We are delighted to announce that the City of Duluth and Chester Bowl are recommended for $2,312,000 in funding from the Legislative Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources, known as LCCMR, for our project to expand and renovate the Thom Storm Chalet!
This is a monumental day for Chester Bowl and the City of Duluth, as it brings our vision for the Chalet that will serve the next generations so close to becoming a reality! For full details, please visit our Growing Up Chester website.
Chester Bowl is hiring a Full Year AmeriCorps Member to join our team in September 2024. Find out more about the position and the hiring process at this link!
We are so excited to announce the 41st annual Music in the Park Concert Series! This free, nine-week series features a wide variety of music in the park. Each concert is 90 minutes and begins at 6:30 p.m. This year the series is split between Chester Park and Lincoln Park. The first five concerts will be held at Chester and the final four will be held at Lincoln. Chester Bowl supports the City of Duluth for the concerts at Chester Park.
Another change is the occasional split billing, where two sets of solo artists or duos each have a 45 minute set.
All shows start promptly at 6:30 (earlier than last year!) and end at 8pm. Bring a blanket or lawn chair. The concerts are entirely free. Twin Ports Express will be on site selling refreshments.
Chester Park Concerts: 1801 E. Skyline Parkway
June 18: Born Too Late
June 25: Ida Jo / The Trash Cats
July 9: Cyr and the Cosmonauts
July 16: Mary Bue and the Monarchy
Lincoln Park Concerts: Lincoln Park Drive & W. 3rd St.
July 23: Big Wave Dave and the Ripples
July 30: Slapdash Bluegrass /The Brothers Burn Mountain
August 6: Matt Hannah / Mac and Cheese
August 13: Boku Frequency
August 20: Rain date, if needed
Volunteers are needed! Want to get your winter volunteer hours done early while rocking out in the park? Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090D4DAAAE2CA4FA7-49746840-music#/
We are so excited to announce a matching donation opportunity for the “Growing Up Chester” Capital Campaign to expand and renovate the Chalet!
A donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, has pledged a $50,000 donation to Chester Bowl- if it can be matched with community donations by April 30th! The donor is motivated by a deep love for alpine skiing and ski racing, and a desire to inspire others to give generously to Chester Bowl.
The donor says, “Having an affordable, accessible skiing playground in Duluth is important to me. It provides a healthy space to develop important skillsets both on and off the snow. I remember the thrill of bombing down the slopes for the first time and it’s still something I love today. Don’t let Chester fester, please pitch in to preserve and improve this iconic academy of outdoor sports!”
Executive Director Dave Schaeffer says, “Chester Bowl thrives because of the community of people who support it. We are overwhelmed with gratitude by the generosity of this donor, and we hope that generosity inspires many others to donate to Growing Up Chester, ensuring that our facilities can serve children and families for generations to come.”
The Public Phase of Growing Up Chester kicked off exactly one year ago during a giant blizzard (what a difference a year makes!) and the campaign has raised $740,000 to date. The total cost of the building renovation and expansion is $2.7 million. Chester Bowl and the City of Duluth will be applying for outside funding for the second half of the project, meaning there is an additional $610,000 to be raised. Every dollar donated between now and April 30th will be applied to this match opportunity.
We need your help to maximize this donation- will you give now to support the Chalet?
You can donate online by clicking the green “DONATE TODAY” button. 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!
Chester Bowl’s closing day was Sunday, March 10th, and we are officially closed for the season. Thank you for spending your winter with us!
We are especially grateful for our staff and volunteers that got us through a challenging winter, and kept everyone out on the slopes as much as possible!
Equipment returns are April 22-24; see the separate blog post for signups for a return slot.