Neighbor News
Chicago Auto Show To Return To McCormick Place This July
One of Chicago's oldest traditions will be returning to the city over the summer after pushing back its typical February date.
CHICAGO- A longstanding Chicago tradition is returning to the city this summer, as the 2021 Chicago Auto Show will be held at McCormick Place in July, giving people a chance to once again check out the country's largest car convention.
The exhibition is typically held every February, but was pushed back this year as a result of the city's COVID-19 restrictions on mass gatherings. However, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, joined by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, announced today in a joint press conference that the auto show would be returning over the summer.
The convention is part of the city's plan to enter Phase 5 of its COVID-19 response by July, which would lift all capacity restrictions at events across the city as part of the 'Open Chicago' initiative. If everything goes accordingly, the auto show will be the largest gathering and first convention to take place in Illinois since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
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"Around this time last year, McCormick Place was turned into an alternate care facility that that significantly aided our city during the first wave of COVID-19-making today's announcement all the more special," Lightfoot said in a statement. "In the same spirit of collaboration between government, healthcare, community, and corporate partners, we are now able to bring conventions back to our beloved convention center in a way that is safe and reflective of our progress in slowing and stopping the spread of this virus."
However, this year's auto show will look significantly different than past years, in order to try and minimize the spread of COVID-19. Numerous safety measures are being put in place, but perhaps the biggest change will be the placement of large portions of the show outdoors, something that is not normally possible during the show's winter time slot. Approximately 470,000 square feet of indoor space in McCormick Place's Hall F will be used alongside 100,00 square feet of outdoor space.
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Additional safety measures, per the Mayor's office, include timed entrance windows for all guests, face mask requirements, sanitation stations, temperature checks, and contact-free ticketing. While the normal Chicago Auto Show run is typically a nine-day event, the upcoming convention will be shortened to only four days, taking place from July 15-19. Tickets are available online at the auto show's website. Admission is $13 for adults and $10 for children and seniors.