ChiIL Mama's Chi, IL Picks List:
ARTS IN THE DARK
2019 HALLOWEEN PARADE
SALUTES “YEAR OF CHICAGO THEATRE”
EXTRAORDINARY NIGHTTIME PROCESSION WILL ILLUMINATE STATE STREET WITH COSTUMES, SPECTACLE, MUSIC, DANCE AND MORE
Saturday, Oct. 19, 6 PM – 8 PM
LUMA8, in collaboration with the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), is pleased to announce the fifth annual Arts in the Dark, a festive and magical nighttime Halloween parade along State St. on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM, showcasing the creativity of Chicago’s diverse cultural community and celebrating Halloween as the “artist’s holiday.”
The event is produced by LUMA8 (Light Up My Arts), a nonprofit dedicated to elevating Chicago as a focal point of artistic innovation to enrich the lives of its citizens and create economic impact. Sharene Shariatzadeh, President and CEO of the nonprofit, is delighted that the parade has been embraced by the city and that, thanks to support from the Chicago Loop Alliance, it will spend another year in its new home on historic State Street.
“It is a true honor to produce a parade that shines a light on Chicago’s magnificent cultural community,” Shariatzadeh says. “The parade participants outdo themselves each year, bringing a new level of creativity and spectacle to what is becoming an iconic Chicago event.”
Arts in the Dark will begin marching on State St. at dusk, traveling south from Lake St. to Van Buren St. This year’s procession will bring together more than 80 contingents ranging from world-renowned organizations like The Joffrey Ballet and Lookingglass Theatre, to important programs such as After School Matters and aspiring artists in every field.
The vision for Arts in the Dark was created by founding artistic director, Mark Kelly, now Chicago's Commissioner of DCASE. This year, the parade will open with a float celebrating the “Year of Chicago Theatre” which will be followed by 14 Chicago-based theater companies commissioned by LUMA8, thanks to a grant from DCASE. Recipients include: About Face Theatre, Auditorium Theatre, Black Ensemble Theater, Broadway In Chicago, COLLABORACTION, Chicago Children's Theatre, Chicago Fringe Opera, CircEsteem, Dream Big Education, Jabberwocky Marionettes, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Opera-Matic, 16th Street Theater and Synapse Arts.
The “Year of Chicago Theatre” was celebrated by LUMA8 throughout the season in a series of lantern processions on the Riverwalk honoring Broadway In Chicago, CircEsteem, Collaboraction, and Dream Big Education. The processions were created in partnership with DCASE as part of the “Second Tuesdays on the Riverwalk” program and received support from Millennium Garages.
LUMA8 presents Arts in the Dark in partnership with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and the Chicago Park District. The Chicago Loop Alliance is a Major Sponsor of the 2019 parade.
Other partners/sponsors include: Blue Plate Catering, Broadway In Chicago, Chicago Athletic Hotel Association, Chicago Blackhawks, Choose Chicago, CineCares, Flirt Communications, Harris Theater for Music and Dance,Macy’s, Mesirow Financial, PRP Wine International and Revolution Brewing.
This family-friendly event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.ArtsintheDark.org.
About LUMA8
LUMA8 (Light Up My Arts) is an independent not-for-profit dedicated to creating conversations about Chicago that are heard around the world. This is achieved through unique cultural events and experiences, often using light and scale as tools, and by developing innovative ways to amplify the effect of existing arts initiatives. It coordinates the work of public agencies, arts organizations and artists to elevate the cultural life of the city, attract visitors, and ultimately generate economic impact.
About the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events
The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) is dedicated to enriching Chicago’s artistic vitality and cultural vibrancy. This includes fostering the development of Chicago’s non-profit arts sector, independent working artists and for-profit arts businesses; providing a framework to guide the City’s future cultural and economic growth, via the 2012 Chicago Cultural Plan; marketing the City’s cultural assets to a worldwide audience; and presenting high-quality, free and affordable cultural programs for residents and visitors.
About the Chicago Park District
The Chicago Park District is the 2014 Gold Medal Award winner, recognized for excellence in park and recreation management across the nation. For more information about the Chicago Park District’s more than 8,700 acres of parkland, more than 600 parks, 26 miles of lakefront, 11 museums, two world-class conservatories, 15 cultural centers, 16 historic lagoons, nearly 50 nature areas, thousands of special events, sports and entertaining programs, please visit www.chicagoparkdistrict.com or contact the Chicago Park District at 312/742.PLAY or 312/747.2001 (TTY). Want to share your talent? Volunteer in the parks by calling, 312/742.PLAY.
