Best of 2011: 10 Chicago Event Industry Highlights

May marked the end of Richard Daley’s tenure as mayor of Chicago, a position he occupied for more than 20 years. In April, the Art Institute of Chicago had a tributary gala for him and his wife, Maggie. Among the 900 guests were New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, then Chicago Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel, White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, White House chief of staff Bill Daley, former White House social secretary Desirée Rogers, and throngs of local business leaders and socialites. As one guest put it, "If you locked the doors to this place, Chicago would shut down." Held in a tent in Millennium Park, the gala had Andy Warhol-inspired decor from Heffernan Morgan Ronsley and a performance from Broadway star Heather Headley, who donated her time to serenade the Daleys with their favorite song, “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?”

After a long battle with breast cancer, Maggie Daley passed away on Thanksgiving Day. Active and well-liked in the community, she was the founder of After School Matters, an organization that funded after-school activities for underprivileged children. Its high-profile gala, one of her most oft-cited legacies, typically draws 2,000 guests, raises around $3 million, and is No. 1 on our list of Top Benefits. The event’s centerpiece is a performance from the youth who benefit from the program.

In May, Rahm Emanuel became mayor of Chicago. Though it’s still early in his tenure, the new mayor’s personal tastes and interests are already adding prestige to some events—and deflecting interest in others. A dance enthusiast and former dancer, Emanuel was the honorary chair of the opening night gala for the Chicago Dancing Festival in August. The festival saw expanded programming and bigger crowds, and the mayor’s support greatly enhanced the event’s reputation, said co-producer Jay Franke. The Mayor’s Halloween Ball, a tradition that started under Daley, didn’t fare so well—this year it was canceled. Behind the scenes, Emanuel tapped Michelle T. Boone as the commissioner of the newly created Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. On her to-do list for 2012: taking over from the Chicago Park District the beleaguered Taste of Chicago festival, which has seen dwindling attendance and been plagued by crime.

Last year, sweeping changes in legislation were designed to make McCormick Place more attractive to, and less expensive for, meeting and trade show hosts. The new rules approved by the Illinois general assembly in May 2010 included establishing the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority—which owns and manages the expo center—as a public employer and limiting union workers' overtime. Then, in April, some of the reforms were overturned by the U.S. district court in Chicago. According to a statement on the official Web site for the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau, officials from the bureau and the exposition authority were "greatly disturbed" by the ruling. "As all observers of the convention and trade show business are aware," the statement read, "the implementation of those reforms has, virtually overnight, transformed McCormick Place from a great convention and trade show facility that was rapidly losing its customer base into an industry powerhouse. Not only were our existing customers convinced to keep their events in Chicago, but new shows have been rapidly signing up." As the year draws to a close, union carpenters at McCormick Place are close to reaching an agreement on new work rules. The teamsters union reached an agreement in October.

In September, the Tinley Park Convention Center wrapped up a $22 million expansion. Formerly 60,000 square feet, the venue has more than doubled in size. About 30 miles outside of downtown Chicago, the center now offers 58,100 square feet of exhibition space and 70,000 square feet of event space. A new 7,500-square-foot ballroom has large windows and 18-foot ceilings, and a renovated ballroom can host functions for as many as 1,000 guests. Eighteen breakout rooms range from 750 to 4,000 square feet, and there's also a business center. The parking lot expanded, too, and now offers 1,500 free spaces.

Fund-raisers developed new ways to engage a younger set of patrons. In January, the Chef’s Ball for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation hosted its first after-party with dessert and mixology stations (pictured). "We marketed the event to a younger crowd that wouldn't necessarily spend [the gala's full ticket price of] $400," said planner Amy Patterson. "But for $60, they could come and check out the scene." Likewise, Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS’ June gala introduced an after-party with a rock concert and a lower ticket cost, and a luncheon for the Lynn Sage Cancer Foundation in October offered ticket discounts for patrons under 30.

Public Chicago, a new Ian Schrager property, opened in the Gold Coast in October. The hotel's meeting rooms are on the second, 16th, and 17th floors, and can host conferences for 18 to 54 guests. And in November, Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Chicago (pictured) opened with more than 28,000 square feet of meeting space. Included is the 12,041-square-foot Atlantic ballroom, a sprawling space can seat 1,220 theater-style. On the second level, the Pacific ballroom can hold 310 in a similar configuration. The Mediterranean boardroom holds meetings for 18.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary in August, Lollapalooza drew more guests than ever this year. The daily attendance was about 90,000, as opposed to last year's 80,000-a-day average. Brands sought to gain guests' attention with everything from flavored snow cones to roving Playboy Playmates, and set up shop on festival grounds and at affiliated events all over town.

In April, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago's fashion show honored boutique owner Ikram Goldman and drew a high-profile industry crowd. Guests included Jenna Lyons, president and creative director of J. Crew, The New York Times's T magazine editor Sally Singer, and Rodarte Designers Kate and Laura Mullavey. The show's gala portion drew 650 guests, as opposed to 400 in 2010. The same weekend, Goldman hosted a blowout bash to celebrate the opening of her new flagship store and her 10th year in business.

The Oprah Winfrey Show—perhaps you heard?—wrapped its 25-season run in May. The two penultimate episodes were filmed at the United Center on May 17, letting megawatt stars such as Madonna, Beyoncé, and Tom Hanks praise Oprah in front of a crowd of 30,000 fans. Then the after-party began. After the taping, Oprah hosted a wrap party for 500 guests at the Four Seasons Hotel. Produced by Colin Cowie, the all-purple affair had chandeliers surrounded in fringe, sleek white lounge furniture, and food stations with everything from deviled eggs to homemade magenta marshmallows.