Venetian Night boat parade returns to Lake Michigan for 1st time since 2014

CHICAGO (WLS) — It was a highly-anticipated return for one of the best nights of Chicago’s summer.

All of the boats were decked out along the lake for Venetian Night. People lined up near Monroe Harbor with a front-row seat to the festivities, many of them thankful to see this event back on Lake Michigan for the first time since 2014.

It’s a life-long tradition for many Chicagoans.

“This is my first time for about 20 years,” Bob Hernandez said. “I used to come with my mom.”

The weather stopped the show last weekend, with wind speeds and rain forcing organizers to reschedule to Saturday.

Venetian Night has been celebrated in the city since the 1950s, and is meant to honor Italian-American history.

“This is a Venetian vibe. If you can imagine gondolas going through bridges in Venice, this is Chicago’s rendition. Venicio in Chicago,” said Trevian Kutti, a Venetian Night organizer.

The event has faced some hurdles over the years, making Saturday’s return to the lakefront even more special.

Organizers said Mayor Richard Daley stopped it back in 2014, because it was too costly for the city. And, in the last two years, Venetian Night returned in a smaller fashion, on the river, but it got too big once again.

“People grew up on Venetian night here in Chicago,” Kutti said. “People are just happy to see an event that’s been gone.”

And, people can’t get enough of this special summertime tradition, giving a real sense of community with people lined up next to each other in their lawn chairs to take it all in.

“I love the lights. The boats, how they light them up, it’s great. It’s really beautiful,” said Leon Scullark.

It’s the first time ever that the event had live music on the water. All of it has made for a special summer night in the city.