Chicago is considered to be one of the most vibrant metropolitan areas in the United States. It is a leading city in sports and music, not to mention tasty local delicacies. Its culture is full of bright colors, art and spirit. We will talk more about it at the ichicago.net.
Mentality of residents and common languages in the city
The culture of the metropolis is reflected in the rich historical diversity of its population. Citizens combine chic and brutality that make them adaptable and cheerful in any situation. Over the years, a variety of cultural and ethnic groups have lived in Chicago. Now there are more than 9, which makes the demographic situation in the city more vivid.
The сitizens are friendly, open and sociable. Personal cars rarely become a trend, and neighborhood values are crucial to the people. You can easily talk to the locals, and they will gladly tell you about their wonderful city. If you love sports, then it will be even easier for you to start a dialogue, since the sports culture of the city is very strong. In addition to that, you can see a lot of cyclists in the streets. This is due to the special love of Chicagoans for cycling.
One might think that English is the only language spoken in Chicago but this is not the case. More than 30% of the population speak not only this language at home. After English, the five most widely spoken languages include Arabic, Polish, Tagalog and Chinese. Spanish is spoken by 18% of the population. Those who know Arabic and Tagalog very well can be found in the northern areas of the metropolis. In the heart of Chicago, Polish speakers prevail. In general, you can easily communicate in English in the city. However, cultural diversity speaks for itself through the spread of languages.
Music and sports are in the forefront
Music is an important aspect of Chicago culture. It was in this metropolis that rock’n’roll and blues were born. From time to time, in the city, you can hear soul, rock and hip-hop. The culture of Chicago adopted jazz back in the 1900s. Since then, a large number of music festivals have been held here. Some of them are focused on specific genres, while others invite those who are eager to listen to new rhythms. Among the popular music festivals, it is worth noting the following ones:
• The Chicago Blues Festival is one of the largest events in the world. Every year in early June, people from all over the world visit it during three days to enjoy the true Chicago blues.
• The Chicago Jazz Festival is an annual event that gathers local and international jazz lovers in September for as many as 4 days. This musical event contributes to the development of various types of jazz from around the world.
• Lollapalooza Festival invites Chicagoans and visitors of the city to listen to multi-genre music and dance to it. Each year, about 400,000 people gather in Grand Park during the event.
• Chicago House Music Festival — at this event people can enjoy house music. The two-day free festival has an interesting program full of dances and music.
• The World Music Festival is an annual 11-day event that attracts more than 700,000 participants and musicians from around the world. During the existence of the festival, artists from more than 75 countries took part in it.
Chicago is a major sports metropolis. During the playoff season, everyone joins the competitive spirit. The city is filled with vibrant colors. During this period, almost all bars are packed with fans who sincerely cheer for the victory of their favorite team. Three years in a row, Chicago was recognized as the Best Sports City according to Sporting News magazine.
Theaters and museums — Chicago’s cultural heritage
Chicago boasts an unsurpassed theater scene. From Broadway shows to original productions — in theaters everyone can find something interesting for themselves. The American Theater Magazine has repeatedly called the Chicago theater scene legendary.
Every day, you can see hundreds of unique performances on the stages of city theaters. The city motivates and provides many opportunities for aspiring playwrights. Most Chicago production companies work on an ensemble basis, that is, a group of artists is involved in staging various numbers — from actors to designers. The city also has a special newspaper that covers every future show in detail.
In addition to theatrical performances, Chicago is also famous for comedy clubs and events taking place in them. In the metropolis, there is a large number of theater quarters that every tourist should definitely visit. The most popular theaters are:
• Cadillac Palace Theatre. Here, every evening there are various Broadway shows and productions. The theater seats up to 2500 people and is the leading one in the city.
• CIBC Theater is another popular Broadway theater in Chicago, designed for 1800 spectators. There are productions performed by famous troupes.
• Court Theatre. Visiting it, you can enjoy classic American performances, which are known for adapting old scripts and productions from a new perspective.
• A Red Orchid Theatre will give you an insight into local performing arts. Over the past two decades, many unusual premieres have taken place here.
Chicago is famous for its good cultural positions in the field of fine arts. It is known that many famous artists were part of this beautiful city. Chicago art is individualistic, which does not always meet the norms and standards of society.
The city also has a culture of live street portraits created by local artists. Galleries and museums are proud owners of amazing paintings and sculptures. In honor of talented artists, from time to time, many events and exhibitions are organized in the city. Thus, all streets become festive and very beautifully decorated with masterpieces of art. That only is the annual exhibition “Expo Chicago”. During its implementation within the week, Chicagoans admire art installations and attend panel discussions. The unique exhibition “SOFA” is dedicated to 3D-art and design, to which more than 30 art artists are invited. In addition to exhibitions, you can get acquainted with art culture by visiting several interesting sites. The Art Institute of Chicago has more than 300,000 works of art, including paintings, sculptures and photographs. It is considered one of the most respected museums in the world. Another cool place is the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, which displays bright works of art in its exhibits. Local and foreign artists take part in them.
Amazing architecture and delicious cuisine of Chicago
The architecture of the city attracts with itself, because there are so many attractions worthy of attention. Chicago has a large number of skyscrapers, which are considered architectural masterpieces. Each building is different from the others and built by famous architects, which makes the city original in everything.
As for the cuisine, it rightfully represents the ethnic culture of the city. Chicago is famous for many different delicacies. The metropolis has more than 8,000 restaurants and often hosts food festivals. The most popular and famous dishes are Chicago hot dog, deep-fried pizza, Italian beef and, of course, popcorn. Chicago hot dog is a beef sausage on a bun with poppy seeds, watered with yellow mustard and seasoned with onions, cucumber and tomatoes. Italian beef is a sandwich with sauce and Italian seasonings served on a bun.
Finally, it should be noted that Chicago is a tolerant city to all religions and cultures. However, Christianity is dominant. Analyzing all of the above, we can conclude that Chicago is a unique city, the culture of which is worthy of attention.