The Suites Collection

So many small business owners are feeling overburdened right now that a dose of good fun is recommended!  Participating in some of these upcoming Chicago events may be just what’s needed to refresh our over-worked spirits.  We’ve made it through the winter and the long spring is just beginning, so head out after work or on a weekend day and blow off some steam in our hard working city!

Snow Days Chicago is a free five-day winter festival on Michigan Avenue in Grant Park.  It’s happening now and continuing through Feb. 16.  The festival features a national snow sculpting competition, dog sled demonstrations, a snowboard rail jam and activities for kids.  Despite the recent rash of warm weather, they protected snow blocks ahead of time so the festival can still happen.  Watch as the park is transformed into a winter wonderland, showcasing over 27 beautiful and unique sculptures made entirely out of snow! 

The Chicago Park District’s ice skating rinks are still open through Saturday, Feb. 28, weather permitting.  Visit one in your neighborhood or if you are downtown you can go to the Daley Bicentennial Plaza in Grant Park at 337 E. Randolph St.   Admission is free and skate rentals are $6.  If being outside doesn’t fit your mood, check out The Chicago Auto Show beginning today at McCormick place and continuing through Feb. 22.  Visit the website for details and a link to purchase inexpensive tickets. 

Make your plans now for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities.  The downtown parade is on Saturday, March 14^th at 12 noon.  The parade route runs from Balbo to Monroe down Columbus Dr.  After the parade, view the newly-greened river and head to Poag Mahones at 333 S. Wells for an award winning burger.   They’ve got the Shannon Rovers Irish Pipe Band booked for entertainment throughout the afternoon.  Or you can head out to the South Side Irish Parade on Sunday, March 15 at 12 noon.  This parade runs on Western Ave from 103^rd to 115^th Street.  Officially St. Patrick’s Day is on Tuesday March 17^th which conveniently coincides with the opening round game of the 2009 NCAA basketball tournament, also known as “March Madness”.  Poag Mahones is hosting The Shannon Rovers all afternoon on Tuesday, too, so there will be plenty of opportunities to enjoy one of this city’s most celebrated holidays and take your mind off of the grind, if even for an hour or two.

According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, the number of volunteers in the Chicago area is down by over 15% this year.   That’s the bad news.   The good news is that 2008 isn’t over yet!  Celebrate this season of giving by volunteering your time for a worthy organization in our community.

Visit the volunteer matchmaking site at the Community Resource Network to find an opportunity that connects with your individual interests or skill set.   Search by keyword, location or both to find the right fit.  Their database represents a wide range of organizations and immediately gives you all the basic information you need to shop around for a cause that inspires you. 

Food is a large part of our holiday traditions.  For those that don’t have enough, this is a particularly difficult season.  Two wonderful institutions supply Chicagoans in need with food year round.  On the north side, Lakeview Pantry distributes over one million pounds of food each year to individuals in that neighborhood.   On the south side, the Greater Chicago Food Depository distributes the equivalent of more than 95,000 meals every day.  Both of these organizations offer ways to assist them in their efforts and directly improve someone’s life.

Expand your social and business network by participating regularly with a club that offers a variety of volunteering programs and events.  One Brick is a volunteer organization that takes the planning out of your hands and lists upcoming events on a web calendar.  You can join them for as few or as many activities as you want and there is no charge to attend.   They usually tack on dinner or drinks after their events making it a good way to give while also enjoying some community time of your own.

Follow your heart’s desires by reaching out to a known cause that has always meant something to you.  Love animals?  Volunteer for the Anti-Cruelty Society.  Opera fan?  Volunteer with Lyric Opera of Chicago.  Fascinated by architecture?  Reach out to the Chicago Architecture Foundation.   This city is filled with worthy non profits offering a vast array of missions for you to nurture.  Find the one that excites you and try volunteering for one fundraising or outreach event.  Then, if you feel satisfied, you can join their continuing efforts. 

In spite of the economic outlook, plan something meaningful with your family and friends for the holidays.  This time of year is for reflection and celebration.  Do the very best you can to enjoy every minute of these next few weeks.  Chicago has plentiful opportunities to give back to our community and it won’t cost you anything.   Give back this year and feel grateful for what you have.

Welcome this year’s fall season by enjoying the new batch of city events!  Even though the winters here linger the longest, we experience four distinct seasons of weather and Chicagoans really know how to celebrate them individually.  Fall in Chicago is symbolized by changing leaves, pumpkin patches and the Daley Plaza fountain turning orange.  Annual outdoor activities like the marathon and  skating help enhance the fall fun.

Even though the Daley Plaza market comes to an end on Oct. 2nd, the Federal Plaza farmers market at Adams & Dearborn continues through Oct. 28.  Walk through the market to gather fall’s final harvest, and then head to the Gallery 37 Center for the Arts on October 9th for their “End of Season” cooking class.  You will learn how to prepare fresh vegetable dishes that are particularly appropriate for fall.  The class is in their state-of-the-art professional training kitchen and costs $30.  Pre registration is required. 

On Friday, October 17th, Daley Plaza will transform into “Franken Plaza” for the city’s annual “Chicagoween” celebration.  Head over during your lunch hour to watch the antics of Midnight Circus, the high flying aerial ensemble of acrobats, contortionists and live musicians, with their incredible performing pooch.  See the full schedule for all the festivities including pumpkin decorating, scary movie nights and the Halloween costume parade.

Timed to coincide with the 2008 Presidential election, the exhibition “The Art of Democracy” is part of this year’s Chicago Artists Month.  This exhibit displays works by 60 printmakers whose art is concerned with democracy, social activism and political change.  Organized by the New York Society of Etchers it includes 25 Chicago-based artists who continue a tradition of using poster and print media as a vehicle for social advocacy and propaganda.  Located at the Loyola University Museum of Art, 820 North Michigan Avenue.  Suggested Admission, $6.

Cheer for the participants running the Chicago Marathonon October 12th.  This year’s race features Romania’s newly crowned Olympic women’s gold medalist, Constantina Tomescu-Dith.  Afterwards, congratulate them at the free post party in Butler Field at Columbus & Jackson.  The party has festival-like food and beverages, live music and entertainment.

At the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Washington Street, the 16,000-square-foot-Millennium Park plaza Ice Skating Rink offers one of the best views of Chicago’s famed Michigan Avenue.  Skating on the rink is free and skate rental is available for $9.  The rink opens on November 12th and you can skate every day from 10am until 10pm, weather permitting.  Don’t despair at the thought of this activity requiring a big chill; the rink has its own state-of-the-art chiller system that can maintain the ice even in the event of unseasonably warm weather!  But, we probably won’t be that lucky.