The kids are restless and have one more
week before winter break ends. Need a cure for winter blahs? How about
scaling to the top of a 24 foot climbing wall, rolling head over heels
into a set of giant bowling pins or lunging into a wall wearing a velcro
suit? No expertise needed or fees to pay for the Chicago Park District
Playground, just an adventurous spirit.
Join the Mayor's Office of Special Events,
Chicago Park District and McCormick Place in wrapping up the holidays with
fun activities for the entire family at Mayor Daley's Holiday Sports
Festival, December 29-31 at McCormick Place, South Building, 2301 South
Lake Shore Drive.
"We are proud to partner in Mayor Daley's
Sports Festival to provide Chicago families withy the opportunity to get
active during the holidays," said Chicago Park District Superintendent
David Doig. "Participation in physical activities, such as kickball and
velcro wall offers a unique break from traditional holiday festivities.
What's even better, there's something for toddlers as well as grandparents."
Sports Fest visitors take advantage of
a variety of free athletic and physical activities. Each day from 10 am
to 4 pm, the Chicago Park District Playground features activities for all
ages and skills, including tumbling, aerobics, scooter hockey, and obstacle
course, badminton, ping pong, boxing, kickball, a fishing pond and much
more.
The Chicago Park District's early childhood
recreation area provides enjoyment for children, from birth to age four.
Soft, brightly colored interactive equipment encourages educational, motor
skill development and worry-free play for parents.
The playground also features the Chicago
Park District's Beep Baseball program. Designed for visually impaired youth,
players must rely on listening skills to hit a baseball that actually beeps.
Blind-folded, mainstream players discover the challenges of playing baseball
with a disability. Registration is not required for the Chicago Park District
Playground.
Nearly 600 youth, ages 8 through 15, who
play in the Chicago Park District's floor hockey program, face off at Sports
Fest to compete in semifinal and final tournaments. The tournaments take
place 9 am through 5 pm, over the festival's three day run. Trophies are
awarded to the first and second place teams in the following divisions:
boys and girls; ages 8-10; 11-12 and 13-15. In addition, the Chicago Park
District hosts an open floor hockey tournament for boys and girls, ages
8 through 15. Teams of twelve players must register.
Sports Fest also offers nerf football,
soccer, volleyball or 3 on 3 basketball tournaments. Registration is required
for all tournaments. Teams must register by December 15 to compete.
For more information or to obtain a registration
form contact the Mayor's Office of Special Events at 312-744-3315, 312-744-2964
(TTY) or visit the website at
www.cityofchicago.orgspecialevents.
For more information about the Chicago
Park District's more than 7300 acres of parkland, 552 parks, 33 beaches,
nine museums, two world-class conservatories, 16 historic lagoons, 10 bird
and wildlife gardens, thousands of special events, sports and entertaining
programs, please visit
www.chicagoparkdistrict.com or contact the
Chicago Park District at 312-742.PLAY or 312-747.2001 (TTY)