Free Republic

Navy Pier will close again rather than fight for the comparatively few visitors willing to venture onto the partially reopened lakeside destination amid the coronavirus pandemic. The human-made structure jutting into Lake Michigan and lined with restaurants, carnival rides and cultural destinations — many of them still closed — will shut down again Sept. 8 and stay shut until spring in order to save money and protect the attraction’s long-term financial health, pier officials announced Tuesday morning. “We are only seeing about 15 to 20% of the attendance that we would typically see this time of year, which is also...

Bright colors and breezy fabrics of traditional tunics and trousers floated across the sidewalks of Navy Pier, which housed the first Eid Expo, bringing together diverse denominations and ethnicities Wednesday. The two-day event celebrated Eid al-Fitr, a holiday that concludes Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting. Thousands of Muslims from the Midwest attended the event to pray, mingle and eat halal food. Imam Zaid Shakir, who led Muhammad Ali's funeral prayers, led the Eid prayers. Asma Ahad, director of market development for the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America, one of the co-sponsors along with the Council of Islamic...