Even though the Democratic National Convention in Chicago is not open to the public, there are still some ways to join in 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 it has hosted 13 presidents over the years, so they wanted to create something special.
“We invite everyone to come in and participate,” said Pierre Giacotto, general manager. “You don’t have to be a guest at the hotel. If you want, you can just come in and take some photos with it. The goal is to participate.”
The Blackstone’s adjacent restaurant – Mercat a la Planxa – offers specialty food and cocktails, including a cocktail called The Smoke Filled Room. The drink is a tribute to the time when Warren G. Harding was nominated for the 1920 Republican National Convention. It happened at the Blackstone Hotel, and when they opened the door, a lot of smoke poured out.
Michael Jordan’s Steak House and the Intercontinental Hotel
The steakhouse on the Magnificent Mile is also offering special cocktails during the DNC. And the adjacent Intercontinental Hotel is also pulling out all the stops for its guests. During the convention, the hotel is broadcasting the speeches live and has a DNC-centric motto: “Vote while you float.”
“We have a junior Olympic pool. It’s going to be incredibly beautiful,” said Nabil Moubayed, the hotel’s general manager. “We’ll have a couple of bars up there and people will have a few drinks and watch the convention while they swim in the pool.”
Resolution Studios
Over in West Town, against the backdrop of the DNC, you can watch “Into Action 2024”, a large-scale art exhibition and community festival at Resolution Studios.
More than 175 artists are using their creativity to inspire young people and encourage them to participate in the electoral process.
“The only thing that matters to us is that you vote,” says co-producer Yosi Sergant. “Ultimately, the more people who are committed to the outcomes of our democracy and the more people who make their voice heard through their vote, the better off we will be as a society.”
Participation in Into Action 2024 is free, but you must register online.
