FAQ

Q: Will food be served at FACES 2022? 
A: Yes, food will be provided four times during the following events: 
Friday, June 10^th during the Student Innovations Showcase – food will be provided by Compass catering. There will be one food station offering top 9 allergen free food and one station offering food without peanuts, tree nuts, fin fish and shellfish. 

Saturday morning, June 11th, a continental breakfast will be served, offering a limited variety of top 9 allergen free items. Note: no items will contain food with peanuts, tree nuts, fin fish or shellfish. 
Saturday lunch, June 11^th, a boxed lunch will be served. Those with food allergies or who are on special diets can order a special meal. Please indicate your needs on your registration form. 
 
Saturday evening, June10th, during the social event at Spin Chicago. NOTE: this venue will provide food from their kitchen and will offer a limited number of top 9 allergen free food choices – they are not able to provide special meals. 
All food served in the Simpson Querrey building will be provided by Compass Catering. Food will be clearly labeled. Please read the Compass Catering Allergen Statement below: 

Compass Catering Allergen Statement: 
“Be aware that in our kitchens and production facilities, we handle and prepare foods with peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk, wheat, shellfish, fish, soy, sesame, and other potential allergens. We do our best to provide nutrition and ingredient information that is as complete as possible, and we train our employees on best practices regarding food allergens. Guests with food allergies or dietary concerns need to speak with a manager for individualized assistance.” 

Q: Can I order a special meal for lunch during the conference? 
Yes. Please submit your special lunch meal request no later than May 10, 2022. Please contact our team at [email protected] to make arrangements, and to help you determine which food items will be safe for you and your family. 

Q: Will there be allergens served during FACES? 
A: Yes. No peanuts, tree nuts, fin fish or shellfish  will be served during any FACES events, but other top 9 allergens may be present. Please read all labels and submit special lunch meal requests no later than May 10, 2022. Please be aware of potential allergens offered in the vendor hall. 

Q: Can I bring my own lunch and snacks? 
A: Yes, we want all attendees to feel safe, comfortable and to enjoy their day! An area to enjoy food will be provided along with wipes for easy clean-up. 

Q: Is food permitted in meeting rooms? 
A: We prefer all eating to take place outside of the meeting rooms to maintain a safe learning environment for attendees. Beverages are okay to help everyone stay hydrated. 

Q: Will the gluten-free foods served be certified gluten free? 
A: There will be two types of gluten-free options served by Compass Catering.  
Gluten-free items, which will be sourced from certified gluten-free vendors and labeled as such. 
Avoiding Gluten items. See below: 

From Compass Catering: Avoiding gluten items are prepared in our kitchen without the use of gluten, however we cannot confirm that there will not be cross contact since our facility is a shared space with gluten containing items. We are unable to call them gluten free because our kitchen is not a certified gluten free kitchen, so due to the inherent risk of cross contact, we label these items produced in house as “avoiding gluten.” 

Q: Where do I park for the Friday Student Innovation Showcase and the Saturday conference? 
A: Free parking validations will be available for the Erie Ontario Parking garage at 321 E. Erie Street, Chicago, IL, and the Huron Superior Parking Garage at 222 E. Huron Street, Chicago, IL. Please note that parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis.  Be sure to take your parking ticket with you when you leave the garage as you will need it to process your parking validation at one of the payment station kiosks before returning to your car. 
You will need to obtain a parking validation when you check-in at each event.  

Q: If I am staying at the Chicago Hotel Collection – Magnificent Mile, where should I park? 
A: CFAAR can pay for your parking if you park in either the Erie Ontario Parking garage at 321 E. Erie Street, Chicago, IL OR the Huron Superior Parking Garage at 222 E. Huron Street, Chicago, IL. We are not able to cover the Chicago Hotel Collection parking fees.  If you need overnight parking, please contact CFAAR staff by emailing [email protected].  

Q: Will free parking be provided for the Spin Chicago event? 
A: No. However, CFAAR will offer complimentary bus transportation to Spin. After the event, you may return to either parking garages with a short Uber ride or a 15-minute walk. There is valet parking available at nearby eateries. 

Q: Are children allowed to attend the Friday Student Innovation Showcase? 
A: Yes, accompanied minors are welcome! 

Q: Can my entire family attend FACES?  
A: The Saturday conference includes separate tracks for children 7-12 and teens 13-18 years old. There will be no programming for children under 7 years old. 

Q: Can I bring my baby or toddler?
A: Small children are not advised since the conference is an all-day event.  

Q: Will conference staff and/or a professional photographer be taking pictures? 
A: Yes. There will be a professional photographer documenting the event.

Q: What if I do not want photos taken of my family or me? 
A: If you prefer not to be photographed, please let us know, and we will make accommodations. 

Q: Can I take photos of speakers and their slides? 
A: Yes, unless a speaker requests no photos during a session.

Q: Will it be okay if I take photos of other attendees? 
A: Please ask for permission before taking photos of any attendees to respect their privacy.
 

Q: Are family and friends of students invited to attend this event? 
A: Yes, everyone is invited. If you register for the FACES conference, the Student Innovations Showcase is included. There is also an option to register just for the Innovation Showcase, which is $25 per person.
 
Q: Will allergen-friendly food be served? 
A: Yes! There will be limited allergen-friendly foods available – see Food FAQ for more details.
 
Q: Is there parking available for the Student Showcase? 
A: Yes – see Parking FAQ for details.
 

Q: Is the event at Spin Chicago optional for attendees?  
A: Yes. Spin Chicago is a fun optional event to encourage engagement with other attendees and networking.
 
Q: Do I need to RSVP? 
A:  Yes, when you register for FACES, you will select all of the weekend events you will be attending. If you change your mind later, please contact us at [email protected].
 
Q: Are children allowed at this event? 
A: Yes. Accompanied minors are welcome. 

Q: Will there be transportation to Spin Chicago? 
A: Yes, a bus will pick up attendees at 5:45pm
 
Q: Will there be special meals or allergen-friendly food at this event? 
A: Special meals will not be offered, and there will be a limited number of allergen-friendly foods.

Q: Do you have suggestions for local restaurants? 
A: Review the registration confirmation email to discover a few local restaurants and grocery stores. Please note restaurants change their menu and food allergen safety protocols often; please call ahead to the restaurant to confirm they will meet the food allergy needs of your family. 

Q: Chicago is a great city; do you have suggestions for things to do? 
A: We love Chicago! Please check out our registration confirmation email for fun and exciting ideas. 

COVID-19 Safety Acknowledgment
The CFAAR team will require proof of vaccination for all attendees for the FACES 2022 conference. 

As safety is a primary concern, the Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research (CFAAR) will follow guidance from the CDC, Illinois Department of Public Health, and Northwestern University to ensure appropriate measures are in place for the FACES conference and related events.
Northwestern is closely monitoring developments related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and will follow local, state, and University guidelines for in-person events.

As of April 29, 2022, Northwestern encourages but does not require masking in public spaces.

To learn more about the most current University coronavirus protocols and guidelines, please visit this resource page.
CFAAR will reference their guidance and update attendees on new developments. The FACES team will reach out prior to the conference to confirm all requirements.