The Chicago Park District offers many unique sites to host your next special event.

You and your guests will be able to enjoy some of the most extraordinary spaces in Chicago for your wedding, family reunion, corporate event, or any other occasion special to you.

Sites can accommodate up to thousands for a seated dinner with a dance floor.

With serene gardens, lakefront settings, and grand ballrooms, find out why so many are choosing the Chicago Park District for their next event.

Please use the following information to navigate through the Chicago Park District’s Special Use Venues. Complete with addresses, contact phone numbers and brief descriptions of indoor and outdoor spaces, this information provides endless possibilities for any type of event!

After reviewing the following information, feel free to call the appropriate contact.

Please download and review general information.

Originally named the Downey Mansion, this historic landmark is one of the few remaining mansions that once lined Chicago’s Lakefront.

This quaint mansion features hardwood floors, original woodwork and antique light fixtures among other charming details.

The mansion also boasts an outdoor space with breathtaking lake views. Located just minutes from downtown, this unique space offers three rooms that can be rented individually for intimate gatherings or together for functions that can accommodate up to 100 guests.

As one of the largest fountains in the world, this Chicago icon is sure to dazzle your guests.

You can choose between the city skyline and Lake Michigan as backdrops.

After dusk this historic spot is transformed into a mystical, moonlit wonderland perfect for a formal black tie gala or a lakeside cocktail reception.

Here’s a true hidden treasure in the heart of the city and close to the lake on East Randolph Street.

The gardens are gorgeous, and the view of Lake Michigan and the Field Museum of Natural History to the south is spectacular. On the north end, two forty-foot tall granite columns flank a large open metal pavilion. Flowers spill out of pedestals that line the garden.

There are smells and sights to delight the senses and a long tent capable corridor of greenery to remind us to appreciate life in full bloom.

With an intimate and exclusive ambiance, you’ll cherish this site for your affair.

The Columbus Park Refectory boasts three porticos that fill with sun during the summer.

The grounds, created by the dean of prairie landscape architecture, contain two natural looking waterfalls, stratified stonework ledges and abundant native plant life.

You and your guests will enjoy the serene country club setting with the chance to dine in a Chicago landmark. Inside, Spanish-influenced architecture, arched entryways, and ornate terra cotta await.

The generous-sized Dance Hall with its magnificent windows overlooks the stunning lagoon and comes complete with a grand piano.

It may sound like heaven, but it’s closer than that and includes a nine-hole golf course plus convenient free parking right outside!

Nestled in the northern end of Grant Park, Daley Bicentennial Plaza offers a unique location for any special event with a very intimate atmosphere.

During the summer months, the ice-skating rink can be transformed into an enchanting venue with a tent or canopy.

The garden area to the south also offers a beautiful and colorful backdrop as well as additional space for larger events.

This centrally located site with ample parking is perfect for a banquet setting, cocktail reception, or an outdoor exhibition.

Please call 312.742.4847 for booking information.

The Garfield Park Conservatory is one of the world’s largest gardens under glass.

Dense rainforest, the desert cactus, and velvety moss create the perfect backdrop for any special event.

Experience the sights and fragrances of a wide variety of flowers and plants, all in their natural settings.

Spacious rooms feature stone paths that wind through the breathtaking gardens.

With separate space dedicated to special events, seasonal décor, and a children’s garden, this destination is perfect for large sit down dinner functions or smaller, less formal occasions.

Prefer the roar of lions and tigers to the roar of the El?

Nestled just west of the Lincoln Park Zoo, the Lincoln Park Conservatory and Gardens create a perfectly peaceful and enchanting mix for your event’s atmosphere.

Stroll along the pathways around the lush greenery during cocktail hour, and then emerge out into the expansive outdoor gardens for dinner under the stars.

Many brides have walked down isles within the famed Grandmothers Garden as part of their big day.

This versatile spot offers endless options for indoor, open air, or tented elements at your next event.

A true gem located on a 91-acre peninsular piece of land surrounded by Lake Michigan to the south and east and Burnham Harbor to the west, Northerly Island is sure to amaze your guests.

Just southwest of the Museum Campus and directly east of Soldier Field, this venue offers both the city skyline and Lake Michigan as backdrops that are perfect for a formal black tie gala or a lakeside cocktail reception.

The Visitors Center is the former terminal building when the area was Meigs Field.

The amount of space also caters to the needs of meeting planners as well as larger scale productions and conventions. This distinctive location is a very exclusive selection for your special event and one that your guests will always remember!

Meander among the roses and delight in the smells and ambiance of these charming locations.

Adjacent to the majestic Buckingham Fountain, the North Rose Garden is nestled within Chicago’s “front yard”, Grant Park.

The North Rose Garden contains a romantic fountain along with award-winning rose gardens and plush greenery. Several trellises are nestled within the garden, and sculpted hedges line the garden.

For years, couples have chosen this lovely locale as a stage for exchanging wedding vows.

Come and see what the renowned designer Daniel Burnham envisioned when he created the plans for Promontory Point.

In 1933-4 this site was home to Chicago’s second World’s Fair.

This quaint building provides crystal clear skyline views and is surrounded by heavenly meadows. The magnificent French doors open onto stone verandas just steps from Lake Michigan. The exposed brick interior along with the historic architecture make this cozy castle-like site a must see.

The opportunity to make use of the indoor space in conjunction with the open-air verandas has lured many meetings, social gatherings, and weddings to this lakeside locale.

Created by the famed designers of New York’s Central Park, Frederick Law Olmted and Calvert Vaux, Jackson Park plays host to this jewel that sits on Chicago’s South Lakefront.

Located directly on the sands of Lake Michigan this open-air facility features grand porticos overlooking the bluest of waters.

Choose the covered Promenade with sun-drenched balconies on the second floor or either of the majestic courtyards on the ground level.

This south side gem has played host to formal dining affairs, community events, and family functions.

The South Shore Cultural Center (formerly the South Shore Country Club) is cultural facility that has been recognized as a Chicago Landmark (2004). Those who built this fabulous facility understood that entertaining can be a fine art.

The country club-like interior, grandiose ballrooms, cascading chandeliers, meeting rooms, and stunning art gallery make hosting here exceptional. Most of the facility has been recently updated and renovated to restore the Cultural Center back to its original décor.

Stage a small convention, honor employees, or throw the party of a lifetime!

Top this with a nine-hole golf course, lighted tennis courts, and views of the lake, and it’s easy to see why this site is incomparable.

In 2008, The Tiffany & Co. Foundation awarded Parkways Foundation a $1.25 million grant for the transformation of Grant Park's south rose garden into a formal garden and event space adjacent to Buckingham Fountain. Visitors to the garden, which was designed by Douglas Hoerr of Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects, will process down a ceremonial promenade bordered by an abundance of colorful blooms, hanging vines, and shaped evergreens.

Visitors to the garden will be surrounded by nearly 12,000 plants, including 270 blooming trees and shrubs, 95 cascading vines, 3,000 spring bulbs, and 7,600 annuals and perennials with white, soft pink, burgundy, purple and silver blossoms.

The garden highlights views of the city's most beloved treasures: Buckingham Fountain, Lake Michigan, and the stunning view of Museum Campus.

The Chicago Park District’s elegant Washington Park Refectory is located at 5531 S. Russell Drive, just east of Martin Luther King Drive.

The facility sits adjacent to the Aquatic Center, which houses a 36-foot waterslide plus a swimming pool with a patio and fountains.

The Refectory has a rich history that is interwoven with Chicago’s architectural design legends. Daniel H. Burnham & Company designed and built the pool and Russell Drive in 1891, two years before the Columbia Exposition.

The Refectory features ground level colonnades and four open-roof towers. The classically designed Refectory building and grounds offer two distinguished floors.