Chicago Scenic Creates Award-Winning Parade Design
Chicago Scenic was contacted by Chris Mitchell of the Chicago Yacht Club to decorate a 68-foot sailboat titled the Viking IV, loaned to the Yacht Club by Fritz Duda, for the annual Venetian Night Boat parade held in Chicago. The theme of this year’s parade was “Tales of the Sea.” CSSI Designer Robert Kovach was charged with creating an award-winning design for the boat and Project Manager Rick Boultinghouse and Job Lead Nick Levinsky were charged with the completion.

Kovach borrowed the concept from the story Mutiny on the Bounty and transformed the Viking IV into the island of Pitcairn. With the help of nearly 40 members of the Chicago Yacht Club's youth sailing program who provided labor, the CSSI crew completely transformed the boat for the parade using custom decorations and lights.

The decorations included four steel armatures which formed giant palm trees suspended from the boat’s 100-foot mast when hoisted. The tallest of them measured 30-feet in diameter and 65-feet high. CSSI also provided plywood cutout waves that were attached to the sides of the boat creating the look of a floating island. To finish the look, all the decorations were outlined in rope lights.

The decorations were well received and won first in its class.

Boat Ramps Sail at Tall Ships
Chicago Scenic was able to provide quick turnaround service for the Tall Ships festival this year. Project Manager Gary Heitz worked closely with Ravenswood Special Events’ Bryan Cory to build and install ADA-compatible handicap-accessible ramps for the Caledonia at Navy Pier and the Highlander and HMS Bounty on the Chicago river.

The ships were outfitted with custom wood ramps and steel railings. Two of the ships were also provided with handicap lifts so that everyone could board and experience the boat’s upper deck.

Job leads Wayne Adams and Dave Duwell worked efficiently during the 24-hour installation process despite several onsite additions and alterations to the ramps design.

DePaul Hosts Graduation Ceremonies
For the past five years Chicago Scenic Studios and Ravenswood Special Events have worked together to produce the graduation ceremonies for DePaul University. CSSI Project Manger Gary Heitz and Ravenwood’s Bryan Cory have worked together on the project every year ensuring a flawless production, and this year was no exception.

To accommodate the many different graduating colleges, ceremonies are held at the Lyric Opera House as well as the Allstate Arena. Décor packages are similar for each location and include banners of the colleges, onstage risers for participants, and diploma counters. Ceremonies at the Allstate Arena also included screen surrounds for video magnification of the ceremonies, and a vista reveal of the college banners. Each year Chicago Scenic refurbishes the scenery for the event so that it is in perfect shape for the ceremonies. Job Leads Wayne Adams and Ken Glucksberg worked onsite to make sure the one-day installation of the décor went smoothly.

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