Skip to content

CHIditarod XIV

19,719.5 Pounds of Food Collected
18,847.5 Meals for the Hungry
More than $72,000 Raised to Fight Hunger in Chicago

Nearly a thousand festive humans gathered on March 2, 2019 to create the annual spectacularly-festive, extraordinarily-costumed, epically-mobile food drive and charity shopping cart race — CHIditarod XIV.  The needle never climbed above freezing on Chicago’s near West side as 245 volunteers and 96 teams of 5 costumed and thoroughly excited humans ran tricked-out shopping carts through 5 themed neighborhood checkpoints in the name of charity, prizes, and glory. Not since CHIditarod XIII has there been such a record-breaking spectacle of chaos in pursuit of feeding the hungry.

The annual philanthropic spectacle raced through Chicago’s West Town neighborhoods, with each team visiting five checkpoints each. Five Star, Mahoney’s, Phyllis’s Musical Inn, and Roots Handmade Pizza returned as crowd favorites, and we welcomed newcomer Output Lounge to the race.  Each checkpoint hosted our costumed superstars with immersive themes, contests, and interactive opportunities. Our friends at Cobra Lounge graciously stepped up to host the Starting and Finish Lines. All bars have generously agreed to donate a portion of their proceeds to The CHIditarod Foundation to aid in our epic mission of fighting hunger in Chicago.



The Food Drive

CHIditarod gleefully calls itself “probably the world’s largest mobile food drive”, and we could not be more impressed by this year’s food drive success. With the help of our friends at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, the CHIditarod XIV food drive collected enough food and funds to provide 18,847.5 meals for Chicago’s hungry. Thank you CHIditarod participants for being amazing all-stars and for making a difference in the lives of many, many people.

Food Drive Champions:
Chweethearts

Chweethearts truly put their hearts into the cause that started CHIditarod. This team brought in 2,226.80 pounds of food to give 1,856 meals to those in need.

An enormous THANK YOU to everyone for such strong participation in our annual food drive. You help us make sure no Chicagoan goes hungry.

2nd Place Food Drive:
CHIvengers

CHIvengers were our second most food drive-driven team, bringing in 2,072.80 pounds of food, equivalent to 1,381 meals!

In a very close tie for third place was Cartastrophe with 1,457.30 and Chicago United Riders CHIditarod ROOKIES with an amazing 1,413.60.

The Art Carts

Everyone loves big, over the top carts brimming with art and interactivity. 2019's carts were diverse in experience, execution, and humor. Longstanding crowd favorites HoboQ went Greek this year, making sure everyone enjoyed delectable snacks, music, and of course, fire.

Art Cart Champions: The Circus Jerks

The Circus Jerks, produced by Chicago's very own Secret Gentleman’s Club, brought a 4 car circus train to CHIditarod. Exceeding 25 feet in length, it begins with a massive pink elephant (immediately followed by a poop attendant), then a gypsy hut complete with smoking chimney, an exotic animal cage featured lions, monkeys, the world's strongest man, refreshment server, a super happy clown, and the ringleader himself.

2nd Place Art Cart: Show Me Your Beads

Epic Fundraising

Fundraising is the powerful force behind the CHIditarod Foundation's hunger-fighting grant program, providing a total of $497,350 in grants to Chicagoland nonprofits who share in our mission to end hunger in Chicago. This year alone, our racers, volunteers, checkpoints, and organizers — with the help of their families, friends, and communities — raised more than $72,000 in support of this community grants program, more than ever before.

Our grant program will once again be able to support community-centered initiatives that address hunger, food scarcity, and education via the CHIditarod Grant Program.

Fundraising Champions:
3GS&T

Once again 3GS&T were crowned glorious fundraising champions. For the fourth year in a row they smashed the prior year’s donation record, raising a jaw-dropping $11,299.02. 3GS&T also took home the Spirit of CHIditarod prize for truly embodying everything this charity stands for. Not only do they crush fundraising records year after year, they continue their philanthropic hunger-fighting efforts by volunteering at the Greater Chicago Food Depository on a bi-monthly basis, and taking it upon themselves to work with other 2019 teams to throw an all-team fundraiser prior to race day. Truly inspiring.

2nd Place Fundraising:
Nomeward Bound

In 2019, adding to the intensity of the race to the most money raised, 3GS&T was hotly chased by a team they no longer consider a rival, but call their frivals (yes that’s friends and rivals combined) -- Nomeward Bound.

In an epic fundraising battle that had fans and CHIditarod Coreganizers alike watching teams jump in and out of first place, 3GS&T finally overtook Nomeward Bound, who finished second with a total $10,595.01.

Nomeward Bound was truly inspiring.

3rd Place Fundraising:
ChiditaHandshake

Insanely close to second place -- with a total of $10,003.98 -- was is a team that began fundraising strong right from the start. We are thrilled to have more teams jump into the fundraising battle and we deeply appreciate them – and everyone who contributed – for enabling our foundation to make a greater impact in 2019 than ever before.

4th Place Fundraising:
CHIdiots

Another team that keeps amazing us year after year, CHIdiots continues making lasting impacts with $6,826.48 raised in 2019. The funds raised by the CHIdiots funds alone will fulfill more than one entire CHIditarod grant, which can help keep small organizations going all year long.

Learn about the power the CHIditarod Grant Program.

Volunteers

While CHIditarod racers do wondrous things, none of this would be possible without the 245 brave and selfless volunteers that made CHIditarod XIV happen. Volunteers are truly the MVPs of CHIditarod.

Not only do many of them fundraise, they also build the starting and finish lines, braving the (often extreme) cold, create immersive and exciting environments at our awesome checkpoints, keep you safe while mobile, and give countless hours Coreganizing CHIditarod. To our volunteers, we honor and salute you all. You are truly our heroes.

Thank You Thank You Thank You!

More Awesome Teams!

Best Cart Build:
Action-Squad

Doors open on the left at CHIditarod. Starting with a full size CTA train car and realizing it need to be slightly scaled back did not take anything away from this build. Complete with the automated voice telling you which stop was next and full uniform CTA workers (on break), this build was impressive, detailed, and obnoxiously heavy.

Super Bonus Challenge:
Running of the Bison(tennial)

We threw out a new challenge for the otherwise uninspired, and this team took it to the fullest extent. Our 2019 Super Bonus Challenge winner had to incorporate 3 supposedly unrelated themes into a semi-cohesive package -- (1) Hedgehogs, (2) Illinois' 200th Birthday, and (3) The Blues. The Running of the Bison(tennial) even topped it off with blue Malört cupcakes for all to celebrate.

Most Engaging Cart:
Y2Kweer Mishap

Perhaps you partied with them like it was 1999, or shared in some Y2K panic, or just toasted a midnight ball drop countdown. With an epic build and a full news crew capturing every second of a year that will never be forgotten, Y2Kweer Mishap shared happy new year vibes with everyone they encountered.

Rookie of the Year:
Chicago United Riders

Joining CHIditarod for the first time, this team outfitted themselves head-to-toe in racing leathers, tricked out their cart as a full sport bike (complete with wheelie), brought great bribes, and even had a few dance moves. They even raised more than 1,400 pounds of food, crushing hunger in a huge way. Way to show that CHIDitarod virgins can have all the right moves.

Legend Award: Environmental Encroachment



This year we also awarded a very, very special Legend Award to CHIditarod favorites -- Environmental Encroachment. Environmental Encroachment (or EE) has been with CHIditarod since the very beginning, dating all the way back to 2006. This booming brass band born from Chicago's underground art scene donates their time and skills every year to CHIditarod's starting line. We honor and salute EE for sharing their funk and flair with all of us, and you, year after year. You are CHIditarod.

There are so many winners at CHIditarod; see below for all the fun numbers.

Team Number Team Name Prize
101 3GS&T 13th Ed. Fundraising CHAMPIONS
Spirit of Chiditarod
103 Chidiots 4th Place Fundraising
105 Action-Squad Best Cart Build
107 ZZ Top Gun Best Social Media Photo posted during event
108 Y2Kweer Mishap Most Engaging/Interactive Cart
2nd Best in Show
112 Nomeward Bound #1 2nd Place Fundraising
113 Nomeward Bound #2 Best Bribe: Rockem Sockem Containers filled with goodies, little toys and customized for each checkpoint.
115 ChiditaHandshake 3rd Place Fundraising
125 Circus Jerks Best Art Cart
127 Running of the Bison(tennial) Super Bonus Challenge
3rd Best in Show
128 The Chivengers 2nd Place Food Drive
Best Team Costume
133 Show me your beads please - Part 3 2nd Place Art Cart
137 Hot Mess Time Machine WTF Award
139 Cartastrophe (1 of 2) 3rd Place Food Drive
Best In Show
143 Chweethearts Food Drive CHAMPIONS
149 The Rural Jurors Racing CHAMPIONS!
155 ChiditaBROADS Rookie of the Year: Honorable Mention
157 Wigs Jacked for Jesus Bike Marshals Choice
168 Ray's Tiki Bar 3rd Place Racing
184 Chicago United Riders 4th Place Food Drive
Rookie of the Year
188 Trip Deuce Niner 2nd Place Racing
191 The Proctologists WTF award
Environmental Encroachment Legand Award

Team Name Amount
3GS&T 13th Ed $ 11,404.22
Nomeward Bound #1 $ 11,358.01
ChiditaHandshake $ 10,056.58
The Chidiots $ 6,826.48
COREGANIZERS $ 5,277.52
ChicaGOGO Girls! $ 3,585.22
There's always money in the banana stand $ 3,425.71
Circus Jerks $ 3,111.39
Laundry Day! $ 1,856.84
McFly and the Doc's $ 1,775.65
Coffee Talk with Linda Richman $ 1,758.78
Cartastrophe (1 of 2) $ 1,191.74
Show me your beads please - Part 1 $ 1,157.20
Five Star Bar Checkpoint $ 990.98
Bikepocalypse $ 932.34
5 Angry Teachers $ 836.87
The (Data) Pirates $ 803.31
Action-Squad $ 673.28
Kool Kids on the Block $ 631.20
Running of the Bison(tennial) $ 613.29
Insurance Adjusters $ 604.90
Wigs Jacked for Jesus $ 602.36
Queer Mishap $ 575.30
6 Pack Attack $ 527.10
Tim Burton Snowboard Team $ 484.32
UNKNOWN $ 405.02
You Can't Ketchup $ 337.73
The Chivengers $ 289.30
Morningwood High Class of '89 Senior Prom $ 263.00
The Velour Comets $ 215.66
Purple Krewe $ 209.10
Blue Wave $ 199.88
DandyLions $ 140.72
The I Don't Care Bears $ 105.20
What About Bob $ 105.20
Patrick's Pekingese Power Posse $ 52.60

Team Number Team Name Pounds Collected Pounds + Extra Poundage from $ donated
143 Chweethearts 2,214.30 2,226.80
128 The Chivengers 2,072.80 2,072.80
139 Cartastrophe (1 of 2) 1,444.80 1,457.30
184 Chicago United Riders 1,413.60 1,413.60
125 Circus Jerks 569.80 582.30
157 Wigs Jacked for Jesus 408.00 408.00
109 Hobo-Q XII - Kebabing along 380.00 392.50
148 Team formerly known as 2016 fastest cart 373.40 385.90
133 Show me your beads please 351.00 351.00
159 crash cart dummies 249.60 262.10
107 ZZ Top Gun 245.20 257.70
142 BaltOve's Babes 243.00 255.50
108 Y2Kweer Mishap 226.00 238.50
105 Action-Squad 212.00 224.50
121 I forgot to feed my tamagachi 188.00 213.00
147 Pac-Man 202.80 202.80
120 Coffee Talk with Linda Richman 189.60 202.10
101 3GS&T 13th Ed. 195.40 195.40
182 Sabotage 175.60 188.10
123 Morningwood High Prom Team 1 173.90 186.40
124 Morningwood High Prom Team 2 173.90 186.40
195 The cooter lounge 160.60 183.10
119 5 Rabbit 181.90 181.90
114 6 Pack Attack 159.70 172.20
158 Chicago Parking Meters LLC 151.20 163.70
115 ChiditaHandshake 149.80 162.30
169 5 Angry Teachers 147.60 160.10
117 Purple Krewe 144.20 156.70
185 SCOOB AND THE GANG 142.60 155.10
145 Sara Paras 153.10 153.10
150 Everyone Has Cholera 146.80 146.80
110 Initech Racing Division 127.50 140.00
136 inDANGER 138.50 138.50
176 Ice Cream Nips 137.20 137.20
179 The Gang Does Chiditarod 122.70 135.20
162 You Can't Ketchup 133.70 133.70
189 Team Tock 116.20 128.70
155 ChiditaBROADS 112.20 124.70
104 Chidiots Gold 108.00 120.50
137 Hot Mess Time Machine 107.20 119.70
198 Doing it Wright 106.10 118.60
178 Drunkaroos 105.80 118.30
160 Bad Humor 117.50 117.50
154 Patrick's Pekingese Power Posse 104.70 117.20
138 Please Let This Be a Normal Field Trip 113.70 113.70
177 Lucky Charmers 113.60 113.60
166 PIAT GAF 113.40 113.40
170 Dissension in the ranks 100.60 113.10
116 Never Nude 100.20 112.70
111 The (Data) Pirates 100.20 112.70
172 The Great Chicago Cart Off 99.80 112.30
173 Blue Wave 98.20 110.70
191 The Proctologists 106.10 106.10
152 ChicaGogo Girls 91.40 105.40
165 The I Don't Care Bears 92.80 105.30
112 Nomeward Bound 104.70 104.70
151 Bikepocalypse 91.40 103.90
197 Chi Titty Rod 91.00 103.50
141 Oregon Or Bust 103.20 103.20
186 The Mighty Drunks 89.00 101.50
103 Chidiots 98.80 101.30
196 Cops 88.20 100.70
126 Tim Burton Snowboard Team 87.60 100.10
127 Running of the Bison(tennial) 99.00 99.00
129 There's always money in the banana stand 85.00 97.50
149 The Rural Jurors 97.00 97.00
171 Mushers of Catan 84.30 96.80
190 The Velour Comets 83.40 95.90
144 Loteria Gurus 83.20 95.70
118 Still brainstorming 95.40 95.40
130 The Illustrious Rick Moranis 82.20 94.70
180 YOLO RATTs 82.20 94.70
164 McFly and the Doc's 80.80 93.30
192 Meddling Kids 93.00 93.00
102 Lincoln Towing 91.70
168 Ray's Tiki Bar 79.00 91.50
175 The Beachstie Boys 90.20 90.20
106 CHIdream Team 90.00 90.00
188 Trip Deuce Niner 89.90 89.90
174 Kool Kids on the Block 89.40 89.40
193 Bison Blue Balls 76.60 89.10
161 DisasterCon 88.80 88.80
132 Ack! Ack! Ack! 88.70 88.70
194 Unforgettable Luncheon 75.00 87.50
167 Dandy Lions 87.40 87.40
187 The Blue Team 85.70 85.70
156 Great Balls of Fyre 75.00 75.00
183 Priceline Negotiators 62.50 75.00