For most city dwellers, "Tony Bennett Day in Chicago" passed without a note of recognition.
For Bennett, the day included a tour of Gallery 37, where he encouraged young artists, shook hands, signed autographs and collected a handsome document from Mayor Richard Daley proclaiming Tuesday, Bennett's 67th birthday, "Tony Bennett Day in Chicago."
This municipal nod to the legendary saloon singer got the same shrug from the general populace as did June 7, "Gwendolyn Brooks Day in Chicago," or June 18, "Garry Wills Day in Chicago."
When city boosters say that every day is special in Chicago, they're not far wrong.
Daley's office, like Gov. Jim Edgar's, churns out dozens of "official proclamations" every year, designating this day or that to give a civic backslap to a person, group or event.
For some, such as Brooks, the poet laureate of Illinois, it comes on their birthdays: Her 76th was June 7. For others, it comes too late: "Federal Judge James B. Parsons Day in Chicago" was June 19, six days after his death.
For Wills, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, it came on the day he was honored at the Printers Row Book Fair.
Many get the tribute just because they're in town.
It was "Nelson Mandela Day in Chicago" on July 6 because the South African civil rights leader was making his first visit to the city.
In Bennett's case, all he had to do was leave his art here: He sang Tuesday night at the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park.
Bennett, who, under his real name of Anthony Benedetto, is known as an accomplished artist, also was willing to mingle with budding artists in the makeshift, block-square art gallery in the heart of the Loop.
He noted that in his 45 years of performing, he has appeared in the Chicago area at least once a year.
The appreciative singer was handed his official proclamation by Daley. In most cases, however, proclamations of special days are simply printed on good-quality paper and sent either to the recipient or the organization that is honoring the individual at a special event.
Though it sometimes seems otherwise, requests for proclamations are not automatically granted.
"Some are rejected," said Noelle Gaffney, the mayor's press secretary.
For example, people who send in letters asking for "(Your Name Here) Day in Chicago," to honor those celebrating birthdays, anniversaries or other special occasions usually end up, instead, with a letter of congratulations signed by the mayor (or, more likely, his automatic signature machine).
Retirements also earn congratulatory letters, unless, of course, those packing it in are longtime politicians, political contributors or journalists.
Gaffney said the mayor's office tries to steer clear of requests that seem to be strictly commercial, but it's more a guideline than a rule. When the venerable Cracker Jack, one of Chicago's longest-lasting food products, turned 100 this year, it was saluted June 16 with "Cracker Jack Day in Chicago."
And the city's contribution to America's waistline-deep-dish pizza-was saluted when Daley proclaimed April 20 as "Ike Sewell Day in Chicago," in honor of the Chicago restaurateur whose Pizzeria Uno gave birth to the gut-busting taste treat 50 years earlier.
Groups and organizations that have received their own day this year include the Senior Citizens Day on May 22, Athletes Against Drugs Day on June 28, Clean Water Day on June 27, Chicago Stock Exchange Day on July 8, Tomorrow's Leaders Today Day on April 20, and Joffrey Ballet Day on March 16.
And don't forget to mark your calendar for "Field Museum Africa Exhibit Day in Chicago" on Nov. 13, "Jewish Children's Bureau Day in Chicago" on Sept. 12, and "Muscular Dystrophy Association of Chicago Cool & Casual Day in Chicago" on Aug. 12.
The requests for proclamations and letters of congratulation are so many that the mayor's office has a special division, known as The Mayor's Correspondence Unit, that works daily producing official-looking documents and letters to send out under Daley's name.
Just because the nation's third-largest city is willing to turn the day over to someone, however, don't think its hospitality is without limits.
"We provide a nice paper frame," Gaffney said, "but if they want something a little fancier, they have to get it themselves."