Fall is what every true Chicagoan looks forward to year-round. The winter brings a gauntlet of pain, and the summer becomes gross and boring almost as soon as it arrives. Fall is the perfect "Goldilocks" time of the year in the city, and its arrival makes the city an amazing place. Here are 11 great reasons to be pumped for fall in Chicago this year.
1. For a brief window, the weather in Chicago is actually perfect. Forget about the concept of sweat or the hopelessness of winter; fall brings calm, 50- to 70-degree weather that will make you remember why you moved to the city in the first place.
2. The city smells good. The river, alleyways and trains all ferment during the summer, leading to an odor that smells somewhere between bathtub gin and rotting feet. The winter is hardly any better, as the frigid Midwestern air is sure to freeze any smell receptors in your nostrils. On top of a pleasant, crisp scent, the air physically feels good on your nose during the fall. It's a Chicago phenomenon that is unmatched anywhere else.
3. Chicagoans are a fashionable bunch during the fall. It finally becomes comfortable to layer up, which gives way to fabulous scarves, sweaters, jackets, etc. No one can see what you're wearing under your down feather coat in the winter, and there's no point to wearing more than the minimum amount of clothing during the summer.
4. Drinking hot coffee feels good again. No more will you be confined to iced coffees, as hot espresso drinks will become palatable again (just please avoid the pumpkin spice lattes).
5. The city gets its annual gorgeous carpet of fall leaves. If you live on a tree-lined street, it's easy to forget that you're in a polluted city and not an idyllic New England haven in the 1890s.
6. The city's good sports teams start playing again. The Bulls and Blackhawks both have the city hopeful for another championship, and the lowly Cubs are set to play in October for the first time since 2008. The Bears are the Bears, but at least Chicagoans can smile every time Jay Cutler gets sacked.
7. You don't have to make up excuses to avoid the beach anymore. Chicagoans go bananas over the lakefront during the summer, but in reality it's a disgusting area. No one enjoys filthy water, sweat-ridden sand and looking at people's toes. With the beaches closed, you no longer have to listen to your stupid friends plan a trip to the lake.
8. The city's best events move indoors. From the Chicago International Film Festival to the inaugural Museum Week, you can have a hoot and a half indoors this summer. Forget sweating your rump off during a street festival.
9. Say goodbye to music festivals and hello to club shows. It's been fun, but we've had our fill of standing in fields, craning our necks and evacuating parks this summer. It's time to head indoors and listen to music in dark rooms, where we don't have to worry about inclement weather or fence jumpers. Most importantly, all of those artists you wish you saw this summer are probably playing a concert in Chicago within the next few months.
10. Chicago is the nexus of amazing fall beers. Seemingly every brewery in the area is brewing up a line of beers that pairs great with fall's cool weather and tasty food options. Just tread lightly: Fall beers tend to have a higher ABV than your usual summer session ale.
11. Time Out Chicago just released its free fall print preview, so you can have a go-to guide for the best things to do in the city this season without requiring a wi-fi connection. We're incredibly pumped about the issue, and you should be too!