What the Chicago themed event is about
Do you know the password?
The Chicago themed event opens a secret 1920s club in the middle of Prohibition: an illegal casino, live jazz and gangsters in every corner.
- Password entrance: gangster doormen who ask for the secret code.
- Underground casino: roulette, poker, blackjack and craps with period croupiers.
- Staged raid: actors playing gangsters and police who burst into the party.
- Jazz and cabaret: live band, burlesque and magic.
For companies, networking dinners and private parties in Barcelona and all of Spain.
Chicago event fact sheet for event planners
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The essentials to present the Chicago themed event to your client:
- Guests: from 30 up to several hundred; the full set-up needs about 80-100 m² for 60-80 people.
- Duration: around 3 hours of casino and entertainment, extendable by the hour.
- Venue: indoors; ideal in bars, lofts, basements or dimly lit rooms, though it adapts to large halls.
- Set-up: 1 to 2 hours for the tables; the venue décor depends on the volume.
- Staff: one period croupier per table, gangster doormen and 1920s hostesses.
- Ideal for: company dinners, networking, Christmas, anniversaries, weddings and private parties.
- Area: Barcelona, Madrid and all of Spain.
You receive an itemised quote, ready to add to your proposal.
Entering the speakeasy: password and gangster doormen
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The night starts with a secret. Along with the invitation, each guest receives a password and some custom fake banknotes featuring the event's theme, which they later exchange at the casino and keep as a souvenir.
At the door, doormen dressed as gangsters ask for the code before letting anyone in; inside, 1920s hostesses walk each guest to their place. The gangster at the door then stays on, performing among the guests.
- Dark-toned entrance with barrels, period lamps, feathers and the Chicago sign in LED lights.
- Props for guests: hats, white scarves, feather headbands and toy tommy guns.
- Vintage suitcases full of banknotes for handing out.
The illegal casino of the Chicago event
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At the Chicago event the casino is not just any gaming room: it is a forbidden joint. The croupiers wear period costume, bets are placed in a whisper and the feeling of breaking the law is part of the fun.
How many tables should the joint have? Only half the room bets at the same time, and each table takes 7 to 10 players. The sum is: guests ÷ 2 ÷ 7-10. With 80 guests you get 4 to 6 tables; never fewer than 3, or queues form and the pace drops.
- Texas Hold'em poker, the star table of the theme, also as a tournament.
- French roulette, blackjack and craps table.
- Giant tombola cup for the final draw.
The casino usually opens after dinner and the host's speech, and closes by rewarding the top 5 guests with the most banknotes.
Mesa de Póker
Mesa de Ruleta Francesa
Mesa de Blackjack
Mesa de Dados (Craps)
Torneo de Póker para Empresas
Ruleta de la Suerte Gigante
Mesa de Carrera de Caballos
Mesas de Casino
Gangsters vs police, cigars and tattoos at the Chicago event
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What sets Chicago apart from other casino themes is that it has a plot. A group of actors, some playing gangsters and others police officers, bursts in at one or two moments of the night with a staged raid: a chase, tension and laughter. Then comes the police mugshot photo with the guests, one of the most shared souvenirs.
- Cigarette girls: Prohibition hostesses with neck trays of cigars and cigarettes, chocolate ones too.
- Temporary tattoos: cards, dice and gangster symbols that wash off the same day or fade within a couple of days.
- Prohibition corner: wooden whisky crates, a wine barrel, bottles and prop tommy guns.
- Bookmakers and a period photographer working the room.
Jazz, cabaret and magic at the Chicago themed event
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The band sets the mood from the moment the door opens, and the shows come in sets so the casino never stops.
- Jazz band: live sax, piano, bass and drums, with improvisation and audience interaction.
- Cabaret show: 3 to 4 dancers in 3 ten-minute appearances, with group numbers, duets and solos.
- All That Jazz: 3 ten-minute sets inspired by the musical Chicago, with feathers and sparkle.
- Charleston: dancers who teach the steps and get guests onto the floor.
- Magic: a magician who amazes guests among the tables and gets them involved.
If the venue has neighbours, it is worth checking the soundproofing because of the band's volume.
What a Chicago themed event looks like
Images
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More products to complete the Chicago event
A photo booth, a custom photocall and food carts to keep the underground party going.
Chicago themed event dress code
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The code is 1920s Vintage Chic:
- Men: pinstripe suit, braces, a fedora and, for the bold, a carnation in the lapel.
- Women: fringed or sequinned dress, feather boa, headband and a long pearl necklace.
Hostesses hand out hats and boas at the door for anyone who arrives without a costume. Encouraging period dress is what finally turns the room into a speakeasy.
Catering and underground bar for the Chicago event
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Food is served at buffet stations that open about an hour after guests arrive:
- Mini burgers, canapés, cured hams and cheeses with bread rolls, quince paste, jams and oils.
- Croquettes, seafood and salads, plus a 1920s-style dessert table.
- Underground bar: bartenders serving Prohibition cocktails, from the Old Fashioned to the Sidecar.
- Vintage whisky cart where guests help themselves, and a champagne dress bringing glasses to the room.
How to adapt the Chicago event to each client
- Networking dinner (60-80 people): gangster raid as an icebreaker on arrival, casino open during the cocktail hour and jazz during dinner.
- Company or Christmas dinner: casino after dessert, banknotes with the logo and a prize for the winners.
- Corporate anniversary: branded Prohibition photocall and a live jazz band.
- Private party or birthday: 3-table format, password doormen and period dress code.
- Wedding: casino during the cocktail hour, cigarette girls and champagne dress.
Space, set-up and staff for the Chicago event
Chicago shines in intimate venues —bars, lofts, basements— that reinforce the secret-club feel, though a large hall works with the right décor and lighting. For the full set-up with 60-80 guests, allow about 80-100 m².
- Set-up: 1 to 2 hours for the casino tables; décor and the band's stage take longer depending on the volume.
- Staff: one croupier per table, essential, plus optional gangster doormen and 1920s hostesses who welcome guests, encourage play and hand out prizes.
- Technical: sockets near the lit tables and, for the band, stage space and a sound system if the venue has none.
Around 80% of our events take place outside Barcelona; we take the speakeasy anywhere in Spain.
1920s party for companies: speakeasy, gangsters and New Year
Secret club
If you are after a 1920s party for companies that goes beyond fancy dress, the Prohibition speakeasy format has something special: every guest feels part of a shared secret. Staff arrive curious and end up caught in the plot. Fedoras, jazz and complicity from the door.
To close the calendar, a gangster New Year's Eve party with casino and jazz band gives the last night of the year a cinematic feel. It works just as well to close a congress or incentive trip, when the group already knows each other and wants a different night, and for 40th birthdays with a secret club spirit. We organise it in Barcelona, Madrid and any city in Spain.
- New Year's Eve parties: a midnight toast in a secret club with jazz and gaming tables.
- Congress closing nights: a period evening that breaks with the formal tone of the previous days.
- Incentive trips: the group lives a gangster storyline that becomes the anecdote of the trip.
- 40th birthdays: a password at the door, a small casino and friends dressed in 1920s style.
Its own storylineJazz and casinoAll of Spain
How the Chicago themed event is quoted
The price is built by adding up the modules you choose:
- Casino tables and croupier hours.
- Jazz band, cabaret shows and gangster act.
- Doormen, hostesses, cigarette girls and tattoos.
- Décor, photocall and props.
- Catering, bar and whisky cart.
- City, timings and a sound system if the venue has none.
Tell us the date, city, venue and number of guests and we will send you an itemised proposal with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions about the Chicago event
How is it different from Gatsby or Las Vegas?
They share the casino, but Chicago has a plot: a speakeasy, a password and a gangster raid, with less glitz and more mystery.
Could the raid make guests uncomfortable?
No. It is a short, light-hearted piece of theatre, scheduled at one or two moments of the night.
Do we need a bar to do it?
It is ideal, but any other venue can get the atmosphere with the right décor.
Is real money used?
No. Guests bet with custom fake banknotes and whoever collects the most wins.
How far in advance should we book?
At least 3-4 weeks to secure the band, croupiers and décor, and more in high season.
Booking the Chicago themed event
With a Chicago-style setting, the jazz band, croupiers and décor need to be lined up in good time: we advise requesting your date 3-4 weeks out, especially in busy season.
Calling it off: you'll find the terms in writing in the quote; they hinge on how much notice there is before the agreed date. If your event could undergo changes, let our team know before you confirm.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Chicago 1920s Themed Event involve?
It turns the venue into a Prohibition-era underground club: gangster doormen ask for the password at the door, there is an illegal casino with period croupiers, live jazz and a theatrical raid by actors. It is a themed party with a storyline, designed for companies.
How many casino tables do I need for the Chicago themed event?
Only half the room bets at any one time and each table takes 7 to 10 players. The sum is guests divided by 2 and then by 7-10: with 80 guests that gives 4 to 6 tables. For the Chicago themed event we never recommend fewer than 3 tables.
What space does the Chicago themed event need and how long does it last?
The full Chicago themed event set-up needs around 80-100 m² for 60-80 people, indoors. It works very well in bars, lofts, basements or dimly lit rooms. It lasts about 3 hours of casino and entertainment, extendable by the hour, and the tables are set up in 1 or 2 hours.
What entertainment does the Chicago themed event include?
The Chicago themed event can include a live jazz band, a cabaret show with 3 or 4 dancers, a show inspired by the musical Chicago, charleston dancers and a magician working between the tables. The shows run in sets so the casino never stops.
What kinds of events suit the Chicago themed event?
The Chicago themed event suits company dinners, networking, Christmas, anniversaries, weddings and private parties. We set it up from Barcelona anywhere in Spain, and can add a personalised photocall and period props so guests really get into character.
