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Postponed · New Date TBA · Chicago

ETHEREUMvsSOLANA

Builders defend their chains. Drinks flow. Opinions clash. One evening. Real arguments.

Chicago · 406 N Sangamon St · Evening event

The Debate

The blockchain trilemma in action

Ethereum and Solana represent two different answers to blockchain's fundamental challenge: balancing decentralization, security, and scalability. Each chain has made different tradeoffs, and their communities have strong opinions about which approach will win.

This isn't a corporate pitch deck event. It's builders defending their stack with real arguments—the kind of debate that happens in Discord servers and Twitter threads, but face-to-face over drinks.

The Resolution

“In 2030, Ethereum will be a superior blockchain to Solana for deploying successful applications.”

The Ethereum Case

SECURITY & MATURITY

  • Battle-tested security with the largest validator set
  • True decentralization: 500k+ validators worldwide
  • EVM compatibility powers most of DeFi
  • Layer 2s solve scaling without sacrificing security

The Solana Case

SPEED & PERFORMANCE

  • 65,000 TPS with sub-second finality
  • Parallel transaction processing (Sealevel)
  • Growing DeFi ecosystem with lower fees
  • Firedancer client adds network resilience

What They'll Debate

Speed vs Security

ETH

L2s achieve speed without base layer compromise

SOL

Native speed beats bridged solutions

Decentralization

ETH

500k+ validators, anyone can run a node

SOL

Hardware requirements enable performance

Developer Experience

ETH

Mature tooling, vast documentation

SOL

Rust performance, parallel execution

Ecosystem

ETH

Largest DeFi TVL and dApp ecosystem

SOL

Fast-growing with unique applications

Come with your questions and strongest opinions

Filmed & published on SuperDebate's content channel

Your Host

Brought to you by Web3Weekends

Adem Arifi

EVENT HOST

Community Steward for CTC (Chicago Tech Community) and organizer of Web3Weekends. Adem's been running blockchain events in Chicago since before it was cool—and keeps showing up every week.

CTC StewardWeb3 BuilderCommunity Lead

Web3Weekends

PRESENTING ORG

Weekly Web3 events in Chicago, powered by CTC. Devs, builders, and crypto-curious folks show up to learn, hack, and argue about the future of the internet. This debate is the main event.

Part of the Chicago Tech Community

In partnership with SuperDebate — Making arguing fun again

Evening Schedule

Planned run of show · 406 N Sangamon St, Chicago

6:00 PM

Doors Open

Grab a drink, pick a side

6:30 PM

Opening Remarks

Adem sets the stage and explains the format

7:00 PM

The Main Event: ETH vs SOL

Builders go head-to-head on speed, decentralization, ecosystem, and DX

8:00 PM

Audience Q&A

Your turn. Bring heat.

8:30 PM

Networking

Keep arguing over drinks

9:00 PM

Wrap

Until next time

Drinks provided. Schedule may adjust slightly based on debate intensity.

The Venue

Fulton Market District

406 N Sangamon St

Chicago, IL 60642 · Fulton Market District

CTA Access

Near Morgan (Green/Pink) & Grand (Blue) stations

Parking

Street parking & nearby garages available

Common questions

Do I need to understand crypto to attend?
Some familiarity with blockchain basics will help you follow the technical arguments, but you don't need to be an expert. The debate format makes complex topics accessible, and the Q&A session is a great place to ask clarifying questions.
Is this really free?
Yes! Registration is completely free. RSVP through Luma to reserve your spot—capacity is limited.
Can I participate in the debate?
There's a dedicated audience Q&A session where you can challenge the debaters, ask questions, or share your perspective. Come prepared with your toughest questions.
What time should I arrive?
Doors open at 6:00 PM. Arriving between 6:00-6:30 PM gives you time to grab a drink and network before the opening remarks.
Will there be drinks?
Drinks will be provided. This is not a dinner event, so consider eating beforehand or checking out the many restaurants in Fulton Market.
How do I cancel my RSVP?
You can cancel through Luma at any time. Please do so if you can't make it so someone else can attend.
How do I get there?
The venue is in Fulton Market. Street parking is available, as are nearby garages. For transit, Morgan station (Green/Pink lines) and Grand station (Blue line) are both accessible.
Who do I contact with questions?
For all inquiries, contact John Connor (Founder, SuperDebate) at john@superdebate.org. We typically respond within 24 hours.

ETH or SOL—Pick a Side

This isn't a conference panel. It's builders defending their stack with real arguments, drinks in hand, audience firing questions. The kind of conversation that makes crypto worth caring about.

Event Postponed

New Date To Be Announced

We're rescheduling the ETH vs SOL debate to make sure it lands right. Check back soon — a new date will be announced here.