Let the roaring games begin! 

We have space for 20 teams to join us for all of the Pride-filled fun this "family"-friendly our annual Pridespiel can offer!

REGISTRATION OPENS SOON!

Save the Date! Registration for The Drag Effect: Rings of Fire opens Monday, October 20th, 2025 at Noon (Central).

This will be for individuals, groups, and teams that have at least one member within the LGBTQ+ community. If you fly a rainbow flag (or other colorful banner), we want to see you comin' in hot!

To be clear: Windy City Curling loves and welcomes ALL allies, but as always, we want to ensure everyone within our rainbow family has a chance to play. That is why we kindly ask individuals, groups, and teams of all-cisgender/heterosexual curlers to wait to register on Monday, November 3rd, 2025.

About our Bonspiel
The Drag Effect follows the American tradition of playing for award pins (and not money). Instead of offering event winners a cut of a cash prize pool, we intend to keep a cooler stocked with a variety of beers, seltzers, canned cocktails, non-alcoholic drinks, and water all weekend long. All of this is included in your registration. We also offer full meals (lunch and dinner) throughout the weekend, along with some great snacks in between.

See? Everyone wins, no matter how they perform on the ice!

ABOUT THIS YEAR'S THEME: It's our fourth year of running The Drag Effect, and it just happens to take place alongside another awesome bonspiel that happens every four years: The Winter Olympic Games!  So we're going to be carrying a roaring torch for our favorite game with rings - and we want you to do the same.  But hey - don't feel like you're locked into sporty looks.  Feel free to play around with this theme HOWEVER YOU WANT.  Whether you're 'Walking the Hogline' like Johnny Cash (who fell into a burnin' ring of fire); gathering your favorite hobbits, elves, dwarves, and other warrior-friends to chuck a cursed ring into the fires of Mount Broom; or even breaking out some hoop skirts that just happen to be red, orange, and yellow... we want to see it all!  Same goes for team names: be as creative as you'd like. (Or don't. There's no costume contest or any prize for best team name. It's all just for funsies.) 

All we ask is that you please not wear anything on the ice that could potentially damage the surface (i.e. - glitter, sequins that could fall off, feathers from a boa, etc.).

HOTEL INFORMATION: We have once again reserved a block of rooms at the Courtyard by Marriott - Oakbrook Terrace from February 12th-15th. 

Room rates:
Standard single king-size bed - $98/night USD
Two queen-size beds - $118/night USD

(NOTE: Hotel breakfast is not included in this rate.)

The link to book your rooms in our hotel block will be setup online soon!

More information can be found by clicking on the Details button.

Lights, camera, curling! Step onto the ice and into the movies as we roll out the red carpet for a Chicago-style blockbuster weekend. Windy City Cinema will celebrate the iconic films that put Chicago on the big screen.

Channel your favorite Chicago movie character - whether you’re a wet bandit from Home Alone, Ferris Bueller skipping school, a sharp-suited Blues Brother, Roxie Hart from Chicago, or even Batman keeping watch over Gotham’s skyline.

The Spiel will kick off first draws at 6:00 pm on Thursday, April 30th and conclude with early afternoon Finals on Sunday, May 3rd.

WHEN:  April 30 - May 3rd 2026

COST: $440/Team, $110/Player (USD)

REGISTER:  Team or Individual

FORMAT: Open - Any mix of genders/order, 20 Teams, 3 Game Guarantee   

WHAT'S INCLUDED: 3-game guarantee, food, snacks, unlimited select alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages provided each day, and several Chicago Cinema themed events.

Teams with more than 50% Windy City Curlers may be wait-listed in favor of out-of-towners.  

Be Ferris. Be a Blues Brother. Be a Wet Bandit. Just be ready to curl and party Chicago style - register today! 

HOTEL ROOM BLOCK: 

Info Coming Soon!