Hootenanny Vol. 6 Fundraiser Party
Join us for our annual fundraiser and support your favorite non-profit bike organization! This not-to-be-missed event will be a gathering of Chicago's most-bike-camping-celebrators of the great outdoors. This year we will be back at one of Chicago's finest breweries, Midwest Coast Brewing Company, in West Town. And we will be back up on their big, beautiful second floor event space.
Your Ticket includes:
- 2 Midwest Coast beers or non-alcoholic beverage of choice
- 1 raffle ticket
- Food
Tickets are available online only. No tickets will be sold at the door the day of due to capacity of the venue. Kids are free! We plan to sell out so make sure to get your tickets today.
~ The Wild Scallions will be playing some excellent bluegrass music for the night ~
And if you're wondering about the raffle prizes - you can expect lots of outdoor gear, bike gear, and a great smattering of other prizes from small businesses and community organizations across Chicago.
All proceeds from the night go towards making our 2026 Bike Adventures even more spectacular and inclusive by reaching more people and getting 'em outside on two wheels to soak up the bodacious nature and history outside our front door.
Can't Attend But Still Want to Support?
If you want to support but can't attend the event you can do so by donating here. Since this event usually sells out, it’s better to keep the tickets available for those that plan to attend.
Interested in Sponsoring the Event?
If you would like to sponsor the event or donate raffle prizes, email our Executive Director, Glenn Schneider at glenn@oofd.org.
More details on sponsorship levels (between $250-$2,500) can be seen here on the Hootenanny Sponsorship Prospectus.
We will hype your company/organization to our over 2,000 newsletter subscribers and 4,500+ social media followers and highlight you at the event.
Accessibility and Additional Event Details
Wear What You Want
This is OOFD and this is a brewery. Nothing fancy needed though feel free to look as good as you'd like. We will have access to the patio so if you foresee yourself wanting to hang outside, certainly plan for the weather.
COVID/Illnesses
Masks will not be required but if you prefer to wear one, you certainly are welcome to and will not be judged by anyone in OOFD if you do. If you are feeling ill the day of the event or if you have had COVID and still are within the infectious period, please do stay home.
ADA Accessibility
Midwest Coast is wheelchair accessible and can reasonably accommodate most to all disabilities. Our event is on the second floor, which is also accessible via elevator.
Noise and Crowd
Expect a big crowd! Out Our Front Door has rented the entire, brand new second floor taproom space. The space holds up to 250 people and there will be background music so noise levels will be fairly high. There is a partial retractable roof that we plan to open pending good weather.
Bathrooms
Midwest Coast provides five bathrooms: three all-gender bathrooms on the second floor (where our event is being held), and two gender-specific, male and female, bathrooms on the first floor.
Food and Allergies
We will have catered food with options that meet most dietary needs, including vegetarian and vegan options. There may also be homemade desserts made by wonderful volunteers. We will provide signage for all food to help people with allergies and intolerances safely navigate the food options.
Kids
Kids of all ages are welcome.
Pets
Midwest Coast Brewing does welcome pets.
Getting to the Event
Biking is certainly encouraged! That said, the brewery is only a couple blocks from the Damen bus route and the new Damen Green Line stop. The Metra Western Ave Stop (MD-N, MD-W, NCS) is less than a mile away. There also is plentiful street parking near the venue, which is in a former industrial area. There is a Divvy Bike Share station 2 blocks away on Damen and Walnut.
Being Welcoming and Radically Inclusive
Welcoming is OOFD's #1 Core Value. So by attending this event, we ask that you bring a spirit of welcoming to everyone you meet. We want everyone that comes to be and feel supported and included. You can read more about our Radical Inclusivity and Discrimination Statement which we work to hold everyone accountable to at all of our events.
Other Needs?
Do you have other questions about accommodations or have a request for one? Please contact us here, and we will try our hardest to make as many accommodations as we can with things that are within our control. Thanks in advance for the input.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Some are easy and others are a challenge, but just about anyone who has ridden a bike for a day can do the tours. If you are not an avid bike rider already, you should build up your riding distance/endurance. Not sure you can ride it? Check out other people who completed our tours here
First, always bring a spare inner tube. Our prepared Guides are always ready to help, are trained for emergency repairs, and carry extra tools and supplies.
The pace we ride at is around 12 miles per hour. This is to accommodate everyone riding the tour, to be able to take in all the views and to be able to ride a second day. You have to remember their is a second day and you should pace yourself. (We are bikers but we are not running a Tour de France). Family, Youth and Adaptive Rides roll at a slower pace to accommodate those along from the ride oftentimes dropping to the range of 8-10 mph.
No. We still ride if there is rain. Some of the best views are after a rain storm. Though safety is our top priority, so if there is extreme severe weather we will break and wait it out in a provided shelter, then continue on our journey.
We do our best to ride together as a group. That said, if some space occurs in the group, the OOFD guides will not leave anybody behind. A guide will always be riding at the back and at the front.
Always bring two spare inner tubes and a bike tool kit if you have one. Dress for the season, during spring and fall make sure to bring gloves for your hands and layer your clothing. Even when the weather is nice, when riding your bike the wind can make you chilly really quick.
We champion perseverance and the challenge. We encourage to push on, the reward of completion is great. But if turning around is an absolute must, there is always a train station relatively close by throughout the entirety of the tours.
It's really up to you. But we recommend a Touring, Road, Urban or Hybrid bike. These types of bikes make for a more comfortable ride. Attaching a bike rack will help carry your daily supplies and keep weight off your shoulders. Almost all of our routes are on paved paths/lanes or crushed packed limestone.
At the moment no. Our goal as we continue to grow we will be able to provide bicycles for participants.
Most of our rides are 2 days though we have some that are 3, 4, and even 5 days.
