Decorate the Stadium Tree and Meet a Former Chicago Bears’ Player

Soldier Field, 1410 S. Museum Campus Dr., hosts its fourth annual Breakfast with Santa Saturday, Dec. 4 at 10 a.m. in the United Club for about 600 guests.

The lavish brunch will be one of the few times during the year when the United Club’s fine dining is open to the public.

Families will not only be able feast on a fantastic holiday-themed breakfast, but also visit with Santa and his elves.

At the stadium, children under age 12 can decorate holiday cookies or take part in other interactive festivities.  Families are encouraged to bring their own ornament to decorate the stadium tree.  The top three handmade ornaments will receive prizes.

“We invite everyone to take advantage of this unique holiday event as it’s a special opportunity to experience this historic venue,” said Timothy J. Mitchell, General Superintendent and CEO of the Chicago Park District.

Dominick’s is the host sponsor of this annual holiday event.  Soldier Field will also be hosting a toy drive benefiting the Walter and Connie Payton Foundation.  Connie Payton and family members plan to be in attendance along with former Chicago Bear safety Shaun Gayle to help collect toys.

All are encouraged to bring unwrapped toys to the event.  Donated toys will go to deserving Chicagoland children during this holiday season.

Admission is $50 for adults, $25 for children ages 3-12, and free for children under 3 years of age.

Reservations are only available by calling 312-235-7162 or by emailing sfspecialevents@dncinc.com.

Guests can park in the north garage attached to the stadium for $16 (under 4 hours) and enter directly to the United Club.

Visit www.soldierfield.net for more information.

About the Chicago Park District

For more information about the Chicago Park District’s more than 7,600 acres of parkland, 570 parks, 26 miles of lakefront, 10 museums, two world-class conservatories, 16 historic lagoons, nearly 50 natural areas, thousands of special events, sports and entertaining programs, please visit www.chicagoparkdistrict.com or contact the Chicago Park District at 312/742.PLAY.

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Soldier Field Opens Up the Exclusive United Club for the Fourth Annual Holiday Breakfast with Santa Dec. 4 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO (CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM) — As the 2010 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament is about to kick-off in South Africa, Chicagoans have already started to Celebrate Africa in a way that they never celebrated a Soccer event before.

For the first time in history, the FIFA Soccer World Cup will be hosted on the African Continent. “Celebrate Africa” has been designed to promote the World Cup and this year’s host country in the Chicagoland area over a period of eight weeks, in a joint venture of the South African Consulate General and the Chicago World Cup, LLC.

The program will contribute to the integration of the international communities in the United States via the development of Soccer, the most popular sport in the World, and the fastest growing sport in the United States.

Starting June 11, 2010, Celebrate Africa will offer four weeks of celebrations and public broadcasting of FIFA World Cup games in various popular venues in Chicago. These multiple events will feature activities such as Soccer tournaments, multi-cultural festivals with ethnic food, interactive soccer and sports related activities, as well as international live entertainment, special World Cup contests and soccer fan challenges.

Among the most anticipated events are the June 11 broadcast of the opening game between South Africa and Mexico at Daley Plaza, the June 12 all day event at Montrose park featuring “England vs USA”, and the July 11 all day World Cup Final Festival in Soldier Field, featuring the finals of the fifth annual Chicago World Cup Soccer tournament.

The Chicago World Cup will bring together forty-eight national teams made up of international and local amateur soccer players living in the Chicagoland area. Only thirty-two teams will qualify to play in the finals at Soldier Field.

Charles Manual, Consul Economic of South Africa in Chicago and co-chair of Celebrate Africa, wants “the FIFA golden trophy to stay in Africa when an African country wins the World Cup for the first time this summer.” In Chicago, Mr. Manuel works tremendously hard to encourage all African communities to participate in the World Cup celebrations. “One of the best ways for the African communities to show their passion for the World Cup and their pride of being African is to attend our events and enter an amateur national team in the Chicago World Cup tournament to win it!” Mr. Manuel said.

“Many foreigners yearn to stay connected with their motherland country,” said Pascal Bedrossian, honorary president of the Chicago World Cup tournament, and former MLS Chicago Fire midfielder, French Ligue 1 player and “Coupe de France” winner. “The tournament helps its participants to meet up with their countrymen and share their national pride and passion for the beautiful game. They could take home their own world cup trophy.”

“We have seen the passion for the FIFA World Cup, here in Chicago, every time we have taken Zakumi, the Vuvuzelas and our South African booth set-up out to Soccer and Social events” said Sandra Stoner, Trade assistant at the South African Consulate in Chicago and project manager of the “Celebrate Africa” program. “Zakumi is our six feet tall official mascot and the Vuvuzelas are those long colorful horns used by South African fans to support their team. They are part of the South African experience we have been bringing to Chicagoans for weeks, and will keep bringing through our World Cup Official Celebrations” said Stoner.

Companies such as The Coca-Cola Company, NASCAR, Chicago-based Fellowes and Chicago Based Wilson, have signed on to support the World Cup celebrations and the Chicago World Cup soccer tournament.

“US-based companies have realized that 33 million people living in the United States are born outside the country and have no interest whatsoever in some of the American sports” says Sebastien Labat, former French track and field athlete and founder of the Chicago World Cup in 2006. “We immigrants all share an incredible passion for Soccer, and every four years the FIFA World Cup brings us together, makes us paint our faces, wear our national team jerseys and wave our country flags. We have started to see US citizens do the same and more and more corporate sponsors understand and support our grassroots efforts! We are very excited”.

Fransie Cooper was born in South Africa. She was not a big soccer fan when she moved to Chicago three months ago with her husband and three children to become Consul Political of South Africa. One of her missions is to make sure that Americans know more about her home country. “Besides the opportunities for building relationships, hosting the FIFA World Cup is a great chance for South Africa to shine around the world and attract people and businesses” said Cooper, “people have not heard that much in the news about South Africa since Nelson Mandela was released 20 years ago! Now the country is free, safe, and ready to host thousands of visitors and soccer fans from around the globe. For those who can’t go this time, we’ll try to make them love our country by bringing them a piece of the 2010 FIFA World Cup through our “Celebrate Africa” program.”

About Chicago WorldCup LLC

ChicagoWorldCup LLC has gathered the international communities of Chicago for popular events such as the Chicago World Cup adult soccer tournament and Chicago French Bastille Day Festival every year since 2006. In 2010, the Chicago World Cup launched EthniCity Soccer, the first-ever national adult amateur world cup soccer tournament in the United States. EthniCity is targeting 33 million members of the expat and international communities and 17 million soccer players and fans in the U.S. to take part in the competition and this year’s celebrations.

ChicagoWorldCup LLC’s objectives are to help integrate foreign and expat communities in the U.S.; to support development and practice of amateur soccer in North America; to support the U.S. bid to host the 2018/2022 FIFA World Cup; and to support the U.S. team during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The South African Consulate General in Chicago represents the Government of the Republic of South Africa in the Midwest Region of the United States and is responsible for consolidating the relationship between the fourteen (14) states in the Midwest and the South African Government. The Consulate endeavors to promote South Africa as an Investment and Tourism destination and as the proud host of the 2010 FIFA World Cup from June 11 to July 11, 2010.

MEDIA CONTACT:

ChicagoWorldCup LLC – Celebrate Africa

Sebastien Labat, President and Event Director
slabat@chicagoworldcup.com
Tel: 630.456.0543

Consulate General of South Africa in Chicago – Celebrate Africa

Sandra Stoner, Trade Assistant
sstoner@thedti.gov.za
Tel: 312.939.6530

Official Event Websites:

• http://www.africachicago.com
• http://www.chicagoworldcup.com

Soldier Field to Host World Cup Festival and Amateur World-Cup-Style Soccer Tournament to Celebrate Africa | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The team sent out invoices to season ticket holders on Friday, announcing prices were going up for 75 percent of the seats at Soldier Field.

The 25 percent of seats with no price hikes are those in the 400 level and the west grandstand.

Prices for non-club seats will rise between $2 and $17 each, now ranging from $68 to $125; club seats will go up from $10 to $20 each, now ranging from $255 to $365.

Read the original article from WBBM News Radio.

Bears raising most ticket prices for 2010 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Soldier Field, 1410 S. Museum Campus Dr., hosts its third annual Breakfast with Santa Saturday, Dec. 5 at 10am in the United Club for about 600 guests.

The lavish brunch will be one of the few times during the year when the United Club’s fine dining is open to the public.

Families will not only be able feast on a fantastic holiday-themed breakfast, but also visit with Santa, his elves and with a former Chicago Bears’ player, Jerry Azumah.

At the stadium, children under age 12 can decorate a cookie to bring home. Families are encouraged to bring their own ornament to decorate the stadium tree. The top three handmade ornaments will receive prizes.

“We invite everyone to take advantage of this unique holiday event as it’s a special opportunity to experience this historic venue,” said Timothy J. Mitchell, General Superintendent and CEO of the Chicago Park District.

Dominick’s is the host sponsor of this annual holiday event. Soldier Field will also be hosting a toy drive benefiting the Walter and Connie Payton Foundation.

Connie Payton and family members plan to be in attendance. All are encouraged to bring unwrapped toys to the event. Donated toys will go to deserving Chicagoland children during this holiday season.

Admission is $50 for adults, $25 for children ages 3-12, and free for children under 3 years of age.

Reservations are only available by calling 312-235-7162 or by emailing sfspecialevents@dncinc.com.

Guests can park in the north garage attached to the stadium for $16 (under 4 hours) and enter directly to the United Club.

Visit soldierfield.net for more information.

About the Chicago Park District

For more information about the Chicago Park District’s more than 7,600 acres of parkland, 570 parks, 26 miles of lakefront, 10 museums, two world-class conservatories, 16 historic lagoons, nearly 50 natural areas, thousands of special events, sports and entertaining programs, please visit chicagoparkdistrict.com or contact the Chicago Park District at 312-742-PLAY or 312-747-2001.

Historic Soldier Field Opens Up Exclusive United Center Club for Third Annual Holiday Breakfast with Santa Dec. 5 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Soldier Field and SMG, the managing operator of Soldier Field, announce the 3rd Annual Cornhole Classic Tournament and Festival Saturday, July 18 in Soldier Field’s South Courtyard (inside Gate O), 1410 S. Museum Campus Dr.

The tournament begins at 10 a.m. for the competitive doubles and social singles and at 1 p.m. for competitive singles and social doubles.  The top four participants in these divisions will compete for $4,000 in cash and prizes.

Admission is free to the event.  Fees and times to compete in the tournament are as follows:

• Kids and First-time Throwers, Free, 10 a.m.
• Social Singles Division, $25, 10 a.m.
• Competitive Doubles Division, $90, 10 a.m.
• Competitive Singles Division, $50, 1 p.m.
• Social Doubles Division, $50, 1 p.m.

Hundreds of Chicago cornhole fans, as well as other baggers from across the Midwest, will be tossing corn-filled bags to win the admired Soldier Field Cornhole Classic Championship crown. Participants will enjoy music, delicious food and some laughs while competing in this tournament. T-shirts and give-a-ways will be available for each participant.

SMG hosts and organizes the tournament. This year, SMG has partnered with the American Cornhole Organization (ACO) who will be running the Maize Kraze TOP GUN Competitive Singles Division. This ACO-sanctioned division is open to all ACO pros, semi-pros, and any amateur wanting to see how they stack up against the best players in the world.

Cornhole.com and Chipotle restaurant sponsor this year’s tournament.  The Soldier Field Cornhole Classic is the Midwest’s largest organized cornhole tournament.

About the game

Baggo, corn toss, bean bags or cornhole, as it is most commonly called, is an increasingly popular game across the nation where players toss a one-pound bag filled with corn at a sloped box with a hole at one end.   The points are awarded either by tossing the bag into the hole for three points, or if the bag stays atop the box, the player earns one point.  The first individual or team to score 21 points wins the game; best of three games wins the match.

To register or for more information, please call 312-235-7000 or go to SoldierField.net.

About Chicago Park District

For more information about the Chicago Park District’s more than 7,600 acres of parkland, 570 parks, 26 miles of lakefront, 10 museums, two world-class conservatories, 16 historic lagoons, nearly 50 natural areas, thousands of special events, sports and entertaining programs, please visit chicagoparkdistrict.com or contact the Chicago Park District at 312-742-PLAY or 312-747-2001.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Marta Juaniza, 312-742-4798

Jessica Maxey-Faulkner, 312-742-4786

Chicago’s Third Annual Soldier Field “Cornhole Classic” Bags Tournament July 18 Awards $4,000 in Cash Prizes | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.