Your insider's guide to the best things to do, see, and experience in Chicago.
4 MIN READ – The combination of COVID-19, the resulting economic crisis, and increased social unrest have presented real challenges for downtowns across America. But while these are colossal disruptions, COVID-19 is more of an accelerator than a game-changer. Global trends affecting North American downtowns were explored at Chicago Loop Alliance’s September 17 Downtown Futures Series webinar.
4 MIN READ – Over the last 20 years, post-disaster cities have shared a common thread — the use of public art to heal communities. The transformative power of public art was explored at Chicago Loop Alliance’s August 27 Downtown Futures Series webinar. View a recording of the full presentation here.
4 MIN READ – When Jacqueline Cunningham was 4 years old, her mom brought her to the Loop for the first time and did something Cunningham will never forget.
3 MIN READ – Chicago Loop Alliance’s Street Ambassadors, Heartland Alliance Health’s street outreach team and Thresholds have begun a partnership with the Chicago Public Library, operating a resource center in the Harold Washington Library for people experiencing homelessness and others in need of support. Chicago Loop Alliance and Heartland Alliance Health will operate the booth from 1-2:30 p.m. every other Thursday, and Thresholds will operate from 9:30 a.m.-noon every Wednesday. Thursday, July 30, was the first day for the new pilot program. It will run through at least the end of September.
1 MIN READ – Some businesses in the Chicago Loop were damaged last night and early this morning during looting. As Mayor Lori Lightfoot solidifies details for downtown travel restrictions from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., some Loop businesses that were not damaged have made the decision to temporarily close.
4 MIN READ – Max’s Take Out at Adams and Wabash is the oldest hot dog stand in the Loop. Owner Max Khan opened his restaurant at this location in 1995, but before then it was Dudley’s, opened in 1962 (If you peek in the alley, you can still see a Dudley’s advertisement from the ’60s). With his restaurant, Khan has always had the simple goal of serving good food, fast, and he’s succeeded at that. But he’s also gone above and beyond for the Loop community by feeding people experiencing homelessness and giving food to volunteer groups.
5 MIN READ – What will this fall semester look like, and how will the urban amenity transform to address a world still facing the realities of a pandemic? This was the core question Chicago Loop Alliance explored with its July 30 Downtown Futures Series: Resetting the Urban University in a Pandemic World webinar. View a recording of the full presentation here.
4 MIN READ – Sandi Robinson has it in her bones to make sure people are taken care of. Not only has she worked in the hospitality industry since she was 16 (currently as the Area Director of Sales and Marketing for the Godfrey Hotel and Hotel Essex), but she is a co-founder of ChiGivesBack, an organization whose mission is to improve the welfare of our global community via innovative charitable experiences.
marzo 14, 2026
Chicago’s top-rated architecture boat tour, 90 minutes with expert CAC guides, stunning skyline views, open-air seating, and onboard amenities.
marzo 20, 2026
Explore Chicago’s haunted past on a nighttime river cruise featuring ghost stories, mob history, and eerie secrets of the Windy City.
abril 16, 2026
Chicago River & Lake Michigan cruise with skyline views, iconic landmarks, and engaging guides sharing the city’s history and stories.
abril 16, 2026
Experience Chicago at night on a 90-minute river and lake cruise, featuring a glittering skyline, cool breezes, and lively, family-friendly commentary.
21 de abril de 2026
Directed by Andrew Scoville. Co-created by Academy, Grammy, and Tony Award-winning artist David Byrne* and writer Mala Gaonkar, Theater of the Mind is a new theatrical…
mayo 23, 2026 | 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Cruise from the Chicago Riverwalk to Lake Michigan for skyline views and a 3D-enhanced fireworks show with music and narration.
mayo 31, 2026
Let your creative potential shine this summer with a class at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, with options available for kids, teens and…
junio 5, 2026
From June 6th until July 5th, the phenomenal Champions of Magic bring their acclaimed illusion spectacular to Chicago. Featuring their biggest illusions ever, experience the Broadway-scale…
junio 19, 2026
MUSIC BY MARK HOLLMANNLYRICS BY MARK HOLLMANN AND JAY REISSBOOK BY ERIN QUINN PURCELL AND JAY REISSDIRECTED BY MARC BRUNISTARRING…
