Chicago’s leaders and local businesses are preparing to welcome tens of thousands of visitors for the Democratic National Convention next week, with special events and a series of guides to all the city has to offer.
Coinciding with the DNC, which runs from Aug. 19–22, will be a weeklong celebration at Daley Plaza from Aug. 19–23. The city’s first multi-day activation in the heart of downtown, announced by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, will celebrate the city’s culture, food, and more.
Choose Chicago, in partnership with the Chicago 2024 Host Committee for the DNC, has released 12 curated guides designed to help visitors navigate Chicago’s numerous neighborhoods and attractions, from iconic landmarks to hidden gems.
The guides are geared toward visitors with specific interests such as architecture, music, and museums and art, as well as those interested in the city’s Black culture, Latino culture, Asian culture, and LGBTQ culture. There is a family friendly guide to the city, and a guide tailored for accessibility. There’s also a food and drink guide, a neighborhood guide, and a guide to public art installations along CTA’s Green Line.
“We are excited to present these curated guides as part of our commitment to ensuring that every visitor to Chicago during the DNC — and beyond — has a memorable, enriching experience,” said Rich Gamble, Interim President and CEO of Choose Chicago. “They not only represent an abundance of options tailored to your passions and interests, but also reflect the collaborative efforts of our local community highlighting the diversity, ingenuity, and creativity that makes Chicago an extraordinary destination.”
Local restaurant owners are also ready to serve the more than 50,000 visitors expected to descend on the city next week.
“We are an old-school Chicago Italian restaurant located less than a mile from the United Center, looking forward to welcoming the DNC visitors to try our local cuisine,” said Dave Flanzbaum, General Manager at Viaggio Chicago. “Our close proximity to the action should be a blessing for business, as we often draw a large crowd tied to Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks games at the United Center.”
“We are very excited to welcome the 2024 Democratic National Convention to Chicago and especially glad for its proximity to Chinatown,” said Angela Leung, co-owner of the restaurant Hing Kee. “I am proud to showcase the diversity and inclusivity that define my family’s restaurant and our city. Hing Kee has been a Chinatown staple since 2007, and we look forward to sharing our family’s culinary heritage with visitors in town for the DNC from around the world.”
Angela Barnes, co-owner of cocktail bar Nobody’s Darling in Andersonville, said she’s “thrilled” to welcome the DNC to Chicago.
“Our city is vibrant, diverse, and full of unique neighborhoods and cultural experiences,” Barnes said. “We’re excited to share our community’s rich history and dynamic present with visitors from across the country.”
Despite being a seven-time Best Big City in the U.S. according to readers of Condé Nast Traveler, some visitors may have reservations about public safety. Chicago entrepreneur John Cerasani, author and podcast host of 2000 Percent Raise, believes the city and police will be “all hands on deck.”
“After watching how the former Mayor, Lori Lightfoot, did not take a heavy hand with crime during riots and protests in recent years; any business owner in downtown Chicago is more than likely justifiably concerned with the DNC coming into town,” Cerasani said. “However, Chicago does have a strong police presence when it wants to, and that combined with the recent assassination attempt on Donald Trump, I believe the city will be all hands on deck to keep businesses and residents safe.”
TMX contributed to this story.
