Evanston beach tokens will be available for purchase for the 2018 season beginning next Monday, April 2. Here’s where you can get ’em and what it’ll cost you:
They will be available at the Morton Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave., in the Parks, Recreation and Community Services office, on weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.
They will also be available at community recreation centers, many of which offer extended evening or weekend office hours. A call to 3-1-1 can help you obtain that information.
Starting Saturday, May 19, tokens will also be available for purchase daily at the Dempster Street Beach office between 10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Payments can be made with cash, personal checks, and credit cards.
You can also get them on Saturdays at the downtown Evanston Farmers Market when it opens May 5 through June 2, from 9 a.m. to noon. Only personal checks and credit cards will be accepted at the market.
The beach token is a season pass and is valid from the time of purchase through Labor Day.
Now for the cost:
Tokens sold through Friday, June 8, will be discounted for Evanston and Skokie residents at $26, while nonresidents will pay $42.
However, beginning on Saturday, June 9, the price for a beach token will increase to $34 for Evanston and Skokie residents and $58 for nonresidents. So it pays to buy early.
What if you just want to go to the beach once or twice during the season, or your grandchildren are coming to see you for only a couple of days?
Well, you can buy daily passes for $8 for those 12 years and older and $6 for children ages 1 to 11 years. Babies are free if they have not yet celebrated their first birthday.
Free beach days for Evanston residents will be held at Clark Street Beach on Mondays from July 9 through August 27.
Evanston residents who meet the income requirement are eligible to participate in beach token fee assistance and the free beach token program. Information is available on the city’s website,
If those big waves on Lake Michigan are a bit intimidating and you’d prefer floating in a swimming pool, the City of Evanston and the Skokie Park District have a reciprocal arrangement that allows Skokie residents to buy season beach tokens at Evanston resident rates and allows Evanston residents to buy Skokie season pool passes at Skokie resident rates
Pool passes are valid at both the Skokie Water Playground and the Devonshire Aquatic Center. Information about those options are available on the Skokie Parks website.
Here’s hoping you have a glorious summer in Evanston and Skokie.