Chicago Film Festival Canceled

Many of Chicago's largest community event's that bring thousands and millions of people together in city parks and on the lake front have been axed for the 2010 summer festival season.

Among the Chicago events being canceled is the Chicago Outdoor Film Festival, a victim of budget cuts, safety concerns, and a move to bring major events to the suburbs.

According to City Officials the move to cancel traditional summer activities such as the outdoor film festival was in part to allow the suburbs to host some of the areas major events, thus helping their local economies. This leaves the question, who will be the next city, sports team, or business to host an Outdoor Film Festival or Summer Movies in the Park" series. Many communities host smaller outdoor movie nights, "Splash-tacular" or "Splash-in" movie nights attracting a few hundred people but a huge void has been left in the large communal events arena, something that many would argue will negatively affect society as we move further away from such activities.

An outdoor movie event brings with it many opportunities for local and regional business to market their brand, service or product through event sponsorship and experiential marketing. For some Chicago area municipality, business, or community organization the door has indeed been left wide open to host an outdoor movie event, outdoor film festival, drive-in / Splash-In Movie, or "Movies in the Park" series. These are events that brings families, friends, neighbors, "Communities" together in a positive manner and drives consumers to local business helping the local economy.