One of the most "moooooving" events of the year in Chicago takes place Thursday at Navy Pier, with the 26th annual toast to Chicago legend Harry Caray.
The event, celebrated each year on the anniversary of Caray's passing, honors the beloved Chicago sports broadcasting legend. This year, the toast is an "homage to all things cow-related," the event description says, "with an udderly legen-dairy celebration themed around Harry’s famous catchphrase: 'Holy Cow!'"
By 5:45 a.m. Thursday, more than a dozen dedicated Harry Caray fans -- some donning cow costumes -- had already started to raise a glass to the icon. One of those guests was former White Sox player Ron Kittle.
"I've known him since the 1980s," Kittle told NBC Chicago's Kevin Jeanes. "He was a peculiar fellow, but he was baseball."
Kittle went on to say that Caray bought Kittle his first meal at the Miller Tavern, after being called up from Triple A.
"I had a good relationship with him," Kittle said. "He didn't yell at me, he didn't make fun of me...that I know of."
While the main toast and celebration doesn't begin until 4 p.m., fans had already begun to pack Harry Caray's Tavern at Navy Pier, located at 700 E. Grand Avenue. The event features a star-studded guest list, including appearances nd toasts from Seinfeld actor Jason Alexander, former Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster, and former Saturday Night Live comedian Chris Kattan.
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It will also include live cows -- literally.
"Bill Hook, Principal of Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences, will take on the roll of Cow-ordinator corralling two 800lb Black Angus cows to Harry Caray’s Tavern to partake in the morning’s festivities," the event description said. "A special cow pen will be created on-site allowing the benevolent bovines to remain on the restaurant’s patio for guests to view and take photos with from 4:45am to 6:30pm."
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According to organizers, 2024 marks the 25th anniversary of the 1999 Chicago-based installation of "Cows on Parade," which featured over 300 life-size fiberglass cows around the city.
"Harry Caray’s Restaurant Group maintains the largest collection of original cows from the installation with five in total,' event organizers said.
The main event begins at 4 p.m., with Alexander leading the toast at 5:30 p.m. Before that, fans are encouraged to raise a glass and partake in the spotted festivities.
"It's always great to honor Harry Caray," Kittle continued."
