I attended a Chase food event in Chicago—here's what you need to know about the exclusive perks for cardholders.

While I might be a bit biased as a local, summer in Chicago ranks among the best experiences anywhere. This is partly thanks to the multitude of events that take place each weekend, including Chase Sapphire events.
One standout event is The Infatuation's Eeeeeatscon Chicago, brought to you by Chase Sapphire.
Imagine a fusion of a music festival and a food festival, featuring both local and national restaurants as the main attractions, along with live music and panel discussions.
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I was at The Infatuation's Eeeeeatscon Chicago, hosted by Chase Sapphire, from July 13 to 14. Here’s what the experience was like and how you can discover similar events in your area.

Tickets
General admission for both days is priced at $30.37 via Eventbrite, but the tickets for July 13 sold out before the event.

Children aged 6 and under (as well as service dogs) were admitted for free. Ticket prices did not cover food and drinks, which varied from $4 to $11 per dish, depending on the vendor. Both alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages were offered at three bars (two outdoors and one indoors) priced between $5 and $16.
This two-day food festival occurs four times a year: every February in Miami, June in Los Angeles, July in Chicago, and in the fall in New York. Early access is granted to holders of the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
All Chase cardholders also gain access to the U.S. Open Tennis Championships happening later this month. Last year's U.S. Open lounge, known as the Chase Lounge and Terrace, featured an outdoor terrace for watching matches, a Chase ATM dispensing promotional items, a phone charging station, and a photo opportunity for tennis enthusiasts of all ages.
A continuing benefit for Reserve users is access to the Paris Olympics. Attendees will enjoy exclusive lounge access, dining events, athlete meet-and-greets, and various amenities during the 2024 Games.
This summer, Reserve cardholders can also buy VIP tickets to music festivals nationwide, including Lollapalooza, Outside Lands, and Ocean's Calling. They'll have access to the Sapphire Reserve Lounge, plus a guest.
Chase Sapphire cardholder benefits
For this specific event, my favorite feature was the Sapphire Reserve Lounge for Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders, who also earned 3 points for every dollar spent at the festival.
Maybe it was due to the very first bite I took, but my top food choice at the festival was from the Sapphire Reserve Lounge. It featured a variety of appetizers from Diego, a Mexican craft cocktail bar located in Chicago's West Town neighborhood.
Among all the dishes I sampled, the tuna tostada, corn and tomato tostado, and suenos ceviche were the standout flavors of the event.
The lounge provided complimentary snacks and offered five cocktails for purchase, including the Sapphire Signature Cocktail—a mix of vodka or gin with blueberry, goldenberry, lime, ginger, oregano, five spice powder, bee pollen, and pearl dust. Reserve cardholders received two complimentary drink tokens to use throughout the lounge.
Chase cardholders who bought presale tickets enjoyed a 50% discount on individual ticket prices, plus any applicable taxes and fees. Holders of the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Preferred Card also gained early access to the festival at 11 a.m. CDT—one hour before general admission.
Reserve cardholders had the opportunity to purchase tickets for exclusive events, including a cocktail class hosted by Apotheke, a speakeasy with a cocktail apothecary theme located in New York City's NoMad neighborhood.
Both days featured a special Sapphire treat time for cardholders in the lounge from 4 to 4:30 p.m., which included complimentary espresso martinis from Menotti's Coffee Shop on Saturday.
Additional cardholder events included Sapphire Hour, during which Preferred and Reserved cardholders could savor complimentary food from a chosen vendor. Saturday's Sapphire Hour featured Tribecca's Sandwich Shop, a local counter-service eatery in Avondale, offering free food from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. My boyfriend volunteered to sample the Reuben sandwich from TriBecca's.
Sunday's Sapphire Hour featured Tacos Los Cholos from Los Angeles. There was also a Chase Ink Market Chicago-themed shop offering Funky Chunky pretzels, candles, and Spice House teas for sale. Shoppers received a bag themed after Ink.
Considering the sweltering heat of the day, the lounge felt like a cool oasis, equipped with two restrooms, phone chargers, and ample seating to enjoy the performances on the main stage.
Food selections
Over 20 restaurants from Chicago and beyond participated in the event, each offering tasting-sized portions at various stands throughout the venue.

Most of the stands were located outdoors. Specifically, there were food offerings from:
- Popup Bagels (New York City)
- Tacos Los Cholos (Los Angeles)
- Toma (Miami)
- Professor Pizza (West Loop, Chicago)
- Soul & Smoke (Avondale, Chicago)
- Tuk Tuk Thai Isan Street Food (Lakeview, Chicago)
- Dr. Bird's (Bucktown, Chicago)
- The Momo World (University Village, Chicago)
- Jibaritos y Mas (Wicker Park, Chicago)
- 312 Fish Market (Chinatown, Chicago)
- Jennivee's Bakery (Lakeview, Chicago)
- 3 Little Pigs (South Loop, Chicago)
- Diego (West Town, Chicago)
- Charly's Burgers (Hermosa, Chicago)
- Tribecca's Sandwich Shop (Avondale, Chicago)
- Lilac Tiger (Wicker Park, Chicago)
- Ciao Ciao Gelato & Cafe (Portage Park, Chicago)
While the event promoted vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options, most of the food catered to general eaters. Guests could enjoy meals at picnic-style seating both indoors and outdoors.
As someone who is gluten- and dairy-free, my boyfriend happily sampled the dishes I picked out (i.e., the ones I couldn't enjoy). A huge fan of Shake Shack, I made him try their exclusive collaboration with Zingerman's Delicatessen from Ann Arbor, Michigan—a pastrami Shackburger featuring Angus beef, Swiss cheese, pickles, sliced pastrami, and Shake Shack's special sauce for $12—which he absolutely loved.
Adjacent to that was Ciao Ciao, so he naturally had to try the salted caramel gelato, which he quickly finished off.
As someone who avoids dairy and gluten, I found that only two out of the 20 vendors offered suitable options for me: Tuk Tuk Thai Isan Street Food and Tacos Los Cholos. Considering the long line at the latter, I decided on pad thai with shrimp from Tuk Tuk ($10), which really satisfied my cravings.
Just outside the main food hall, there was a Teremana Tequila stand offering complimentary crafted tequila cocktail samples.
Nonfood activities
While food took center stage, the event also featured music programming, including two Chicago rappers. One highlight was a moderated discussion with Chance the Rapper, followed by a book signing with Common.
During the event on Sunday, there was a discussion featuring TV star and cookbook author Chrissy Teigen, who also showcased her book 'Cravings' at her booth. The highlight for me was the La Croix activation; the long wait was definitely worth it for the complimentary items like a glass cup and a hat.
All attendees had access to activities outside the lounge.
Performances were also showcased by Dee Dee Da Goat, Maker, DJ Intel, Lori Branch, The Jesse White Tumblers, Creation Chicago, the South Shore Drill Team, and The Pack Drumline.
Key takeaway
Select Chase cards, especially the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, provide cardholders with exclusive access to special events across the country throughout the year. These events include Eeeeeatscon and Sapphire Presents, a concert series organized by Chase Experiences.
When evaluating the annual fees for these cards ($550 and $95, respectively), consider the benefits that come with card membership. These perks significantly enhance the overall value of each card, as access to events is exclusively for cardholders.

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Evaluation :
5/5