28-May-18 – Out of the alleys and onto the Riverwalk. Chicago Loop Alliance says its first ACTIVATE event of the season will be on the Chicago Riverwalk near Wabash Avenue.

The organization says it will transform the area into “a vibrant bazaar environment” in which guests will experience the past and “Chicago’s modern-day creative renaissance,” guided by a fictional muse named EVO who can open portals to parallel universes.

Often held in Loop alleys, this will be the first ACTIVATE on the Riverwalk.

The events are designed to drive traffic to businesses in the Loop. Over the past four years, Chicago Loop Alliance says ACTIVATE has had a $2.3 million impact, with 61,000 people attending an event and collectively spending that much either before or after. Last year, the estimated economic impact was nearly $1 million.

“Chicago Loop Alliance does a lot of things, but the goal of everything we do is to ensure the Loop remains a vibrant destination and competitive place to do business,” says Michael Edwards (left), CLA’s president and CEO.

Says Edwards, “ACTIVATE creates experiences unlike any other and invites people who may walk through the Loop every day to see it in a new way that inspires them, delights them, and gives them a greater sense of pride in all the Loop has to offer them. And at the end of the day, these events are just a ton of fun.”

The June 7 event, from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., will feature visual art pieces, music, a roaming magician, and a treat cart. Other ACTIVATE events have been scheduled for July 12, August 16, and September 13.