Sports – Chicago Theater and Arts

Watch your fav baseball team warm up in AZ

Old Scottsdale is a fun, historic lace to visit, eat and shop. J Jacobs phot o)

You survived the Chicago area’s recent torrential downpour and downed tree limbs but the weather weaves back and forth between icy and OK. Not bad. However, you are still talking about seeing your baseball team in action. So, go. MLB has 15 teams playing in Arizona’s Cactus League beginning Feb. 24 and continuing to March 28, 2023.

That means even if you can’t get your tickets from the Cubs or White Sox in their home park you can see them play in one of the other parks. None are farther than 40 minutes away in the Phoenix- Scottsdale- Glendala-Mesa area.

Spring training tickets are less expensive than during regular season and the players are good about autographs. Plus, the atmosphere is fun and casual.

Speaking of fun, see Visit Phoenix/Things to do where you can scroll down to a map titled “Explore Greater Phoenix.” Find the town where your team plays and tap on it for places to stay, restaurants and what to do.

As an example, when clicking on Mesa in greater Phoenix’s Southeast Valley, you see it has the Cub’s spring training base of Sloan Park. The Cubs begin at Sloan, Feb 25, against the San Francisco Giants.

Mesa is also home to Hohokum, the Oakland Athletics Stadium, several art galleries and such fun restaurants as Worth Takeaway and Jalapeño Bucks (known for its brisket).

By tapping Glendale, an area northwest of downtown Phoenix, you find Camelback Ranch, the spring home of the Chicago White Sox and the LA Dodgers.

Glendale has historic Main Street, an area of turn-of-century homes and lots of restaurants. Visit Cactus League at Camelback Ranch for good ideas on where to stay and what to do.

Which brings us to when and where to go: the Spring Training teams and schedule. MLB has 15 teams that play in the Cactus League from Feb. 24 to March 28, 2023. Find when and where your team is playing.

*Warning: When looking for info and tickets the websites that appear are primarily resale and other sites. Be safe by going to an official MLB site for tickets. Type in your team and MLB.com.

As an example, White Sox fans can find info at Official Information | Chicago White Sox (mlb.com) and the schedule at Chicago White Sox Schedule | Chicago White Sox (mlb.com) or at Official Chicago White Sox Website | MLB.com

Go. Have fun. See you in late spring.

Jodie Jacobs

Three fun festivals and shows start 2020

Enough of looking back at 2019. Instead, start putting some of the great shows, exhibitions and festivals of 2020 that you’ll want to see on the calendar. To start with, here are two biggies at McCormick Place (2301 S .King Drive) and a festival that takes place all across the city.

Chicago Boat, RV and Sail Show

The Chicago Boat, RV and Sail show celebrates 90 year anniversary at McCormick Place, Jan. 8-12. Sponsored by Progressive® Insurance, the show features more than 700 of the newest power and sailboats and 100 RVs.

Along with oohing and dreaming while meandering the aisle, there are fun activities including learning to sail with the Chicago Sailing’s Sail Simulator, fishing in the Huck Finn Trout Pond, remote control sailboat racing and a chance to build a boat with aluminum foil (see if your design can hold golf balls and not sink). For more information visit www.ChicagoBoatShow.com

Chicago Restaurant Week

Chicago Restaurant Week, Jan. 24 through Feb. 9, is a chance to experience a restaurant at a favorable price. For example, The Signature Room with great views from the 95^th floor of what used to be called the Hancock Building (875 N. Michigan Ave), will offer a special three course dinner (includes coffee or tea) for $48 and Lowry’s Prime Rib in the historic McCormick Mansion (100 E. Ontario), will have also have a dinner for $48.

Actually going for 17 days one week really isn’t enough to visit even a few of the 400 participating restaurants. After all, Chicago really is a foodie town with new restaurants constantly coming on the dining scene. For more information visit and restaurant choices visit Choose Chicago Restaurant Week. For participating restaurants visit Chicago Restaurant Week restaurants.

Chicago Auto Show

The Chicago Auto Show, the country’s largest display of what’s coming in design and technology, is at McCormick Place Feb. 8-17. First staged at the Chicago Coliseum in 1901, the show features everything from what was, what is, what will be and what may be categorized as science fiction in some minds.

In 2020 look for concept cars, super cars, sedans, sport utilities, hybrids, crossovers, electric vehicles, minivans, luxury cars,, sports cars, convertibles, pickups, minivans, economy vehicles, hatchbacks, sporty coupes, vans diesel vehicles and wagons. Of course there will be interactive displays, test drive opportunities and simulators.

For a fun look back visit Chicago Auto Show history. For interactive displays, see Chicago Auto Show Interactive. For tickets and general information go to Chicago Auto Show.

Jodie Jacobs

Around Town: CubsCon and SoxFest

Sox cap photo by Mira Temkin

Just when you think mid and late January dates seem far off you realize they are already here. So, Chicago baseball fans closely following any tidbits of who has re-signed and what star might be added to the team’s firmament, might get some clues from events taking place this weekend, Jan. 18-20, 2019, at the Sheraton Grand Chicago or next weekend, Jan. 25-27, 2019 at the Hilton Chicago.

Cubs Convention

Cubs cap photo by Jodie Jacobs

Sorry, tickets are no longer available but fans can go online @ Cubs to check behind-the-scenes action and follow live streams of these four events (all CST): Opening Ceremony , 6 to 7 p.m.,Jan. 18, “Friday Night with Ryan Dempster” from 7:30 to 10 p.m. CT, same night, “In the Batter’s Box” from 11 a.m. to noon Jan. 19 and “Cubs in Cooperstown” later that day from 3 to 4 p.m. Convention panels will also include “Joe Maddon & the Coaching Staff,” “Baseball Operations Update” and “Business Operations Update”

Who will be there

Among those players attending are pitcher Kyle Hendricks and outfielders Jason Heyward and Kye Schwarber. Among the alums are catchers Jody Davis and Randy Hundley, pitchers Fergiew Jenkins and Kerry Wood (of course Dempster), outfielder Andre Dawson and infielder Ryne Sandberg. To see the whole roster check Players and Alumni.

SoxFest

Yet a week away, there still are tickets available to SoxFest. Chicago Theater and Arts would ike to thank those fans who participated in the drawing for a free pair of SoxFest passes. The winning name, a resident of Highwood, IL, was drawn of Jan. 14.

Who will be there (More will be added closer to SoxFest)

Among the players will be José Abreu, Yonder Alonso, Tim Anderson, Nicky Delmonico, Adam Engel, Jace Fry, Leury García, Lucas Giolito, Michael Kopech, Reynaldo López, Yoán Moncada, Daniel Palka and Yolmer Sánchez.

Alumni will include Harold Baines, John Cangelosi, Carlton Fisk, Ozzie Guillén, Ken “Hawk” Harrelson, Michael Huff, Bo Jackson, Ron Kittle, Carlos May.

Recap

The Cubs Convention moves into the Sheraton Grand Chicago (301 E. Water St.), Jan 18-20, 2019.

SoxFest takes over the Hilton Chicago (720 S. Michigan Ave.) Jan. 25-27, 2019.

Jodie Jacobs

Around Town: Baseball heats up in January

Expect to see Cubs and Sox caps, shirts and jackets on the north and south sides of downtown Chicago the last couple of weekends of January 2019.

The Cubs Convention moves into the Sheraton Grand Chicago (301 E. Water St.), Jan 18-20.

SoxFest takes over the Hilton Chicago (720 S. Michigan Ave.) Jan. 25-27.

Both fests feature player meet-and-greets, panels,exhibits and autograph sessions

What you need to know to go

(Logo courtesy of the Cubs organizations.)

Cubs fans: Individual weekend passes and Sheraton packages are sold out but a few two-night, four-passes packages are still available for the W Chicago Lakeshore (644 N. Lakeshore Dr.).

For more information and to snag a W Chicago Lakeshore package visit Cubs Convention. More information on Cub players/coaches/alum to attend will be announced shortly before the convention starts.

(SoxFest logo courtesy of Sox organization)

Sox fans: There are still two-night hotel packages and weekend passes available. Some players, coaches and alum have already been announced. For the packages, passes, who will be there and more info visit SoxFest.

*** Drawing for free pair of SoxFest passes to readers of Chicago Theater and Arts.

The Sox organization is graciously donating a pair of passes to SoxFest for a Chicago Theater and Arts reader to use (not sell).

What to do

To enter the drawing, facebook readers can follow me on facebook at Jodie Jacobs, put their name in the comment area with code SX. I will send a reply asking for contact info.

Or if not on facebook send an email with name, phone and address to [email protected].

Names must be in by Jan. 13. Drawing will be on Jan. 14. The person will be informed by Jan. 15 with instructions on whether the passes will be mailed or picked up at the Chicago Hilton.

Jodie Jacobs