibition from June 5 – September 6, 2021, a comprehensive presentation of the life and works of the artist. The exhibit will feature 26 original pieces, a multimedia timeline with reproductions of Kahlo’s clothing, more than 100 photographic images from the artist’s life, a family-friendly children’s area and a Frida Kahlo-inspired garden designed by Ball Horticultural.

Chicago’s Greektown— the best sampling of Greek heritage outside of Athens — is proud to present its Fanciful Fish outdoor sculpture exhibit through the end of April 2021, with 22 new artworks lining Halsted Street from Monroe to Van Buren Streets. Created by a diverse group of Chicago artists, the sculptures celebrate Greek culture from mythological gods and seaside vistas to the Greek language. The project is sponsored by Greektown SSA #16, the neighborhood’s business improvement district, in partnership with the Chicago Greektown Educational Foundation.

Field Museum, which reopened to the general public on January 21, 2021 with timed ticketing and strictly enforced social distancing measures, encourages visitors to check out the Apsáalooke Women and Warriors exhibition. Learn about the history, values, and beliefs of the Apsáalooke (Ahp-SAH-luh-guh) people of the Northern Plains, also known as the Crow. Understand and honor the tradition of “counting coup”—performing acts of bravery. From 100-year-old war shields to contemporary beadwork and fashion, Apsáalooke community members tell their stories and share vibrant works of art. The exhibition, guest-curated by Apsáalooke scholar Nina Sanders with the support of the Apsáalooke Nation and Native artists and scholars runs until July 18, 2021.

Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center will reopen to the public on February 3, 2021 and will continue to offer free admission on Wednesdays through February and March. Their newest exhibit, Mandela: Struggle for Freedom, opening February 20, 2021 and running through September 12, 2021, traces the history of apartheid in South Africa, with Nelson Mandela as the central character. With immersive environments, such as a recreation of Mandela’s cell on Robben Island, Mandela promotes human rights with a central message: all people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.

Lighthouse ArtSpace Chicago, a new venue within Chicago’s recently renovated landmark Germania Club Building, will open Thursday, February 11, 2021 with the U.S. premiere of the blockbuster art experience Immersive Van Gogh. From the creators of the successful show at Atelier des Lumières seen by over 2 million visitors in Paris, the U.S. premiere of the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit will bring the art of Van Gogh to life – in Chicago! The exhibition will run through September 6, 2021.

Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Photography has reopened for Reproductive: Health, Fertility, Agency! which explores the psychological, physical, and emotional realities encountered in the years leading up to, during, and after fertility. The exhibit, which runs until May 23, 2021, features artists such as Laia Abril, Candice Breitz, Elinor Carucci, Krista Franklin, Doreen Garner, Candy Guinea, Joanne Leonard, and Carmen Winant, who consider a range of topics including birth, miscarriage, pleasure, the lack of access to abortion, trauma, and the loss of fertility. All visitors must have a timed reservation in order to enter the museum.

At the new Museum of Illusions Chicago, which reopened on January 29, 2021, guests can enjoy more than 80 visual and educational exhibits featuring holograms, stereograms, optical illusions, and immersive rooms that are designed to tease the senses and trick the mind. Social distancing measures will be strictly enforced along with temperature checks, reduced capacity, timed-ticketing and increased sanitation and cleaning.

Museum of Science and Industry Chicago (MSI) will reopen to the general public on March 7, 2021 (members on March 4) with an all new interactive exhibition celebrating the Marvel Universe. Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes traces Marvel history with more than 300 artifacts including original comic book pages, sculptures, interactive displays and costumes and props from Marvel’s blockbuster films. Guests can examine the origins of iconic characters such as Spider-Man, Black Panther, Hulk, and Captain Marvel and see how they have evolved alongside society over the past 80 years, making these characters a pop culture mainstay. (Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes is not included in Museum Entry, and requires a separate, timed-entry ticket of $18 per adult, $14 per child aged 3-11 and $9 for members.)

Later this spring at MSI, don’t miss:

  • Black Creativity and its signature Juried Art Exhibition opening April 7, 2021 for an extended run through July 5, 2021, is an annual exhibition that showcases more than 100 works by professional artists from across the nation as well as local student artists. This year’s Black Creativity Innovator Gallery will celebrate the accomplishments of African-American leaders who are transforming Chicago. (MSI has hosted the annual celebration during Black History Month for 50 years.)
  • A new feature this year will be an online art gallery, providing even more people the opportunity to view the artwork if they are unable to visit the Museum in person.

Shedd Aquarium which reopened to the general public on January 30, 2021 with timed ticketing and strictly enforced social distancing measures, welcomes visitors back to see their favorite aquatic animals. Those who can’t make it to the aquarium yet can still get some facetime with adorable penguins, otters and sea lions thanks to the Shedd’s ingenuous Virtual Animal Encounters.

The Morton Arboretum’s next major exhibition, Human+Nature (pronounced: Human Nature), opening April 9, 2021, will highlight the deep connections between people and trees. Built to create a sense of awe and wonder, five massive sculptures created by South African artist Daniel Popper will be featured with the backdrop of the Arboretum’s magnificent and mature tree collections. Each grand in size and appearance (20-25 feet tall), the installations will include a towering interpretation of a Mother Nature figure welcoming Arboretum visitors to interact by walking inside the sculpture, large-scale human hands, diverse human facial traits interwoven with root structures, and a symbolic opening of the human heart.

Art on theMART will resume projections on Thursday, April 1 with the world premiere of Astrographics, a 20-minute piece developed in collaboration with the Adler Planetarium and presented in partnership with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Astrographics, running through July 4, will explore ways in which humans conceptualize and visualize their universe, and how that has changed over time. The piece will consist of four movements (Earth, Other Worlds, Stars and Beyond) which will transport the viewer from Earth to other planets and stars, then out to deeper and more speculative realms.

Performances, festivals & attractions:

The Auditorium Theatre’s popular Historic Tours are back again at the National Historic Landmark starting January 28 through May 24, 2021! Covid-19 safety measures are in place during the in-person tours. Only 10 people per tour, and all patrons and tour guides must wear a mask covering the nose and mouth throughout the tour. All ticket holders and the tour guide must maintain 6 feet distance per household throughout the tour.

Chica-GO is back for the new year, offering customized two hour in-person private tours for travel “bubbles” or small groups of maximum five people. This tour can include Chicago highlights as well as off the beaten path gems and can cover multiple neighborhoods. Pricing is $200 per group and is available in English, French or Dutch.

Printers Row Lit Fest, the largest free outdoor literary showcase in the Midwest, will return for its 36th year with 100% free programming for book lovers the weekend after Labor Day, September 11-12, 2021 from 10AM-6PM daily in Chicago’s historic Printers Row neighborhood.This year’s festival will be headlined by New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award winner Ta-Nehisi Coates, recipient of the 2021 Harold Washington Literary Award.

As in past years, the festival will include blocks of diverse booksellers featuring new, used and original books; events with local and national bestselling authors; and special programming including spoken word performances, writing workshops, and events for children and young adults. Plans for this fall’s literary celebration will follow city guidelines, with all necessary safety precautions in place.

  • Ta-Nehisi Coates will be honored at the 2021 Harold Washington Literary Award gala, a ticketed fundraiser that supports the not-for-profit Near South Planning Board’s literary programs and officially launches Printers Row Lit Fest. The event will take place on September 10 at 6PM and more information will be announced in the coming months.

The FRIENDS Experience: The One in Chicago will be reopening in March 2021, offering fans of the popular TV show, FRIENDS, an interactive space featuring 12 nostalgia-packed rooms with set recreations, original props/costumes, a retail store and more!

Virtual performances & attractions:

The Chicago Architecture Center kicks off the year with a series of international Virtual City Walks (January 30 – February 20, 2021), taking viewers to virtually visit six global cities, beginning in Chicago, the quintessential city of modern architecture on January 30. ($60 plus processing fees to attend all six segments, $48 for CAC members).

Be sure to check out the center’s other virtual tours and talks:

In light of Women’s History Month, Chicago Detours, also a woman-owned business, will be hosting a “Badass Women of History” a Live, Interactive Virtual Event starting March 8, 2021 to celebrate diversity and the historically pioneering women with Chicago ties that carved paths in business, culture, LGBTQ, aviation, science and more that still hold today. The event will be held live with hosts as storytellers leading interactive games and trivia for viewers to participate in. An inspiring Badass Women of History Journal featuring illustrations and quotes from Michelle Obama and the like will also be available for purchase where proceeds benefit the Chicago Foundation for Women’s South Side Giving Circle.

No subject is off-limits in Congo Square Theatre Company’s new sketch comedy show Hit ‘Em on the Blackside, available for free online viewing through March 2021. Part of Congo Square’s new digital programming for the 2020-21 Season, Hit ‘Em on the Blackside uses thought-provoking humor and satire to cover everything from education on Zoom to questionable science and complicated relationships. The show runs approximately 30 minutes. Hit ‘Em on the Blackside is created and directed by Congo Square Ensemble Member Anthony Irons and stars Ensemble Members Ronald L. Conner, Alexis J. Roston and Kelvin Roston Jr., along with friend of Congo Square, Tiffany Addison.

Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), due to COVID-19 restrictions in 2020, is extending the Year of Chicago Music into 2021 to highlight Chicago’s rich musical history and continue to support local artists across the city.

Lyric Opera of Chicago will continue to stream performances on its YouTube Channel throughout the spring. Check out Lawrence Brownlee and Friends: The Next Chapter, a free virtual concert celebrating the depth and breadth of Black artistry, hosted by world-renowned tenor Lawrence Brownlee and celebrate music of the Spanish-speaking world with free virtual concert Pasión Latina, starring and hosted by renowned soprano and Lyric favorite Ana María Martínez. On February 21, revel in the sounds of Italy with a virtual recital Sole e Amore, awash with beautiful lesser-known musical gems by beloved Italian opera composers, curated and hosted by Lyric’s Music Director Designate Enrique Mazzola.

  • And coming this April, experience a reimagining of the final chapter of Wagner’s epic Ring cycle in the Chicago premiere of Twilight: Gods, where you’ll be immersed in a series of live performances, videos, and installations brought to life by singers, small instrumental groups, and actors as you drive through a parking garage in the safety of your own vehicle.

Joffrey Ballet announces the world premiere of Boléro, named after the acclaimed orchestral piece by composer Maurice Ravel and choreographed by Joffrey Company Artist Yoshihisa Arai. The performance, which will be live streamed for free via the Joffrey’s YouTube channel(date TBA), is part of the company’s recently announced Joffrey Studio Series, a comprehensive roster of free, virtual programming — from livestream performances and rehearsals to pre-recorded conversations — curated by Joffrey artists during the COVID-19 era. Then, on April 30, the Joffrey Ballet will premiere Under the Trees’ Voices by Nicolas Blanc to Symphony No. 2 by Italian composer Ezio Bosso. Under the Trees’ Voices channels the power of community in the age of social distancing. In four distinct sections, Blanc imagines a future of hope and unity (Streaming details TBA).

Chicago History Museum is pleased to announce that they will be reopening to the public on March 4, the anniversary of Chicago’s incorporation as a city, and will be celebrating with free admission all day. Make sure to reserve your timed entry ticket as occupancy will be limited to 275 people at a time (25% capacity).

  • In the meantime, stay connected with the museum’s series of virtual events, including a free Commemorate Presidents’ Day celebration on Feb. 15. Or consider participating in In this Together, a community-based initiative to collect digital records that document personal experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • This spring, the Chicago History Museum is excited to embark on a multifaceted park beautification project including renovations to the plaza and construction of the Richard M. and Shirley H. Jaffee History Trail. Set to break ground on March 2021, the History Trail, an interpretive path through the park space around the Museum, will incorporate features such as the “Fire Blob”, a rarely-seen relic from the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and the Couch Tomb, a reminder that the area once housed a Chicago city cemetery.

Meetings & conventions:

In collaboration with the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA), Choose Chicago is proud to launch Phase 1 of Healthy Meetings Chicago, a digital platform currently available for viewing on a desktop or laptop, showcasing the health and safety advantages of hosting future meetings and events at Chicago’s McCormick Place Campus.This interactive, digital platform showcases what an attendee will experience when arriving for a meeting, convention or event in 2021 at McCormick Place and highlights the campus’s health and safety measures.

Q Center, an IACC-certified Chicago Conference Center on a 95-acre campus with on-site recreational amenities and team building opportunities is ready to kick off meetings and events in 2021. The D Building and Business Center hosts a bounty of meeting spaces and collaboration areas, and the newly renovated Business Center hub features a large Energy Hub to refuel and refresh. The Welcome Center has a newly enhanced lobby and guest services area. The dividable Fox River Ballroom is equipped with a stunning new ceiling, lighting and sound system. And the newest addition to Q Center is the vibrant atmosphere of The Fox, a bar, restaurant and game space for your whole group to gather after a long day’s work.

Theatre:

With the health and safety of performers and audience members firmly in mind, Broadway In Chicago has announced the rescheduling of some of its highly anticipated new shows:

  • My Fair Lady, from Lincoln Center Theater and director Bartlett Sher, is scheduled to play this newest revival of the classic tale at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, May 12 – 23, 2021.
  • Jesus Christ Superstar, featuring award-winning music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, has been rescheduled at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, and will run from September 14 – 26, 2021.
  • SIX, the modern retelling of the lives of the six wives of Henry VIII presented as a pop concert, whose Fall 2020 engagement was interrupted, has been rescheduled to play at the Broadway Playhouse from October 5, 2021 – January 30, 2022.
  • Disney’s Frozen, from the producers of The Lion King and Aladdin, will now play their exclusive 11-week premiere engagement at the Cadillac Palace Theatre beginning November 18, 2021 – January 23, 2022.
  • The Simon & Garfunkel Story, the world’s leading theatre show concerning Simon & Garfunkel featuring a full live band and state of the art video projection and lighting, is slated to play at the CIBC Theatre from February 22 – 27, 2022.
  • Come From Away, the remarkable true story of the 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them after 9/11, will now play at the Cadillac Palace Theatre from February 22 – March 6, 2022.
  • The North American tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical will premiere at the James M. Nederlander Theatre, with performances running February 26, 2022 – April 24, 2022.
  • The Devil Wears Prada, a new musical with work by Tony Award winner Sir Elton John, originally scheduled to run this summer at the CIBC Theatre, will now run at the James M. Nederlander Theatre from July 19, 2022 – August 21, 2022.

Sports:

The PGA TOUR announced that the 16th Presidents Cup will be held at the renowned Medinah Country Club outside of Chicago in 2026. Medinah is the fifth different venue in the United States to host the Presidents Cup and adds the biennial team event to an illustrious list of tournaments hosted at Course #3 that include the 2019 BMW Championship, 2012 Ryder Cup, two PGA Championships, three U.S. Opens, the 1988 U.S. Senior Open, three Western Opens (BMW Championship), and a number of other professional championships.

The Big Ten Conference announced that the 2021 Men’s Basketball Tournament will be relocated from Chicago/United Center to Indianapolis, and in exchange, Chicago is being awarded the 2023 tournament.

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About Choose Chicago

Choose Chicago is the official sales and marketing organization responsible for promoting Chicago as a global visitor and meetings destination, leveraging the city’s unmatched assets to ensure the economic vitality of the city and its member business community. For more information, visit choosechicago.com. Follow @choosechicago on Twitter and on Instagram @choosechicago. Like us on Facebook.