CONTENTS 10 REASONS TO MEET EXPLORE CHOOSE CHICAGO IS HERE TO HELP 10 REASONS TO ATTEND CONVENTION FACILITIES WHAT’S NEW FEATURED PARTNERS FESTIVALS & EVENTS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS RESOURCES ONLY IN CHICAGO SPOTLIGHTS AFTER-HOURS GROUP TOURS DINING IN CHICAGO’S SPECIAL NEIGHBORHOODS EVENT VENUES MEET WELL Gone Again Travel & Tours GONE AGAIN TRAVEL & TOURS In 1999, Crystal Dyer hung her first business license for Gone Again Travel & Tours on her bedroom wall. Within seven years, she had opened the first African American-owned storefront travel agency in the Austin neighborhood, handling local and international hotel accommodations, air travel, and group tours for businesses and families. While the internet has made booking travel easier, working with an agency like Gone Again removes the stress — especially for corporate clients. Dyer notes, “When event planners have a travel pro handling all their arrangements, they can go on with their everyday business and get a phone call back that everything has been taken care of.” The storefront is also a community hub, offering a meet-and-greet location for vendors and neighbors alike. “I’ve always been more than just a travel company. I’m also a community partner and advocate,” Dyer says. “My address is 5940, so I call it 5940-Chill.” Beyond handling the logistics of group travel, Gone Again also offers specialty trips, like Black Heritage Travel Experiences to several African destinations. Closer to home, the Chitown Soul Trolley tour explores Chicago’s historic Black communities, with stops for great food along the way. THE QUARRY EVENT CENTER Part community center, part event space, The Quarry Event Center anchors and supports Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood. General Manager Angela Phillips explains, “In order to create economic viability in each community, money must be spent locally to create a tax base. We’re attempting to provide services so people don’t have to leave their community to get what they need.” The venue is part of the mission of founder Yvette Moyo, whose Real Men Charities nonprofit is dedicated to strengthening Black families through wellness initiatives and encouraging paternal role models. With event spaces that can accommodate up to 150 guests, The Quarry Event Center is a key community resource for local entrepreneurs and neighborhood residents. But non-local events are also welcome at The Quarry. Phillips says, “We want to show that there are other options besides Hyde Park or downtown where you can get quality service in an excellent venue, and get to explore some of the other wonderful areas of this beautiful city.” The Quarry is also home to regular programs for locals, including self-defense classes and Friday Night Jazz. “We definitely have a lot to offer the community,” notes Phillips. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: GONE AGAIN TRAVEL & TOURS; ARTIST: ASHWATY CHENNAT WITH MANDALA ARTS, PHOTOGRAPHER: EUGENE TANG; RACHEL BIRES
Chicago Meeting Professionals Guide 2023: Page 34
