Had my first McCormick place experience and they weren't lying, this place is HUGE! And I only saw a small percentage of it. I was here for a two-day conference and it's a well oiled machine. There is staff at every stop along the way guiding you which made navigating this gigantic place much easier. There was also security which I always appreciate when going to crowded places. The check-in line for the conference I was attending was no joke half a mile long but only took about 20 minutes due to the efficient staff. I really cannot say enough great things about the employees. Overall I enjoyed my first McCormick Place experience and I'm sure I'll be back for more in the future! read more

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Recently attended a conference at McCormick place. I often forget how huge it is, but we were in the west building for the conference. The facilities were super clean and there were tons of staff cleaning up during every part of the conference. It never once felt messy and the trash cans were never full. The staff was friendly, and always wished us good morning with a smile. The food was meh. We had catered food from the facility for breakfast and lunch. Breakfast pastries were rather dry and tasted prepacked. And lunch were boxed lunches that lacked flavor all but they were sandwiches, I just wish they had condiments on the side as an option so we could doctor it up. Overall, we had a great time and the maps all over made it super easy to navigate the experience. read more

Here yearly for ASCO. Sometimes AACR is here, too. I've gotten to know this place quite well! It's huge. Wear good comfortable shoes. If you plot out sessions , meetings in advance do familiarize yourself with the layout. The east building has Great Lake views!! Food is meh in convention center. Ughghgh. Expensive. Bathrooms are well situated. Decently cleaned. IT IS SO CONVENIENT TO GET TO BY THE METRA. Ubering in and out stinks. Taxis are best for leaving the center though if your convention offers shuttles , utilize them. The 3 bus takes you down Michigan and north towards the Starbucks reserve. That's also convenient if your hotel is on Michigan. Staff is always helpful. Again. Comfy shoes. read more

I attended a conference here recently and it was a very impressive facility. Some of the rooms were huge. Some of the smaller rooms were a bit more comfortable. The bathrooms were clean, and there was bottled water in the hallways. read more

I attended a work conference here -- the place is MASSIVE, but it's actually pretty easy to figure out how the distribution of the rooms is. It's three levels tall with a main ballroom area and rooms on the other side/underneath the ballroom. They have a large van pickup/drop off area on the lower floor, which is where the shuttles brought me and picked up to shuttle between here and downtown. I imagine most big conferences taking place here will have similar shuttle services from downtown, since this place is actually decently far from that area and most of the hotels/fun touristy parts of Chicago are around downtown. The bathrooms in this place are pretty clean, and they do have a few cafes and coffee shops (including a Starbucks) within the place. As far as conference spots go this one was nice and not too big, but it still takes a good 5-15 minutes to get from one side to the other depending on where you're going so factor that in when you're attending different sessions here! read more

McCormick Place - Inside on the main/ballroom floor (top floor) - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We visited McCormick Place in Chicago for a boys' high school volleyball travel tournament and flew in from Florida for the event. With over 700 teams participating, it was a huge and well-organized tournament, and McCormick Place was certainly big enough to handle it all. This convention center is massive -- easily one of the largest I've ever been to. Because of its size, though, the signage could definitely use improvement. It wasn't always clear where we needed to go, and we found ourselves wandering around a bit before getting to the right hall. Having large, easy-to-read maps posted in the lobby areas (or even digital directories) would make a big difference for visitors unfamiliar with the layout. Another area for improvement would be the cleanliness of the bathrooms. With so many people coming through for such a large event, they could have used more frequent attention throughout the day. On the positive side, I really enjoyed the vendor area -- there were plenty of volleyball-related booths, gear, and merchandise, which added some excitement to the event. I even ended up chatting with one of the vendors for a while and discovered that we actually went to the same high school years ago back in Long Island, NY! Such a fun "small world" moment. The biggest hassle came at the end of the night when we were trying to get an Uber to O'Hare Airport. It was a weeknight, but the traffic and confusion around pickup spots made it tough to find our driver. I was surprised that McCormick Place doesn't offer any shuttle service to the airport or a clearly marked rideshare area -- that would make travel much easier for guests. A nice customer service desk would be a great add. We did find someone to let us know that we could bring our luggage from the hotel to the tourney because we had to leave for the airport from there! Overall, McCormick Place is an impressive venue that can host massive events like this with ease, but it would benefit from a few practical improvements -- clearer signage, better restroom maintenance, and more convenient transportation options. With those tweaks, it could be a truly top-tier experience for visitors and event participants alike. read more

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This place sucks. From a lack of food, to water fountains that don't work, to no water bottle filling stations, to a lack of an easy way to get here, this place is garbage. read more

An immense and complex complex. Easy to get lost in so strategize where to meet up with friends. I like the restrooms, they are not hard to find. read more

McCormick Place - Wall mural - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is my first ace convention show. I attended this event with a manager from a retail store. They come here to order tools, etc., for their business. There really wasn't any vendors where you could order directly from. It is the biggest convention center in the United States. There is definitely a lot of room to move around in. There was a lot of walking involved from the Marriott to the convention center. I was so glad we were close and didn't have to worry about getting transportation to this event. We have breakfast and lunch served in one of their big meeting rooms. The food was OK, but it was free so really couldn't complain. It had everything in there and had bathrooms places to eat and places to sit if you need a break after walking almost 10,000 steps on that showroom floor If you're coming to the show, I highly recommend staying at the Marriott or the Hyatt, which the Hyatt was much closer to the event but walkable. read more

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Came here with our full orchestra to attend the Midwest International Band & Orchestra Conference. This location is beautifully spacious with ample places to sit and relax or to get something to eat or even purchase a souvenir. The location is very clean as were the restrooms. The staff is professional and friendly. The market where we had lunch a few days had a decent variety though they are a little pricey. But it's convenient so we paid the higher prices. read more

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Another visit , another great response from the security team. Parking and transporting high profile people can be a difficult task. But because of the excellent work by Lindsey and her security team my duties go off without a hitch once again. You guys are the best in the business and believe me, I know the business. Keep up the great work, it's much appreciated ! Bob read more

The largest convention in North America is located in Chicago, how about that. It is spread out amongst four buildings and near lake Michigan . There is a Hyatt Regency joined to the convention center. You can take the green line to the Metra and ride 2 stops and it will let you off inside the mccormick place stop. You can also take the green line to cermak McCormick place stop and walk down cermak distance of less than a mile. You can also take the red line to the cermak Chinatown stop and walk less than a mile as well to the McCormick place convention center. I was here for 1 day for the MAS-Con convention. I had a good time . The sheer size was overwhelming but I can see myself possibly coming back if all the things that made it possible for me to come all the same. read more

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Wow! This place is huge! Rooms are clean with a variety of different sizes to fit your need for any event. read more

McCormick Place - One of the ballrooms. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've attended 4 different Inspired Home Shows here. It is a sprawling layout with different pavilion areas. They have OKAY food options throughout the grounds. They have a FedEx onsite and other services you might expect. There are also two different hotels attached to the grounds for easy access. One big drawback is that it is far from other places downtown. Their bathrooms were very outdated. Parking can be expensive ($50/day), depending on what option you choose. As with any tradeshow, it is expensive to exhibit at McCormick Place, but being in Chicago is always fun. read more

McCormick Place - "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?" Only a high quality Zadro mirror will tell you the truth. #ME - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This convention center smells like mildew. Many halls are very dark and lead to nowhere. One restaurant was open. Also unappealing asthetics. Only good quality was the natural light. read more

I come here almost every year for an event. It's clean, bathrooms are mostly stocked, and there's a Starbucks (with a 30+ minute wait). Catering this year was unimpressive - limited menu and looked very mid. Wish there were more healthy/fresh food options and that I didn't have to walk a mile every time I needed to go somewhere. read more

First time here. The campus buildings are huge. The one I went to was the West building. I came for the big Salesforce Connections conference. It didn't disappoint. The building has multiple levels accessible via escalators, elevators, or stairs. There are numerous meeting rooms, ball rooms, large rooms, you name it. In particular, we had all you can eat snacks, DJ music, and free gifts. The keynote speakers were great, and the breakout sessions were educational. Parking was easy. I used SpotHero to reserve a spot less than a block away. read more

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I'm not sure why someone said it's abandoned, there are events here all the time like C2E2 and the auto show. SMH. I didn't drive here because I knew parking could be a pain. They had 3 lots that filled up fast. I came here for C2E2. It opened at 10 am on a Saturday but I arrived shortly after 12 pm. The line for will call went quickly as well as the security check. They didn't even check my backpack. There wasn't much of a line to get into the main area. I recommend downloading the app, so that you don't have to pull out the map each time. Pro-tip: bring a backpack with water, empty bottle to refill, snacks, power bank, phone charger, hoodie (Chicago weather is unpredictable), and cash. Oh yeah, either put on deodorant/cologne, or bring some with you. You'll notice some powerful BO when walking around. They just started doing credit cards at the autograph booths but they were more annoying. People's credit cards were declined or they didn't know their own info, made the lines even slower. Be sure to walk around the booths, they give out free samples of food and drinks. Not many but a few. Volunteers by the autograph area are very useless. Don't bother asking them general questions because they will most likely give you a dumb look or give you inaccurate info. read more

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Great pizza. The pepperoni deep dish did not disappoint I will return and grab me another slice before I leave the windy city! read more

McCormick Place - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Big convention center. It has its own CTA station even though it's kind of far away from it, but there's a Metra station. McCormick Place is where Chicago holds most of the conventions for industries and whatever. Clean for the most part and that's impressive because there's lots to clean around here. This is close to lots of hotels which is good for those coming from far away to visit. A lot of conventions happen here. It usually has one about every week or so it seems. These are usually for various industries and those types of things. Most often these are private events. Seems like these aren't usually open to the public though. For real. Go on the website and see for yourself. Checked out the list of upcoming events. There literally every one said not open to the public, sigh. Luckily I have been to a few in the past so I can share about those experiences at least. The restaurant one is probably the most popular because of the food and everyone likes to eat so it for sure gets busy when they have this particular one going on, and tickets can get expensive but it's worth it to go once. Get here a few ways, but avoid getting here by car. It's expensive to begin with but even more with paying for parking. There's cheaper and more efficient options with public transportation. read more

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McCormick Place is, I suppose, good for its purpose, but it is just so massive that it's kind of a PITA to visit. I've been here for a conference and the auto show and both times felt like I was going to get lost and wander the rest of my days trying to find my way back. There's parking--I didn't have trouble finding a space, though the first time I was here for an event I was dropped off. However, my biggest problems are parking related. Firstly, the doors from the parking garage to the interior of the building have no button for automatic opening. How do people with disabilities enter if they need the door to open? I mean, there are definitely folks with disabilities who drive. And to add insult to injury, there are TWO doors (so enter one door, then there's a few feet before another door) and neither of them have a button to swing the doors open. I mean... in one direction, those doors open in rather than out. So how does a person in a wheelchair, for instance, open the door toward them and then get into the doorway to exit? Tell me you didn't think about inclusive design without telling me. Secondly, they only have a few pay stations to pay for your parking. Double check if you're parking here, but you may be able to pay in advance when you arrive for your parking, rather than paying at the end, which may make the line a little less painful. read more

This is the largest event facility I've ever seen or know of in North America. Easy to get around inside, however, not the best for parking, ease of access by car if not familiar with the area, or dining options. You may as well be at a concert venue looking for a healthy meal. You'll find a coffee and overpriced McD's but if you aren't looking for an $11 slice of awful pizza, plan ahead and eat elsewhere. I did visit a kiosk for an apple ($2.25) and the lady was so taken aback that I asked for an apple, she told me to help myself. Trying to get to campus is quite difficult. You may want to park elsewhere and take an Uber to a door. If you park on site, you will have to walk or wait for a shuttle IF you manage to find an entrance to a parking lot. You cannot trust the signage or the lighted street signs that are event specific. It directed traffic in the option direction of the facility and any parking. Only by GPS were we able to find one of the parking lots. Facilities are clean, and there are plenty of staff on site to help with directions. Once the venue is closed, if you have to get back to your car, you may be able to still get in after hours to take the path you know to get to your car. There are a few restaurants outside of the venue but not many. Near the water, and a freeway junction, but don't venture on foot too far off campus. This is not a safe area for foot traffic. read more

McCormick Place - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Nice staff and beautiful. But huge with long long walks. Even people from our company who walk 4 to 5 miles at a time complained. Conference food very bad. read more

I've only ever been here to attend race expos, to pick up my race packet for either the Chicago Marathon or the Rock n' Roll Half Marathon. The halls that I've been in are over on the East Building/Lakeside Center. The convention halls here are huge and have been well maintained in the years that I've been here. It's pretty convenient to get to while using public transportation. There's even a Metra Station here. You can also use the CTA Cermak-McCormick Station for the Green line or CTA Cermak-Chinatown Station for the Red line. read more

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Beautiful location to have conventions. As you walk through the front you automatically see 3 flights of stairs and escalators. This is how vastly large this place was. I was here for the Magnet conference and just seeing the purple color of our magnet conference displayed on podiums was beautiful and incited excitement in me. Makes me want to run a race here just to come back Bus 3 takes you all the way to the front. I stayed at the Congress Hotel which was further away than other hotels but the transportation back and forth was easy and had no issues with it. read more

McCormick Place - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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$10 for a slice of so-called deep dish pizza. Imagine reheated Pizza Hut in a microwave. It would've been dreadful for two or three bucks but it was dreadful and stupid expensive because it's at McCormick Place. Go ahead and take a walk outside and go anywhere else. You'll thank me. read more

Large, clean convention center that can host multiple conventions. Well maintained outskirts and lawns. Plenty of bathrooms. Good wifi connection. Beautiful views of Lake Michigan. It is connected to the Hyatt and Marriott hotels. Location is easy to get to by mass transit (bus typically which will connect you to the train system) or ride sharing. Minimal food options in the center. The hotels have cafes and some eateries but would recommend saving your appetite for a chow in Chinatown or head back to the busier areas of Chicago. read more

McCormick Place - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Really nice. Parking is a challenge and hard to find. Lots of choices for food. Good service and the intro desk is helpful. read more

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It's soooooo big. Really huge. Massive. Gargantuan. But when you need alot of space for a large event, this is the place. Alot of restrooms and snack kiosks we're still closed probably due to the pandemic. And we actually parked in the wrong lot so we literally walked for 30 minutes before even getting to the expo hall. But I'm glad Chicago has a venue like this that can attract large trade shows and hope they make a comeback after the pandemic. read more

Although this is a very big center, one big drawback is that it is far from other places downtown. Their bathrooms were very outdated. The security staff was very nice and quick to get in for the event I was at. Parking can be expensive, depending on what option you choose. It is not too far from the lake, so depending on where you are staying you may be able to walk along the lakefront. read more

McCormick Place is a massive multi-building (4), multi-level (5) that is the largest convention center in North America. It is the country's premier meeting with easy access from all areas of Chicago including downtown, O'Hare via public or private transportation. With over 170 meeting rooms, 4 ballrooms, 4 theaters, 2.6 million square feet of exhibit space, ceiling heights up to 50 feet, free wi-fi to attendees, the buildings are linked by dramatic pedestrian promenades and sky bridges, containing retail shops and other visitor amenities. There are alos over 100 pieces of art in the south and west buildings, take time to stop and enjoy it if you can. The Hyatt Regency McCormick Place is adjacent to McCormick Place and the Marriott Marquis Chicago is just a short walk away for those who would like to stay nearby. I have included a map of the facility because it is very easy to get lost, but once you know the layout, it is easy to navigate. Probably best known for the Chicago Auto Show #CAS19, McCormick Place is host to many conventions, meetings and trade shows throughout the year. You can also visit on most days and take time to enjoy the architecture of the space, look up and enjoy the beautifully lighted hallways and enjoy the fountains. But be warned, you might be stopped by security that is located at every entrance. Parking is plentiful, with prices ranging from approximately $15.00 for outdoor parking to $36.00 for indoor parking and most lots do not have in and out priviledges. No matter where you park, you will definately have to walk a good 15 to 20 minutes, so make sure to add that to your traveling time. The only downside to the facility is that I feel that the majority of the bathrooms need to be updated. Most of the fixtures are outdated and should be modernized. read more

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I have been to McCormick Place dozens of times over the years for a variety of events like the Auto Show, Consumer Electric Show, Houseware Show, National Restaurant Asociation Show. McCormick Place is the largest convention center in North America. The newest addition is a spectacular piece of architecture & definitely worthy of hosting events which brings a ton of business for Chicago Years ago I got to work on setting up the booths for The Consumer Electric Show in the capacity of a carpenter. My Dads uncle financed Matsushita the founder of Panasonic when he was starting up so my dad (who was a carpenter) wrote a letter to Masushita. He was able to not only get himself onboard but me as well. Kind of cool to think that my dad was able to pull strings w/the founder of Panasonic and get me a job. This was in one of the older buildings that make up McCormick Place. Fast forward the Auto show is now exhibited in the newer building. The entry into the facility @ 2301 S King Drive is beautiful. As you enter the space there is a large 3 story arched atrium that serves as a circulation corridor that runs the length of the center back to the exhibition hall where the auto show is housed. As you walk in the entry there are a series of level changes. You enter at street level off of King Drive about a 1/3 of the way down the corridor there are a series of stairs & escalators that help w/the transition to the first level up. As you continue back there is another series of stairs and escalators that bring you up another level to the exhibition hall level where the auto show is. The whole connecting link is covered by an arched vault w/curved acoustic panels to help absorb some of the sound. The low end of the arched circulation is on the south side of the spine with the arch higher on the north side. The division of this circulation spine is very artfully done w/a continuous row of stone clad columns ending at continuous clerestory above. The vertical element continues in the same spacing rhythm, but w/a large vertical curtain wall member that mirrors the colonnade below and at the same time ties into the arched ceiling where the curve of the arch follows continues the same rhythm of the colonnade creating a beautiful well thought out aesthetically pleasing space. For me I can really appreciate the thought of the whole design and how they were able to integrate all the different components into a gorgeous space. McCormick Place is made up of 4 buildings build over a period of several decades and is over 2,670,000 SF. What an awesome convention center. Unfortunately the need to provide Union labor (higher cost) at McCormick Place is causing some businesses to look to other cities where the costs are substantially less read more

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This venue is MASSIVE and can easily handle the crowds of convention-goers! Came for the Chicago Marathon Expo and despite how many people were there, the traffic flow was good, restrooms didn't have much of a line and the City of Chicago smartly set up free shuttles to/from which made it an easy decision to go checkout everything. Even as a Non-Marathon runner, it was still really fun and there were lots of booths with vendors giving out samples and some selling merchandise. Its also nice that they have some concessions for food and coffee in the main entrance area since there isn't much in the way of food inside the Expo. read more

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I've been coming to the McCormick Place since the early 80's when I'd help my dad with the auto show. Back then the building was solely on the east side of Lake Shore Drive, and it was just one large building. When they expanded the buildings to the west side of Lake Shore Drive, they were developed in a very user-friendly way. And given the size of the buildings, that's a noble feat! The entire McCormick area has easy road access and a lot of parking, some on the street if you look in the right places. Inside the buildings you'll find just about everything. The weekends may not offer the same storefronts but there's always somewhere to eat in here. Over the years I've been here for trade-shows, work, a million auto shows, and most recently a volleyball tournament, which was interesting to see as they had to transform the entire B hall into a 60 court megaplex. They did an amazing job with that setup. Every time I come here I feel like the layout is smart, navigation is easy, and the reason I'm there is enjoyable. With so many interconnected hotels, restaurants and amenities, McCormick really is a small city unto itself. Cheers. read more

McCormick Place - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've been coming to McCormick Center for decades, whether it's for trade shows, conventions or other expo type exhibitions this space does it as good or better than any in the country. I know lots of people on both sides of the aisle but actually there are three sides to this coin - you either exhibit- you attend or you put it together no matter the politics it's a revenue stream that seems to never dry up for the City of Chicago. The truth is everyone benefits no matter who you are if you call Chicago home, from the bum on the street, to the cabbies to the hospitality industry this place is a generator of money and everyone associated with it gets paid. This ginormous facility is the largest of its kind in North America boasting more than 2,670,000 square feet, one can easily walk five to eight miles a day attending an event here. The strategy location almost forces you to eat and drink onsite while the show is underway - grabbing a cab or Uber to grab lunch offsite can easily take 2 - 3 hours on the conservative side. No matter where your staying in the city you're only a fist full of twenties away from the front entrance to McCormick... read more

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This was one of the largest event venues I've been in for quite come time. It's also not very easy to get to. It's about a 15-min walk from the closest train station and chaotic if you uber during a special event. All that said it's a smart venue if you have a big event. The floor plates are huge, so plenty of room for vendors to set up and spread out. The main floors are up the escalators. We found this made for a convenient meet up area right near the street level doors. read more

McCormick Place - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We come here at least once a year. I'm in a wheelchair & the ramps from the parking garage are not very wheelchair accessible. They are VERY steep! There's no way anyone would be able to navigate them alone. Once in the facility it's ok however quite a few staff had no idea where elevators were or how to get to the wheelchair seating in the theater. read more

Always liked this convention center for a variety of shows...like the Auto Show and the RV & Boat Show. Now they have opened part of it up for Covid shots with the National Guard helping. As to the McCormick facilities...they were really nice. Clean meeting rooms, pretty fresh bathrooms, clean carpets, and all around loads of space. When we put this Pandemic behind us, Chicago is ready to welcome the world. Lots of convenient parking at the Convention Center and in the Soldier Field lots nearby. Nice safe buildings for a major city so you don't have to be worried. Give this place a try and you'll like it. read more

It's been a long time since I was in the windy city for a convention. Forgot what it was like to attend a show here at this facility. McCormick Place is huge, worn looking, and a bit outdated. It does get the job done though. Adequate for any size event small or large. It's far away from the downtown area where all the hotels, restaurants, and places to eat are. It's located in an area where there is basically nothing. Nowhere to eat, nowhere to walk to, nothing to see, nothing to do. It's basically an eyesore of a functioning convention center in the bumfluck Chicago suburbs. Expect a $15-20 cab/uber ride from your downtown hotel. If you have a 6pm flight, and heading to O'Hare airport from this place, be sure to leave around 3pm as traffic is a nightmare and it's easily an hour ride. As far as convention centers go this has to be the worst when it comes to the food offerings. Overpriced God awful swill that is all on the unhealthy side. Processed and overpriced crap to eat here and not much else. There is a Hilton a few minutes away to walk to and eat at the bar area which has better menu options on the pricey side. Otherwise, it's a basic facility. Not great, not horrible, it's just kind of there. It really should be torn down and placed much closer to downtown as a modern convention center. read more

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I always like the space here better for Race Expos way better than the Auto Show. Put on your walking shoes, it's a long way from the entrance/coat check to some of these halls! In addition to the sprawling space, they have nice, intimate rooms for seminars. It's easy to get around via instructions, lots of functioning bathrooms too. If possible bring food or eat in advance, the prices in the fast food places are kind of bumped up. The food ranges from fast to healthy. Today my sister was picking up her Hot Chocolate 5K or 10K packet. It is always so well organized, picking up a packet, bib, and shirt. This year they added a feature where you try on a separate shirt (NOT yours) to see how it fits, then exchange it as you see fit, instead of exchanging an already worn shirt. They have samples of hot chocolate (what else) protein or energy bars, drinks, clothing, accessories, and they advertise for other races, (Cinco de Miler, Turkey Trot, Soldier Field 10 Fight for Air). read more

McCormick Place - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Chicago, Illinois