Traditions and customs in Chicago

1. Blues and jazz

Chicago blues is its own genre, still played nightly in the clubs.

2. Deep dish versus tavern style

Locals mostly eat thin tavern-cut pizza; deep dish is largely for visitors.

3. Summer festivals

Lollapalooza, the Air and Water Show and neighbourhood street fests through the season.

• Best time: June to September

4. Architecture

The skyscraper was invented here after the 1871 fire, and the city knows it.

5. Sports rivalries

Cubs and White Sox split the city geographically and socially.