Soldier Field opens its gates Saturday morning for the 2026 ALS Walk for Life, a two-mile lakefront trek that organizers call the largest ALS gathering in the Midwest. The opening ceremony begins at 10 a.m., with the walk itself stepping off shortly after, winding along the lakefront and through Museum Campus before funneling participants back into the historic stadium for the finish.
Organizers behind the event, run by the Les Turner ALS Foundation, describe it as a day meant to honor both people currently living with ALS and those who have died from the disease, according to Soldier Field. There is no cost to attend, though every dollar raised through team fundraising goes toward comprehensive care, family services and research, per the Les Turner ALS Foundation. The foundation says its mission centers on caring for those affected by ALS and funding scientific research at the Les Turner ALS Center at Northwestern Medicine.
As reported by ABC7 Chicago, thousands of people are expected to gather at Soldier Field to rally for people living with ALS. The foundation says thousands will come together to honor loved ones living with ALS and remember those who have died.
A Route Built for Reflection
The walk covers roughly two miles, tracing the lakefront before winding through Museum Campus and finishing with a stroll back through Soldier Field, the same route detailed by CBS News Chicago. Along the way, the event features the March of Faces, a visual tribute to people affected by ALS, according to ABC7 Chicago's report. The I AM ALS calendar listing for the event bills it plainly: “Join us for the largest ALS gathering in the Midwest,” per I AM ALS.
The walk brings together families affected by the disease. Funds raised through the walk support services for people living with ALS and their families, as well as research and compassionate care delivered at Northwestern Medicine, per ABC7 Chicago's reporting.
How the Numbers Have Grown
Last year's walk, held in September 2025, drew more than 2,000 people organized into 152 teams, according to WGN-TV. That event carried a fundraising goal of $675,000, the station reported. The foundation told WGN-TV that roughly 5,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with ALS each year, and that about 32,000 Americans are currently living with the disease.
Those figures underscore the scale of ALS in the United States. The walk brings people together for a lakefront procession ending inside Soldier Field, built around remembrance, support and the ongoing search for treatments.
