Déjà Vu All Over Again: Two Chicago Seminars Events This Year

After months of speculating and wondering, it’s official: there will again be two separate Chicago Seminars conferences this year.

But here’s some good news: unlike last year, the events will not occur on the same weekend. In fact, the events take place during different months.

Same Name, Different Events

To be clear, both events are called the “Chicago Seminars.” There used to be just one Chicago Seminars event. Things changed last year, and here we are.

I compare this to the New York Pizza Wars and different versions of ’80s music groups simultaneously touring but both keeping the same band name.

September 20-22

JT Genter, one of the folks who organized last year’s Chicago Seminars at the Holiday Inn Elk Grove Village, announced on AwardWallet that his team’s event will take place September 20-22, 2024. (That’s about a month-ish earlier than Chicago Seminars are usually held.)

Another interesting wrinkle is that the event is moving to the Hyatt Regency O’Hare Chicago (which is a very nice hotel!).

“…one of the biggest complaints from past years has been the quality of the venue,” Mr. Genter explained in the post. “Chicago Seminars organizers found that an increasingly large number of attendees decided to stay at another hotel and commute to the Holiday Inn Elk Grove Village for the seminars.

“And then there’s cost,” he added. “In 2024 contract negotiations, the Holiday Inn Elk Grove Village would not budge from a whopping 60% price increase.”

Conference attendees can use World of Hyatt points to book their stays at the Category 2 property, which means rooms cost just 8,000 points a night.

“The Chicago Seminars organizers are really excited about the move to the Hyatt Regency. Mostly for nostalgia, I really wanted us to keep the event at the Holiday Inn if we could,” Mr. Genter told me. “But with the massive price increase the new management was demanding, it made it really easy to look elsewhere. And the Hyatt Regency is happy to have us for just slightly more than the Holiday Inn would have cost! Plus, attendees can score award nights (and Hyatt elite nights) for just 8k points (while there’s availability!) So it really is a win of a move.”

Speakers have not yet been announced. In fact, prospective presenters are welcome to pitch themselves through May 31.

Tickets are available now. Early bird prices are $299. Those prices are effective through May 31. An optional “Chicago Seminars After Dark” VIP afterparty takes place Saturday night. That can be purchased for $30 through September 21. (The After Dark event does not include Chicago Seminars admission.)

October 25-27

Stefan Krasowski, who organized the Chicago Seminars at Delta Hotels by Marriott Chicago Willowbrook last year (as well as co-organized the 2022 event at the Holiday Inn, and a virtual Seminars during the COVID-19 pandemic), told me Friday, “We look forward to seeing everyone in Chicago October 25 (through) October 27.” He said an official announcement including pricing and host hotel details is forthcoming and “could drop as soon as this coming week for the traditional early April ticket sales launch.”

Final Approach

There once again will be two separate-but-same-titled Chicago Seminars events this year.

The group that headed the event at the Holiday Inn last year is moving it to the Hyatt Regency O’Hare Chicago. It will take place September 20-22, 2024.

Stefan Kraswoski, who headed the Delta Hotels by Marriott Chicago Willowbrook Chicago Seminars 2023, hosts a 2024 version on October 25-27. He told us more information would be announced soon.

While some people might be forced to again choose which to attend (based on budget and schedule), it’s nice that both events don’t take place  on the same weekend.