Thursday, February 1, 2024 | |
Happy February, Kim. We wish you a great month! | |
February is...
"Chicago Southland Restaurant Month"
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The Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau (CSCVB) is coining February as “Restaurant Month.” To celebrate, the CSCVB is doubling the points in their “Savor the Southland” mobile passport program.
We encourage all partners to promote and personally frequent the Chicago Southland restaurants that receive less business during these winter months.
“Savor The Southland” rewards users points for visiting local restaurants. Users can earn southland swag with their points. The program is free and available to all. Guests earn points when they check in through the passport while dining at a restaurant. Click the blue buttons below for more help on using the passport.
Join “Savor The Southland" HERE.
Additional points can be earned by redeeming a coupon or ordering a “must-try” dish listed in the “Savor The Southland” with your server.
Chicago Southland restaurants can include a coupon during the month of February. You decide the terms of the coupon. If interested, please email CSCVB Marketing VP Kim Kislowski.
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Deadline for Festivals & Events Guide Submissions: March 1st
The Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau is collecting information on festivals & events for the 2024 Spring/Summer Festivals & Events Guide (May-October). In order to be included, you must submit your event/festival with a photo to us no later than March 1st. These pictures will be included with your listing on both our website and app. Additionally, it may be used on our social media platforms and in future guides.
As a reminder, your event can be added to the CSCVB's website at any time. Click below for the PDF submission form and the online submission form.
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USA TODAY Nominated Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park Needs Our Votes
Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park has been nominated for USA Today's "2024 10Best Readers' Choice" travel awards as a contender for Best Sculpture Park! Show your support of our wonderful Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park and vote TODAY and every day until Monday February 19th!
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Meet Our New Logo
For the first time in 20 years, the Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau has updated its logo. Aside from modernized fonts, the primary change comes in the omission of "Convention & Visitors Bureau."
The removal falls in line with current industry trends as a more direct call-to-action.
Moving forward, we will refer to the bureau as Visit Chicago Southland.
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Please Follow All CSCVB Social Platforms | |
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February Activities in the Chicago Southland
Click below and you won't need Cupid's arrow to fall in love with the exciting activities and events in the Chicago Southland this February. Enjoy a Valentine's Day dinner; participate in our Savor the Southland mobile passport program and earn double points for prizes during Restaurant Month; engage in Black History Month; read our blog on winter walks through Sand Ridge Nature Center; check out our travel inspiration on pizza; experience a virtual tour of Wintrust Sports Complex; take a look at our latest guide and check out some upcoming events.
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SAVE THE DATE!
NATIONAL TOURISM WEEK EVENT
Celebrate with us on May 23, 2024, at the Orland Park Civic Center in Orland Park for National Tourism Week.
Enjoy complimentary food, drinks, and entertainment amongst partners as we showcase hospitality and tourism in the Chicago Southland with many of the best restaurants and venues in the marketplace.
Exhibitor spots are available but will be limited, so please contact CSCVB Business Development Manager Chris Craven to secure exhibitor space at the showcase. We encourage and welcome partners--whether you're in attraction, hotel, brewery, restaurant, performing arts or others--to exhibit for the whose-who in the Chicago Southland.
Date: May 23, 2024
Place: Orland Park Civic Center
Time: 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.
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New Cook County Grants for Arts Organizations
The Cook County Bureau of Economic Development launched a new grant program to assist arts and culture organizations in building resiliency in the post-pandemic economy.
The Nonprofit Relief Grant Program is a component of Cook County Arts, a $5 million pilot arts initiative funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Cook County Arts focuses on suburban communities as many artists and organizations there are ineligible for major funding opportunities available through the City of Chicago. The Cook County Bureau of Economic Development is spearheading the initiative, which will include relief grants, creative placemaking investments and new research on the suburban arts sector.
The Cook County Arts Nonprofit Relief Grants program will provide up to $1.5 million in unrestricted relief grants to nonprofit organizations located in suburban Cook County. The application process is open now and will close on February 29, 2024. The $1.5 million program will consist of $5,000 or $10,000 grants depending on the scope and scale of the applying organizations and is SPECIFICALLY for suburban organizations.
For detailed information on eligibility and how to apply, visit CookCountyArts.org.
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Display Your Brochures for Free at a Premiere Visitor Center
Our Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau (CSCVB) Visitor Information Center is centrally located at one of the most primely located Oases in the United States. At the nexus of I-294, I-80, I-94, and I-57, the Chicago Southland Lincoln Oasis brings in international, domestic, and regional tourists plus commuters.
Being CSCVB partners, you can display your company brochures or rack cards at the bureau's Visitor Information Center complimentary. To get started, please mail the physical brochure(s) to the CSCVB offices or email a digital copy of the brochure(s) to the address below:
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MAIL BROCHURE COPIES TO:
Attention: Scott Rude
Chicago Southland Convention & Visitor Bureau
19900 Governors Drive
Suite 200
Olympia Fields, IL 60461-1057
Scott@VisitChicagoSouthland.com
If you already display your brochures at our Visitor Information Center and have questions or comments about re-stocking or updating your brochure supplies, please contact the CSCVB or Bernice Scheive.
*Brochures should pertain to your establishment, be tourism-related, and not be political.
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Chicago Southland's Interactive Destination Video is Out!
We have launched our Chicago Southland Interactive Destination Video. As we are Chicago Southland residents, consider this a chance to be a tourist in your own town for a stay-cation.
For tourists and outsiders, this video can be a great resource to identify where and what to visit. Spread the word!
The two-and-a-half-minute video displays for visitors and residents video footage of Chicago Southland amenities with their corresponding logo and website link synced on the side of the screen.
Whenever a video clip appears of any of the 85 different locations, that venue’s logo is highlighted and enlarged within the side column of links. Users can also scroll through the vertical list of all amenities in descending order of appearance.
The CSCVB interactive video is available at the bureau’s website, www.visitchicagosouthland.com/#clicktivated and by clicking here below...
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Free Digital Advertising at the Chicago Southland Oasis V.I.C.
The CSCVB runs the visitor information center (V.I.C.) kiosk at the Chicago Southland Lincoln Oasis in South Holland off interstate 80/294.
The kiosk has two digital billboards that play advertising from the various CSCVB guides and programs that are available.
We are now expanding the billboard content to include our hospitality members/partners, FREE of charge.
If you would like to have your business added, please send a 1920x1080 pixel digital still ad in a jpg format or a 15-20 second mp4 video. This screen is silent so ads/videos should be colorful and be able to stand alone without audio. We will not accept any political ads and have the right to refuse ads deemed not appropriate nor hospitality related.
Please email your digital ad or video to CSCVB Vice President of Marketing, Kim Kislowski.
If you're interested in placing your ad on 80 other available screens throughout the Chicago Southland (for a fee), you can reach out to:
Susan Thompson
Owner
Illiana Indoor Billboards
847-338-5104
illianaib.com
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Grant Writing Workshop is March 7
The Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau will host a Local Tourism Grant Writing Workshop via Zoom on Thursday, March 7, 2024 at 9AM CT to assist Chicago Southland communities and member not-for-profit agencies in applying for local tourism matching grants.
The workshop provides information on the grant program and offers detailed explanations of how to complete the grant application and expenditure forms.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email and link containing information about joining the meeting.
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Tradeshows Update
The Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau sales team continues to promote our region, working on booking future business in the Chicago Southland and building relationships with meetings and events planners by attending industry-wide tradeshows.
This photo is of our Tour & Travel Market Manager Tobie Fitzpatrick (right) at the Religious Conference Management Association trade show in San Antonio, Texas. Tobie's role there was to connect Chicago Southland organizations with attending religious meeting professionals.
Here are some upcoming tradeshows that our sales team will be attending:
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If you have any important hotel or attraction updates that you would like to share with our sales team before their next tradeshow, please contact CSCVB Vice President of Sales Mary Patchin. headline | |
For any questions, comments or suggestions, please call our office at 708-895-8200. | | | | |
