It's that time when sunbathers crowd the sand and cement, boats fill the harbors and swimmers cool off in Lake Michigan.

• Sadly, summerlike weather also means more drownings and water-related injuries.

State of play: Chicago's 22 public beaches are open now through Labor Day weekend.

The latest: The park district updates swimming conditions each day around 11am based on weather and surf conditions and again at 1:30pm for water-quality conditions.

• Green indicates swimming is permitted, and red means it's not.

By the numbers: The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office reports that there have been 20 drowning deaths this year.

• Drowning is a leading cause of death for children, according to the CDC, and nonfatal drowning can result in long-term health problems.

Boating

We're not a coastal city, but anyone who has walked or driven past The Playpen knows this is a boating town.

• In fact, Boating Mag listed us as one of the most iconic cities to experience by boat in 2022.

Context: In Illinois, all boats and watercraft with a motor or sail must be registered with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and must display their registration.

• Illinois offers free in-person boating courses, but the closest ones on the current schedule are in Lake County.

Swimming

For parents or anyone else swimming with children or more vulnerable swimmers, designate a water watcher. The Department of Children and Family Services even created this handy badge you can wear!

• Learn to swim. The Chicago Park District offers free and affordable classes that fill up fast, so sign up soon. UIC also offers adult classes.
• During rip currents, relax, swim laterally and then to shore, but don't swim against the current.

The bottom line: There's no shame in fearing the water, especially a lake that can be as rough as an ocean. Plenty of people never took swimming lessons growing up, but it's never too late to start.

Send to your beach buddy

While many have bemoaned the throngs of people clogging the lakefront, it's important to add some context in the form of a long-lost photo from 1929.

• It was busy then, too.

The intrigue: Oak Street Beach has offered Chicagoans a summer respite for hundreds of years, especially before air conditioning became widespread.

The bottom line: Yes, the beaches are crowded. Just as they've always been.

See more vintage pics

The Chicago White Sox have emerged as one of baseball's biggest surprises entering the summer. But a daunting June schedule will reveal whether the young roster is ready to stay in the playoff race.

The latest: The Sox's 33-29 start has energized a fan base that hasn't had much to cheer about in recent years.

• The team is just two games behind the Guardians in the AL Central while holding the second Wild Card spot.

Context: The team, which has lost at least 100 games in the past three seasons, has flipped the script early in 2026.

• It's established an exciting brand of baseball with young prospects like Colson Montgomery, Miguel Vargas, Davis Martin and AL Rookie of the Month (May) Munetaka Murakami leading the way.

Yes, but: The Sox have a tough stretch ahead, with six consecutive series against either current division leaders or teams that reached last year's postseason.

• The Sox are in Philadelphia tonight for a weekend series with the Phillies, then back home to take on the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves.
• After that, they'll host the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers before heading to New York for a series with the Yankees.

Between the lines: That's a rough schedule for any team, let alone a team with a lot of unproven young talent. The Sox will also be without Murakami, who is out with a hamstring injury until July.

The bottom line: The Sox have already exceeded expectations. How they navigate June may determine whether they're one of baseball's best stories — or simply a promising rebuild ahead of schedule.

A closer look at the June schedule

🚧 Illinois State Police shut down I-290 near Mannheim Road in both directions for several hours yesterday while a bomb squad approached a disabled vehicle. (ABC 7)

🎆 East Dundee has outlawed fireworks over the Fox River this year, citing pollution, noise and damage to the waterway and wildlife. (Tribune)

📻 NPR announced that regular "Wait! Wait!... Don't Tell Me!" panelist Alzo Slade will replace Bill Kurtis as the show's judge and scorekeeper. Kurtis retired last month. (NPR)

The Ike may be open again, but summer weekends mean regular street closings.

• Here are some spots to avoid if sitting in traffic isn't your idea of summer fun.

Share with a driver

👋 Hey, it's Justin!

It's summer in Chicago, the most glorious time of the year. It can also be annoying as hell.

While we celebrate our favorite season, why not also test your knowledge of the annual nuisances?

This week's quiz: Summer annoyances.

Last week's quiz on high schools was another difficult one. Only one winner - congrats to Matt A.!

• As always, screenshot your perfect score and I'll shout you out next week.

Take the summer quiz here!

The results are in and 60% of you voted for the parade as the best scene in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off."

State of play: It's hard to argue with the results — Ferris sneaking up on a downtown parade float to lip-sync "Danken Schoen" and "Twist & Shout" has become an iconic movie moment, not just to Chicagoans.

The intrigue: For Chicagoans, the scene provides a nostalgic snapshot of the Loop four decades ago.

Thanks for playing this week! We'll have another Chicago tournament next month.