NEWSLETTER
Before we get started, you’ll have to forgive my relative enthusiasm regarding the following information.
You see, not only is there some exciting news to share about the soon-to-be-open Wrigley Field plaza (now a.k.a. the Park at Wrigley), but there has been a distinct lack of news for many months.
What was once a weekly update on the new rules, debates, plans, and more rules quickly and unexpectedly disappeared into the background of the conversation.
[adinserter block=”1″]
But given how much I like the idea of the Park at Wrigley (and the many events and fun to be had there) and how close I live to it (less than half a mile), I’m pretty hyped up for the many updates and reveals.
To start, how about a nice updated rendering of what the Park at Wrigley is going to look like when it opens up on April 10 (the night of the Cubs home opener!):
Park at Wrigley opens 4/10! @GreenCityMarket+@CrateandBarrel, @MusicBoxTheatre, @OldTownSchool to host free events: https://t.co/aEm0FIu3m2 pic.twitter.com/zyiSENgGDw
— ParkatWrigley (@parkatwrigley) March 29, 2017
Indeed, earlier today, the Cubs released the details surrounding the Park, including – most notably – the public launching of its very own website.
[adinserter block=”2″]
There you can check out the upcoming non-game events, the first of which being a Craft and Cuisine session wherein you can enjoy more than 40 different beer and wine tastings, live music, food, and chef demonstrations. According to Ariel Cheung at DNAinfo, Cafe Tola, Crosby’s Kitchen, Girl and the Goat, Honey Butter Fried Chicken, and several other Chicago restaurants are scheduled to make an appearance. If you are at all familiar with Chicago cuisine (especially around the Southport Corridor) you’ll know that lineup is the equivalent of starting off a game with Kyle Schwarber, Kris Bryant, and Anthony Rizzo 1, 2, and 3.
Sadly, although the Park will be open on game days, it is – as of now – reserved for ticket holders. In other words, if you don’t have a ticket to that day’s game, you won’t be allowed on the plaza – which, whatever. It’s something we’ve discussed ad nausea, something the Cubs have fought vehemently, and something the city pretends is something we don’t all want. There’s a chance that at some point, when some of these rules are revisited, things can change.
But back to the good news.
The Music Box Theater – a local, old movie theater (one of my absolute all-time favorite spots in Chicago) – is sponsoring the Music Box Theater Movies at the Park.
[adinserter block=”3″]
And, as I’m sure you can imagine, their summer lineup is home run (I’m so excited I don’t even care how cheesy that line was):
Those are fantastic selections, in my opinion, and you can just about bet that I’ll be at every one of them. (Even though I’ve already seen – and ranked! – the baseball movies in there.)
Also at the new site, you can virtually explore the plaza and surrounding area itself. Among the many locations, you can read more about:
[adinserter block=”4″]
And across the street at the (still in development) Hotel Zachary there’s even MORE good news for foodies. There will be both a Big Star and a Smoke Daddy location right across from Wrigley Field. Again, the Chicago foodies would gladly endorse both of those restaurants as must-visits. I seriously cannot wait.
So head over to DNA Info to read more about the plaza, and then go to the site yourself and browse around. There’s plenty to do and see, and it looks as good as advertised.
Oh, and post-game highlights will be shared on the video board at the Park after every game. At least that will be something freely accessible by all.
