Chicago, IL

Nothing says winter more than ice skating. In Chicago you have plenty of chances to lace up the skates and take a whirl, perhaps in a nice holiday sweater.

Millennium Park
Open now through March 16, 2008, weather permitting (it’s outdoors)
Cost: Free. Skate rentals are available for $9.
Hours: The rink is open daily from 10:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.
Holidays: On Christmas Eve, the rink will be open from 10am to 6pm. On Christmas Day, the rink will be open from Noon - 8pm. (Please note that the rink will close at 8pm on Thursday, December 27 and Monday, January 7).

Navy Pier
Now through January 6th
Cost: part of Navy Pier’s Winter Wonderfest; Skating and skates rental included in cost of upgraded wristband, which is $18.
Hours: Sunday-Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Friday & Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Holidays: On Christmas Eve the hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Christmas Day: Closed
New Year’s Eve: 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Chicago Park District
Located throughout the city
Hours vary
Check the link above times and places.

If ice skating is not your cup of tea, head to the United Center where you can watch the hockey professionals show you how it is done. Chicago Blackhawks tickets are still available for the remainder of the season and they are playing well this season, so you might want to check them out. The Chicago Wolves are another hockey opportunity and they play at Allstate Arena in Rosemont.

This post is part of the 12 days of Chicago series, which brings you 12 fun and interesting things that you can do for the holidays in Chicago. In conjunction with the series, this blog is sponsoring a holiday contest, which you can read about here.

This holiday season, both of the major zoos in the Chicago area have special holiday events. Both the Lincoln Park Zoolights and the Holiday Magic at Brookfield Zoo have started and run through the end of the year.

Lincoln Park Zoolights
Hours: 5:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.; closed December 24th and 25th
Location: Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL
Highlights: Laser light show, visits with Santa, ice carving, storytelling, carousel, train rides
Cost: Free!
Official site

Holiday Magic at Brookfield Zoo
Hours: 9:00 a.m.-8:30 p.m.
Location: Brookfield Zoo, First Avenue between Ogden Avenue and 31st Street in Brookfield, Illinois, just 14 miles west of downtown Chicago
Highlights: Nearly one million twinkling lights, ice-carving demonstrating, Santa visits, carolers, photo opportunities.
Cost: Admission to zoo is $10 for adults, $6 for kids. Parking will cost you another $8.
Official site

I think zoo lights events can be a lot of fun. Many young children love the sparkly holiday lights and get memorized by all of the elaborate displays. As an adult I must admit I can be pretty impressed by the lengths the light displays can go to. I wonder what all of the animals think about all the extra lights and nighttime visitors?

For more information on the events, check out the official websites, which are listed above in the descriptions.

This post is part of the 12 days of Chicago series, which brings you 12 fun and interesting things that you can do for the holidays in Chicago. In conjunction with the series, this blog is sponsoring a holiday contest, which you can read about here.

Chicago, Brookfield Zoo, Lincoln Park Zoo, zoolights, zoos

Navy Pier is the top tourist destination in Chicago and for good reason. Whether the weather is hot or cold, there is plenty to see and do for young and old alike. There are a wide variety of shops, eateries, and entertainment and you could spend an entire day there and still not experience it all.

Now that winter is here, Navy Pier is about to start their Winter Wonderfest event. It begins this Friday, December 7th, and runs through January 6th. Admission to the event is free, although you have to get a wristband to have access to the rides and activities. There are two different wristbands, one for $15 and one for $18. They both include an unlimited access to the rides and activities. The more expensive wristband allows you ice skating rental.

So what do you get for that money?

Arctic ice rink: A fun indoor ice skating rink which is an alternative to the outdoor skating rink at Millenium Park. The photo above is from the rink.

Ferris wheel: Although Navy Pier is famous for its outdoor ferris wheel, in the cold weather they have a great 50 feet indoor ferris wheel. Although you won’t get the great city views that you would from the outdoor ferris wheel, you will have a great view of the wonderfest.

Rides: There is a matterhorn spider web and a hand gliding ride. Also, there is a reindeer express train which allows you to see the whole fest while saving your energy for ice skating. There is also a carousel, inflatable games, and a ropes course.

Other Activities: You can watch a cabaret show or join your child in decorating holiday cookies.

For more information on attractions, visit the official site.

This post is part of the 12 days of Chicago series, which brings you 12 fun and interesting things that you can do for the holidays in Chicago. In conjunction with the series, this blog is sponsoring a holiday contest, which you can read about here.

Chicago, Navy Pier, Winter Wonderfest

These days Daley Plaza looks less like a courthouse square and more like a German market, thanks to the annual Christkindlmarket event taking place now through December 24th. The event features a wide-variety of booths selling German food, Christmas ornaments, jewelry, and more.

Here are some photos to give you an idea of what kinds of things to expect at the event:

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In Chicago and its suburbs, just like most cities, they are plenty of opportunities for you to do some good this holiday season. Even if you don’t have a lot of extra cash to donate to worthy causes, there are other things that you can do to help out. Here is a short list of ideas, although it is no way comprehensive.

1) Make a bell ringer smile: The Salvation Army bell-ringers, who collect money throughout the city, are hard to miss. Downtown they are in front of every major department store and other key places. In the neighborhoods, you can find them outside of your local grocery store. Those people work hard, often standing out in the cold for hours waiting for donations. Recently outside Macy’s, I saw a bell-ringer singing carols. I hope she has as much enthusiasm a few weeks from now. So, when you pass one by, drop whatever change you have in your pocket. Better yet, do what my sister and I did one year: take that jar or bowl of change you have accumulating at home and dump the whole thing in the Salvation Army bin. You’ll feel great and so will the bell-ringer.

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Looking for somewhere scary to go in the Chicago area for Halloween? Here are a few places that I have been to in previous Halloween seasons.

Statesville Haunted House - Located near the Stateville prison, this scare house was pretty scary for me as an adult and I would imagine that it would be even more scary for pre-teens or young teenagers. There are two different parts to the haunted house, making it a fairly lengthy walk. This is good because the tickets are pretty pricey.

The details
Tickets: $30 at the door, $40 online for VIP treatment
When: Now through Halloween, from 7-11 p.m. weekends, 7-10 p.m. weekdays
Where: 17250 S. Weber Road, Crest Hill, Illinois
For more information: (877) SCARED2 or you can visit the website here.
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In what many are calling a test to see how Chicago can handle an international event in their pursuit for an Olympic bid, Chicago will be hosting the AIBA World Boxing Championship starting next week.

The event, which runs from October 23rd through November 3rd, will take place at the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) pavilion. The championship is a qualifier for the the 2008 summer Olympics in Beijing, China.

An astounding 700 boxers from 120 countries are expected to compete in the eleven day event, including such notable athletes as Rau’shee Warren, Gary Russell, Jr., gold medalists Manus Boomjumnong of Thailand and Alexey Tishchenko of Russia.

In preparation for the event, the city will be hosting an Opening Ceremony Athlete Procession on Monday, October 22nd, beginning at the Palmer House Hilton, traveling north on State Street and ending at the Chicago Theatre. The event kicks off at 4:00 p.m. and is expected to last an hour.

While I am sure that Mayor Daley will be quick to praise the city if the event goes off well, I am not sure if I believe that it will really be a “test-run” to see if Chicago can handle the Olympics. This is only one sport and only one venue. Additionally, although there are a lot of boxing fans, I cannot imagine that the city is going to be invaded by hordes of tourists to see the event the way it would with the Olympic games. Even the amount of media for an event like this is going to be on a small-scale compared to the Olympics.

If you want to check out the event, tickets appear to rather affordable, starting at $10 for the early rounds and as cheap as $25 for the finals. For more information, visit the official site here.

Chicago, AIBA, World Boxing Championship, Olympics, boxing

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, several sites around Chicagoland will be hosting fundraising walks this Sunday. The event, called “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” benefits the American Cancer Society.

While like many charity walks one of the locations is in the city of Chicago, at Lawrence and Lake Michigan, suburban folks are not left out. If you live in the suburbs, there are other locations where you can participate. There will be a walk in Aurora at the Chicago Premium outlet mall (walk and then shop!) and another one at the Orland Park Mall (more walking and shopping!).

The Chicago event is a five mile walk, while the two suburban locations are 3.1 miles (5k). It is a non-competitive walk and there is no time limit, so you can take your time and enjoy yourself. The walk will also give you the opportunity to reflect on why you are all walking. The purpose of the walk is to support those living with breast cancer, survivors, and to fund research. Participants are asked to make donations if they can, as well as collect pledges from family and friends.

You can register online here and even set up a fundraising page. You can register as an individual, or as part of a group. The event (at all three locations) takes place this Sunday, October 21st at 9:00 a.m., with registration at 8:00 a.m.

If you want to know other ways that you can participate in Breast Cancer Awareness Month, including different “pink” products out there, check out Discussing Breast Cancer. You can also read about her experience at the “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” walk in her area.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, Chicago, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, American Cancer Society

The Halloween season has descended upon the city of Chicago with the annual Chicagoween event in Daley Plaza. For the festivities, which take place through Halloween night, Daley Plaza is transformed into a spooky mini-town, featuring creepy looking houses and story-telling tents. My favorite part is the way that that the turn the fountain in the plaza into a cool orange color.

The various events include “ghostly games” (Everyday at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday also at 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.) and “WICKED story-telling” (Thursdays and Fridays, every hour from 3:00 p.m.-6:15pm and Saturdays and Sundays, every hour from 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m & 6:15pm).

On weekends, you can decorate pumpkins from 11:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. The best part is that the pumpkins are free and supplies are provided for each child.

There will also be mask-making demonstrations by Inside Art Studio Thursdays through Sundays at 12:10 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m. If you would rather try your hand at making your own mask, join the International Academy of Design and Technology on October 21st from 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

This Saturday, October 20th, there will be the Halloween State Street Parade, which kicks of at noon at State and Randolph, goes south on State Street, West on Madison, North at Dearborn, ending at Daley Plaza at Dearborn and Washington.

Following the parade, candy will be distributed while supplies last. There will also be hayrides after the parade at the corner of Clark and Washington. I never heard of hayrides in a city before, but I guess it is possible. There will also be a children’s costume contest. Check here for ideas for costumes for little ones. The hot dog one is my favorite. Cast members from Wicked are expected to make an appearance following the parade

For more information, check out Chicagoween online.

Chicago, Chicagoween 2007, Wicked, Halloween, hayrides, pumpkin carving

Race officials ended the Chicago Marathon early today after the extremely high temperatures led to a water shortage and many ill runners. The temperature reached a record high of 88 degrees. One runner died after collapsing near mile 19.

Chad Schieber, of Midland, Mich., collapsed during the race near 1500 S. Ashland Ave., according to a spokesman for the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

Schieber was taken to West Side Veteran’s Administration Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 12:50 p.m., the spokesman said.

Additionally, more than 300 people were hospitalized with heat related illness. All along the course, the medical tents were filled with runners sitting or laying down, completely spent as a result of the heat.

I can tell you from personal experience that the water shortage started very early for the middle-to-back of the packers. Thankfully the people of Chicago were wonderful and were bringing water out of their homes and business to help out the thirsty runners.

It is unfortunate that the race officials did not plan accordingly after the temperatures were forecast to be in high 80s since at least a week ago. For a race of this caliber to actually run out of water and gatorade is unacceptable.

It was the first time in the 30 year history that the race ended early.

source

Chicago marathon, marathon, Chicago, Chad Schieber

The Chicago Cubs playoff series is not the only internationally prominent sporting event taking place in Chicago this weekend. On Sunday, 45,000 runners will take part in the 30th Anniversary running of the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.

If you want to watch the marathon in person, be prepared to be surrounded by about a million other Chicagoans vying for a good vantage point. The Chicago Marathon website has a spectator guide, which can you give you an idea of good places to view the runners, as well as other helpful information.

As you can see from the map above (click on it for the larger size in pdf), the 26.2 miles running extravaganza covers a lot of landmarks throughout the city and goes through a number of different neighborhoods. The runners will travel north to Wrigley Field, home of the National League Central Champion Chicago Cubs, and as far south as U.S. Cellular Field where the White Sox play. The course also goes through Lakeview, where there are expected to be men in drag handing out water and Gatorade. The course also runs through the Pilsen and Bronzetown neighborhoods. In Chinatown, runners will be treated to a special show, featuring a dragon!

Do you know someone running in the event? You can sign-up to receive text messages letting you know their progress along the race course.

If you want to listen to the coverage of the marathon on the radio, it will be carried lived on 620AM, The Score. The marathon will also be shown on television locally on CBS2, from 7:30a.m.-11:00p.m. CBS2 will also air a highlight show Sunday night at 10:30 p.m.

Chicago Marathon, Chicago, Marathon, 26.2, LaSalle Bank, marathon course

The Mayor’s Office of Special Events (MOSE) will present Mayor Daley’s Kids & Kites Festival this Saturday October 6th. The event will run from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Montrose Harbor in Lincoln Park.

Kids and their parents can bring their own kites to the event or create their own kite after they arrived. The MOSE will provide children with kits so that they make their own kite to fly.

There will also be “kite flying professionals” to teach kids how to fly a kite and what it takes to keep the kite aloft. One of the trickiest things about by flying a kite is getting it up in the first place, so hopefully the professional can help even the most hapless kite flier to get their kite in the air.

In addition to the kite flying, there will also be “interactive storytelling, literacy arts and crafts activities.” The Kohl McCormick StoryBus, which is “an interactive literary museum-on-wheels designed to bring a language-rich experience” to young kids in Chicago, will be at the event. There will also be face painting and caricature pictures, in addition to other activities. Overall it should be a great kid friendly event.

Although Chicago was dubbed the Windy City because of the “hot air” spewed by politicians, the city also typically has plenty of wind for kite flying, especially on the lakefront where the event will take place.

You can get to Montrose Harbor by car via Lake Shore Drive (from the north and south) or via bus by taking the 151 or 146 routes. For more information about Chicago transit, visit the CTA online.

I suppose that saying that Olney, Illinois is a suburb of Chicago is a bit of a stretch, as it is approximately 250 miles southeast of the city. However, Olney is worth mentioning for what I imagine is their number one tourist attraction: White Squirrels!

Albino squirrels are unheard of here in the city, but Olney apparently has quite the population of the cute critters, dating back to 1899. The city prides themselves in the squirrels so much that they even changed the leash law to include cats so that the squirrels would not be harmed by free-roaming felines.

Every year volunteers from the town spend several Saturdays counting the white creatures to determine whether or not the population is thriving or decreasing. This year’s count will take place October 13th, 20th, and 27th. If you are interesting in participating, you can call the Olney city hall at 618-395-7302.
For more information on the town of Olney, visit their official website.

Olney, White Squirrels, Illinois, Chicagoland

In addition to doing his part to try to ensure that the Chicago Cubs have a place in the post-season, Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee is also trying his hand at acting.

The slugger filmed a cameo for the television show ER last Thursday in Chicago. He will play himself and reportedly appears on the camera for less than a minute as he signs an autograph for a fan.

Lee agreed to do the cameo after learning that ER will have an episode later this season which features a story about a young girl stricken with Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis, the rare eye disease Derrek’s daughter Jada also struggles with. The disease causes blindness and Jada is blind in one eye.

Derrek has founded Project 3000, an organization which helps to bring awareness to Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis and help find a cure.

The Derrek Lee episode of ER is scheduled to air on October 18th on NBC.

source

Chicago Cubs, Derrek Lee, ER, Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis, Project 3000

If you are a runner and would like to see the sights of Chicago, you may want to consider signing up for City Running Tours. Whether you are a Chicago resident or a tourist, you can benefit from participating in one of the company’s tours.

City Running Tours has an assortment of routes available, at different distances, including Wrigleyville, the Lakefront, and the Great Chicago Fire. In addition to the running workout, your tour guide will give your interesting information about the area that you are running through.

The pace is determined by the customer, so if you are a slower runner, don’t worry about being left behind. Your guide will provide water for the run and you are permitted to stop along the way to take photos or catch a breather if necessary.

City Running Tours are also available in Washington, DC, New York City, and San Diego. For more information or to make reservations online, visit City Running Tours.

City Running Tours, Chicago, running