Skate Chicago is a free 4-day recreational urban street skate event where skaters from around the world gather to socialize and explore the city on inline and roller skates. It's Chicago's biggest skate event, much like Big Apple Roll, Skater Migration, and Big Avocado Roll.
Schedule
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Thursday, Aug. 14:
12-mile night skateMeet: Daley Plaza @ 7:30 pmTheme: Chicago flag
Chicago's iconic flag symbolizes important points in the city's history and geography. We'll skate to the places it symbolizes!
Post-skate hang at Pioneer Court
After we end our skate at Daley Plaza, Nate will lead whoever wants to join on a short (<1 mile) skate to Pioneer Court, where we'll hang out, skate, and enjoy the views of the Chicago River. Skaters can get drinks and snacks from the Walgreens located in the Wrigley Building across the street.
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Friday, Aug. 15:
13-mile night skateMeet: Daley Plaza @ 7:30 pmTheme: Pope Leo
The new pope's from Chicago, so we'll skate to places related to his history here.
Post-skate hang at Ohio St Beach
After we end our skate at Daley Plaza, Nate will lead whoever wants to join on a short (1.4 mile) skate to Ohio St Beach, where we'll hang out, swim, skate, and enjoy the views of Chicago's skyline. On the way there, we'll make a quick pit stop at a convenience store so skaters can buy drinks and snacks. The nearby Casa Margarita restaurant is also open until 11 pm.
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Saturday, Aug. 16:
20-mile skate, with a lunch breakMeet: Daley Plaza @ 10 amTheme: North side
A long skate through the north side! We'll go by Wrigley Field on a game day, through Lincoln Square, and on the 312 RiverRun—all while jets are flying overhead for the annual Air and Water Show.
Sunset beach party!Meet: The concrete beach (just north of Oak St beach) @ 7:30 pm
We're having a beach party Saturday night! Come join us to hang with other skaters and enjoy Chicago's beautiful lakefront at sunset. We'll be at the concrete beach just north of Oak St beach. We'll post the exact location to our Instagram story once we get there and mark the location with balloons, so look for balloons.
• Getting there: The concrete beach is located 1.6 miles northeast of where we start our skates in the Loop (Daley Plaza). To get there from the Loop, you can walk or skate north along Michigan Avenue and then go through the pedestrian tunnel under Lakeshore Drive to access the beach. Alternatively, you can take the CTA Red Line train from Lake to Clark/Division and then walk half a mile east along Division to the beach.
• Restrooms: The nearest public restrooms that will be open are those at the North Ave Beach House, located about half a mile north. Whispers at Oak St beach also has restrooms for their patrons. The public restrooms at Oak St beach will likely close at 7 pm.
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Sunday, Aug. 17:
13-mile morning skateMeet: Daley Plaza @ 9:30 amTheme: Sunday Funday
Just a fun skate around the city!
Register
Skate Chicago is a free event! But skaters are required to register by following these steps:
- Step 1: sign the waiver. We recommend doing this ahead of time, although we'll also have a QR code that you can scan to sign the waiver in person.
- Step 2: get a wristband. To receive a wristband, please come to the registration table on Thursday (Aug. 14th) or Friday (Aug. 15th) from 3 - 6 pm in the Palladium Room on the 1st floor of the Allegro Royal Sonesta Hotel. To get to the Palladium Room, take a left from the hotel's entrance. Just show us your confirmation email that you received from signing the waiver, and we'll give you a wristband.
- We prefer that you pick up your wristband at the registration table if you can, because it will help us get everyone registered on time before the skates. However, if you're unable to make it to the registration table (for example, if you come for Saturday or Sunday only), then please come to the skate a bit early to get a wristband from one of the organizers. Before each skate, we'll be checking for wristbands to make sure that everyone has signed the waiver.
Location
Here are the important locations, which are all located in the Chicago Loop area:
- Daley Plaza: The meeting location for all of our skates. Look for the huge Picasso sculpture.
- Allegro Royal Sonesta Hotel: Our host hotel and the location of the registration table. The cutoff date for the discounted hotel rate was July 24th.
- Live location: Before each skate, we'll post a link to our Instagram story that you can use to see our live location on a map. You can use this live location tracker to catch up to us if you somehow get separated from the group or you aren't able to make it to the meet up location on time.
Rules and safety:
- Skaters are required to register.
- A helmet is required, and protective gear, especially wrist guards, are recommended.
- We skate in city streets. We skate in bike lanes a lot, and less busy side streets. We will skate a busy street now and then, not much.
- We stop at red lights. We keep to one lane. We don’t block cars. We skate in such a way we get to skate again.
- Skaters should be able to stop, turn, manage street hazards such as cracks, potholes, rocks, sticks, railroad tracks, curbs, wet pavement, and hills.
- We stop a lot, and let skaters in the back catch up. We try to keep the group together. We don’t leave anyone behind. It is a group recreational fun social skate. It is not a race. Nobody wins. Rather, we all win. We are skating together.
2025 official shirts
Commemorate your time with us with a 2025 Skate Chicago shirt! You can order a shirt through August 1st and receive it in time to wear at the event. Shirts will still be available for order after August 1st but may not be delivered in time for you to wear at Skate Chicago. Shirts are available via online order only and won't be available for sale at the event.
Hotels
Skate Chicago's host hotel is Allegro Royal Sonesta, located near the gathering location for our skates. The cutoff date for the discounted hotel rate was July 24th.