CTA provides convenient and affordable service for spectators heading to the lakefront for the Air & Water Show, the Bud Billiken Parade on Chicago’s south side, the Detroit Tigers versus White Sox games at U.S. Cellular Field, and the Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band concert at Toyota Park this weekend.
Air & Water Show
The event will take place along the lakefront from Oak Street Beach to Fullerton on Saturday, August 14 and Sunday, August 15. The air and water performances are combined into one show beginning at 11 a.m. and continuing until 4 p.m. on both days. The best viewing location will be at North Avenue Beach.
Supplemental bus service will be provided on both days on the #72 North Avenue and #151 Sheridan routes, which operate close to all the activities. To avoid traffic congestion, #72 buses will travel only as far as North and Clark instead of continuing east to North Avenue Beach.
Metra customers disembarking at Union Station or Millennium Park Station can board #151 buses to Oak Street and North Avenue beaches. The #151 buses also are within walking distance of the Ogilvie Transportation Center and the LaSalle Street Metra station.
Buses on the #145 Wilson/Michigan Express, #146 Inner Drive/Michigan Express and #147 Outer Drive Express routes operate to Michigan and Delaware, within walking distance of Oak Street Beach. Customers also can take the #22 Clark or #36 Broadway routes to North and Clark, which is within walking distance of North Avenue Beach.
Spectators who wish to avoid street traffic altogether can reach the Air & Water Show on Red Line trains from subway stations at Chicago/State or Clark/Division, which are within walking distance from Oak Street Beach.
Customers who take the Pink, Orange and Green lines can ride downtown and transfer to the Red Line at State/Lake. Customers can transfer from the Red Line at North/Clybourn, the Blue Line at Damen or the Brown Line at Sedgwick to connect to #72 buses that will supplement regular service along North Avenue from California to Clark.
Longer trains will operate on the Red, Brown, Blue and Orange lines throughout the weekend and on the Pink Line on Sunday, August 15. CTA Customer Assistants will be on hand at all downtown rail stations to assist customers with fare and travel information.
Bud Billiken Parade
The 81st annual Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic will be held on Saturday, August 14. The parade steps off at 10 a.m. from 35th Street and King Drive and proceeds on King Drive to Washington Park.
CTA will provide supplementary service on the following bus routes to accommodate anticipated crowds: #3 King Drive, #4 Cottage Grove, #15 Jeffery Express, #43 43rd, #47 47th and #55 Garfield.
Longer trains will operate on the Green Line from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for customers attending the parade and picnic.
Due to street closures, buses along the #3 King Drive, #15 Jeffery Local, #43 43rd, #47 47th and #55 Garfield routes will undergo temporary detour from 6 a.m. until approximately 4 p.m. Detailed information on bus reroutes due to the parade is available in a separate release.
Detroit Tigers versus White Sox
The White Sox play host to their Central Division rival Detroit Tigers in a weekend series beginning Friday, August 13. Game time on Friday is 7:10 p.m. Saturday’s game time is 6:05 p.m. and Sunday’s game begins at 1:05 p.m.
The Red Line provides direct service to the accessible Sox-35th station, just steps from the ballpark. Red Line trains operate between Howard and 95th Street. Free connections can be made from Purple and Yellow line trains at Howard; and from all elevated lines serving the Loop or from Brown Line trains at Belmont and Fullerton.
In addition to the Red Line, the Green Line also provides a convenient travel option. The accessible Green Line station at 35th-Bronzeville-IIT is a few blocks east of the park. Fans can walk to the ballpark or transfer to #35 35th buses, which stop at the ballpark. Green Line trains operate on the South Side from 63rd/Ashland and East 63rd/Cottage Grove, and from Lake and Harlem in Oak Park. Orange Line customers can reach the ballpark via the 35th/Archer station from which fans can walk to the ballpark or transfer to the #35 35th or the #39 Pershing buses.
The #35 35th buses stop at 35th Street stations on the Green, Orange and Red Lines. The #39 diverts to the 35th Red Line Station and 35th/Archer Orange Line Station and operates until 10 p.m. on weekdays.
Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band
Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band will perform on Saturday, August 14 at 8 p.m. at Toyota Park, 7000 West 71st Street in Bridgeview.
Fans attending the concert can take CTA’s Orange Line to Midway and connect to Toyota Park Express buses. The Toyota Park buses are not operated by CTA. A transfer fee is charged for customers transferring from Orange Line trains or CTA buses. Others pay a $1.25 fare.
Toyota Park Express buses operate every 20 minutes beginning two hours before the concert begins. Following the event, buses operate every 30 minutes from the venue to the Midway station. CTA will operate longer trains on the Orange Line for customers attending the concert.
Fare Information
Bus customers who use CTA fare media pay $2 to ride. For rail customers or customers who pay cash on the bus, the fare is $2.25. Customers who use magnetic strip cards or other CTA fare media may transfer for a 25-cent fee. Transfers are not available for customers paying fares in cash.
Park & Ride
Parking is available for approximately 6,000 cars at facilities adjacent to 17 CTA rail stations, mainly at terminals, throughout the CTA system. Rates are $5 at Rosemont and Forest Park and $4 at all other locations. Park & Ride locations are listed on CTA’s system map and on the CTA
website.
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