The last time the National Football League held its draft in Chicago was in 1963, so the 2015 draft was a major deal. The Auditorium Theatre housed the actual draft, but the many draft-related attractions turned the downtown area into Draft Town.

The events started on Wednesday, with a ceremony at Pioneer Court, just north of the river off of Michigan Avenue. Super-sized replica helmets set the mood and provided cool photo ops. There was also a huge screen that broadcast the draft over the following days. Grant Park held the bulk of the festivities, however, and Draft Town was free and open to all. A Super Bowl Museum housed a ton of Chicago Bears memorabilia as well as the Vince Lombardi trophy and Super Bowl rings from every year. There were great local food options, interactive events and even a flag football tournament. Plenty of football legends and other celebrities could be seen. I spotted former NFL stars Cris Carter, Michael Irvin and Bears Hall of Famer Dick Butkus. Of course, the main event was the draft itself.

Those of us lucky enough to get into the Auditorium Theater were treated to quite a spectacular time. The theater’s ornate beauty was an interesting juxtaposition to the rough world of the NFL. On the other hand, well-dressed, soon-to-be high-paid superstars are also a stark contrast to the rugged NFL image.

With their first pick, the Bears selected Kevin White, a wide receiver from West Virginia. Time will tell how White and the other draftees pan out, but the 2015 NFL Draft experience can be declared a major success.

— John Wroblewski, online contributor