Entering the final open tournament of 2009, the AVP has several special events planned for the AVP Crocs Championship Cup Kentucky Grilled Chicken Chicago Open.

The newest member of the AVP team, life-size Wilson-style volleyball mascot Sunny, will debut in Chicago by spending four hours each day Friday-Sunday at his favorite place: on-site with the AVP! Fans wanting to meet Sunny can bet on finding him at Stadium Court during the men’s semifinals and finals Saturday and the women’s semifinals and finals Sunday. Throughout much of the weekend Sunny will be accompanied by a photographer, creating perfect opportunities for fun fan photos.

Hours before Sunny makes his first appearance, Chicago NBC affiliate WMAQ-TV’s morning show will feature the AVP. Before heading to Oak Street Beach, local fans can tune in at approximately 6:30 a.m. for interviews with AVP Chief Marketing Officer Paul Tedeschi and a spokesperson for Kentucky Grilled Chicken. KGC is this weekend’s title sponsor and partners with the top women’s team on the Tour in Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs.

In bonus beach volleyball action, the Four-Man Challenge and the Four-Woman Challenge will rock Stadium Court Saturday and Sunday, respectively, between each day’s semis and finals. Each match will consist of one game to 25, switching sides when the first team gets to 13. The men’s challenge is scheduled to pit Aaron Wachtfogel, Billy Strickland, Ty Tramblie, and Russ Marchewka against John Mayer, Matt Prosser, and Coney Island champions Ty Loomis and Casey Patterson. The Four-Woman Challenge will include Alicia Polzin, Saralyn Smith, Carrie Dodd, and Heather Lowe versus Nancy Mason, Jenny Kropp, Paige Davis, and Priscilla Lima. Each exhibition is scheduled to take place from 12:20-1:00 p.m.

Kids can develop their skills by playing on the AVP youth nets, which will be set up on an outer court Saturday following the men’s final and Sunday at 10 a.m. Youth nets enable kids 12 and under to enjoy playing on a smaller court and lower net that is just their size. Due to the popularity of the new tradition, Chicago will mark the first event in which the AVP sets up two youth nets on two days of an event. Furthermore, Sunny is scheduled to make an appearance and say hello to some of the AVP’s next big stars. For more on the AVP’s junior net systems, click here!

In what might be a very special event for Kerri Walsh and Holly McPeak fans, avpTV will stream Chicago semifinals and finals live in HD! Tune in Saturday at noon EDT for men’s semifinal coverage, followed by the men’s final at 2:30 p.m. EDT. Sunday, watch a women’s semifinal at noon EDT and the women’s final at 2:30 p.m. EDT. Click here to start watching avpTV for free!

To connect with friends and fans while you enjoy these special events and follow the AVP, create your own profile on Volleyball Nation, AVP.com’s own social network! Members can sound off in fan forums, share perspectives by uploading pictures and video, and unite in common interest groups. Click here to visit Volleyball Nation: the place for enthusiasts across the board to serve up and dig deep on all things volleyball.

Tickets to the competition in Chicago are available by clicking here.