Yes, tickets are required to attend Designight 2025. There are two different ticket types:

1. Tickets to attend only the Awards Ceremony can be purchased here.
2. Tickets to attend both the Awards Ceremony and After Party can be purchased here.

Awards Ceremony only tickets will be available up until the ceremony either online or through The Harris Theatre box office. 

Awards Ceremony and After Party tickets will be available until Friday, September 12 at 5:00 PM.

Final deadline for swapping out tickets is Monday, September 15 at 12:00 PM. 

Awards Ceremony Ticket:
If you need to make changes on your ticket to the Awards Ceremony, please contact The Harris Theater at info@harristheaterchicago.org

Awards Ceremony and the After Party Ticket:
If you have a ticket to both the Awards Ceremony and the After Party, AIA Chicago will make the adjustment for you. Please refer to the guide below to see which staff member to contact, which will depend on your ticket situation.

• Awardees attending the Awards Ceremony only: Please email The Harris Theater: info@harristheaterchicago.org
• Awardees attending the Awards Ceremony and After Party: Please email Madison Young, Senior Coordinator, Program and Events: myoung@aiachicago.org
• Sponsors: Please email Evans Debeza, AIA, Sponsorship and Donor Relations Assistant: edebeza@aiachicago.org
• General Attendee: Please email Marcilena Shaeffer, Manager of Membership: mshaeffer@aiachicago.org

To claim Sponsorship Tickets: Contact Evans Debeza, Sponsorship and Donor Relations Assistant: edebeza@aiachicago.org

To claim Award Recipient Tickets: Contact Madison Young, Senior Coordinator, Programs and Events: myoung@aiachicago.org

If you are BOTH a Sponsor and Award Recipient, please reach out to both Evans and Madison.

Each project Finalist will receives 6 complementary tickets to the Awards Ceremony. Complimentary codes will be communicated to the point of contact for each award.

Should you have additional questions, please contact Madison Young with any further questions: myoung@aiachicago.org

Each Lerch Bates People's Choice Award winner* will receives 3 complementary tickets to the Awards Ceremony. Complimentary codes will be communicated to the point of contact for each award.

Should you have additional questions, please contact Madison Young with any further questions: myoung@aiachicago.org

*Winner, not finalist. LBPCA winners will be privately notified about one week before Designight.

Awards Ceremony only ticket: No. Harris Theater is unable to offer refunds.

Awards Ceremony and After Party ticket: No, the combined Awards Ceremony and After Party ticket is non-refundable, but it is transferrable. Please email Marcilena Shaeffer by Monday, September 12 at 12:00 PM to transfer your ticket to another individual: mshaeffer@aiachicago.org

How do I Access The Harris Theater?
The Harris Theater lobby entrance is located at 205 East Randolph Street on upper Randolph (street level).

Where can I Find Directions to The Harris Theater?
Directions to the Harris Theater via public transportation, car, bike, or on foot are available on the Harris Theater Directions and Parking page.

Public Transportation: 
CTA: The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) train stations close to the Harris Theater include the Red Line Washington Street station and Lake Street station, the Brown/Green/Orange/Purple Line trains’ Washington/Wabash station and State/Lake station. After exiting any of these stations, walk east on Randolph Street to the Theater at 205 East Randolph.

For additional directions to the Harris Theater, including bus routes, call the CTA Travel Information Center at (312) 836- 7000 or visit www.transitchicago.com.

METRA: If arriving downtown via Metra trains, taxi cabs and CTA buses are all immediately available.

• From Union Station take CTA’s #151 bus directly to Millennium Park.
• From Ogilvie Transportation Center take CTA’s #20 or #56 bus directly to Millennium Park.
• From LaSalle Street Station take CTA’s #147 and #151 bus directly to Millennium Park.
• Randolph Street Metra Station and South Shore Line Station exit directly on Michigan Avenue and Randolph, just one block from the Harris Theater and at the Northwest corner of Millennium Park.

For additional Metra station information and up to date train schedules please visit metrarail.com.

Where can I park? 

Self-parking is available in the Millennium Park Garage. The main garage entrance is located at 5 South Columbus Drive, with both northbound and southbound access available. To learn more and purchase parking in advance for an event at the Harris Theater, click here. 

To access the theater from this garage, please take the parking garage elevators to the street level (Level 7) of the garage, exit, and take a left on Randolph to enter through our street level doors at 205 East Randolph. We recommend dropping off any members of your party with limited mobility at the street level entrance before parking.

Taxi and Rideshare Information:
The theater location near Michigan Avenue ensures that you will find taxis with relative ease. There is also a taxi stand across the street from the Harris Theater in front of the Aon Center. Rideshares should have no problem locating the venue at 205 East Randolph.

Yes, Harris Theater is ADA accessible and has elevators available for the After Party. aAssisted listening devices will be available on Level 1 of the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, and an ASL interpreter will be on the Awards stage.. If you have additional questions, please contact The Harris Theater Box Office by calling (312) 334-7777, or email access@harristheaterchicago.org. 

Awards Ceremony: Seating for the Awards Ceremony is General Admission and is first-come, first-serve. Please arrive early to ensure you and your team can sit together.

If you are a Sponsor of the event, there is a reserved "Sponsor Seating Section" at the front of the house.

If you are in need of accessible seating, please let an usher know upon arrival to the theater and they will direct you to the multiple reserved areas. For more information on accessible seating, please visit the accessibility page on the Harris Theater website, contact the Harris Theater Box Office by calling 312.334.7777, or email access@harristheaterchicago.org.

After Party: The After Party has no assigned seating and is standing room with a few lounge areas. 

While there is a bag check, we ask that our guests avoid bringing unnecessary items to the theater. The following items are prohibited inside the theater: briefcases, backpacks, luggage of any kind, computer and camera bags, containers, packages, or any purses and bags larger than 12" x 6" x 12".

For those attending both the Awards Ceremony AND After Party, there will be a separate bag check area inside the street-level lobby of the Harris Theater to drop your items. These items will be taken up to the rooftop for the After Party and you will be able to retrieve them at the end of the evening.

No. Personal food and beverage are strictly prohibited. Beverages will be made available for sale one hour before the Awards Ceremony at the Harris Theater.

Those attending the After Party will be provided complementary beverages and heavy hors d'oeuvres.