Get out there and play
This weekend get to know your city and unveil its secrets during Great Chicago Places and Spaces. The annual event offers more than 200 free tours. From movable bridges and movie landmarks to chocolates and LEGOs, the tours will fill your family with plenty of history and in many cases, lots of exercise.
The tours are free but many require a ticket and most are based on first-come, first-served basis. Tickets will be available at 7:30 a.m. on the day the tour takes place at“Event Headquarters,” the Chicago Architecture Foundation, 224 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago. Arrive early for tickets to your first choice events.
The tours were designed by architects, designers and community leaders to“reflect Chicago’s great architectural heritage as well as showcase‘off limits’ places and spaces,” according to a news release. A few of these tours include“Director’s Cut: Tour of Landmark Movie Locations (walking),”“Chicago Chocolate tours (walking),”“Segway on the Lakefront” and“Historic Skyscrapers (walking),” which all happen on Saturday and Sunday.
Several kid-related activities are planned. For a complete list, visit the Web site. If your kids wish they could go back in time to be pirates, the Chicago Cultural Center and Millennium Park will host a treasure hunt sure to delight your young mateys. The hunt goes from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Pick up a treasure map at the information desk at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St., Chicago, or at the Millennium Park Welcome Center, 201 E. Randolph St., Chicago.
Is your house full of LEGO-maniacs? Head over to the Chicago Cultural Center, 1st floor, Garland Room, for the LEGO Block Party from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. There, you and your mini-maniacs can design and build an urbanscape with the help of local art and architecture students.
Whether your tours involve walking, boating or a train, trolley or bus ride, your family will be sure to walk away with a better understanding of what makes the Windy City so marvelous. For more information and tour schedules, call (312) 744-3315 or visit the Web site, www.greatchicagoplaces.us.
Get your sweet prize here
Four Chicago Parent families will win a set of four passes for a 90-minute lake and river Urban Adventure Cruise from Mercury, Mercury, Chicago’s Skyline Cruiseline. The passes include tickets for two adults and two children. To win, tell us your family’s favorite Chicago architectural landmark. Post your answer on our discussion board, then e-mail your answer, name and your Chicago Parent ID to e-dition@chicagoparent.com. You must post and e-mail us for your answer to be counted. We will not release your information-it is purely for contact purposes. Some answers may appear in Chicago Parent magazine. Winners will be chosen at random and may have no affiliation with Wednesday Journal Inc. or its employees.
Get your tickets here
During the month of May, five Chicago Parent readers will win a family pack each week to visit the"Glass Experience” exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry, 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, as well as general admission to the museum and an MSI hat. For more information on the"Glass Experience,” visit www.msichicago.org. Each week, we’ll post a different question to answer. For this week’s chance to win, tell us your funniest story about something your kids have broken in your house. Post your answer on our discussion board, then e-mail your answer, name and your Chicago Parent ID to e-dition@chicagoparent.com. You must post and e-mail us for your answer to be counted. We will not release your information-it is purely for contact purposes. Some answers may appear in Chicago Parent magazine. Winners will be chosen at random and may have no affiliation with Wednesday Journal Inc. or its employees.
Piece of the prize
This week, two Chicago Parent readers will win dress up costumes from the movie“The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” courtesy of the Disney Store. To find a Disney Store in your area, call (800) 757-5933. One reader will win the Lucy costume (size L 10/12) with a bow and arrow set, while the other reader will win the Prince Caspian costume (size L 10/12) and a sword and shield set. To win, tell us whether you’d prefer to win the boy’s or girl’s costume or both (Winners who post“both” will be chosen at random from both drawings). Post your answer on our discussion board, then e-mail your answer, name and your Chicago Parent ID to e-dition@chicagoparent.com. You must post and e-mail us for your answer to be counted. We will not release your information-it is purely for contact purposes. Winners will be chosen at random and may have no affiliation with Wednesday Journal Inc. or its employees.
