Red Bull Stomping Ground Gets New Date, Location
BMXNEWS reported recently that the Red Bull “Stomping Ground” event, originally planned for the near-downtown neighborhood of South Loop, had been withdrawn from the original location, probably due to community protest. Last week, Red Bull announced they were postponing the event from its original date of May 15.
Today, it seems all wrinkles have been ironed out, and the event will be held in a new location, on a new date.
The new date is June 12 from 4PM-7PM (with lead-in events, presumably, starting on June 7, though that was not on the current version of the site).
The new location is in the “West Town” neighborhood, at the corner of Augusta and Elston. And while the new location is not as centrally located and easy to access via public transportation, it is a much more befitting location for the “Abandoned Construction Site” and “Ultimate Dirt Playground” theme that Red Bull had promoted.
The only way to reach the location is via Elston Ave (Augusta at this point is only a block or two long, and dead ends into both the site, on the East and the Kennedy Expressway on the West. People taking the Blue Line Subway could get off at Chicago Avenue, and walk about 3/4 mile to the site. Driving in, Exit the Kennedy Expressway at Division, then head East, with a right turn on Elston (do not take the Augusta exit, or you will be waylaid on the wrong side of the Kennedy).
Grab a bite before you come on down, or plan to do so at the event, because there really is not much around there in the way of restaurants, or any other amenities, for that matter (on the other hand it might be exceptionally easy to get a cab on the way out, as there is a taxi garage directly across the street). There is a bar at the corner of Elston and Division, which might serve food, but not sure if it is still in business.
