🎃⚰️ 14th Annual Forest Park Casket Races & Costume Parade! 👻🏁

🎃⚰️ 14th Annual Forest Park Casket Races & Costume Parade! 👻🏁

💀 Caskets, Costumes & Halloween Shenanigans in the Suburbs! 🎃

Yes, you read that correctly — CASKET RACES! ⚰️😂 Get ready for one of the quirkiest Halloween traditions around as we head to nearby Forest Park for a morning of spooky fun, outrageous casket designs, costume-watching, and some seriously unusual competition!

If you’ve joined us for the Chiditarod races in West Town, you’ll love this event! Think push-cart racing, but with Halloween-themed caskets instead! 🏁💀 We checked this out last year, and it was a LOT of fun, so we’re doing it again!

🎂 AND THE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS CONTINUE! 🥳
My official birthday is October 22, but why celebrate for just one day when you can celebrate ALL MONTH LONG?! 😂🎉 Come join me and my Meetup family as we keep the birthday party rolling with a little Halloween madness!

📅 EVENT DETAILS
📆 Saturday, October 24, 2026
🕤 Group Meetup: 9:45 AM
🏁 Races begin: 11:00 AM
📍 Beloit Avenue between Madison Street and Adams Street, Forest Park (7500 Madison St. area)

📍 OUR MEETING SPOT: NEAR MADISON & BELOIT
Because Beloit Avenue will be closed for the racecourse, we’ll meet near the north end of the event area along Madison Street, then head into the festivities together.
Look for us near Kribi Coffee Cafe & Roastery (7324 Madison St.), a recognizable landmark near the Beloit and Madison intersection.

We’ll aim to meet around 9:45 AM, before the crowds get too crazy.
Please allow extra time to find us, as the area will get busy! Check back for any meeting-location updates.

⚰️ WHAT ARE THE CASKET RACES?
Forest Park, nicknamed the Village of Cemeteries, hosts this delightfully bizarre annual tradition. Teams of friends, neighbors, and coworkers build and decorate elaborate Halloween caskets on wheels, complete with a helmet-wearing rider inside! 👻

Then the teams race their creations down a closed section of Beloit Avenue for bragging rights and trophies. The course is about 585 feet long, and prizes recognize everything from race winners to creative decorations — even the team that finishes dead last! 💀🤣

Expect a DJ and emcee, food vendors, coffee, hot chocolate, baked treats, costumes galore, and plenty of entertaining people-watching. This is Halloween fun with a distinctly Forest Park twist! 🎃☕🍪

🎃 TENTATIVE ITINERARY

9:30 AM — Festival area opens, vendors set up, and caskets arrive for display.
9:45 AM — Meet up with Giovina near Madison & Beloit and head into the festivities.
10:30 AM — Parade of Caskets! A great photo opportunity as teams show off their spooky creations. ⚰️📸
11:00 AM — Casket races begin! 🏁💀
Between heats — Kids’ and pets’ costume parade. 🐶👻
12:30–2:30 PM — Trick-or-treating along Madison Street, if we have time and interest.
After the races — Optional lunch or coffee stop with the group! 🍕☕ See the nearby options below.

Times are tentative, so we’ll go with the flow and see how the morning unfolds!

☕🍕 RECOGNIZABLE LANDMARKS & POSSIBLE STOPS
Here are a few nearby spots to help us find our way around and possibly grab a bite or drink before or after the races:

Kribi Coffee Cafe & Roastery — 7324 Madison St. A convenient landmark near the north end of the race area and our proposed meeting point. ☕
FatDuck Tavern & Grill — 7218 Madison St. Near the Madison and Beloit intersection.
The Brown Cow Ice Cream Parlor — 7347 Madison St. A familiar Forest Park stop for coffee or a sweet treat. 🍦
O’Sullivan’s Public House — 7244 Madison St. Another nearby landmark and possible place to regroup after the races. 🍻
Francesca’s Fiore Pizzeria & Bakery — A possible post-race lunch stop for pizza and bakery treats! 🍕🥐

These are nearby options, not guaranteed reservations or designated event meeting points. Our primary meetup will be near Madison and Beloit. We’ll decide on any coffee or food stops based on timing, crowds, and group interest.

🚇 GETTING THERE — PUBLIC TRANSIT FRIENDLY!
Good news for those of us without cars! Forest Park is accessible via the CTA Blue Line to Forest Park, the last stop on the line, followed by approximately a 12-minute walk to the event area.

You can also explore taking the Green Line and connecting with a PACE bus.
👉 Plan your trip here:
https://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/

🚗 DRIVING & PARKING
Street parking may be available along Madison Avenue and nearby streets, but pay attention to posted parking signs. Forest Park also has municipal parking lots in the area, so check local parking information before heading out.

🤝 CARPOOLING: If you’re unfamiliar with the area or would rather not travel alone, consider coordinating a carpool or riding the Blue Line together with other members!

👻 A FEW THINGS TO KNOW

This is an outdoor event, so dress for the weather.
Costumes are encouraged, but definitely not required!
Bring your camera — the caskets and costumes make for some memorable photos. 📸
Arriving early is your best bet for finding a good viewing spot before the 11 AM crowds.
Lunch and any additional stops are optional and depend on timing and group interest.

🔗 MORE EVENT INFORMATION
🎃 Official Forest Park event page — 14th Annual Casket Races:
https://www.exploreforestpark.com/event/14th-annual-forest-park-casket-races/
📘 Facebook event:
https://www.facebook.com/events/forest-park-illinois/forest-park-casket-races/968288799621583/
ABC7 coverage of the Casket Races:
https://abc7.com/forest-park-il-news-casket-race/12390925/

🚨 OUR USUAL RSVP POLICY — PLEASE READ!
Please update your RSVP if your plans change.
Running late? Message the host directly.
Check in with Giovina when you arrive — failure to check in counts as a no-show.
Three no-shows without updating your RSVP = a three-month event RSVP freeze.
RSVP changes close at event start time. Continued no-shows may result in removal from the group.

🎃⚰️ LET’S GET IN THE ‘SPIRIT’! 👻
Come enjoy a wonderfully weird Chicago-area Halloween tradition with us! Between the outrageous caskets, creative costumes, racing teams, and all the Halloween festivities, this is definitely NOT your average Saturday morning! 😂

And remember, the birthday celebrations are still going strong! 🥳🎂 Come celebrate with me, enjoy the madness, and let’s make another fun memory together!
Hope to see you there! 🎃🙌