Maggie Daley Ice Skating Ribbon opens for its 10th winter season
The Maggie Daley Ice Skating Ribbon kicked off its 10th season this weekend.
The one-quarter-mile, curved ice rink in the middle of Maggie Daley Park, 337 E. Randolph St., has become an annual winter tradition since it first opened in 2014.
On Saturday, dozens of families flocked to the ribbon, some to take to the ice while others were content on the sidelines.
“My daughter loves to come here, and we’re having some rare warmer weather for November, so I decided to take her and her friend here today to kick off the season,” said Christy An, who lives in Hinsdale with her daughter, Chloe.
An, who said she never learned to ice skate, spent the day watching Chloe do laps around the ribbon from a nearby park bench.
”I’m very bad on the ice, but the kids go so fast that it’s fun to just watch,” An said.
The ribbon, modeled after a lazy river, has a capacity for more than 700 skaters and is part of Maggie Daley Park's various winter attractions set against the backdrop of the Chicago skyline. The site offers skate rentals, storage lockers and skate aids for children.
To the south of the Ribbon is the park's Rink Cafe, which sells treats like hot chocolate, funnel cake and warm pretzels.
In honor of the ribbon’s 10th anniversary, parts of the rink have been decorated with holiday lights.
"For the past decade, the ribbon has become a winter tradition for local families and tourists alike, providing active recreation and stunning views of the city skyline," Rosa Escareño, Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO, said in a statement.
Several groups of tourists went to Maggie Daley Park on Saturday for their first time skating on the ribbon, including Leah Jefferies and her fiancé, Zach Benjamin, who were visiting Chicago from Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Jefferies said she and her sister grew up ice skating, but her sister’s boyfriend, Brage Kjolem, who was visiting from Norway, had never been on the ice before.
”This is Brage’s first time in the U.S., and Chicago is such a big part of the Midwest experience,” Jefferies said. “So what better way to get that than to spend the weekend in the city and stop at one of the coolest ice rinks in the country.”
The ribbon will be open daily through March 9. Skaters can sign up online for two-hour sessions to ensure access to the rink. The sessions include 11 a.m-1 p.m., 2-4 p.m., 5-7 p.m. and 8-10 p.m. Hours will vary on holidays, including Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.
Skating is free for people who bring their own skates, while rentals start at $17 when booked online and $19 for walk-up rentals. Prices will go up during the holiday season, Dec. 13 through Jan. 5, to $21 online and $23 for walk-up.
"We look forward to park visitors joining the celebration and making this an epic milestone year for this epic park,” Escareño said.