ComedySportz is the longest running short-form improv show in Chicago. Now in our 23rd year! It’s not stand-up comedy about sports…it’s improv comedy played as a sport! We’re also known for corporate training and corporate entertainment, improv classes and as a great place for any group celebrating a special occasion. If you like great comedy improvisation, visit our theater, the ComedySportz Theatre

Mention you found us on Hereschicago.com

What does it take to build a bike with the members of your team?  If you’re participating in the Chicago Charity Bike Event, it will require teamwork, effective communication, and a willingness to roll up your sleeves and get involved.

The Chicago Charity Bike Event combines physical and mental team challenges with the construction of a working bicycle.  No previous bike-building experience is needed and everyone will find the Chicago Charity Bike Event to be fun, engaging, and memorable.

Groups create team names, compete to earn bicycle parts, negotiate for remaining parts, and present marketing campaigns to promote their bikes.  Your team’s tools include collaboration, communication, planning, resource allocation, creativity, a wrench, a screwdriver… and a lot of heart. 

But the program doesn’t end there.  At the end of the event, all bicycles are donated to underserved children within your community – or the charity of your choice in the Chicagoland area.  When possible, we bring the children to the program and the donation becomes personal.  This is truly a moment they will never forget.  Have you ever seen a child’s face light up as they receive their first bike?  With the Chicago Charity Bike Event, you won’t have to imagine…and there won’t be a dry eye in the house.

Program length and complexity will be tailored to fit your specific timeline. We’ll bring everything needed to build the bikes…you bring the tissues.  The Chicago Charity Bike Event allows you to build teamwork as you build bikes.  If you remember you’re first or favorite, bicycle… then you’ll understand why this program is so impactful.

Chicago Charity Bike Event Logistics:

Foundation and Briefing:  Each team will receive all the materials needed for the Chicago Charity Bike Event:  equipment for 1-2 bikes, tools, helmets, bike locks, marketing materials and decorations.  Teams would be stationed at different team tables.  The team will receive an overview of the Children’s Partner Organization along with the key objectives for the event.   

Chicago Charity Bike Building Session:  Teams will have approximately 2 hours to build the bikes, solve the team challenges, and create a marketing plan.  At the end of this time, each team will have the opportunity to conduct a short marketing presentation about their bike company!

Managing the Results:   Once teams have completed their marketing presentation, they will think that the event is over.  This is where the element of surprise takes place as participants and kids are brought together.  Participants are taken by surprise and are extremely moved by the spontaneity of the moment and witnessing the pure joy in the eyes of each child.  The participants will be able to spend some time with the kids to share their stories, take pictures and experience this memorable time together. 

Contact Corporate Teams for your next Chicago Bike Building Charity Event.

Chicago Watercraft small boat custom cruises for northerly island concerts, bachelorette parties, corporate events, unique client outings, and more.  10 - 12 people on your own boat on Lake Michigan!

Enjoy a Northerly Island concert and hear a great show surrounded by all your conveniences of your CW party boat! It’s like Ravinia on the water. Why spend $100+ on tickets, parking, drinks? Listen to Your favorite music on the lake with spectacular views. Charter a CW party boat/yacht; use our caterer or BYO food and beverage. Spilt costs!

Visit Chicago Watercraft and ask for Captain Vernon Patrick.  Tell em Hereschicago.com sent you!

Visit Hereschicago.com for a complete list of Chicago’s best Wrigley rooftops for your next company outing, friends get together, bachelorette party, or corporate event. Wrigley rooftops are one of the best networking venues in Chicago. It’s truly a unique and cost effective way to bring friends or clients together for one of Chicago’s most memorable corporate activities during the summer.

Prior to or after the game, book your group space at Cubby Bear or Vine’s on Clark. Both Wrigleyville venues are across the street from Wrigley Field and have group space for small and large groups!

Wrigley Rooftops Video produced by

Contact Chicago Indoor Racing if you are seeking great suburban meeting space, fun Chicago Corporate Activities, Buffalo Grove Meeting Venues, North West suburban conference space or a West suburban meeting venue for your next conference or Chicago suburban sales meeting, fun things to do in Chicagoland, or Chicago team building.

Each event at Chicago Indoor Racing is customized by one of their group coordinators. They will assist you in all the finer details of your event and can help you achieve all of your goals, no matter how simple or complicated. Chicago Indoor Racing Buffalo Grove or Chicago Indoor Racing Addison can work with groups of six to groups of 600 or more. Chicago Indoor Racing’s group event space features the latest in Audio Visual capabilities, including complimentary LCD projectors with pull down screens, as well as flip charts.

Chicago Indoor Racing in Addison | NOW OPENED!

Our new 105,000 square foot location in Addison features two new tracks and a variety of state of the art meeting spaces & entertainment concepts, including CyberSport. Groups events can be booked by calling Alisa Peters at Chicago Indoor Racing; individual walk-ins and same day reservations are happily accepted. Corporate and Group Events.

Five Meeting Rooms featuring the latest in Audio Visual Technology and wireless Internet access.

(The entire facility is a “hot-spot”)

Stewart’s Bar and Grille, a full service Restaurant and Bar, features a large array of cuisine sure to delight any palate! After the Race each location features a full service restaurant with a variety of dining options for individuals and groups of all sizes. They also feature a multitude of alternative entertainment that can be enjoyed before and after racing or dining.

Click here to email or call Alisa Peters at Chicago Indoor Racing for either location (Buffalo Grove or Addison) and tell her Hereschicago.com sent you!

Threats of federal regulation and sensational coverage are creating a paralyzing environment where companies across the country are canceling meetings and events for legitimate business purposes.

After three strong years, Chicago’s downtown hotels are facing tougher times as businesses cut travel budgets and tourists stay home. Because more businesses and groups are canceling meetings at hotels or spending less on food and drink, hotel owners are looking for ways to cut costs.

Business-related travel – including meetings, events and incentives – is a vital part of our national economy and essential to sustaining well-paying American jobs, the health of large and small businesses and the solvency of public services supported by federal, state and local tax-revenue. Broadly, business travel creates 2.4 million jobs, injects more than $240 billion into the national economy annually and generates $39 billion in federal, state and local tax revenue.

Specifically, meetings and events:

Create 1 million jobs to the American workforce in local communities – from big cities to small towns – across the United States.

Many of these jobs support working families in the hospitality and food service industries.

Generate $27 billion in wages for hardworking Americans that are critical to local economies across
the United States, and can play a critical role in our nation’s economic recovery.

Provide $16 billion in tax revenue at the federal, state and local level.

Contribute $101 billion in spending to the U.S. economy.

Support over 200 local convention centers around the county

Are responsible for nearly 15 percent of all travel in the United States.

When businesses cancel productive meetings and events, the American worker and local communities from coast-to-coast are the unintended victims.

Without the jobs generated by meetings, events and incentive travel, the current unemployment rate of 7.6 percent would rise to 8.2 percent and cost the average American household an additional $136 in annual taxes.

Critics have mislabeled many meetings and events as unnecessary and frivolous – causing companies that have received federal government support and many that have not – to cancel planned and future activities.
Whether a company has received emergency government lending or not, its inclination is to avoid the prospect of being ridiculed like AIG, Wells Fargo and others.

No region of the country is immune to the economic impact of canceled meetings, events and incentive programs. American workers and local communities pay the price as meetings, events and incentives decline.

The U.S. Labor Department reported a loss of nearly 200,000 travel related jobs in 2008 and Department of Commerce data predicts a loss of an additional 247,000 travel-generated jobs in 2009.

The meetings and events component of business travel is responsible for nearly 15 percent of all travel in the United States, drives $101 billion in spending, generates one million jobs and creates $16 billion in tax revenue at the federal, state and local levels.

Without the one million jobs generated by meeting and event travel, the unemployment rate in the United States would jump from 7.6 percent to 8.2 percent.

As meetings and events decline, local communities – nearly all of whom are dependent on visitor taxes – struggle to pay for essential services such as education, public safety and social services.

Business travel and events are a smart and cost effective way to retain and develop employee talent, generate ideas and share knowledge that drives future business growth.

Meetings, events and incentives are essential tools for companies to strengthen business relationships; align and educate employees and customers; and reward business performance. Members of Congress share this practice when convening their annual retreats at resorts outside Washington, DC

Incentive programs are two to three times more effective than cash at motivating employee performance. Companies can spend less on incentive travel than on cash compensation to achieve exceptional productivity from employees.

The recipients of incentive travel programs are typically hardworking middle class Americans who have earned trips for their exceptional performance.

According to a recent survey of Fortune 1000 Chief Marketing Officers, meetings and events provide the highest return on investment of any marketing channel.

Companies using taxpayer dollars must abide by best practices for meetings, events and incentives.

Companies that have received emergency government lending have an obligation to operate in a transparent and accountable fashion.

The travel community has addressed an urgent public need by developing clear, workable guidelines designed to ensure responsible business travel practices within companies that have received emergency government lending.

Additional punitive policies to limit meetings, events and incentive travel will unite business, labor and local government leaders in opposition.

The demand for face to face meetings is strong and the importance of having them is greater than ever in our history.  For example, within one week of sending the invitation for our Here’s Chicago Meetings and Hospitality St. Pat’s BASH event taking place on March 2, 2009 we are at capacity with the most meeting and event professionals registered in the history of this event with over 400 registered attendees and another 100 on the waiting list. 

“Business, Meetings and Incentive Programs are what built this economy” and “Our industry is being punished for the mistakes of a few”

“In Obama’s defense, I don’t believe he knows that the meetings industry contributes to “mainstreet”, the exact market he is trying to help. Bus boys, waiters, bellman, sedan drivers, etc.” says Jim Grillo, CMP of Hereschicago.com. 

Meetings, conventions, exhibitions, and incentive travel generated $122.3 billion in direct spending in the United States last year, according to the Convention Industry Council’s Economic Impact Study, released in September. Corporate meetings and events comprised one-third of that, or $40.3 billion; association events accounted for the rest.”

The industry employs 1.7 million people on a full-time basis, and is the 29th-largest contributor to the country’s gross national product.

Looking at types of meetings, conventions and exhibitions account for $67.9 billion, or 55.5 percent, of the total direct spending pie. Corporate and association meetings generated $48.1 billion in spending, or 39.4 percent of the total, while incentive travel made up the remaining 5.1 percent, generating $6.2 billion in spending. (Conventions and exhibitions are defined as events where exhibitions make up the largest component of the meeting, while meetings have a larger meetings component.)

The largest share of the convention and exhibition dollar, 35 percent, is spent in hotels. The rest is widely distributed throughout local economies, with 24 percent spent on air transportation, 14 percent in restaurants, and 12 percent on business services.
 
It is our responsibility today to communicate the positive messages from our industry and how we all directly contribute to the future growth of our economy.
 
Let’s make history together,
 
Jim Grillo, CMP
President
Hereschicago.com
Chicago’s Meetings and Events Resource Directory
 
Emmy Award Winner, Alternate Media/News 2008
Hall of Fame Supplier, Illinois Meetings & Events 2008
President, Meeting Professionals Internatio, nal Chicago 2003-2004
President, Hospitality, Sales & Marketing Assn of Ill. 2001-2004
Committee, Meeting Professionals International 2004-2008
Mentor/Ambassador, Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau, 2000-2002
Member, MPI International Student Advisory Council 2008-2009
 
For a P.R. Toolkit, visit the U.S. Travel Association (USTOA)

Parties That Cook stages deliciously fun cooking class parties and corporate team building events. Whether you´re interested in cooking up collaboration at a team bonding activity, planning a private chef demo or a memorable 40th birthday party, Parties That Cook will provide you with the ultimate gourmet gathering.

Parties That Cook has mastered the recipe for unforgettable corporate team building events. Our hands-on team building cooking classes encourage teamwork, boost morale, build culinary confidence and foster camaraderie.

Parties That Cook’s exciting hands-on cooking class parties are perfect for all occasions:

Chicago corporate team-building events
Chicago birthday parties & anniversaries
Chicago girls’ night out
Chicago showers and bachelorette parties
Chicago wedding rehearsal dinners
Chicago group dinner parties

How It Works:

Parties That Cook’s culinary staff will greet guests with hors d’oeuvres and beverages, then welcome everyone to mix and mingle while listening to music tailored to your group.
 
Your Parties That Cook chef then presents a lively and interactive cooking demonstration chock full of kitchen tricks and techniques. We take time to respond to your cooking questions. Afterward, guests are divided into teams to create their mouthwatering dishes at fully equipped cooking stations.
 
Each recipe and cooking station has detailed instructions and all of the necessary ingredients and cooking tools. Throughout the cooking, our chefs are on hand to coach you. Parties That Cook takes care of serving and cleaning up so you can enjoy the party!
 
Choose the party format that fits your occasion:

- Small Plates is a cocktail-style appetizer cooking class party (2 hours).
- The Chef’s Table offers a four-course sit-down meal with hands-on cooking class (3 hours).
- The Kitchen Challenge is an Iron Chef-style competition and extremely popular corporate team building event (3 hours). The Ultimate Kitchen Challenge includes an additional workshop with business coach and facilitator Starla Sireno (4 hours).
- A Feast of Chocolate and Cheese is dedicated to cooking with two sinfully delicious ingredients (3 hours).
- Chef Demo is a lively lesson in cooking tips and tricks from the professionals. Includes food samples or meal (1 hour).

After the party, we will send all guests all of the recipes you followed, along with a link to digital snapshots of the fun.

Pricing:

Chef Demo: $45 per person
Sumptuous Small Plates: $75 per person
Chef’s Table: $95 per person
Feast of Chocolate and Cheese: $95 per person
Kitchen Challenge: $115 per person
Ultimate Kitchen Challenge: $185 per person

The cost includes our professional culinary instruction, service, menu, recipes, ingredients, music, kitchen equipment, setup, and cleanup. Please note that this does not include a venue rental fee, party rentals or optional services.  

Minimum/Maximum # of Guests: We can accommodate any party size from 1 to 300 guests.

Dates/Times: Cooking class events are held any time of day, based on availability of venue and staff.  Depending on the type of event selected, parties last 1 to 4 hours, with the option of adding on additional time for speeches or presentations.

Take Aways & Attire: Each guest will receive a copy of recipes and digital photos from their event. Aprons are provided to wear during the lesson or may also be purchased as party favors to take home.

Alcoholic Beverages: You may BYOB at most party locations, or Parties That Cook will suggest one of our fine wine/alcohol purveyors, depending on your chosen location.

Visit Parties That Cook on Hereschicago.com, Chicago’s Event Planning Resource Guide to Chicago’s Planner Preferred.

The awards honor the dedication and creativity of event professionals who have earned the respect and admiration of their clients and peers. The award winners were selected through an online reader poll. The winner are:

Best Attraction – Navy Pier
Best Audio-Visual – The Meetinghouse Companies, Inc.
Best Banquet/Reception Venue – Tie between Galleria Marchetti and River East Art Center
Best Boats/Cruises/Charters - Kanan Cruises
Best Caterer – Blue Plate Catering
Best Conference Venue – Gleacher Center
Best Convention & Visitors Bureau – Chicago Convention & Visitors Bureau
Best Destination Management Company – On the Scene
Best Eco-Friendly Supplier – Greg Christian Catering and Events
Best Entertainment – Just for Fun Entertainment and Events, Inc.
Best Décor – Kehoe Designs
Best Florist – The Meetinghouse Companies, Inc.
Best Golf Resort – Lincolnshire Marriott Resort
Best Historic Venue – Chicago History Museum
Best Hotel with Meeting Space (less than 440 rooms) – The Blackstone Hotel
Best Hotel with Meeting Space (more than 440 rooms) – Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile
Best Photography/Videography – Tie between Promax Productions and Studio T Photography
Best Rental Service – Classic Party Rentals
Best Teambuilding Facility/Organizer – Corporate Event Interactive
Best Transportation – Windy City Limousine
Best Unique Venue – Chicago Illuminating Company
Best Venue Outside Chicagoland – Pheasant Run Resort
Editor’s Pick Best Event Décor – Ivan Carlson & Associates
Editor’s Pick Best New Intimate Event Space – Vertigo Sky Lounge
Editor’s Pick Best Casino – Horseshoe Casino Hotel
Editor’s Pick Best Experimental Event Expert – Minding Your Business

New this year, Illinois Meetings + Events magazine recognized its first-ever Hall of Fame, chosen by the magazine’s editorial advisory board.

Lifetime Achievement – Bill Pry, Partner – BBJ Linen
Best Special Events Planner – Andrew Schorr, President and Principal – In the Loop
Best Meeting Professional – Kimberly LaBounty, President – Apex Management & Special Events Inc.
Best Up-and-Coming Meeting Professional – Justin Rhodes, Associate – Corporate Events for Jones Lang LaSalle, Chicago
Best Supplier – Jim Grillo, President – hereschicago.com
Best Up-and-Coming Supplier – Renee Barricklow, Event Producer – Kehoe Designs, Chicago

“We are pleased to recognize the outstanding contributions of these organizations and individuals to the meetings and events industry, which plays an important role in Illinois’s vitality and economy,” says Lauren Hurley, editor of Illinois Meetings + Events magazine.

Thank you to our event partners; Underground, The Meetinghouse Companies, Inc. and Classic Party Rentals.

Illinois Meetings + Events magazine is one of eight regional meetings and events magazines published by Tiger Oak Publications, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn.  The idea-driven magazine focuses on the issues facing today’s meeting and event professionals in Illinois and beyond and looks to address all aspects of the industry through in-depth feature stories, insightful departments and helpful news and updates on tips and trends. For more information and to view photos from the event, visit www.ilmeetingsmag.com.

Visit Hereschicago.com, Chicago’s event planner resource guide featuring Chicago’s top Planner Preferred vendors for Chicago meetings and events.

Experience the Executive Drive at the Autobahn Country Club raceway on South track which is a 2.10 mile 15 turn road circuit.

Groups of 20 are perfect for this driving experience. Basically it is predetermined which 3 cars you would be able to take 2 laps around the track in.

Everyone drives in a round robin in groups of three. There is a pro driver in the passenger seat helping you grab the apex and telling you when to shift, accelerate, brake, etc.

I was fortunate enough to drive the almighty Lotus Elise, Noble M400, and Lamborghini Gallardo E-Gear.

All of the driving in the car is videotaped and recorded so you will be able to share that with friends and colleagues!

Experience the Autobahn for gatherings of any type!

• Manufacturers Events
• Employee Programs
• Fundraisers & Galas
• Team Building
• Sales meetings
 • Holiday Parties
• Corporate Retreats
• Picnics
• Birthday Parties
• Family Celebrations
• Bar/Bat Mitzvahs

Visit Autobahn Country Club on Hereschicago.com

The Best New Chicago Event Ideas for 2009!

Event Spotlight: “Night at the Museum” Scavenger Hunt

Combine the adventure and fun of WCF’s Scavenger Hunt with the fantastic exhibits at some of Chicago’s
famed museums. WCF recently planned scavenger hunts for two Fortune 500 Companies – one at the
Field Museum and one at the Museum of Science & Industry.

The Night at the Field Museum Scavenger Hunt was focused on the families of the company with kids
and parents working together to solve the clues and explore the wonderful exhibits. A great event used to build camaraderie amongst its family and employees. The Museum of Science & Industry Scavenger hunt was held during the day and much like our traditional scavenger hunts, was designed to enhance communication between employees and build employee morale and camaraderie. These exciting and adventurous events are guaranteed to add lasting value to your team!

WCF’s Scavenger Hunt Programs are customized for a variety of
museums and venues throughout Chicago:

• Field Museum • Adler Planetarium
• Museum of Science & Industry
• Navy Pier
• Art Institute of Chicago
• Shedd Aquarium & More!

“I want to send you this letter with a BIG THANK YOU! We had a great time!
Everybody had a blast. We laughed so much during the event. The team spirit really
got a boost with the event. I strongly recommend this to other companies and we will
be back! This was the best event we have ever had!” – Hewlett-Packard

Here are a few other great event ideas for 2009:

• Team Challenge – City, Suburbs
• Interactive BBQ
or anywhere in the US
• “Mission Impossible” Scavenger Hunt
• Gauntlet Challenge
• Interactive Reception/
• Great “Amazing Race” Chicago Employee Appreciation Event
• Interactive Summer Picnic
• “Meeting Energizer” Program

For more information on our new Chicago event ideas or any of our customized Scavenger Hunt Programs, contact Murrel at (773) 486-7403 or visit Windy City Fieldhouse, a planner Preferred vendor on Hereschicago.com, Chicago’s event planning resource for meeting planners, tradeshow planners, association planners, and convention attendees who are seeking only the best in events.