Amber Gibson 2021-12-13 05:00:43
Captivate your attendees with intimate cocktail parties, lavish product launches, and powerful presentations held in Chicago’s wide array of versatile venues. OUTDOOR VENUES Along the Chicago Riverwalk, there are plenty of alfresco dining options for cocktail mixers and seated dinners. Get guests out on the water with a Chicago Architecture Foundation Center River Cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady, which hosts dinner cruises for up to 250 guests. Family-owned since 1935, Wendella also specializes in architectural cruises, while Shoreline Sightseeing can organize wine tasting or craft beer cruises for your group in partnership with local Revolution Brewing. The beautifully renovated Theater on the Lake in Lincoln Park includes a 330-seat main theatre and The Lakefront Restaurant, featuring a 125-seat dining room that can host private dinners and a seasonal 80-seat patio with panoramic Lake Michigan views. Mercury Chicago’s Skyline Cruiseline hosts day and evening sightseeing cruises from May through October, showing off the city’s tall buildings and taller tales. The 63rd Street Beach House, with its quaint courtyards and open-air balconies overlooking Lake Michigan, is perfect for a summertime cocktail party of up to 1,200 guests. Millennium Park accommodates up to 7,000 people between multiple event venues, including the architecturally stunning Jay Pritzker Pavilion. Whisk guests off to a tropical paradise with the lush, fragrant greenhouses at Garfield Park Conservatory, where up to 1,000 people can mingle among the indoor and outdoor gardens. VENUES IN THE SKY Events on the 99th floor at Skydeck Chicago can seat 175 guests or up to 300 for standing receptions. Plus, thrill seekers can venture out onto The Ledge that hovers 1,353 feet above the city for one-of-a-kind views. LH Rooftop at LondonHouse Chicago, situated directly across from the historic Wrigley Building, is the only trilevel rooftop in the city, and can accommodate 250 guests for receptions. On the 94th floor of 875 N. Michigan Ave., 360 CHICAGO offers flexible spaces for groups of up to 550, and exhilarating bird’s-eye views from its TILT thrill ride. The lively dance club environs at ROOF on theWit accommodates up to 300 pevople under a retractable roof. The rooftop Château Carbide evokes French Riviera vibes at Pendry Chicago, with a beautiful outdoor garden and plush velvet banquettes indoors for up to 80 guests. MUSIC VENUES The House of Blues boasts state-of-the-art lighting and sound with Southern flair for up to 1,800 guests across its multilevel music hall. Pilsen’s historic Thalia Hall, typically the host for concerts and performances, can accommodate 800 reception-style. Formerly a steel factory, Radius in Pilsen offers 55,000 square feet across multiple rooms for 2,500 to 3,800 guests, plus private artist rooms. An opulent dance hall in the 1920s, Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom accommodates 4,000 guests for standing receptions. Wine aficionados can savor the private barrel room and concert venue at City Winery in the West Loop — both spaces seat 200 for dinner. A candlelit jazz lounge in the South Loop with a huge martini list, M Lounge is an intimate venue for groups of up to 30, including a VIP alcove that seats 10 people. The Promontory in Hyde Park is a bilevel performance and events venue that seats up to 150 guests, with cabaret tables and a standing lounge for up to 300, attached to an excellent restaurant specializing in rustic wood-fired cooking. MUSEUMS Up to 7,500 guests can sip cocktails among everything from towering dinosaurs to sparkling rare jewels in the galleries of the Field Museum, located on the lakefront Museum Campus. Between its airy atrium, lobby, and galleries, the Chicago Architecture Center accommodates 300 guests across two floors overlooking the Chicago River. Rent the entire Museum of Science and Industry for extravagant parties of up to 12,000. Or opt for its eco-friendly, freestanding Smart Home that seats 40 for dinner, or up to 300 for an outdoor reception in its lush garden dotted with huge trees that predate the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. The DuSable Museum of African American History in Hyde Park — the oldest independent Black history museum in the nation — can accommodate groups of up to 450 seated, with 800 standing capacity. The museum showcases exhibits with themes like the civil rights movement in Chicago and a tribute to charismatic Harold Washington, the city’s first African American mayor. PRIVATE EVENT SPACES The Old Post Office, with its 1920s art deco design, features floor-to-ceiling white marble walls and gold leaf ceilings for Gatsbyesque opulence. The multipurpose rooms and lounges are ideal for conferences, and The Historic Lobby hosts 800 seated or 1,400 standing. The Geraghty is a sophisticated space for up to 1,000 standing guests, with 22-foot ceilings throughout, overhead LED wall-to-wall lighting, and a VIP green room. Epiphany Center for the Arts in the West Loop is a former 19th century church with high vaulted ceilings and a chef’s showcase kitchen. The 42,000-square-foot space hosts progressive indoor and outdoor events for up to 2,000 guests, or 850 guests for seated banquets. Nestled in the Bronzeville Artist Lofts, Gallery Guichard is a wonderful backdrop for social or corporate events, featuring a 7,000-square-foot contemporary art gallery and an outdoor sculpture garden. SPORTS VENUES Host VIP hockey and basketball fans in the private suites at the United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks. Suites here accommodate 20 to 80 guests, with boxed and plated catering options. In Bridgeport, Guaranteed Rate Field seats 342, or 600 standing, between the party deck and Home Plate Club during White Sox baseball games. Arrange batting cage and bullpen sessions for a behind-the-scenes experience at Wrigley Field before enjoying a Chicago Cubs game from a private suite. Gallagher Way, the stadium’s adjacent open-air plaza, hosts 3,000 theatre-style, with catering from local restaurants like Big Star, Smoke Daddy, and West Town Bakery + Tap. At Wintrust Arena, suite rentals for up to 16 guests to watch the Chicago Sky women’s basketball team include a personal attendant. Soldier Field has several different indoor and outdoor venues. Rent the whole stadium for massive events of up to 63,000 people, including 133 sky suites. Find even more exciting venue and entertainment ideas. ENTERTAINMENT FOR YOUR SPECIAL EVENT Magic, music, comedy or gaming — these entertainers grant any request. U.S. Poker & Casino Parties creates Vegas, Mardis Gras, and Roaring ‘20s-themed game nights with speakeasy setups, blackjack tables, and live entertainment. Laugh it up at iconic improv club The Second City, where superstar comedians Tina Fey and Steve Carell once performed. Laughs guaranteed or your money back. Dance Spectacular Productions works closely with event planners to create customized shows for any theme and budget, from flash mobs to character meet and greets. Sleight of hand master Dennis Watkins performs private shows for groups of 20 or more at The Magic Parlour in the Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel. Book up-and-coming local musicians for your event with The Twoguard Group. Chicago blues legend Wayne Baker Brooks will have the crowd on its feet with his powerful vocals and rock guitar. Mandala Arts brings vibrant South Asian culture to the stage through immersive dance, music, and theatrical performances. Lola Bard Productions provides jazz entertainment, classical musicians, and holiday carolers for corporate events and cocktail parties. Treat your group to an educational Afro-Caribbean foodie experience with Cocoa Chili Restaurant & Catering. The swanky Airstream trailer provided by Mobile Lux Lounge is great for roving parties and tailgating.
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