Every Wednesday night, from 5pm onwards, the Shedd Aquarium hosts a jazz extravaganza called Jazzin’.
As part of the deal, you are able to wander around the aquarium, which houses animals such as: sea otters, beluga whales, penguins, dolphins, sharks – and so many more. At the end of the night, at 10:30pm, there is a fireworks display on the Navy Pier, which you can enjoy from the Shedd.
The conditions of the aquarium are ideal for the animals to thrive: the water is kept clean, pedestrians are kept at a distance, and the exhibitions are shut at a certain time to allow the animals to rest peacefully. There are a number of different levels to the aquarium, which enables you to have various vantage points. You can view the animals from the surface of the water, or you can head downstairs, and view the animals underwater.
Because the aquarium does shut, I recommend you get to the aquarium early to give yourself an abundance of time to explore the exhibits. It is always incredible to view these exotic creatures up close, and their majestic beauty is awe-inspiring.
You can pick up your tickets for Jazzin’ (in the form of a wristband) at the main entrance. If you wish to consume alcohol, you must wait in a line to show your ID, to validate that you are 21. If you pass the inspection, you receive another wristband, which entitles you to booze.
There are plenty of bars dotted around the Shedd, so if you find that the line is long for one place, go searching for another. Generally, each bar has beers, wines, cocktails and soft drinks. If you go to Jazzin’ feeling a little hungry, there is a buffet for you to purchase some food, and fill that belly of yours.
To listen to the jazz band, there is an outside terrace with an upstairs and a downstairs. There isn’t a huge amount of seating area, so you may want to get to the terrace early to claim your spot. Otherwise you will be standing for a great many hours. You may choose to sit on the edge of the terrace, where there is a ledge. In terms of attire, there were a large variety of dress styles: some people dressed casually, but a majority had dressed on the more formal side.
The view from the terrace is exceptional. You have a front-row view of the skyline, where you can see the Navy Pier, the Lakeside, and the Harbor. If you time it well, you will also get to witness the sunset over the skyline, which is mind-blowingly stunning.
On the night that I was at the jazz show, which was August 3rd, 2016, Pamela Fernandez and Tomas Gunther’s band was playing. They fuse jazz, funk, blues, Latin, R&B, and soul, to create a powerful and rich sound, and Pamela, the lead singer, had a truly captivating voice.
At 10:30pm the fireworks start. You have a number of choices for where to view them. You can stay on the top level of the terrace at the Shedd, you can go to the lower level, or you can do what we did – go to the grass area just outside of the Shedd, and sit on the ledge on the side of the road. This provided us with the best and closest unobstructed view to the firework display. The entire display lasted 10 minutes, and it was a fantastic show. There was the added bonus that the fireworks were set off on the other side of the pier, so although we had a fantastic view, we also did not have to worry about the usual load bang of the fireworks, that you would be forced to suffer through if you were on the location of the display.
This entire evening was full, and enriching. It is an ideal spot for a date, a family outing, or just a hangout with your friends.
If you would like to purchase tickets, follow this link: http://www.sheddaquarium.org/plan-a-visit/Explore/Experiences/Jazzin-at-the-Shedd/