Occasions

Annual occasions

Annually-recurring events that reshape the West Loop's operational pattern for a weekend or a stretch of weeks. Dates shift year to year; the practical guidance below stays stable. Each page covers what the occasion is, why it matters in the West Loop, and the operational guidance — parking, hotels, transit, restaurant reservations.

• Occasion · October Chicago Marathon weekend Second Sunday of October. The course passes through Greektown and the southern edge of the West Loop; hotels and restaurants book a week in advance.
• Occasion · July Pitchfork Music Festival weekend Third weekend of July at Union Park. Brings concentrated festival crowds through the West Loop for the full Friday–Sunday weekend.
• Occasion · Late January – early February Chicago Restaurant Week Citywide prix-fixe promotion run by Choose Chicago, late January through early February. Most West Loop marquee restaurants participate.