Upcoming PUBLIC events
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CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY EXPLORATIONS
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Join a rotating selection of our expert guides for a tour that will help you decipher Chicago's unique architectural quirks, distinctive infrastructure, and topographic clues to make educated inferences about your city surroundings.
Whether you use your newfound knowledge to impress dates, look cool in front of your mom, or as a foundation for creating history tours of your own, this tour (and accompanying handout) distills years of study into a quick, interesting walk that will open your eyes to the beauty and history around you. Highlights include:
Developed by Patti Swanson and Laura Schuetz, with Phil Thompson of Cape Horn Illustration. |
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Sat, June 22: 1pm-3pm
Ravenswood with Brick of Chicago's Will Quam |
Wed, July 3: 6:30-8:30pm
Wicker Park with Patti Swanson |
2019 Walking tours
Chicago for Chicagoans is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit offering tours on a "pay-what-you-can" basis. A suggested tip of $10-20 per person is suggested & appreciated, but not required. Reviewing us on Yelp, liking us on Facebook, spreading the word, and attending future tours tells us how much you love us too! Donate online at chicagoforchicagoans.org/donate.
WEST TOWN WALKING TOUR
Saturday, June 8th • 1:00-3:30PM Sunday, June 9th • 1:00-3:30PM Chicago for Chicagoans returns for another set of 2.5 hour walks through Chicago's West Town community area, featuring special guest collaborator Maria Avila Risolute! Maria is a painter and a lover of history who puts her expertise to good use on Chicago for Chicagoan's Board of Directors. Beginning at Eckhart Park, the tour will cover the architecture, landmarks, and community history of an area known for its many, highly distinctive pocket neighborhoods... all of which we're bypassing in favor of the lesser-known landscape between Kinzie & Chicago Avenues! From its important early role as a home for Ukrainian & Polish immigrants, to the effects of Depression-era redlining, and the continuous, diverse industrial history of the Kinzie Corridor, there's lots to be learned from the story of this quiet, artsy community. Additionally, the tour will highlight the many women-owned small businesses that dot the area! We'll end the afternoon with a meal at The Rookery, a woman-owned neighborhood restaurant known for its bird-themed cocktails and tasty eats. Come learn more about your place in space! |
PILSEN WALKING TOUR
Saturday, June 15th • 1:00-3:30PM Sunday, June 16th • 1:00-3:30PM Chicago for Chicagoans is excited to welcome you back for another exploration of Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, featuring special guest collaborator Blanca Torres! Blanca is a native resident of Pilsen who has spent the last few years active in the grassroots effort to preserve St. Adalbert's. Beginning at the 18th Street Pink Line Station, the tour will cover the history, architecture, landmarks, and gentrification struggles of this iconic neighborhood. From its infancy as the Slavic, melting pot neighborhood Plzeň, to its 1960s transformation into the Latinx area it's known as today, the rich history of Pilsen is one that highlights the stories of immigrants, celebrates the colorful contributions of artists, and dives into a spectacular variety of architecture from working class cottages to opulent cathedrals. The afternoon will end at Creperia Nuevo Leon, where participants are encouraged to enjoy a meal with the group. Please note: this tour will be conducted in English, but questions can be asked & answered in Spanish. Are you a bilingual resident of Pilsen interested in helping us develop a Spanish-language version of the tour? Contact us! |
PRAIRIE AVENUE DISTRICT WALKING TOUR
Saturday, June 29th • 1:00-3:30PM Sunday, June 30th • 1:00-3:30PM Chicago for Chicagoans returns to the South Side for a 2 hour walk through Chicago's Prairie Avenue District, with special guest collaborator Amy (Weber) Simoneau! Amy's South Side pride and love of historic gems found off the beaten path will serve us well as we explore an area once nicknamed "Millionaire's Row" for the magnificent mansions of Chicago's elite that lined historic Prairie Avenue. Beginning at the Cermak-McCormick Place Green Line stop, the tour will cover the architecture, landmarks, and stories of Prairie Avenue and nearby South Michigan Avenue -- from Marshall Field and Motor Row, to Chicago blues, legendary crime-scene analysts, and early Chicago settlers. The afternoon will end with a meal at Spoke & Bird, a South Loop farm-to-table spot known for its coffee, beer, & tasty food. Come learn something new about your place in space! |
ROSCOE VILLAGE WALKING TOUR
Saturday, July 13th • 3:00-5:30PM Sunday, July 14th • 10:00-12:30PM Chicago for Chicagoans is excited to announce the newest iteration of our 2.5-hour walk through the lively pocket neighborhood of Roscoe Village, featuring special guest collaborators Korena Dill and Barry Love! Korena and Barry are enthusiastic Roscoe Village residents with a wealth of combined knowledge about the neighborhood's historic patchwork of industrial, residential, and commercial landmarks. Beginning at the Paulina Brown Line stop, we'll explore the history & architecture of a neighborhood once known for its pencil factory, amusement park, and kooky aldermen. These days, it's a bustling part of the city filled with small businesses, historic homes, and just about everything in between. After the tour, participants are encouraged to check out the annual Roscoe Village Garden Walk (Sunday, noon to 5PM)! |
OLD TOWN WALKING TOUR
Saturday, August 3rd • 2:00-4:00PM Sunday, August 4th • 2:00-4:00PM Chicago for Chicagoans is excited to welcome you on a one-of-a-kind journey through Chicago's Old Town neighborhood, led by neighborhood collaborator Liz Garibay of History On Tap and the Chicago Brewseum! Liz is a native resident of Old Town who leads tours and curates exhibits on the rich history of Chicago's tavern culture. Beginning at Twin Anchors (1655 N Sedgwick St), the tour will cover the history, landmarks, and architecture of one of Chicago's oldest neighborhoods. From immigration history to the Great Chicago Fire, from prohibition and speakeasies to movements in music and art, this engaging walking tour explores the history of the neighborhood beginning and ending at some of its wonderfully historic bars. Come learn more about your place in space! Please note: attendees of all ages are welcome to join us for the tour, though please be aware that the day's final location (Old Town Ale House) is limited to guests 21+. |
BOYSTOWN WALKING TOUR
August 2019 • TIME TBA August 2019 • TIME TBA Chicago for Chicagoans is excited to announce the return of one of our most popular tours-- a totally unique, 2 hour exploration of the Boystown neighborhood, featuring special guest collaborators Vitaliy Vladmirov & Steve Migalski! Beginning at the Belmont Red/Brown Line stop, the tour will cover the queer history the country’s first recognized LGBTQ district. As gentrification displaces gay spaces and queer people of color, as wealthy home-owners push out homeless youth, and as strollers grow more common, the cultural fabric of the neighborhood is threatened. We'll explore the intersection of urban planning and LGBT politics, the limits of diversity, and the difference between acceptance and assimilation. We'll discuss how cities benefit from enclaves, how minorities carve out space, and how to be a better ally. Come learn something new about your place in space! |
BEVERLY WALKING TOUR
Saturday, August 17th • 1:00-3:30PM Sunday, August 18th • 1:00-3:30PM Chicago for Chicagoans is excited to revisit the far South Side with a repeat of our 2-hour tour Beverly tour, featuring special guest collaborator Tim Moran! Tim is a local journalist for Patch.com, and a homegrown Beverly resident who brings decades of passion for his community to a one-of-a-kind exploration of this time capsule neighborhood. Beginning at the 103rd/Beverly Hills Metra station, the tour will cover the history, architecture, and landmarks of this unique neighborhood– from churches and castles, to Irish immigration, historic homes, and contemporary controversy. The afternoon will end with a meal at Janson's Drive In, a Chicago institution serving up hotdogs, hamburgers, & Italian Beef sandwiches since 1960. Come learn something new about your place in space! |
**NEW** LAKEVIEW WALKING TOUR
Saturday, August 24th • 1:00-3:30PM Sunday, August 25th • 1:00-3:30PM Chicago for Chicagoans is excited to announce its newest tour, a 2.5-hour walk of the West Lakeview area, with special guest collaborator Walter Kiefer! Walter has lived in Lakeview for the past decade, discovering all the wonderful gems of forgotten history that line its streets. Beginning at the Addison Red Line Station, the tour will cover the history, architecture, and landmarks of Lakeview's western side -- from atypical historic construction on Alta Vista Terrace, to Wrigley Field's storied past, to tied houses, railroads, and relics of the industry that once dotted the neighborhood. The afternoon will end at a local restaurant, where participants are encouraged to have a meal with the group. Come learn something new about your place in space! |
Chicago for Chicagoans is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit offering tours on a "pay-what-you-can" basis. A suggested tip of $10-20 per person is suggested & appreciated, but not required. Reviewing us on Yelp, liking us on Facebook, spreading the word, and attending future tours tells us how much you love us too! Donate online at chicagoforchicagoans.org/donate.
FARTHER OUT...
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Fall 2019
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September 7-8
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September
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September
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October 26-27
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When we post a new event, IFTTT will let you know.
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(but we're not super diligent about sending it)
Click "My Applets" then "New Applet"
IF = RSS Feed, "New Feed Item"
If you want to follow our Facebook events (our tours + friends' tours), paste this link:
https://zapier.com/engine/rss/2898980/chi4chicagoans-facebook/
If you want to follow our Eventbrite events (just our tours), paste this link:
https://zapier.com/engine/rss/2898980/chi4chicagoans/
THEN = Choose your notification preference!
When we post a new event, IFTTT will let you know.
You can also sign up for our email newsletter on the contact page.
(but we're not super diligent about sending it)
Stay tuned... |
PLEASE NOTE:
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Help us plan a tour in your neighborhood!
We're prioritizing tours in the following areas-- contact us to get in touch:
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