Dec. 23--Can you take an alcoholic drink into the Imax Theatre at Navy Pier? That's the plot twist unfolding around the opening of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."
The tale starts on Twitter: On Tuesday, a friend of a friend posted an FYI that patrons could bring to-go cups from certain Navy Pier restaurants into the Imax.
Last summer, the city council did vote to allow Navy Pier visitors to walk around with certain alcoholic beverages inside the building. The drinks have to be purchased from approved vendors on the pier and must be in red plastic cups marked with the seller's logo, according to a Chicago Tribune story. (Previously, visitors had to drink those drinks outside.)
But does indoors include the Imax?
True to the friend's tweet, Harry Caray's Tavern at Navy Pier is advertising to-go cocktails for guests to take into the theater. The "Star Wars"-themed drinks, "Sith," "Jedi" and "The Force," come rimmed with Pop Rocks and garnished with a gummy worm "lightsaber."
"Choose your side," a Harry Caray's ad picturing the drinks reads. "Available to-go for you to enjoy during the show at IMAX Theater."
A Navy Pier Imax staffer first said no when asked if the to-go cups could be brought into the theater. Then, the staffer said to-go cups from two Navy Pier establishments, Harry Caray's and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., would be permitted inside. But Ann Sommerlath, senior vice president for corporate communications at Imax Corp., said no.
"The IMAX at Navy Pier does not allow alcoholic beverages in the theatre," she wrote in an email.
That came as a surprise to Beth Goldberg Heller, executive vice president for Harry Caray's Restaurant Group. She said it was OK to bring a drink into the Navy Pier Imax, noting the City Council vote.
Heller says she saw an ad for the drink while attending a movie at the Imax.
"To my knowledge, you can take a drink all around the pier," said Heller, who said the rules change was relatively new and maybe word hadn't gotten out fully. "I don't know. It's fun, and people love the drinks."
Sith ($10) is a red drink made with Don Q Anejo Rum and ginger beer. The blue Jedi ($10) is made with Stoli Blue, blue Curacao, lemonade and sour mix. The Force ($9), a green cocktail, features Absolut Citron vodka, DeKuyper Apple Pucker and DeKuyper Melon liqueur.
Alcohol-free versions of the drinks are available for $3, Heller said.
What to do? Well, I suppose thirsty "Star Wars" fans can muster up their own inner Han Solo, who wouldn't take no for an answer, and try to take their Navy Pier-sanctioned to-go cups into the theater and see what happens. Or, keep the drama on the big screen, and enjoy the drinks at Harry Caray's Tavern instead.
The AMC Dine-In Theatres Block 37, which opened in the Loop this month, offers beer, wine and cocktails inside each of its 11 theaters, and the new ArclLight Cinemas in NewCity also serve alcoholic beverages you can take to your seat.
wdaley@tribpub.com
Twitter @BillDaley
