In 2000 Chicago Scene founder and long-time boater Ted Widen gathered a small group of friends and their boats together and headed out to the “Playpen,” a break wall-protected area just East of Lake Shore Drive at Chicago Ave.
That first year 50 boats came together and tied up making it the largest “Tie Up” in Chicago. We brought out some of Chicago’s best DJs and had them play on the flybridge of the main boat with a huge sound system that stopped traffic on Lake Shore Drive. Each year after that the party doubled in size until we got to the 500-1000 boat range where we stand to this day.
This was the birth of the “Chicago Scene Boat Party,” an annual event that is now the largest on Lake Michigan.
Ted Widen is also a Realtor in the Chicago market with Baird & Warner Real Estate as well as running a boat charter business called Chicago Sailboat and Yacht Charters.