May 14, 2003 -- Blowing hard on its own trumpet, Chicago (the city) is taking every advantage of the ongoing popularity of Chicago (the movie musical), hitting positive notes with a trilling, thrilling line up of special events that offer cultural enrichment and some nice savings to boot.
First up are its "Immersion Weekends" set aside for celebrating Chi-town's long association with the blues, jazz, theater and more. The weekends include June 20-22 (blues), July 25-27 (theater) and August 29-31 (jazz). A fourth weekend, August 1-3, is devoted to tall ships when they dock in the city as part of the Mercury Tall Ship Cruise. Hotel stays for these are pricey, from $475 to $670 per room for a two-night stay, but a lot is included as well, such as tickets for a Ray Charles concert, orchestra seating for The Lion King, world premiere tickets to Race (a play based on Studs Terkel's book of the same name), tickets to concerts and exclusive receptions, and a tour of one those tall ships.
The "Play on Chicago" promotion surrounds many of the city's festivals and musical events running from June 1 through September 21, 2003. More than 50 hotels are participating, starting with the Essex Inn at $69 a night, the Hyatt Regency from $119, the Renaissance from $129 and the Sofitel Water Tower from $199. These rates are for June 6 through September 6, 2003, and some blackout dates apply.
Just to help you mark your calendar, here are some of our favorite events and productions:
- Chicago Blues Festival: May 29-June 1
- Chicago Gospel Music Festival: June 6-8
- Grant Park Music Festival: June 11-August 16
- Disney's Lion King is running through January 18, 2004
- Cirque du Soleil's Varekai: July 17- August 31)
Most impressive may be Native Sounds by the Lake, traditional Native American music, honoring the 50th anniversary of the American Indian Center, with free admission, at Millennium Park.
Finally, don't overlook the opening of the Chicago Blues Exchange, at the Chicago Tourism Center, 72 E. Randolph. It's an exhibit that explores the development of the blues from the Mississippi Delta through Memphis to Chicago and is set to coincide with the congressional announcement of 2003 as the "Year of the Blues." There will be twice-weekly free concerts at the center. The exhibit is free as well and runs through September 21, 2003, with the concerts on Mondays at noon, Fridays at 5:30 PM.
For all these programs, reservations can be made at www.877chicago.com or phone 877/CHICAGO (same as 877/244-2246). From outside North America, phone 312/201-8847. The TTY toll free number is 866/710-0294.