4 New Ideas for Entertaining in Chicago

The Chicago Helicopter Experience now offers after-hours event experiences inspired by its HeliNights mixers. The tours can be booked for private groups as large as 450, and include three helicopters that accommodate two to six guests each. The average tour is 17 minutes long, but can vary depending on group size. Full decor and catering services at the event space are available through the venue’s design partner. Prices start at $5,000 for the event space, plus $95 per person for the nighttime tours. In addition, a private yacht is also onsite for cruising around the Chicago River or Lake Michigan.

Latin-fusion restaurant Carnivale, which is located in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood, debuted its food truck in October 2016. In addition to serving favorites like an arrachera steak sandwich and a chorizo burger topped with spicy aioli, the truck features new menu items including a classic Cuban sandwich, crispy fish tacos, and cotton candy. The Carnivale food truck operates year-round, seven days a week. It is also available for private event catering for outdoor office parties, charity fund-raisers, block parties, and more.

In April 2016, Kehoe Designs created a custom virtual-reality experience option that is now available to all groups. Kehoe provides the technology, goggles, any props, and on-site technicians to assist guests. The experiences average one to two minutes, and pricing depends on design complexity and number of props included. Plus, the VR can be customized to fit any event theme.

Hotel Lincoln has expanded its meetings program with the Icebreaker amenity. The activity fosters engagement among attendees through a series of six get-to-know-you games that are led by the hotel’s staff such as a trivia challenge and Family Feud. The hotel can handle the creation of questions and answers, though planners can also submit any requested questions for a personalized game. The experience is designed for groups of 10 to 40 people.