Chicago - Official Visitors Guide - (Page 13) 3. Chicago on ice 3 4 2 1. Chicago 2016 Olympic dreams are stirring in Chicago. During a visit in 1893, Pierre de Courbertin, the father of the modern Olympics, noted that Chicago “is stirred by noble sentiments and pursues its moral perfection.” To that end, the city of Chicago is attempting to “Stir the Soul™” of the world. This spring, Chicago was chosen by the United States Olympic Committee as the United States’ nominee for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. While the city of broad shoulders is no stranger to Olympic bids — it won the 1904 bid before officials relocated the games to St. Louis — this is the first effort the city has put forth to host the games since 1949. The prospect of the 2016 games along the shores of Lake Michigan promises to be an impressive display of architecture and planning. If the city wins the bid, a myriad of new sports complexes will dot the city. Washington Park will likely be the site of the innovative new Olympic Stadium which will be home to the opening and closing ceremonies as well as track and field events. The Olympic Village will reside along Lake Michigan near McCormick Place. The 37-acre campus will put a vast majority of athletes within minutes of their competition venue. The city is in competition with several international cities for the right to host the games including Madrid, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, Rome and Qatar. The final selection will be made on October 2, 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark. To find out more, visit www.Chicago2016.org. Bundle up and bring back old-fashioned, winter-wonderland fun with Chicago’s outdoor ice skating rinks. Thanks to the city’s Parks on Ice program, Chicago rinks are kept in prime gliding condition, offering lighted night skates and keeping the hot cocoa flowing. Rinks are sprinkled throughout downtown and bordering parks and provide convenient venues for a refreshing family outing or timeless romantic date. Warm up during Chicago’s winter chill at these amazing rinks located in Grant Park: • Daley Bicentennial Park in Grant Park • McCormick Tribune Ice Rink at Millennium Park Rinks typically open around Thanksgiving and close the last day in February, depending on weather. Most offer free admission, inexpensive skate rentals and concessions. For more information, contact the Chicago Park District at 312-742-PLAY or visit www.chicagoparkdistrict.com. 4. A Show for all Seasons Jersey Boys, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, makes its Chicago premiere at the LaSalle Bank Theatre on October 6 for a six-month engagement. The Tonyaward-winning musical chronicles Frankie, Bob, Tommy and Nick, and their rise to become one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time. Jersey Boys features some of the Four Season’s most timeless hits from the 1960s such as Walk Like a Man, Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, and the classic Can’t Take My Eyes Off You. “My career started in Chicago, so I’m thrilled the show is coming to here,” says the FourSeasons front man, Frankie Valli. “Sherry was the first hit record we had and it was with [Chicago-based] Vee Jay Records. If you got a record played here, you could break it nationwide.” Tickets available at www.BroadwayInChicago.com. 2. Finding Our Way in the World This November the world is coming to Chicago — on paper. The Chicago Festival of Maps is a citywide event that is bringing together more than 25 cultural and scientific institutions in a unique collaboration that features maps, globes, artifacts and artwork from around the world. The festival begins on November 2 and continues into the New Year. Events take place throughout the Chicago area. Some events are free to the public, while others may have an admission fee. For a full list of events, dates, locations and costs, visit www.festivalofmaps.com. pg 13
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