If you are a lifelong Chicagoan, new resident or visitor, the annual Chicago Open House weekend is one worth checking out! This free two-day public event, taking place Saturday and Sunday, October 19 and 20, offers behind-the-scenes access to almost 350 sites in 38 neighborhoods, many rarely open to the public, including repurposed mansions, stunning skyscrapers, opulent theaters, exclusive private clubs, industrial facilities, cutting-edge offices, and breathtaking sacred spaces. If you have ever passed by a building and wondered what it looked like on the inside, this is your weekend!
 | Especially for young OHC visitors, a special Family Festival at Millennium Park’s Jay Pritzker Pavilion will offer a behind-the-scenes look at this engineering marvel designed by architect Frank Gehry. During the Family Festival, kids ages 6 to 12 will learn how the Pavilion’s sculptural curves and twists project sound from the stage to the audience–plus there will be an opportunity to design one’s own sculptural structure. Families are invited to attend 12 pm-4 pm on both days of Open House Chicago. |
The week before Open House Chicago the Tribune will include a printed guide to the full weekend of events, but the best way to start planning is to check out the OHC website and follow along on their social media channels like Instagram and Facebook! Be sure to use #OHC2019 on your own photos too!
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Here are 9 Facts about Chicago Open House:
1. The Chicago Architecture Center (CAC) hosts the ninth annual Open House Chicago, a FREE event that takes the public behind the scenes at more than 300 of the greatest spaces and places in the city and near suburbs; there are 140 new sites* in 2019 that you wouldn't have seen if you participated in 2018!
2. Sites run the gamut from A-Z (with the exception of Q !), from the Ambassador Hotel to the Zen Buddhist Temple, and cover a vast swath of the city, stretching beyond Downtown to the North (Rogers Park and Evanston), South (Beverly and Morgan Park), East (South Shore) and West (Austin and Oak Park).
3. Open House Chicago is part of a worldwide movement of free events that began in London in 1992. Today more than 50 cities worldwide hold similar weekend festivals called Open House or Doors Open. Open House Chicago is the second-largest event of its kind globally.
4. In 2018, approximately 100,000 people from all over the U.S. and around the world participated in OHC, making a total of 366,000 site visits. This generated an estimated economic impact of $7.3 million throughout Chicago and its neighborhoods.
5. Of the locals who attended in 2018,93% said Open House Chicago made them proud to be a Chicagoan.
6. 300+ sites in some 38 diverse neighborhoods will be open from 9am to 5pm each day. Check listings for individual site hours and details. Neighborhoods include:
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7. Open House Chicago invites participants to ‘choose their own adventure.’ Among specialty routes are the new 2019 Year of Chicago Theatre trail, offering access to over 40 theatre-related sites; the ComEd Sustainability Trail; plus, Architecture & Design Offices; Brewed in Chicago; Historic Homes; Sacred Spaces; Skyline Views; and other thematic filters.
8. Open House Chicago is FREE and the admission charge to the Chicago Architecture Center will be waived throughout Open House Chicago as well! At most sites, no registration is required, and all are welcome. Select OHC sites do require advance registration and will not accept drop-in visitors. We are partnering with TodayTix (https://www.todaytix.com/) to manage booking for these sites, including conducting lotteries for the most sought-after ones. Complete information about these RSVP-Only sites is now available on the OHC website.
9. Chicago Architecture Center and 50+ OHC Community Partners recruit, train and deploy more than 2,500 volunteers to greet and count festival attendees. In 2018, Open House Chicago volunteers donated more than 15,000 hours in support of the event.
