Reader Editor Goes Deep Into Chicago Scene Boat Party

By Chuck Sudo in News on Aug 7, 2014 4:00PM

The Reader’s Jake Malooley deserves hazardous duty pay for going deep into the part of the lakefront known as “the Playpen.” The no-wake zone located near Oak Street Beach and the Jardin water filtration plant is home to several floating parties during boating season, the largest being the Venetian Night for the Vapid known as the Chicago Scene Boat Party, which Malooley embedded himself in a couple weekends back like a modern day Jonah, stuck deep in the digestive tract of a bronzed, booze-and-drug-fueled whale.

Malooley does an outstanding job establishing the legal limbo of the Chicago Scene Boat Party and the baby-sitting role of Chicago Police and firefighters surrounding the flotilla. Let’s just say what is understood doesn’t need to be explained.

While it's not entirely accurate to say lawlessness reigns out on this stretch of water, the magnitude of the Chicago Scene Boat Party and the free flow of people inhibit authorities' interference, according to a Chicago police officer who used to frequent the Playpen and was hired as security for Boat Scene. "They try and control it, but by the time it gets to that size it's just so difficult because of the nature of the setup. You have one or two police boats. Everybody's drinking. What do you enforce? It's a good party, but how do you control it? It's really hard."

Hovering on the outskirts of the Playpen, teams from the Chicago Police Department's marine unit, the Fire Department's marine rescue, and the U.S. Coast Guard seem to be playing it cool. If they aren't exactly looking the other way, they also aren't making any noticeable effort to break up anyone's fun. Which is good, because some of these boats are veritable floating pharmacies.

"If you want weed, you can get weed. You want coke, you can get coke. You want Molly, you can get Molly. You can get anything as long as you're tied to the right line," says a CPS teacher finishing a crawl down one of the Boat Scene's many chains.

Malooley also writes about Chicago Scene publisher Ted Widen’s role in the whole affair. Widen, who in 2011 compared the Boat Party to the World’s Columbian Exposition, is mainly a figurehead these days. Although Chicago Scene (a lifestyle rag that stopped publication a few years back) no longer organizes it, Widen still uses his website to promote it. The location of the party is always listed as “TBA,” although it’s accurately assumed it’s happening at the Playpen. Widen does organize pre and post-parties all weekend.

Here’s some of the “River North on the water” you’ll be happy you missed.