As local air quality hit hazardous levels Thursday, Chicago and various suburbs closed its beaches and pools as day camps and other summer activities moved indoors. Some events are canceling altogether.
Amid the haze — which has been brought on by wildfire smoke from Canada and Minnesota — the Chicago Park District closed all beaches for the day alongside all outdoor pools, officials announced in a news release. Park district programming also moved inside. Events and sports leagues that cannot move indoors were canceled. That includes all Night Out in the Parks events and Movies in the Parks scheduled for Thursday, officials said.
The Osaka Garden, Garfield Park Conservatory and Lincoln Park Conservatory also all closed.
Millennium Park remained open Thursday during its regular hours, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., according to a spokesperson for the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. But the Millennium Park Summer Music Series, a free outdoor concert series held on select days throughout the summer, was called off.
Performances from Brazilian singer-songwriter Marcos Valle, Panamánian drummer Daniel Villarreal and DJ Clark Quente were canceled “due to the current extreme air quality conditions and out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of attendees, artists, staff, and crew,” the spokesperson said. The series is expected to resume Monday.
Across the suburbs, closures likewise multiplied as the poor quality persisted. In the North Shore, Evanston closed all swimming areas, the city announced, noting the closures will remain in effect until conditions improve to levels that are safe for public recreation.
Winnetka beaches have also been shuttered, per Winnetka Park District Executive Director Shannon Nazzal.
In Wilmette, the swimming and sailing beaches are closed and Centennial Family Aquatic Center is closing at 12:45 p.m. However, Wilmette Golf Club remains open, per a Wilmette Park District Facebook post. It also said summer camps and outdoor programs will remain indoors as much as possible and rotate inside at least every 30 minutes.
Naperville Park District closed Centennial Beach for the day due to poor air quality.
Chicago Tribune’s Lila Hempel-Edgers and the Daily Herald’s Jake Griffin contributed.
