THE PLATZ If we were in Germany then we would call this place Federal Platz but we are not so we call it Federal Plaza. The reason I would love to call it "The Platz" is because it is the site of the annual Oktoberfest celebration hosted every year by the Berghoff Restaurant. In 2013, it was the 28th annual event making it one of the longest running street fairs. This is probably one of my favorite outdoor festivals in Chicago. But this isn't the only cool thing that happens here. Before I continue with the party, let's learn a little history about Federal Plaza. The Plaza is an urban square that brings together Ludwig Miles van der Rohe's group of 3 buildings, which happen to be the Everett Mckinley Dirksen building, the Post Office & John C Kluczynski building. Did you know that the granite tiles in the plaza flow into the lobbies of the above buildings? Next time you are there check it out. There are also low rectangular granite benches too, so you can sit and relax. My favorite part of the plaza is the splash of color and this is provided by Alexander Calder's red sculpture. It is a 53 foot Flamingo just hanging out in a sea of grey tones. It was commissioned by the Government and then installed in 1974. There was a great celebration to honor the artist, in fact they had a parade for him in which, Alex Calder sat in a circus wagon that was drawn by 40 horses. Now that is a party! There is also a weekly farmers market here too and it is seasonal. I am sure no one is buying tomatoes out here in the middle of January. I've stopped by a few times to check it out. It typically runs on Tuesdays from 7am to 3pm and ends in late October. So get out of your stuffy office for some cheese, flowers & produce. This place serves its purpose because it is a great place for the people of Chicago to gather and have a great time. Speaking of great times, they also have political speeches in the plaza too. Can you sense my sarcasm? It seems like every time I walk by there is something fun going on in here. That is what inspired me to write this review plus no one ever reviewed the poor plaza. The other day I was walking through the Plaza and a radio station was giving away free lunch. It was a great surprise to come across this. So I decided to jump in with my fellow city dwellers and grab some free food. There were also other tents where you could get free stuff but I did visit them because I really wasn't looking to win free siding for my house. They were also playing music from the radio station too and one of the on-air personalities was trying to be funny during commercial breaks. So next time you are in the LOOP, then take a detour through here and see what is going on. You never know what fun stuff you will find...you might stumble into a free lunch or an Oktoberfest celebration. Hopefully you do not run into a boring political speech because that would not be fun. Luckily for me that has not happen yet but I have seen my fair share of small protesters hanging out with there bed sheet signs and that is political enough for me not to ruin the Plaza Party! Plazas are a place for people to hangout in and the Federal Plaza is a great place to do that in downtown Chicago. read more