About Chicago
The city of Chicago, located on the shore of Lake Michigan, is 60,000 hectares large and was originally the homeland of several tribes of Indigenous peoples. The name Chicago originates from the Algonquin words “Shikaakwa” and “Chicagou” which means “wild garlic” and “onion field”. Jean Baptiste du Sable was an African-American man and the first habitant in Chicago, where he came from his birthplace in Haiti. There are many interesting facts about this city that make it a great place to visit, like the fact that the Chicago River was engineered to flow backwards and that it was where the world’s first skyscraper was built.
Successful people such as Hillary Clinton, Walt Disney and Harrison Ford were born and raised here, and the city thrives on its own as a busy commercial hub thanks to its access to ports, railways and planes. Today this town is a great place to find breweries, museums, sports games and other attractions, and is a prime location for a Chicago Halloween party venue.
Halloween Party Options in Chicago
Halloween is a fun holiday where many people like to celebrate by dressing up and eating sweets. It can be entertaining to celebrate the last day of October with a party of costumed guests who share the same enthusiasm for tricks and treats.
- Costumes
One of the most fun parts of Halloween parties is dressing up, and people can come up with some very creative costumes. You can include different outfits or accessories at your Chicago Halloween party venue for people to try on and experiment with.
- Candy
Every Halloween party needs treats like candy, chocolate and other sweets. Make sure you have bowls full of candy and chocolates to give out at your venue to sweeten up the night and celebrate this creepy holiday.
- Spooky Decorations
Aside from the treats, your venue will need tricks in the form of spooky decorations too. There are so many options for Halloween decor that you can add to your venue, from big blow-up decorations to small details like fake spiderwebs, bats and pumpkins.
Halloween Party Companies in Chicago
Your Halloween party will be a huge success if you plan everything beforehand. There are lots of local Chicago companies that are experienced in setting up parties, consider visiting some of these stores to get your costumes and equipment.
- Chicago Costume
One of the best places in this city to find outfits suited to a Halloween party is Chicago Costume. They have been in business since 1976 and offer a huge selection of masks, makeup, wigs, outfits and accessories. You can either buy the costumes to keep or rent them out for the night.
- Candyality
With its first location opening in 2007, this small candy shop has turned into a big and successful business. They offer sweet, sour, chewy or crunchy candy and everything in between, and would be a good choice for your Halloween party venue in Chicago. Candyality can follow a theme or custom make candy trays and gift baskets, although they are already prepared for this holiday with Halloween-themed sweets.
- Spirit Halloween
Spirit Halloween is a retail store specializing in all things spooky since 1983. They offer indoor and outdoor decor including animatronics, animal and insect-themed decorations, scary details and funny displays to enhance your venue. They also have Halloween lights and fog machines if you want to go all out.
Pros and Cons of Halloween Parties in Chicago
Chicago is a great city, but every town has its downsides to consider. Take a look at all of the pros and cons of traveling here before you decide to host a Chicago Halloween party venue.
Advantages
- Green spaces
Chicago is a bustling city full of shops, restaurants and buildings, but what you may not know is that the town is also home to some great green spaces and natural areas. Over 500 parks are available for you to visit as well as animal sanctuaries and conservatories.
- The airport
Chicago’s O’Hare airport is big and works well for getting you where you want to go. As it is a major airport, it is unlikely that you will have to have to make layover flights while leaving or entering the city making it easy for you and your guests to reach your Halloween party in Chicago. The airport has the most runways of any international civilian airport at 8 in total and serves 84 million customers per year.
- Great food
The food scene in Chicago is known to be better than most places and you can find restaurants with a variety of meals in the city. Aside from the world-famous Chicago hotdogs, burgers and pizzerias, you can find Italian restaurants, Polish food and more in this town.
Disadvantages
- The weather
Chicago is one of those places that have the opportunity to experience all four seasons in their wonder, which can be a good but also bad thing. Summers are hot and humid while winters are cold and stormy, with only a few weeks of break in between. It can start to get chilly by the end of October so be sure to take the climate into account before planning your Halloween party here.
- Poverty
Compared to the United States average of poverty at just under 15%, the city of Chicago has a significantly worse poverty rate at 20%. Some of the southern and eastern neighborhoods have elevated rates, which are most likely linked to the gun violence and gang activity that also occur in some places.
- Traffic and parking
Traffic is often a problem in big cities and Chicago is no exception. This city holds the title for 3rd worst city in the United States in terms of traffic, and getting around is an issue at all times of the day. As well, parking can be very competitive and hard to find in some of the busier places. Keep in mind that your Halloween party guests might have to take public transit to get to your venue.
Famous Locations in Chicago
- Shedd Aquarium
Shedd Aquarium is an establishment that focuses on educating its visitors on aquatic regions of the world and the life found within them. This is a great activity for people of all ages, but the Polar Play Zone is an area specifically made for children as it allows them to dress up as their favorite animal and go on adventures. Another fun exhibit is the stingray touch tank, where you can get to know curious stingrays who like to be petted.
- Oriental Institute Museum
This museum is found on the campus of the University of Chicago and is the place to go if you are looking to learn about the Near East. You can see exhibits dedicated to the archeology of Iraq, Turkey, Sudan, Israel, Egypt, and the ancient Meggido. With a Mesopotamian gallery and two Egyptian galleries among other exhibits, you can see objects dating from between 100,000 BC and the 7th century AC.
- The Rookery Building
The Rookery Building found in Chicago was named after the large group of pigeons that are often seen hanging around the building. Designed by Daniel Burnham and John Root back in 1888 and with an interior redone by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907, this building is 12-stories tall and made of elegant architecture with intricate detailing. You can take guided tours of this building to see the beautiful designs and historic style in person.