There's already plenty to look forward to at the inaugural Chicago edition ComplexCon at McCormick Place on July 20 and 21, a pop culture festival that brings together streetwear brands, hip-hop performers and creative minds. The show floor will be stocked with exclusive products from more than 100 brands, including Puma, Champion, Joe Freshgoods, RSVP Gallery and Chinatown Market, while the live music stage will host sets from the likes of Schoolboy Q, Ella Mai and Taylor Bennett.
When they're not shopping the latest styles, sitting in on a panel or catching a performance, ComplexCon attendees will be able to relax and refuel in a curated culinary activation that gathers some of Chicago's most beloved restaurants (and a few out-of-state imports). Today organizers announced the preliminary lineup for the the First We Feast Food Zone presented by Uber Eats, which highlights dishes from restaurants and chefs featured on Complex web series like Hot Ones and The Burger Show.
The Food Zone will include a sure-to-be-popular opportunity to take the Hot Ones Wing Challenge (sans a Sean Evans interview) by eating your way through 10 chicken wings doused in progressively spicier sauces. Other highlights include Shake Shack's debut of a Windy City beef burger inspired by an Italian beef sandwich, a Harold's Chicken stand that's peddling merch made in collaboration with L.A.-based streetwear label The Hundreds and an exclusive "$5,000 burger" made by the patty geniuses at Mott St. Also in attendance: Portillo's, J.P. Graziano, Triple Crown, Stephanie Izard's Goat Group and many more local favorites.
To make sure that you don't spend an entire afternoon at ComplexCon waiting in line for lunch, Uber Eats will allow attendees to order from vendors via an app and have their meal delivered to a special lounge inside of the convention center.
ComplexCon is shaping up to be the social event of the season for foodies, sneaker heads, hype beasts and hip-hop aficionados, so snagging a ticket soon probably isn't a bad idea. Tickets are still available, with single-day passes starting at $80 and two-day passes starting at $135. Work up an appetite by taking a look at the entire food lineup for ComplexCon's First We Feast Food Zone below.
Hot Ones Wing Challenge
Shake Shack
Portillo's
Seoul Taco
Goat Group
Harold's Chicken
J.P. Graziano
Mott St.
Finom Coffee
Dorian's
Dark Matter Coffee
Good Fortune
Triple Crown
Young American
Chicago Taco Authority
Paperboy (Paris)
Rakki Cafe
Mom's Chicago
Dirty Lemon
Metric Coffee
The Delta
Justice of the Pies
Moon Palace
Wild Bill's Olde Fashioned Soda Pop Co.