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Ready, Get Set, Chicago! The Second City is First in Free Events and Savings

October 20, 2003 -- The Windy City recently announced a bevy of bargains for visitors good through the end of winter as part of its seventh annual "Chicaglo" promotion. You'll find pretty good discounts on hotels, free activities and events surrounding Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, restaurant specials and more. What you won't find are the Cubs in the World Series this year. Sorry Cubbies!

Halloween activities abound including a Haunted Village set up at Daley Plaza, a tricked out ride on a haunted elevated train around the Loop and a cornucopia of free events and readings for kids at Chicago's public libraries.

There are Thanksgiving hotel packages (November 25-28) at select hotels, featuring a one-night stay, free lunch or dinner and up to four free passes to the VIP viewing area at the Thanksgiving Parade on November 27. There are also special Nutcracker packages for ballet lovers, for Christmas and New Year's, a Visual Arts Immersion Weekend, and more.

Along with special hotel rates -- like the Essex House for $79 a night -- you'll get up to four free tickets to the Winter WonderFest at Navy Pier if you reserve during the December 12-24 period. The rooms must be reserved online at www.877chicago.com or by phoning 877/CHICAGO (same as 877/244-2246). You can use the free tickets anytime during the festival, which runs from December 12, 2003 to January 4, 1004.

Jazz lovers will be happy that Chicago has extended its Blues Exchange program through February 29 of next year. It's an exhibition that features the evolution of the blues in this city, also presenting free live performances of one hour each Monday and Wednesday at noon, and on Fridays at 5:30 PM, with local musicians taking the stage. Chicago likes to think it is the "Blues Capital of the World," and points to the US Congress having declared 2003 to be "The Year of the Blues."

Finally, the Chicago Office of Tourism sponsors an InstaGreeter program, in which visitors can see downtown in an hour with local volunteer greeters leading free walking tours. This operates on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 to 4 and on Sundays from 11 to 4.

For complete listings month by month, go to www.877chicago.com.


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