While the Democratic National Convention won't be open to the public when it comes to Chicago, there will be some ways to get in on the fun.
Here are just a few different options:
The Blackstone Hotel & Mercat a la Planxa
The downtown hotel has created a replica of the Oval Office right in the lobby. The Blackstone is actually known as the "hotel of presidents," because they’ve hosted 13 presidents over the years. So they wanted to do something special.
"We invite everyone to come in and join us,” said Pierre Giacotto, general manager. "You don’t have to be a guest at the hotel. If you want to walk in and take some pictures with it. The goal is to engage.”
The Blackstone's adjoining restaurant - Mercat a la Planxa - will have food and cocktail specials, including a cocktail called The Smoke Filled Room. The drink pays homage to the time when Warren G. Harding was nominated at the 1920 Republican National Convention. It happened at The Blackstone Hotel, and when they opened the door, a bunch of smoke came billowing out.
Michael Jordan’s Steak House & the Intercontinental Hotel
Local
The steak house along the Magnificent Mile is also offering specialty cocktails during the DNC. Plus, the adjoining Intercontinental Hotel is also pulling out all the stops for guests. During the convention, the hotel will be live streaming the speeches and have a DNC-centric theme: "vote while you float."
“We have a junior-sized Olympic pool. It's going to be dressed up incredibly,” said Nabil Moubayed, hotel general manager. “We’re going to have a couple of bars up there, and people are going to have a few drinks and watch the convention as they float in the pool.”
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Resolution Studios
Over in West Town, against the backdrop of the DNC, you can check out “Into Action 2024," a large scale art exhibition and community festival at Resolution Studios.
More than 175 artists use their creativity to ignite passion in young people and encourage them to participate in the voting process.
"All we care about is that you vote," said co-producer Yosi Sergant, "Ultimately the more people vested in the outcomes of our democracy, the more people that use their voice through their vote, the better we are as a society. “
Into Action 2024 is free to attend, but you must register online.
