Wolves pack in the fun

Go see the Chicago Wolves play on a Saturday and you can show up 90 minutes before the puck drops for Fun Fest, an activity-packed event designed for kids ages 5 to 13. Families get geared up to see the American Hockey League team play by making signs, practicing target shooting and getting their faces painted. Stepping into Allstate Arena, everyone receives a free program with information on all the players and the organization and two pages of games. After a 2½-hour game, players often stick around for an hour to sign autographs. Other nights the arena opens up the ice for fans to spend an hour skating. That's five hours of family entertainment available for just $9. For $63 you can get four tickets plus four hot dogs and four sodas.

“We fought to position ourselves as the best sports entertainment value in Chicagoland,” said Chicago Wolves president Mike Gordon. “You truly can afford to take your family to a game.”

Families can make up 80 percent of the crowd on weekends, with the Friday, Saturday and Sunday start times designed to make it easy for families to attend. While there are plenty of regulars, you'll also find parents taking kids to their first game.

“It's an extremely safe environment to come out for your first sports experience,” Gordon said.

The Wolves have won four championships in 16 years, but the players are always highly accessible. For $9.95, kids age 15 and younger can join the Skate Mates Kids Club, which gives them access to a party with the players, plus an autographed picture of a player, a pennant, a T-shirt, special ticket offers and the chance to take a slap shot against Skates, the Wolves' mascot. If they don't need to rest up for a game the next day, the players will sign autographs on the concourse after the game.

“They sign until the last person leaves,” Gordon said.

You don't have to be a big hockey fan to get excited watching the Wolves play. Games start with an extensive pyrotechnics show and fireworks go off whenever the Wolves score. Gordon said kids love Skates, who spends games tossing out T-shirts, doling out high-fives and dancing in the aisles.

“We play a lot of the popular songs during timeouts so you'll see a lot of kids dancing around,” Gordon said. “Our score board operators zoom in on kids having a good time.”

The concourse is also packed with activities. Kids can shoot pucks at targets for the chance to win an autographed card, check an inflatable dressed in the colors of the opposing team and take a picture with a cutout of a player holding a championship trophy.

“We want to provide an unbelievable experience for people on and off the ice,” Gordon said.

Owner Donald R. Levin supports Chicago's Department of Animal Care and Control by bringing 20 shelter dogs to the game one Saturday each month. The dogs come out on the ice during intermission and fans can interact with them in a special concourse zone. Gordon said the dogs always find homes by the end of the game. More than 800 pets have been adopted by Wolves fans since the program started.

The Wolves are also heavily involved in the Northern Illinois Hockey League. On most weekend dates, you'll see youth teams scrimmaging on the ice and skating with the Wolves players for the singing of the national anthem.

“It's a cool opportunity to be next to a professional hockey player,” Gordon said.

Where the Wolves play

Where: Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim Road, Rosemont

Phone: (800) 843-9658

Website: chicagowolves.com