When does Ice Skating at Maggie Daley Park open for the season
The 2026-27 ribbon opens mid-November, with reservations releasing Nov. 2 at noon. See the schedule, session times, skate rental prices and rules.
The jack-o'-lanterns aren't out yet, but you're already planning a downtown day for when the in-laws visit at Thanksgiving: the Bean, the lights, and a few laps on the ribbon at Maggie Daley Park. Here's the short answer. The 2026-27 skating season starts in mid-November, and the first reservable date is Friday, Nov. 13. Reservations for that first stretch open at noon on Monday, Nov. 2. The season runs through March 7, 2027. Below are the reservation schedule, session times, prices and rules.
When it opens
The park's official skating page has been updated for the 2026-2027 season. It doesn't name an opening day yet, but the earliest date you can reserve is Friday, Nov. 13, 2026. Closing day is listed as Sunday, March 7, 2027.
That timing matches last year. The ribbon opened Friday, Nov. 14, 2025, at 11am and ran through March 8, 2026, according to Time Out Chicago and Chicago on the Cheap. The rink opens on a Friday in mid-November and closes in early March.
Two caveats. First, Nov. 13 is the first date on the reservation calendar, not an announced grand opening, so watch for an official opening-day post. Second, this is an outdoor rink in Chicago. The page says the ribbon is "open unless otherwise announced," and warm spells and storms can change the plan. If you're counting on opening weekend, check the site again a few days before.
How reservations work
Reservations are released in blocks at 12:00pm Central on set Mondays. Each block covers about two weeks, except the holiday stretch, which is released all at once. Here's the full schedule:
- Mon., Nov. 2: Nov. 13-29
- Mon., Nov. 16: Nov. 30-Dec. 10
- Mon., Nov. 30: Dec. 11-Jan. 3 (holiday season)
- Mon., Dec. 21: Jan. 4-17
- Mon., Jan. 4: Jan. 18-31
- Mon., Jan. 18: Feb. 1-14
- Mon., Feb. 1: Feb. 15-28
- Mon., Feb. 15: March 1-7
If you're hoping to skate Thanksgiving weekend (the holiday falls on Nov. 26 this year), those dates come out in the first release on Nov. 2. Holiday-week skating, from Dec. 11 through Jan. 3, comes out the Monday after Thanksgiving. Those are the two noon releases worth setting a reminder for.
The park used the same rolling Monday-noon releases last season, Time Out Chicago reported.
You can walk up and buy at the rink, but only if the session hasn't sold out online. There's no waitlist. On a busy December Saturday, assume you need a reservation.
Session times
Every session lasts two hours. What changes is how many sessions run each day.
Monday through Friday (non-holiday): - 11am-1pm - 2-4pm - 5-7pm - 8-10pm
Saturdays, Sundays and the holiday season (Dec. 11-Jan. 3) add an early session: - 8-10am - 11am-1pm - 2-4pm - 5-7pm - 8-10pm
There are fewer sessions on some holidays. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day have no evening sessions, and other holidays may add or drop times, so check the park's holiday list before planning around a specific date.
The early slots matter for more than avoiding crowds. As the next section shows, they're also the only sessions where you can skate in your own skates for free.
What it costs
Since reservations are free, what you actually pay for is skates, and the price depends on the day you go and whether you book ahead.
Skate rental: - Monday-Thursday (non-holiday): $17 online, $19 walk-up - Friday-Sunday, holidays and the holiday season: $21 online, $23 walk-up
Chicago on the Cheap listed the same prices last season, so they haven't gone up. Booking online saves $2 a person. For a family of four on a Saturday, that's $84 online compared with $92 at the window.
Bringing your own skates: - Free in the 11am session Monday-Friday (non-holiday) - Free in the 8am session on weekends and holidays - $5 in every other session
If you own skates and can get downtown early, a weekend 8am session costs nothing.
Skate aids: These are the push-along frames for new skaters and little kids. They cost $11 each, go first-come, first-served, and can't be reserved ahead. Grab one early if your group needs one.
Lockers: Lockers are in the fieldhouse and cost $3 for a small or $5 for a large. Both are rented for three hours, which covers your two-hour session plus time to lace up and warm up.
Rules and weather
Read these before you book.
- Refunds: You only get a refund if the ribbon is closed by management. Closure refunds are automatic and can take up to 10 business days, and you don't need to email for one.
- Transfers: You can move a reservation to another date up to three days before your ticketed date. It costs $3 per ticket, plus any price difference. If you're giving tickets to someone else, just forward the confirmation email with its QR code. That's free.
- Weather: The park tries to announce cancellations at least an hour before a session. Notices go out by email to people with reservations and are posted on the park website and social media.
- Groups: Groups of 30 or more can book any Monday-Thursday non-holiday session. Weekend and holiday outings are limited to the 11am session. No groups are accepted during the Dec. 11-Jan. 3 holiday season, and there's no group discount.
- Sizes: Rental skates run from child 8 through adult 15, with no half sizes. Figure and hockey skates are both available. The park notes that hockey skates run about a size larger than your shoe size.
Send questions to skating@maggiedaleypark.com.
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Photo: Maggie Daley Park 2014 by Alanscottwalker, CC BY-SA 4.0.