The McCormick Tribune Ice Rink re-opens for the winter season on Friday, November 15. In just a little under a month, ice skating at Millennium Park will kick off to ring in winter near the start of the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival and the opening of Christkindlmarket. Make sure to head over to McCormick Tribune Ice Rink for a scenic, cold-weather activity.
The Millennium Park ice skating festivities in Downtown Chicago are located near Michigan Avenue between Madison and Washington Street. Ice skating is open to the public and free to visit, with skate rentals available for only $13 Mondays – Thursdays and $15 Fridays – Sundays and on holidays.
The Millennium Park ice rink offers plenty of great programming that’s perfect for a wintery date, a night out with friends, or family-friendly fun. Their Winter Workouts series offers free ice skating lessons in Chicago an hour before the rink opens on Friday – Sunday.
Of course, if Millennium Park isn’t really your style, you can always hit up the Maggie Daley Skating Ribbon, which opens the same day, or the Wicker ICE in Wicker Park, which has yet to announce its opening date this year.
The Millennium Park ice skating activities will definitely give Chicagoans something to look forward to for the approaching winter season. See you on the rink!
Themed Skate Nights
The Millennium Park ice skating activities in Chicago now include themed skate nights that will kick off on November 29. The full schedule of themed nights is below. Costumes are encouraged and every event lasts from 6 – 8 pm.
- November 29: Charlie Brown Classics (jazz music)
- December 6: Ugly Sweater Soul-mas (soul and R&B music—and wear your ugliest Christmas sweater)
- December 20: Christmas Classics (all holiday music)
- December 27: Homecoming (house music) with DJ Celeste Alexander
- January 3: Bling in the New Year (90s hip hop music) with DJ Shon Dervis
- January 17: Totally Tubular (80s pop and rock music)
- January 31: Soul Train (70s disco, funk and soul music) with DJ John Simmons
- February 7: Purple Passion (all Prince)
- February 21: Mambo Mania (40s & 50s latin music)
- March 7: It’s a Wrap-sody (all Queen)
Millennium Park Ice Rink Hours of Operation
- Mondays–Thursdays, noon–8pm
- Fridays, noon–10pm (ice skating lesson at 11am)
- Saturdays & Sundays, 10am–9pm (ice skating lesson at 9am)
Special Holiday Hours
- Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 28: 10am–8pm (no lesson)
- Friday, November 29: 10am–10pm (ice skating lesson at 9am)
- Monday, December 23: 10am–10pm (ice skating lesson at 9am)
- Christmas Eve, Tuesday, December 24: 10am–6pm (ice skating lesson at 9am)
- Christmas Day, Wednesday, December 25: 10am–8pm (no lesson)
- Thursday, December 26–Monday, December 30: 10am–10pm (ice skating lesson at 9am)
- New Year’s Eve, Tuesday, December 31: 10am–8pm (ice skating lesson at 9am)
- New Year’s Day, Wednesday, January 1: 10am–10pm (no lesson)
- Thursday, January 2–Sunday, January 5: 10am–10pm (ice skating lesson at 9am)
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, January 20: 10am–8pm (ice skating lesson at 9am)
- Chicago Public School Improvement Day, Friday, January 31: 10am–10pm (ice skating lesson at 9am)
- Presidents’ Day, Monday, February 17: 10am–8pm (ice skating lesson at 9am)
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Featured Image Credit: Millennium Park
