The Chicago Auto Show concluded a nine-day run Feb. 22 with a 7-percent increase in attendance compared to last year, according to a press release.

With more than 1 million square feet of exhibit space, the Chicago Auto Show is the nation's largest auto show. The show's media preview this year hosted 18 world premieres including the introduction of the Kia Trail'ster concept as well as important consumer vehicles such as the Acura RDX, Chevrolet Equinox, Honda Pilot and Toyota Avalon.

The show provided free Wi-Fi to all attendees, and the official Chicago Auto Show app had more than 33,000 downloads during the run of the show—doubling the number of downloads from a year ago.

The Chicago Auto Show also continued to engage with its fans across social media. The show's #CAS15 was a top trending hashtag on Twitter during the media preview, and directly reached 30 million people with 22,500 tweets.

As for the Best of Show winners, they were:

—Best All-New Production Vehicle: Ford GT ( 38 percent of vote )

—Best Concept Vehicle: Toyota FT-1 ( 30 percent of vote )

—Best Green Vehicle: BMW i8 ( 38 percent of vote )

—Best Exhibit: Ford ( 25 percent of vote )

—Vehicle I'd most like to have in my driveway: Ford Mustang GT350

Planning is already underway for the 108th Chicago Auto Show. The 2016 event will open to the public Feb. 13-21. The media preview will be Feb. 11-12, and First Look for Charity will be Feb. 12.

Brickman to perform in Glen Ellyn March 14

Jim Brickman, the Grammy-nominated and best-selling solo piano artist, will bring The Platinum Tour to McAninch Arts Center ( MAC )—located on the campus of College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn—on Saturday, March 14, at 8 p.m.

Brickman began his career in 1994 with his debut album No Words. To date, he has been awarded two Grammy nominations, four gold albums, 30 charted adult radio hits and a tie for the most number-one CDs on Billboard's New Age chart.

Tickets are $40-$50; call 630-942-4000 or visit AtTheMAC.org.

New Pastoral to open in A'ville

The co-owners of Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine have signed a lease to open a new location at 5212 N. Clark St. ( the former Urban Orchard space ) in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood.

The new hybrid retail and restaurant/wine bar from Chicago's hometown cheese shop will be the company's largest project to date, at nearly 3,800 square feet.

The new location is scheduled to open in late summer 2015. Pastoral's current retail locations include 2945 N. Broadway; 53 E. Lake St.; and Chicago French Market, 131 N. Clinton St. In 2012, the company also opened Bar Pastoral, a Michelin Guide-recommended wine-and-cheese bistro at 2947 N. Broadway.

Visit pastoralartisan.com.

Lakeview Pantry finds new home

Lakeview Pantry—which provides emergency food assistance and other critical services to residents of Lakeview and surrounding neighborhoods—has completed the purchase of a building that will serve as its new home. The property, a 7,500-square-foot building at 3945 N. Sheridan Rd. will nearly double the amount of space for the organization's headquarters.

Recognizing that it had outgrown its longtime home at 3831 N. Broadway, Lakeview Pantry launched a capital campaign in 2012 to raise more than $3 million to fund the property acquisition and renovation. This is the first building purchase for the non-profit organization, which has served the local community since 1970.

The target date for completion of the design and build-out is June 2016.

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