• Quick reminder we’re having our Town Hall tonight at the Specialized Fulton Market at 6:30pm. Please RSVP here: https://forms.office.com/r/z06wut8s65
  • Afterglow is BACK this Saturday 5/27/2023!!!
  • From the crew… we’re ready to show off the Big Marsh Park, Chicago Park District’s only park dedicated to cycling! Continuing our mission of creating bike access for youth cycling programs, get ready to run, jump, ride, and dance amidst the beautiful wilderness that is Lake Calumet. We’ll have live DJ’s, an inflatable MTB lander, and a hot dog stand! Proceeds benefit Friends of Big Marsh so they can continue to offer inclusive and joyful outdoors activities.
  • Afterglow will offer a whole new set of events! In addition to our typical cyclocross race, we’re pumped to incorporate running, walking, a group exploration guided tour, bmx demos, and a dance class into the day. Explanation of each is available on the second page of the Afterglow 2023 Schedule Flyer. Choose your race/ride based on your ability/vibes!
  • Additionally, Afterglow participation will be FREE for all young people, and we are providing full race day support for youth from Working Bikes, West Town Bikes, Bikes N Roses, Boxing Out Negativity, and other youth orgs. Are you a young person or are you in a community with young folks who are interested in participating? Get in touch so we can lift ‘em up!
  • We are also offering a discounted subscription to ALL of Big Marsh’s summer racing for the price of $100 ($150 if you want all the merch!). This includes ALL of the Afterglow events AND SRAM’s Mountain Bike Series, for a total of 7 days of racing.
  • As always, equal payouts of $0.00. And while it is the most affordable race on the calendar, know that any extra donations may give you an advantage!
  • To register, FIRST complete the Bike Event Registration Link and/or Run/Walk Event Registration Link, THEN pay/donate at MightyCause OR @bigmarshchicago on Venmo OR day-of cash OR check made out to Friends of Big Marsh. We will have a donation box on-site to collect your gently used gear, clothing, and cash money.
  • Day-of registration and number pick up opens at 8:00am outside of the Ford Calumet Environmental Center. Bib numbers will go on your bike (like a mountain bike race), course runs counterclockwise, and we encourage you to carpool. Tailwind Cycles will be providing neutral support. The course is open NOW (see below), so if you’re up for discovering the most correct line, feel free to come out!
  • Water refills, restrooms, and vending machines will be available at the Ford Calumet Environmental Center. Food for purchase will be available from the newly opened Nature Trail Cafe.
  • Can’t race? Feel free to fiscally compete at MightyCause! Half Acre Cycling is currently leading the board with their $2,520 donation!
  • Thank you for continuing to support the young people of our city — their programs not only provide transportation to the races and food and snacks, but also a sense of home and accomplishment for the beloved young people of our community. 
  • See you Sunday!
  • **Sorry, pet owners, but Big Marsh’s status as a home for migratory birds means only Service Animals are permitted in the park
  • The Course: