Please join us for “Cheers to Chester”, a party thrown by Ski Hut for Chester Bowl at Bent Paddle. This event is raising money for Growing Up Chester, Chester Bowl’s fundraising campaign to expand and renovate the Thom Storm Chalet. With the recently announced $2.3 million in funding through the State LCCMR recommendation, Chester Bowl is 85% of the way to a fully funded project! Will you help us get to the finish line?

The event, held between 6 and 9pm on Thursday, September 26th, features live music from Boxcar, beverages available for purchase from Bent Paddle, and food available for purchase from the Rambler.

You can also win a e-bike and more! We are raising money at this event by selling raffle tickets. Ski Hut has donated TONS of prizes including a grand prize of a Townie Go 5I EQ e-bike! The more $10 tickets you buy, the greater your chance to win, all while giving to a good cause! Plus, buying tickets could give you BOGO cards and other perks at Bent Paddle. According to state law, tickets can be purchased by cash or check only. Bent Paddle does have a cash machine on site.

Can’t make the event? You can buy your tickets in advance from Ski Hut (available now, but Bent Paddle perks only available at the event), and you do not need to be present to win.

Last year’s event raised just over $5,000; can we top it this year? Every dollar raised goes to the upcoming Chalet expansion and renovation! Ski Hut has also donated $30,000 to Growing Up Chester- thank you Ski Hut for your generosity!

You can find out more about Growing Up Chester and donate directly at www.growingupchester.org.

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!

Employment Opportunities

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 2: Sydney Hansen

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 30^th! 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 30^th 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!