2018 North American Continental Championships: What to Do

by Maggie Geppert, Vice Chairman

30th April 2018

North American Continentals is being hosted in Chicago, IL this year from June 21^st – 24^th.  This is a great time of year to visit the Second City.  If you’re planning to come to Continentals this year, I hope you’ll consider extending your stay to check out some of the great cultural attractions to be found here.  There’s so much to do that it’s difficult to highlight my favorites.

Museums/Zoos

• Chicago has a cluster of museums right downtown on Lake Michigan.  The museum campus features the Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium and Field Museum of Natural History.  I will have to apologize to anyone who wants to see out famous T-Rex, Sue.  She’s been taken down recently in order to be moved to a new place in the museum.
• If you travel a little bit south on Lake Shore Drive, in a similar vein is the Museum of Science and Industry.  This museum is housed in the only building that remains from the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.  They have a U-boat!
• A little farther north from the museum campus is the Art Institute of Chicago – we recently went there; I fell in love with the Van Gogh room, but Sprout loved the weapons and armor collection.
• Nearer to the venue is Lincoln Park, home of the Lincoln Park Zoo (free every day!), the Chicago History Museum and the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum.
• Finally, Chicago prides itself as being a hub for architecture.  The Chicago Architecture Foundation offers a wide variety of exhibits and tours for those wanting to explore the city’s building history.

Theater/Music

• Right on the lake front is Navy Pier, which among other things, hosts the Chicago Shakespeare Theater.  Their production of MacBeth will be closing on June 24^th, so if you’re in town prior to Continentals, check them out.  I saw Romeo and Juliet there and was completely blown away.
• Hamilton is in town.  Need I say more?
• If you’re looking for live jazz and blues, I suggest you check out Kingston Mines, which is quite close to the venue.
• Blue Man Group is a bit of a tourist trap, but it’s still a fun show.  I mean, who doesn’t like to have to wear a poncho for a trip to a theater?
• The week of Continentals is also Pride Week in Chicago, AKA Gay Christmas to my husband’s co-workers.  Capping the celebration is the Pride Parade on Sunday, the 24^th.  A word of warning – public transit does run extra trains for this event, but they will be crowded.  I recommend leaving early for any events that day.
• If you like Saturday Night Live, check out the Second City comedy troupe.  This improv comedy troupe boasts far too many famous alumni to count, from John Belushi and Joan Rivers to Stephen Colbert and Amy Poehler.
• I am sad to report that Gorilla Tango Theater has closed down after a labor dispute with their dance troupe.  The theater scene in Chicago is diminished by the lack of nerdy burlesque.

Dining

• Throw a rock – you’ll hit something good.  Just don’t get sucked into the tourist traps – House of Blues, Hard Rock Café or Giordano’s Pizza.
• If you want Chicago-style pizza go for The Art of Pizza or Piece Pizza (owned by the guy from Cheap Trick)
• If you’re a beer drinker, the most famous local brewery is Goose Island. You can eat and tour the brewery at their Clybourn location, which is not far at all from our venue.
• If you like cocktails more than beer, head to CH Distillery.  Say hi to my friend Patrice there.
• Oh, and if you happen to anywhere and order a hot dog, do NOT ask for ketchup on it.  That’s kind of a sin around here.  Ask for a Maxwell Street Polish.

Sports

• Oh thank gods; the Cubs are out of town that weekend.  We are too close to Wrigleyville for comfort.  However, if you are in town in the days prior to the tournaments, you could catch their series with the Dodgers.
• The White Sox are playing the As that weekend down on the south side, which is on the opposite side of town from where our events will be.
• Our WNBA team, the Sky, will have several games at home during the time frame of Continentals
• The venue is fairly close to the North Avenue Beach, which is can be highly entertaining on a warm day.  It might even be warm by late June.

So there you have it – a slice of what Chicago has to offer for the tourist.  I hope this little article has tempted you and your family to spend some of your precious vacation time in the Second City this summer.  Be on the lookout for my next article, which will run down where to stay and how to get around here.

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