I must admit when I looked outside last Friday morning and saw all the SNOW I was feeling a tad bit blah but the party must go on!  As I put my snow boots on with my gown and packed my heels to go I did wonder would the snow put a damper on the attendance of one of my absolute favorite gala’s?!  Well as the night went on it was clear that we were NOT going to allow a little bit of snow to stop us!

 

 

First Look for Charity, the cornerstone fundraiser of the Chicago Auto Show, , despite one of the snowiest days of the year.

 

 

Guests sampled gourmet food and beverage offerings and browsed nearly 1,000 of the latest vehicles, technologies and interactive exhibits spanning one million sq. ft. of space. Proceeds from the annual gala benefitted 18 nonprofits across Chicagoland and, as in years past, purchasers could specify the charity to which their contributions would benefit.

 

“There’s nothing like the First Look for Charity black-tie gala at the Chicago Auto Show,” said John Hennessy, chairman of the 2018 Chicago Auto Show. “In addition to putting on the greatest consumer auto show, our manufacturer and dealership partners remain committed, year after year, to giving back to the Chicago community. That’s what this night is all about.”

 

 

 

 

First Look for Charity has raised more than $50 million since its inception. Proceeds benefit the following nonprofit organizations operating in the greater Chicago area: 100 Club of Chicago, Advocate Health Care, Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Joliet, Clearbrook, The Cradle, Franciscan Community Benefit Services, Franciscan Health Foundation, JDRF, Susan G. Komen Chicago, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Lydia Home & Safe Families for Children, March of Dimes, Misericordia, Special Olympics Illinois, Turning Pointe Autism Foundation and the Jesse White Tumbling Team.

 

 

 

YOU STILL HAVE TIME!!!

The Chicago Auto Show, the nation’s largest, is ramping up for its closing weekend which runs Friday, Feb. 16 – Monday, Feb. 19 (Presidents Day). The show is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day, except for the final day when it closes at 8 p.m.

The closing weekend also promises a robust lineup of special events and appearances.  Friday, Feb. 16, is Hispanic Heritage Day which honors and celebrates the Latino history and culture with a full-day lineup of special events and programs throughout the day.

The final day of the show, Presidents Day on Monday, Feb. 19, showcases fun, creative and hands-on programs geared toward children and families.

Show attendees can take a ride on three indoor test tracks including Camp Jeep, featuring an 18-ft. hill and a tunnel, where they can experience the all-new 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. Toyota returns with a test track where attendees can discover the new Toyota Camry XSE V6 during a thrilling experience around a closed course led by professional drivers. Finally, attendees can ride along with Kia product specialists as they demonstrate and describe the performance and safety features of all-wheel-drive on the Sorento and Sportage by driving the vehicles through a series of obstacles. Obstacles include a heavy bag slalom, side hill traverse, hill climb and descent and wheel-articulating moguls. Construction of the track used 65,000 lbs. of material and, at 15,400 sq. ft., it’s about the size of an NHL hockey rink.

Seven outdoor ride-and-drive experiences – hosted by Cadillac, Ford, Kia, Mazda, Subaru, Volkswagen and the Chicago Area Clean Cities Coalition – will offer an up-close look into the most recent cars, trucks, SUVs and electric vehicles to hit the market.

“The Chicago Auto Show is a consumer-driven show unlike any other automotive expo in the world,” said John Hennessy, 2018 Chicago Auto Show chairman. “We offer visitors unfettered access to vehicles and unique, hands-on experiences that enable them to make informed purchase decisions down the road. With new and exciting exhibits from nearly every manufacturer on the show floor, the 2018 Chicago Auto Show has something for everyone.”

For more information about the 2018 Chicago Auto Show, please visit www.chicagoautoshow.com.

 

About the Chicago Auto Show
The Chicago Auto Show is the largest auto show in North America, spanning more than one million square feet of production, concept and exotic vehicle exhibit space. In addition to hosting multiple world and North American vehicle debuts, the Chicago Auto Show’s First Look for Charity raises more than $2.5 million annually for 18 vital Chicago organizations in a single night. The 2018 public show is Feb. 10-19. For more information, visit www.ChicagoAutoShow.com or www.Facebook.com/ChicagoAutoShow.