Lakeshore East's Two Winter Rinks Open a Week Apart, and They Don't Book the Same Way
October 29, 2026
October 29, 2026
When does skating season start if you live next to Maggie Daley Park? The Skating Ribbon's first sessions are November 13, but the dates that decide who gets on the ice are Mondays at noon. The Ribbon doesn't sell a season all at once. It releases tickets in blocks, roughly two weeks at a time, and once a session sells out online there is no waitlist.
The other rink nearby, the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink in Millennium Park, works on a different clock. It opens a week later on November 20, the same night as the city's Christmas tree lighting, and admission is free. The Ribbon rewards booking ahead, and the free rink in Millennium Park rewards just showing up. Knowing which is which shapes a lot of winter weekends.
The Maggie Daley Park Skating Ribbon sells reservations in rolling releases at 12 p.m. Central on set Mondays. The first block went on sale Monday, November 2, and the next drop is Monday, November 16. Here's the full calendar for the 2026-27 season:
| Release Monday, 12 p.m. | Skating dates it covers |
|---|---|
| November 2, 2026 | November 13 to November 29 |
| November 16, 2026 | November 30 to December 10 |
| November 30, 2026 | December 11 to January 3, the holiday season |
| December 21, 2026 | January 4 to January 17 |
| January 4, 2027 | January 18 to January 31 |
| January 18, 2027 | February 1 to February 14 |
| February 1, 2027 | February 15 to February 28 |
| February 15, 2027 | March 1 to March 7, closing day |
The November 30 drop matters most. It covers the whole holiday stretch, from December 11 through January 3, which is when the Ribbon adds its 8 a.m. session every day of the week. Group outings for 30 or more aren't available during those weeks.
The fine print adds to the pressure. Walk-up sales happen only when a session isn't showing sold out online. If one ticket type sells out, the park doesn't release more. And there's no waitlist. Living close helps on a slow Tuesday afternoon, but it won't get you onto a sold-out Saturday.
Rental prices haven't changed from last season. Time Out Chicago listed the same $17 and $21 online rental rates in its November 2025 season guide, so the bigger difference comes from when you skate and whether you bring your own skates. Here's the 2026-27 price list:
So the first session of the day is free if you own skates. On weekdays that's 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and on weekends and holidays it's 8 to 10 a.m. A Saturday at 8 a.m. costs nothing with your own skates, while a Saturday evening with rentals runs $21 a person online. Even free sessions need a ticket, because every skater must be booked into a specific session.
A few other details on the Ribbon's page come up all the time:
The refund policy is strict. Tickets are refunded only when Ribbon management closes the ice, and in that case the refund is automatic and takes up to 10 business days. Moving to another date or session costs $3 per ticket and has to be done at least three days ahead through the Chicago Park District's Active account.
The easier fix is free. You can gift or resell a ticket privately by forwarding the confirmation email with its unique QR code, and there's no transfer fee. If a Thursday night plan falls through, a neighbor two floors down can use the ticket.
The Ribbon is outdoors and runs through most Chicago weather. Management says it tries to post cancellations at least an hour before a session, on the park's website and social media.
Holidays shorten the day. Here's when the last session ends on special dates:
On Friday, November 20, Millennium Park hosts three things at once. The McCormick Tribune Ice Rink opens for the season, weather permitting, and it stays open daily from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. into February 2027. Admission is free. The city's Christmas Tree Lighting also happens that evening: festivities start at 4 p.m., the ceremony at 6 p.m., and the tree lights up around 6:30. And the Millennium Park Holiday Market opens for a three-day run, from noon to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, November 22.
Free admission doesn't mean no sign-up, though. The city's rink page says reservation details for this season will be posted in the coming weeks. Check that page before November 20, especially if you're hoping to skate on tree-lighting night.
The two rinks don't share equipment. Maggie Daley Park doesn't allow skates rented at Millennium Park on the Ribbon, and it doesn't count them as your own skates either. Each rink needs its own rental or your own pair.
Millennium Park also runs something the Ribbon doesn't: free Learn to Skate lessons on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 to 10 a.m., with free skate rental for the class. Levels are beginner, intermediate and hockey skills, and each level is capped at 20 people. Registration opens the Monday before each weekend. Parents or guardians have to register too if they want to go on the ice with their kids. Organizers ask skaters to arrive by 8:45, and spots of anyone who hasn't checked in by 9 a.m. go to walk-ups. The Chicago Youth Foundation provides the lessons.
So Mondays matter at both rinks. At noon on release Mondays, Ribbon tickets go on sale. Every Monday, registration opens for that weekend's free lessons at Millennium Park.
Some of Millennium Park is still under construction. The East and West restrooms beneath the Jay Pritzker Pavilion have been closed since September 18, so the open restrooms are in the Park Shop building during park hours. Lurie Garden has partly reopened now that its Seam water feature is finished, but the south walkway stays closed during more improvements.
In December, the park hosts Holiday Sing-Alongs on Fridays, December 4, 11 and 18, at 6 p.m. December 11 is also the first day of the Ribbon's holiday schedule.
At Millennium Park, the city lists Momentum Coffee and Millennium Hall for snacks and hot drinks next to the rink. In Lakeshore East itself, these spots are open this season:
The Ribbon closes for the season on March 7, 2027. That's later than Millennium Park, which lists its season only as running into February 2027.
If you're looking for an apartment where you can walk to the Ribbon, or you just want to know which Lakeshore East buildings are closest to the ice, The Michael Scavo Group can put together a list and book your tours on a day that works for you. Find Your Apartment, then plan for a free 8 a.m. Saturday skate.
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