MUSH! The CHIditarod, Chicago’s Shopping Cart Race for a Good Cause Celebrates 12th Year
MARCH 4th 2017
Important Dates:
January 7th Design Contest Closes
January 16th Racer & Volunteer Registration Open
January 28th CHIditaBowl – Pre-race Fundraiser – Fundraise for your team, bowl, and win some fabulous things!
Spectators and well-wishers are invited to witness the start of the 12th CHIditarod, Chicago’s annual rambunctious, costumed shopping cart race, raising food and donations to combat hunger.
Part competition, part carnival, the CHIditarod is “probably the world’s largest mobile food drive”. This year, more than 100 teams of five people in costumes will race decorated shopping carts for a good cause.
Whether they’re wearing giant Muppet heads, rolling a mobile diner, or paying tribute to lost legends or movie classics, each team will contribute at least 69 pounds of food to the Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD), with prizes awarded for largest food and monetary contributions and the most creative carts.
Now in its 12th year, the CHIditarod – a 100% volunteer driven organization – has raised more than 150,000 pounds of food for Chicago’s hungry and more than $145,000 for local nonprofits fighting hunger in the Chicago area. Since the beginning of the CHIditarod Foundation’s grant program, $95,000 has been given out to like minded nonprofits who have new and creative ways of solving food scarcity.
When: Saturday, March 4, 2017. Teams begin arriving at 9:45am. The pre-race festivities include performances by local eclectic marching band Environmental Encroachment. Race start is expected at 12:30pm.
Where: 1900 W. Hubbard, Chicago IL 60622 (northwest corner of Hubbard and Wolcott).
Visuals: 500+ excited participants in costume and decorated shopping carts, 200+ dedicated volunteers, trucks being loaded with thousands of pounds of donations for GCFD, raucous race start with 100+ teams pouring out of the gate and onto Chicago streets, pre-race music from 20+ member marching band.