CHICAGO — Thousands of runners and walkers have gathered in and around Grant Park on Sunday morning to participate in the 2025 Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle and kick off Chicago’s running season in style.
This year marks the 45th annual Shamrock Shuffle.
The 8-kilometer run officially begins at 8:30 a.m. with the first wave of runners, who are the top racers in the field. Another wave of 8K runners goes off at 9 a.m., then participants in the 2-mile walk begin at 9:30 a.m.
All participants can then stick around for a post-race party at Grant Park, including live music, into early Sunday afternoon.
It’s a chilly morning, with rain the forecast, but longtime race director Carey Pinkowski shrugged and said those certainly aren’t unusual conditions for the Shamrock Shuffle.
“It is chilly, but that’s OK,” Pinkowski said. “It’s the Shuffle. What would you expect?”
The Shamrock Shuffle is the first of three races in the annual Bank of America Chicago Distance Series. The Chicago 13.1, a half marathon, is scheduled for Sunday, June 1, then the Chicago Marathon, the longest of the three races at 26.2 miles, is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 12.
Pinkowski says many participants have started their running careers with the Shamrock Shuffle. A mile run on Saturday preceded Sunday’s main race, as the 2025 running season in Chicago gets underway.
“We had a lot of people, it was their first race they’ve ever done,” Pinkowski said of Saturday’s mile run. “… We had a lot of fun. It’s about getting active.
” … We had people from all 50 wards last year that entered, trained for, started and finished the marathon. So we’re proud of that. Chicago’s a running city.”
With thousands of runners participating and businesses getting involved with sponsorships, the three Chicago Distance Series races also bring a huge economic impact to the city.
Rita Cook, president of Bank of America Chicago, says the races drive both economic and philanthropic impact.
“People come to the city, they stay in hotels, they eat in our restaurants,” Cook said. “Last year, the culmination of the races was $547 million of economic impact. And the charity component last year alone was $36 million across those three races.
“… We’ve got people coming in from every state and around the globe.”
The Shamrock Shuffle has also brought downtown road closures around Grant Park on Sunday. Here is a full list of closures:
- Balbo Drive from Columbus Drive to DuSable Lake Shore Drive:
- Anticipated to reopen at 3 p.m. Sunday.
- Jackson Boulevard from Michigan Avenue to DuSable Lake Shore Drive:
- Anticipated to reopen at 1 p.m. Sunday.
- Balbo Drive from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive:
- Anticipated to reopen at 2 p.m. Sunday.
- Columbus Drive from Ida B. Wells Drive to Roosevelt Road:
- Anticipated to reopen at 2 p.m. Sunday.
- Columbus Drive from Monroe Street to Ida B. Wells Drive:
- Anticipated to reopen at 1 p.m. Sunday.
- Ida B. Wells Drive from Congress Plaza to Columbus Drive:
- Anticipated to reopen at 1 p.m. Sunday.
- Congress Plaza from Michigan Avenue (Van Buren Street to Harrison Street):
- Anticipated to reopen at 1 p.m. Sunday.
- Monroe Street from Michigan Avenue to DuSable Lake Shore Drive:
- Anticipated to reopen at 11 a.m. Sunday.
- Columbus Drive from Randolph Street to Monroe Street:
- Anticipated to reopen at 11 a.m. Sunday.
- Ida B. Wells Drive from Michigan Avenue to Congress Plaza:
- Anticipated to reopen at 1 p.m. Sunday.
- Columbus Drive from McFetridge Drive to Roosevelt Road:
- Anticipated to reopen at noon Sunday.
Grant Park will also be closed to all vehicle traffic for the majority of early Sunday afternoon.
More information can be found here on the Shamrock Shuffle website.
