The 2020 Chicago Auto Show was one of the last major events in the United States, before the coronavirus forced the country into lockdown.
While that’s a dubious honor, the ongoing pandemic caused this year’s show to be delayed. It was originally scheduled to kick off in February, but organizers abandoned those plans and announced their intentions to hold the event this spring.
That isn’t happening either, but officials have now announced a “special edition of the show” will occur between July 15-19. The event will be hosted at McCormick Place and be one of the venues “first live, in-person events since the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.”
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Of course, it’s not exactly business as usual as the event will be moved to McCormick Place’s West Building and include outdoor test drives as well as technology demonstrations. In particular, Ford will hold outdoor experiences with the Bronco, Bronco Sport and Mustang Mach-E.
To help control crowds, tickets will be sold exclusively online and people will need to select their preferred date and time they wish to attend. On top of these time windows, organizers will control the number of people on the show floor.
Fans will also be able to pre-register for activities such as the outdoor test track and ride-and-drive events. This should help to reduce lines and congestion at exhibits.
According to Chicago Auto Show General Manager Dave Sloan, “We stand committed to providing a safe environment for all involved and will carefully adhere to the health and safety protocols and guidelines set forth by city and state officials.” Sloan went on to suggest the show will return to its usual time slot next year as he stated, “While we believe February is the right time for the Chicago Auto Show to have its biggest impact on the industry and the area economy, we’re thrilled to be able to experiment with the July dates.”
