About Us

CouchSurfing (CS) Chicago welcomes you to the
2nd Annual Chicago CouchCrash!

"Rock over London, ROCK ON CHICAGO! Polaroid. See what develops." – Wesley Willis

Set a course for the Windy City this Labor Day Weekend, September 1-5, 2011! Join us for a cutthroat board game night, Chicago-centric meals, silly walking tours, improv performances, a funktastic dance party, intramural sports, mind-blowing theater, a citywide scavenger hunt, an epic firepit party, a day at the beach, a "landmark" double feature (What! C'mon, it was one pun! ONE! GIMME A BREAK!) and one helluva hangover BBQ that will surely be a fitting end to an already crazy summer!

Taking a cue from the success of the Detroit, D.C. and New York CouchCrashes*, CouchSurfing (CS) Chicago organized its own CouchCrash in late September 2010. A four-hour planning committee was held on a Thursday night in late August. By noon the next day a finished itinerary – complete with individual event pages, maps and directions! – had been launched, and an open invitation was posted in 50 CS communities across North America two days after that. A month to the date(!) of that initial planning committee, the 1st Annual Chicago CouchCrash was underway. 200+ attendees from all over the world assembled for a fun and furious weekend in the first-class Second City.

Due to the success we had with last year's fly-by-night operation, we thought we might do it again – but even better! We've given ourselves a lot more time to plan the 2nd Annual Chicago CouchCrash, which means we've also allowed ourselves to be even more ambitious with the itinerary. We're talking about a live concert in an art studio in Pilsen, an improv walking tour of downtown and a double feature in a restored landmark cinema in Portage Park! Better yet, we've built a custom web site, commissioned professional logos and even put together special incentive packages for those who choose to donate money to the cause. Best of all, we've commandeered the last three-day weekend of summer, which we hope will compel more visitors to join us for one last HURRAH! before putting away the swimwear and sunscreen and returning home to catch up on the DVR queue.

About CouchSurfing.org

CouchSurfing is an international non-profit network that connects travelers with locals in over 230 countries and territories around the world. Since 2004, members have been using our system to come together for cultural exchange, friendship, and learning experiences. Today, over a million people who might otherwise never meet are able to share hospitality and cultural understanding.

Our mission as an organization is to create inspiring experiences: cross-cultural encounters that are fun, engaging, and illuminating. These experiences take many forms. CouchSurfing's initial focus was on hosting and "surfing" (staying with a local as a guest in their home). Alongside these core experiences, we now also facilitate a growing array of activities and events.

We have a vision of a world where everyone can explore and create meaningful connections with the people and places they encounter. Each CouchSurfing experience shared by our members brings us closer to that vision.

Membership is free, and a world of opportunity awaits . . .

www.CouchSurfing.org

*Special thanks to the CS Detroit, D.C., New York, and Philadelphia communities for inspiring us to step up our game. Because of your support, tips and suggestions, we've been able to blatantly "borrow" your best ideas and apply them to our own CouchCrash. Thank you!