Best Kept Secrets: Best Event Venues in Chicago
Chicago boasts some of the most creative private event spaces across the country. From party venues to concert venues, meeting spaces to just stunning outdoor patios, Chicago is a corporate event planners dream when it comes to finding unique locations to through your next bash.
Chicago presents interesting challenges because most venues are focused on small groups, with attendees under 400 people, and one conference track. Similar to New York, corporate event planning companies and teams will find that there is a challenge with indoor / outdoor spaces due to the range of seasons.
Here is a list of some of our favorite places to host events in Chicago:
Chicago Athletic Association
Look and Feel: Chicago Athletic Association is one of our first go-tos when we’re event planning in Chicago, and with good reason. Built in 1893, this historic building, with a stunning Venetian-Gothic facade, was originally an elite men’s athletic and social club.
It has since transformed into a stunning hotel and gathering place with sporty vintage accents and architectural details throughout, like mosaic hand-laid floors, and elevators decorated with hand-painted emblems from the original fencing court.
What Events to Hold There: Aside from being visually stunning, the hotel provides a chic and intimate atmosphere, making it ideal for events under 200 attendees. This space is perfect for events that want to offer lots of unique entertainment options or a wide variety of trendy restaurants and bars in one convenient location.
During your event attendees can overlook Millenium Park,, enjoy seven onsite James Beard Award-winning bars and restaurants, or have keynote in their stunning historical ballroom space. And don’t miss their boisterous game room and bar with billiards, shuffleboard, chess and checkers — these are great opportunities for built in networking!
It’s Unique Because: During spring and summer, their crown jewel, Cindy’s, is equipped with an indoor and patio bar overlooking Millennium Park, Lake Michigan and the Art Institute. This recently remodeled space with floor to ceiling windows offers killer views and the patio bring ample space to attendees, which can be privately rented out for your group.
Oh and did we mention that they’re pet friendly, so you can bring your dog? Who doesn’t want some cuddle-therapy!
Navy Pier
Look and Feel: The Navy Pier is an iconic landmark, originally built in 1916 as a part of Daniel Burnham’s plan for the city of Chicago, inspired by discovery and wonder. The Pier is both centrally located and offers outdoor gathering space to thousands of people. It was re-opened in 1995 offering a space for local art installations, firework shows and, of course, their annual firework season.
What Events to Hold There: this venue is ideal for large crowds, since it is one of the top venues in the city that can hold up to 10,000 people. Along with exhibition facilities you event can enjoy having the famous Centennial Wheel, carnival rides, performance lawns and more than fifty acres of parks, gardens, shops and restaurants.
It’s Unique Because: Navy Pier exhibition areas are completely raw and fully customizable transformable spaces, which means they can be molded into just about anything. Companies should be prepared to add the pricey line item of “custom builds” to their budget if choosing a space like the Navy Pier, as well as a savvy planning partner familiar with full design.
Morgan Manufacturing
Look and feel: This renovated building survived 1871’s great Chicago fire, making it one of the few vintage buildings in the city that offers a deep sense of history. Along with that feel, open spaces are outfitted in their signature “industrial elegant” style. Lots of concrete, exposed brick and beams, and dignified lighting make this space feel quintessential Chicago.
What Events to Hold there: The space offers three separate which can hold larger head counts up to 1000 (set dependant). Since they are a raw space, they are perfect for corporate gatherings or non-profit galas that need flexible spaces for custom build outs.
It’s Unique Because: the architecture of these modular spaces make a stunning impression. The space offers enough of a blank canvas that top event planning companies, like us, will know how to transform the space into right layout to make the event stylish, and successful. They also have in house inventory to utilize, which is always nice should the aesthetic fit your needs.
Public Spaces that pack a punch
Often times it’s easy to overlook public spaces, but Chicago boasts stunning public Spaces that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Loyola University offers unique event spaces in their five campuses across the greater Chicago area. These venues are perfect for groups on a budget, as typically there are flexible rates for booking.
Union Station is not only a modern railroad hub, but an icon building offering private rentals for intimate groups form 60 - 220. They also have a private theatre for viewing parties!
Chicago Cultural Center is a space for visual and performing arts, free concerts and lots of great space for events. This space offers grants to non-profit art organizations, or groups looking to create events that are free to the public.
Are you ready to plan your event in Chicago?
Give us a call to build an event your attendees will buzz about!
Bash Creative is an event planning company specialize on incredible gatherings that go beyond just great design. We’re known for teasing out smart goals for your event and serve up a stylish execution that will keep your guests buzzing. Located in San Francisco, but often found in New York, Austin, Chicago, Seattle, and beyond.