Chicago bike shops say they’ve never experienced anything quite like 2020. Sales skyrocketed as the pandemic forced more and more people to exercise and commute outdoors. But the surge in demand, on top of supply chain issues, led to lingering shortages still being felt in Chicago’s cycling community. 

Will two massive summer events take place this year amid an accelerated rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine — and the possible end to the pandemic? Or can Chicagoans expect another round of “re-imagined festivals” in 2021, with virtual concerts replacing in-person events?

Registration is open for the Chicago Park District’s spring session, including its aquatics programs and spring break camps for children 6 to 12 years old.

As the spread of COVID-19 slows, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Monday that fans would soon be allowed back in the stands at Wrigley Field and Guaranteed Rate Field. But the ballpark experience will be significantly different.

The Chicago Ornithological Society has resumed small group bird hikes. Masks are a must, as is social distancing. 

For months, Dan O’Conor has shocked his senses by leaping into Lake Michigan — every day. What was prompted last June by a hangover is now an opportunity for the Lincoln Square resident to help the city’s music scene. We meet up at Fullerton Beach to see him in action.

After self-imposed winter breaks, Lincoln Park Zoo and Brookfield Zoo are reopening to guests, with a number of safety precautions in place due to the coronavirus. Here’s what to expect.

Animals that wouldn’t be able to survive on their own in the wild are getting the care they need, and are helping educate the public, at five forest preserve nature centers around Cook County. But during COVID-19, people aren’t allowed to go inside these centers, so the animals and their caretakers reach out virtually.

Six Flags Entertainment Corporation says it is planning to open all 26 of its amusement parks and water parks for the 2021 season, including five that were not able to operate last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Sea shanties are suddenly all the rage thanks to TikTok but Chicago’s long been a hub for shanty singing. We explore the city’s connection to the musical tradition — and its undeniable staying power.

“Just cause there’s no parade doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate,” said Tim McSweeney, chair of the South Side Irish Parade Committee. Find out how you can celebrate the luck of the Irish this year. 

The decision by city officials to cancel St. Patrick Day parades in 2020 was one of the first signs that COVID-19 was going to upend every aspect of normal life — and the fact that the parades will not take place this year is more evidence the pandemic is far from over.

There are quirky details to be found in bark, twigs and buds that can turn a walk in the woods or around the block into a game of “name that tree.”

“We can jump in the lake next year. People are just going to have to plunge where they are,” said the head of the Chicago Polar Bear Club. The 2021 event is going forward, virtually, to raise money for families in need.

Winter programs have been suspended due to mitigations in place to stem the spread of the coronavirus, but people are still welcome to enjoy park trails and outdoor spaces.

With tighter mitigations in place due to a surge in COVID-19 cases, the Chicago Park District and surrounding forest preserve districts have suspended programs indefinitely.