Lincoln Avenue is about to smell a lot less like toy store shelves and spa candles and a lot more like pinot noir. On Thursday, September 17, the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce is turning a stretch of the corridor into a walkable wine crawl for the 11th annual Lincoln Park Uncorked: A Lincoln Avenue Wine Stroll, running from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The event isn't just for wine bars and restaurants. According to WGN-TV, Lincoln Avenue businesses will transform into pop-up tasting rooms for one night, with the segment's home base listed at 2448 North Lincoln Avenue. The station reports attendees can expect a sampling of more than 30 seasonal wines, with WGN's Joe and Peter joining the Lincoln Park Uncorked segment on Spotlight Chicago, which airs weekdays from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
More Than 30 Wines, Curated Locally
Those pours aren't random. Local wine shop Vin Chicago is curating the selections for the stroll. The event features more than 30 seasonal wines spread across the event's venues, according to Dine-It-4ward. The route itself runs a multi-block stretch of Lincoln Avenue from Diversey Parkway on the north down to Webster Avenue on the south, per the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce.
The lineup of tasting stops goes well beyond the expected restaurants and bars. The chamber notes that participating locations include non-dining businesses such as Kohler Waters Spa at Lincoln Park, Pure Green, *play Toys and Books, Clean Your Dirty Face, and Regions Wine Cellar, alongside restaurants and bars.
Rules of the Road for Sidewalk Sipping
Chicago's open-container rules shape how the stroll actually works on the ground. Event safety guidelines require that business stops offer no more than two 1-ounce tasting pours per venue, and attendees must finish or empty their tasting glasses before stepping back out onto public sidewalks, the chamber says.
To help people cover the distance between stops, complimentary pedicabs will run along the Lincoln Avenue corridor between Diversey Parkway and Webster Avenue throughout the three-hour event window, according to the same Dine-It-4ward listing.
Childcare and Ticket Details
Parents hoping to attend won't necessarily need a babysitter. Young Engineers and Wander Through Wonder Academy are running a concurrent Brains & Bricks Bash STEAM childcare program for kids ages 8 to 12, also from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., featuring motorized LEGO construction and engineering challenges, per the chamber.
Ticket prices are $55 for general admission and $65 at the door, with a $5 discount per ticket for groups of five or more, according to the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce. Admission includes a souvenir wine glass, wine pours, and light food bites from neighborhood eateries.
A Corridor Built on Special Funding
The Lincoln Avenue commercial strip behind all this pop-up hospitality is the setting for Uncorked.
The Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce lists this Uncorked event along Lincoln Avenue.
