As Chicago plunges into colder weather, the celebrated downtown skating ribbon at Maggie Daley Park has officially launched for the ice skating season. Other skating rinks within the Chicago Park District eagerly await their turn to open according to the Chicago Tribune.

The Maggie Daley ribbon, situated at 337 E. Randolph St. offers an invigorating ice-skating experience through the season up to March 10, 2024. The price of admission fluctuates depending on the date, and information can be found on their website at maggiedaleypark.com. Skaters have the option of renting skates ranging from $16 to $22 or can bring their own for an admission fee of up to $5. The park also lends snowman or penguin skate aids for $10 for younger skaters, and locker rentals are available from $3 to $5 based on size.

To open, the Chicago Park District is preparing its five neighborhood ice rinks this Friday, offering free admission for those with their own skates. Skate rentals will be available for a fee of up to $7 for all ages as reported by NBC Chicago.

These neighborhood ice rinks can be found at the following locations:

• McKinley Park, 2210 W. Pershing Road.
• Midway Plaisance Park, 1130 Midway Plaisance North.
• Mt. Greenwood Park, 3721 W. 111th St.
• Warren Park, 6601 N. Western Ave.
• Wentworth Park, 5625 S. Mobile Ave.

In order to manage the facility effectively and limit the capacity of each session, each rink is implementing a preregistration protocol. Registrations will be available every Monday at noon on a rolling basis for sessions taking place two weeks down the line as per the Chicago Park District website.

Apart from the Maggie Daley ribbon, the neighborhood rinks will be hosting several programs to cater to the diverse local population. A new program for seniors will be introduced as senior open skate events, open only to those 50 years of age and older. For hockey enthusiasts, there will be 90-minute activities including stick and puck, pond hockey, and rat hockey for groups of eight participants or more according to the Chicago Tribune.

Indoor ice rinks such as the McFetridge Sports Center and the Morgan Park Sports Center, open year-round, offer skating opportunities for those preferring an indoor environment.

With a variety of skating options and locations available, Chicago residents can truly embrace the winter season. Landmark city locations, as well as neighborhood rinks that offer diverse programs, provide residents and visitors with the chance to immerse themselves in a core winter activity.