We are so excited to announce a matching donation opportunity for the “Growing Up Chester” Capital Campaign to expand and renovate the Chalet!

An anonymous donor has pledged a $50,000 donation to Chester Bowl- if it can be matched with community donations by January 15^th! That gives us 50 days to raise $50,000. With the support of our Chester Bowl community, we know we can do it! If you have been considering donating to Growing Up Chester and an expanded Chalet for the next generation, there is no better time to do so than right now.

We have raised $3,250,000 towards a project that is estimated at $3,850,000- we are 85% funded! This match campaign will be a big part of raising that final $600,000 needed to fully fund our vision for an expanded and renovated Chalet.

We need your help to maximize this donation- will you give now to support the Chalet? Donating now DOUBLES the impact of your donation. This match period intentionally extends into 2025 so you can choose do donate in either (or both!) years to maximize your tax benefits.

You can donate online by clicking the green “DONATE TODAY” button on the right side bar. You can also mail checks made out to “Chester Bowl” to 1801 East Skyline Parkway, Duluth MN 55812. Thank you for helping us meet this match!

Photos below are from the kickoff media event where Executive Director Dave Schaeffer and City Councilor Mike Mayou addressed the press.

Our annual silent auction is back! The auction is an online auction, and is open from November 11th until 10pm on November 15th. We have an amazing selection of items and experiences to bid on, and you can feel good knowing that your bids support your community.

You can bid now at this link: https://one.bidpal.net/chesterbowlsilentauction2024/welcome

Chester Bowl is delighted to be the Duluth host for the legendary annual Warren Miller ski film- and Warren Miller is going big for 75 years! The show is at Clyde Iron on Friday, November 15th- doors open and social time at 6, with the show starting at 7. There are no assigned seats, so come early for the best spot!

You can buy tickets now at https://one.bidpal.net/chesterbowlwarrenmiller75/welcome

Stacked with unbelievable action and unexpected stories, Warren Miller’s 75 will bring fans to powder stashes and chutes around the world, from Canada, Colorado, California, and Utah to Finland, Japan, Austria, and New Jersey. Catch a diverse lineup of snowsports legends, Olympic hopefuls, world champions, X Games stars, and emerging talents on the big screen this fall, including snowboarders Shaun White, Jeremy Jones, Danny Davis, and Toby Miller, plus skiers Max Hitzig, Lexi duPont, Caite Zeliff, Mark Abma, and Aaron Blunck. With original segments and unique collaborations, this year’s film will set the tone for the next 75 years of ski and snowboard filmmaking.

Check out the trailer at https://vimeo.com/1009023954

All profits from this event will benefit Chester Bowl’s scholarship fund, enabling low income families to participate in Chester Bowl programming even when they can’t afford the registration fees. Please note that this event is replacing the in-person “Skis, Suds, & Slices” event from previous years. We will also have a November Silent Auction and raffle, with more details coming soon.

Over 30 years ago, Minnesotans voted to dedicate a portion of state lottery proceeds to conservation. Since then, it’s provided over $1 billion for our Great Outdoors. In November, a question to renew this funding will be on the front of every Minnesotan’s ballot. To ensure this critical funding source remains dedicated for the Great Outdoors, over 50% of voters must vote “YES.” Leaving the question blank counts as a “No” vote. If it doesn’t pass, the constitutional protection for this important conservation funding will expire, and Legislators would decide what to do with the funding.

Chester Bowl is formally supporting this amendment, and we are encouraging you to vote YES. We think it is essential to preserving and protecting our natural lands and providing for outdoor recreation opportunities. You may have heard about our recent $2.3 million funding recommendation for the Chalet Renovation and Expansion- it came from this funding source. And while our funding is not in jeopardy (it falls under the current time period), we urge you to join us in voting YES so that Minnesotans can continue to benefit from this program.

All of us at Chester Bowl want to share our gratitude to the community for a phenomenal Fall Fest!

We estimate that we had about 11,000 people come through the park today, visiting our 130 craft vendors and 10 food trucks! This was only possible because of the 100 volunteers that helped out through the day.

Fall Fest is a fundraiser for our scholarship fund. Thanks to YOUR generosity, we received $12,012 in donations at the entry! Every dollar raised will directly support our scholarship, allowing low income families to ski, snowboard, and attend summer camp, when they otherwise would not have been able to.

So, whatever your role, thank you for being part of Fall Fest and the Chester Bowl community. We will see you all again on Saturday, September 20, 2025!