While this weekend’s record heat may not have necessary felt like fall, the official arrival of autumn in the Windy City was marked by the clanging bells of its 27 moveable bridges between Lake Shore Drive to Ashland Avenue on Saturday. The first of many so-called “boat runs” scheduled over the next seven weeks, this weekend’s bridge lift provided an opportunity for tall-masted sailboats to make their seasonal pilgrimage from Chicago’s many lakefront harbors to dry docks, boat launches, or storage yards.
With balmy, summer-like weather continuing well into this week, it was perhaps little surprise that many boat owners opted to extend the season and not jump on the first the chance to leave the lake. Boaters—and curious spectators—will have plenty of options between now and November 11th with regular bridge raisings scheduled for Wednesdays at 9:30 A.M. and Saturdays at 9:00 A.M.
Though such lifts can be an annoyance for drivers and pedestrians rushing to get across the river, most Chicagoans take a moment to revel in the spectacle of it all and, naturally, share a photo on social media. Here are some of the best Instagram posts from the weekend capturing this uniquely Chicago seasonal ritual.
- 2017 Fall Season bridge lift schedule [Chicago Loop Bridges]
- Chicago Transportation News [Curbed Chicago]