A sellout crowd of friends and supporters packed Northerly Island Saturday for the world-class concert that featured Chance the Rapper, Usher, Francis & The Lights, Daya, Smokey Robinson, Jason Mraz, O.A.R. and Carl Thomas with videotaped greetings from Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon. Special guests included Bulls star Jabari Parker and Olympians Michael Phelps, Michelle Kwan and…
On Saturday more than 10,000 families and friends filled Solider Field for the Global Day of Inclusion (GDI) activities. Surrounding Soldier Field were outdoor fitness classes, sports clinics and amusement rides. The Historic and Cultural Walk provided an overview of the last 50 years of Special Olympics and the non-stop music and demonstrations on the…
On the date of the first games in 1968, July 20, more than 400 law enforcement officers and Special Olympics athletes participated in the traditional Law Enforcement Torch Run. Running through intermittent rain, they carried the torch along Lake Shore Drive, across the football field at Soldier Field to light the Eternal Flame of Hope.…
The anniversary activities kicked off with the first-ever Special Olympics Unified Cup presented by Toyota. Preliminary games were held on July 17-19 at CIBC Fire Pitch and 24 countries sent top men and women athletes–with and without intellectual disabilities—to compete in this groundbreaking sports event. The semi-finals and finals moved to Toyota Park and were…
Chicago welcomed Special Olympics athletes, families, friends and supporters to the birthplace of the global movement. More than 24 countries were represented for five days of soccer competitions, family activities, a star-packed concert and the Law Enforcement Torch Run that culminated in the lighting of the Eternal Flame of Hope at Soldier Field. Two years…