TITLE
PROVISIONAL APPROVAL FOR SPECIAL EVENTS & AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO A MULTI-YEAR PERMIT AGREEMENT WITH THE CHOSEN FEW LLC TO HOLD THE ANNUAL CHOSEN FEW OLD SCHOOL REUNION PICNIC IN JACKSON PARK
BODY
To the Honorable Board of Commissioners of the Chicago Park District
I. Recommendation
Pursuant to Chapter VII, Section C.3.c of the Code of the Chicago Park District, it is recommended that the Board of Commissioners review and make a determination of provisional approval or denial for special event permit applications with an attendance of 10,000 or more per day. It is also recommended that the General Superintendent and CEO or their designee enter into a multi-year permit agreement with The Chosen Few LLC to hold the Annual Chosen Old School Reunion Picnic (“Chosen Few”) in Jackson Park.
II. Information
Parties: The Chosen Few LLC
4957 S. Woodlawn Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60615
Contract Type: Multi-year festival permit agreement
Contract Term: Three (3) years with two (2) additional one (1) year periods extension option
Contract Fees Permit Fee of:
2025 - $23,929
2026 - $24,408
2027 - $24,896
Authorization: Authorize the General Counsel to include other relevant terms and conditions in the written Agreement. Authorize the General Superintendent to execute the Agreement and the Secretary to attest as to the signing of the Agreement and keep an original copy of the Agreement on file.
III. Budget and Financial Information
Budget Classification: Operating
Fiscal Year: 2025-2027
Source of Funds: 001.9310.9310.423005.00001.01.01.00001
IV. Explanation
The Chosen Few Old School Reunion Picnic has been taking place in Chicago for over thirty years. It consists of a group of popular DJs from Chicago’s South Side. These DJs and producers in Chicago created the sound that became known as House Music.
Drawing attendance of approximately 25,000 for this one-day event. The Chosen Few LLC have committed to continuing to give back in-kind activities to the Chicago Park District. Chosen Few will provide sound equipment and DJ services for a series of “Taste of Chosen Few” performances, exposing teens and others to Chicago house music and the surrounding house music culture of peace, togetherness and non-violence. Chosen Few will provide a music Symposium for teens and others that will introduce participants to potential careers in music-related fields, including DJing music, production, sound engineering, and recording industry basics.
The Chicago Park District and The Chosen Few LLC wish to enter into a multi-year agreement to continue to produce the festival for Chicago residents and visitors.
Key elements of the agreement include:
• The festival shall be held on the second Saturday of July.
• The festival area is within Jackson Park.
• Compensation consists of permit fee and in-kind park programming.
• The Chosen Few LLC shall be responsible for organizing, producing and holding the festival and for the compensation of all related costs and expenses, including all reasonable costs related to repairing and restoring the festival area to its pre-festival condition.
• The Chosen Few LLC will pay SP Plus, the Park District parking lot management company, a parking lot fee to be determined by the parking lot manager for the use of the designated parking lots.
• Either party may terminate the agreement at any time for convenience by providing thirty (30) days’ prior written notice thereof.
V. General Conditions
1) Conflicts: The Agreement shall not be legally binding on the Chicago Park District if entered into in violation of the provisions of 50 ILCS 105, the Public Officer Prohibited Activities Act.
2) Ethics: The agreement shall contain a provision requiring compliance with Chapter III of the Code of the Chicago Park District ("Governmental Ethics").
3) Contingent Liability: Any agreement lawfully entered into for a period of more than one year shall be executory only for the amounts for which the Park District may become liable in succeeding fiscal years pursuant to Section 17(i) of the Chicago Park District Act, 70 ILCS 1505/17(i). All agreements authorized herein shall contain a clause that any expenditure beyond the current fiscal year is subject to appropriation in the subsequent fiscal year budget.