Chicago's lakefront beaches will reopen Friday, according to Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Chicago Park District.
This marks the first time Chicago beaches have been open to the public since September 2019, Lightfoot shared in a tweet Wednesday. Under the city’s guidelines for the Chicago Bridge Phase, 22 beaches will reopen for the 2021 season.
"As the weather warms up and our city begins to safely return to a sense of normalcy, reopening our beloved lakefront beaches is the perfect way to turn the page on spring and get back to our favorite outdoor activities," Lightfoot said.
The mayor shared a video on Twitter showing her riding a bike, handing out water and welcoming the public back to the lakefront.
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While the beach season usually runs from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it wasn't clear exactly when visitors would be welcomed back.
"This exciting announcement is the result of the tremendous progress we've made in our efforts to slow and stop the spread of this virus and I urge everyone to keep up the good work so we can reopen even more of our iconic summertime attractions in the near future," Lightfoot said.
Along with the reopening of beaches, a number of summertime events and activities are returning to the city, too, such as music festivals, farmers markets, art fairs and fireworks, among others.
