Secret Chicago wants to help you make the most of your free time and keep you informed! We’ll be putting out “Don’t miss” and “ICYMI” plans and news for you each week, so you’ll always catch an incredible event or story.
1. 10 gorgeous ways to celebrate Galentine’s Day in Chicago this year
Galentine’s Day is actually our favorite holiday (shh… don’t tell the others.) For those of you who don’t know, Galentine’s Day is kind of a platonic Valentine’s Day celebrated on February 13.
Popularized by the iconic Park and Recreation episode, this unofficial holiday celebrates friendship, eating waffles, and drinking rosé. Technically, it’s a girl’s day out, but we encourage you to celebrate your besties no matter what your gender is. If you’re looking for ideas on how to celebrate Galentine’s Day 2023, look no further! We’ve rounded up 10 of the sweetest ideas below.
Read more about Galentine’s Day here.
2. Beyoncé announces 2 Chicago stops on her ‘Renaissance’ world tour
Beyoncé is coming back to Chi-town in support of last year’s critically-acclaimed album Renaissance. The superstar, who recently announced a world tour, is heading back out on the road with two stops in Chicago this July.
Taking to Instagram to announce the news, Beyoncé released a post that simply read: “RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR 2023,” with an iconic photo of her atop a silver horse– much like her latest album cover!
Read more about Beyoncé’s Chicago stop here.
3. Wisconsin’s magical “Ice Castles” experience in Lake Geneva returns this Saturday
Featuring caverns, ice slides, frozen thrones, and fountains that illuminate with twinkling color-changing lights, the winter wonderland is a life-size frozen playground created by a team of skilled ice artisans from over 10,000 icicles.
By night the creations are then illuminated by LED lights embedded throughout offering an even more spellbinding experience.
Read more about Lake Geneva’s ice castles here.
4. A Guinness Taproom is coming to Chicago’s vibrant West Loop neighborhood this March
For anybody with a thirst for that smooth, creamy, world-famous Irish dry stout, you’re in luck! Guinness is opening its second U.S. location right here in Chicago. The iconic Ireland-based brewer has signed a multi-year lease for a 15,000-square-foot space in the former Pennsylvania Railroad Terminal located at 375 N. Morgan Street.
Construction has been underway for some months transforming the West Loop space and, according to Guinness, it will open to the public this coming St. Patrick’s Day, March 17th, 2023.
Read more about Chicago’s new Guinness Taproom here.
5. General Admission Tickets For Chicago’s 2023 NASCAR Race Are Now On Sale
General admission tickets are now on sale, with two-day prices starting at $269. Reserve your seats, or opt for a suite or a specialty package to complete the experience. Depending on which ticket you opt for, you could also get access to extra events like post-race concerts, and more. NASCAR already released their two-day reserved tickets in November, which start at $465.
Read more about NASCAR’s Chicago race here.
6. See a smaller version of Chicago’s iconic Bean Sculpture in New York City
There’s now a smaller version of Chicago’s iconic “Cloud Gate” sculpture in New York City. Created by the same artist as Chicago’s design, British-Indian sculptor, Anish Kapoor, and his team unveiled an NYC version of Cloud Gate this week in Manhattan’s Tribeca neighborhood.
Read more about New York City’s new sculpture here.
7. The sun will officially start to set after 5 PM going forward to extend daylight hours
Read more about Chicago’s later sunset here.
8. Chicago’s Latin Reggaeton Festival ‘Sueños’ is coming back bigger & better this Memorial Day weekend
Already boasting an impressive lineup of internationally recognized music festivals like Lollapalooza in Grant Park and Pitchfork Music Festival in Union Park, last year the City of Chicago added another music festival to the mixer. The difference? This one offered a lineup made up of entirely Latin music.
The largest Latin music event ever to have been held in Grant Park, the inaugural Sueños Festival featured headlines such as J Balvin, Ozuna, and Wisin & Yandel as well as a roster of other Latin music stars such as Myke Towers, Jhay Cortez, El Alfa, and Chicago artist DJ Mariam.
9. A Taylor Swift-themed “Heartbreak Bar” is now open in West Loop
A Taylor Swift-themed pop-up bar is now open in Chicago, offering the perfect anti-Valentine’s Day plan for unfettered singles shaking off any forlorn feelings of heartache. Taking over West Loop’s Electric Garden at 324 South Racine Street, the “Bad-Blood” pop-up (homage to her 2014 album 1989) will run from Friday, February 3rd through to Sunday, February 26th.
Read more about the Taylor Swift-themed bar here.
10.10 gorgeous wedding venues in and around Chicago
From waterfront wedding venues in Chicago to outdoor weddings in courtyards and patios, we’ve here compiled a list of some of the best wedding venues in and around Chicago for anybody looking to tie the knot this year.
Read more about Chicago’s wedding venues here.
[Featured image from Upsplash]