Parking tips for One Direction Dance Party x Valentines Day at Joe's on Weed Street (Chicago 02/14)

hey everyone, figured i'd share some parking tips for the one direction dance party with dj kenny braasch and dj real co at joe's on weed street on 02/14. parking in this part of chicago is always a massive headache but since it is valentines day and a friday night it is going to be especially brutal with all the dinner crowds around the clybourn corridor.

if you want to make it easy on yourself you should definitely check out Prked first. it is an app where you can rent driveways and private garage spots from people who live right by joe's on weed street. it is usually way cheaper than the venue's valet and you get to skip the traffic lines when the party lets out. it is just a short walk and much more reliable than trying to circle the block for forty minutes on 02/14.

if you decide not to go that route there are a few other options but you have to be careful. the venue has a tiny lot on the east side of the building but it fills up almost instantly so don't count on it. they usually have valet but on 02/14 it will probably be super slow and pricey. the most popular backup is the garage at 939 w north ave which is basically right next to nordstrom rack and only a minute walk away. you can sometimes find spots there for around 9 or 10 dollars. there are also the lots under the el tracks at 1628 n dayton st and 1620 n halsted st which are usually pretty affordable, sometimes as low as 6 dollars if you book them early. if those are full you can try the lincoln park center garage at 698 w weed st or the new city garage at 710 w schiller st. some other nearby garages include the blackhawk on halsted garage, the 1783 n marcey st garage, and the one at 1840 n clybourn ave which is about a five minute walk but can be as cheap as 3 or 4 dollars. there is also a garage at 950 n kingsbury st if you are really stuck.

for street parking you can look on weed street or the nearby side streets like clybourn but honestly it is risky. chicago is super strict about residential permit zones and you will get a 75 dollar ticket or towed if you park in a zone like 383 or 142 without a pass. pay close attention to the signs because many restrictions start at 6:00 pm or are enforced 24 hours a day. also do not even think about parking in the whole foods lot or any of the retail lots nearby because they are very aggressive about towing and will grab your car before you even walk inside the venue. the meters are usually active until 10:00 pm or midnight so make sure you use the parkchicago app if you find a spot.

traffic around north and clybourn on 02/14 is going to be a total mess so try to arrive at least thirty minutes earlier than you think you need to. the ride share drop off area in front of joe's usually turns into a parking lot itself so it is better to get out a block away and walk. since it is valentines day the restaurants in the area will have the streets packed until late at night. hope this helps and have the best time at the dance party.