BRIDGEPORT — Shinnick's Pub would like to bring a little excitement back to the Crosstown Classic.
The longtime neighborhood pub at 3758 S. Union Ave. will get White Sox and Cubs fans ready for Thursday's game by hosting its first ever "Crosstown Street Fest," featuring food from Bub City and plenty of games and drinks.
"Now that it's on the weekdays, [excitement] has dropped," Kathy Shinnick, manager at Shinnick's, said of the Crosstown Classic, when the Cubs and Sox play a series on both sides of town. "Even the players said, 'It's lost something.'"
But with the Cubs contending for a championship, and with White Sox fans rejuvenated after a series of moves to bring in new talent, Shinnick's is hoping to make the series more of a local event. They'd also like to capitalize on renewed interest in the series, the Shinnick family said.
The street fest will resemble a traditional block party: 38th Street will be blocked off from Union Avenue to about the alley. Bub City's impressive barbeque trailer will set up on the block and will serve ribs, brisket and mac and cheese. The bar will host a bags tournament and will show the game on a projector outside, said Jenna Duddleston, who bartends and helps with special events at the bar.
"I've seen the Bub City rig before. I asked, what do we need to do to get that in Bridgeport?" said Duddleston, who also works for Lettuce Entertain You and has worked on its Windy City Smokeout. "The Crosstown Classic seemed like a good reason."
Shinnick's Pub has hosted outdoor events before, but they have all been fundraisers, the family said. This will be the pub's first proper street fest, something that is a rarity in the neighborhood.
Such a fest could be a win-win for the Crosstown Classic, local baseball fans, the neighborhood and the tavern.
"We've just been trying to think of new ideas," Duddleston said. "I think it will generate excitement."
If you go: Shinnick's Pub's Crosstown Street Fest will be Thursday outside the bar at 38th Street and Union Avenue. It's free to attend, and customers can buy food and drink from the bar. The event is set to begin at 1 p.m. and has no advertised end time.
