We do not want a program fee to be a deterrent to highland Park or Highwood families from participating in our programs. If you are a Highland Park or Highwood resident experiencing financial hardship, please email [email protected] or call 847.831.3810 to speak with our staff about available scholarship opportunities.

Our SMILE Grant-In-Aid Program is available to qualifying Highland Park families needing financial assistance. A SMILE application form requesting detailed financial information is available at Park District facilities or online.

Our FYI (Foundation Youth Initiative) Grant-In-Aid is available to qualifying Highwood families and can help cover up to 50% of camp and program fees. For more information and to apply for an FYI scholarship, please call 847.831.3810 or email [email protected].

All scholarships are awarded based on the need and availability of funds. Upon submission of a grant request, families will be notified within 10 working days of their status.  All scholarships and inquiries regarding financial aid are completely confidential. 

Resident seniors, 65 and over, are entitled to 15% off the regular registration fee for recreation programs and must show their ID. This does not include excursions, contractual programs, activities at special facilities or special workshops and events.

The Park District of Highland Park provides all active, retired, and veteran military personnel and immediate family residing in the same household, resident rates plus an additional 15% discount for programs, memberships and daily admissions, excluding contractual programs. Register in person with proof of active or veteran service to receive the reduced rate.

Military discounts must be verified each calendar year with the park district. Call 847.831.3810 or email [email protected] for more information.

Please be sure to check the age requirements for the program before you register. The age requirements are established to ensure the integrity of the program and quality of each person’s experience. Proof of age may be required. Falsifying participant’s age or birth date will result in removal from course with no refund or transfer.

For security reasons, your online account will be locked after 5 unsuccessful login attempts; please contact 847.831.3810 to have your account unlocked or email [email protected].

Changes to household accounts cannot be completed online. Please visit a Park District facility to update your account. Proof of residency will be required.

Please Note: Only those who reside permanently at your address are permitted to be on your household account. Proof of residency may be requested at any time. Our residency policy reads: “Those people who register for Park District programs and improperly use a Highland Park address are removed from the class and no refund or transfer is given. Non-residents pay a higher fee per program. Non-resident fees are the second fee shown in program descriptions. Note: Non-residents are not eligible for resident fees even if their caretaker provider/relative is a Highland Park resident.”

To update your username or password for your online account, once you are logged in, select the My Account menu and click Update Username & Password. You can change your Username and/or Password on this screen. We recommend using your email address as your login. Passwords must be a minimum of 6 characters and contain at least 1 number, 1 letter and 1 special character. If you forgot your username or password, click on the Forgot Password link on the front page and enter your email address. You will receive an email with instructions on accessing your account and resetting your password.

Online Registration is a method of registering for Park District programs via the internet. This system is available 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. You can use it to register yourself and family members for upcoming programs that are currently listed online. Online registration requires a valid email address and a household account. Online registration is real-time. Upon payment, you will receive a receipt for programs for which your registration has been successful. Searching for programs can be done at any time.

Please note:  You may already have an account with us if you have registered in-person at a Park District facility. Click on the Forgot Password link to see if you have an account. Otherwise, click on the Create an Account button to get started.

If a program registration deadline has not passed, you can add your name to the waitlist for the program through our online registration system. No fees are charged to join the waitlist. Login to the registration portal with your Username and Password. When searching for programs, those that are full will have a yellow Waitlist status. Click the Select icon to add it to your cart and follow the prompts to complete the checkout process. You will receive an emailed confirmation once you have successfully joined the waitlist.

When a space becomes available in a program for which you are wait-listed, a Recreation Supervisor will call you to see whether you are still interested in registering for the program.

Cancellations due to low enrollment– When a class is cancelled due to lack of enrollment, you will be notified by phone or email and a full refund will be issued.

Cancellations due to weather– Program cancellations due to weather will be posted on the Park District of Highland Park app. This app will keep you up-to-date when adverse weather affects our programs. If you have questions, please call 847.831.3810.

Facility or District-Wide Emergency Closures– The Park District of Highland Park endeavors to keep its facilities and programs operating whenever possible. There are times, however, when weather, road conditions or facility malfunctions dictate that programs and/or services must be cancelled or temporarily postponed or entire facilities closed. In order to provide employees and patrons with a safe and secure environment in which to work and play, the Park District of Highland Park reserves the right to close a particular facility or cancel a program using the following criteria:

1. Whenever School District 112 (D112) cancels school due to weather conditions, all Park District activities and programs held at a school site will follow the same the procedure the entire day and/or evening. When D112 cancellations take place in the morning (prior to the beginning of school), Park District programs at Park District facilities will also be cancelled through 12pm.
2. Program cancellation will be consistent district wide unless there are facility specific reasons for cancellation.
3. When programs are cancelled:
   • Affiliate and youth groups will be cancelled.
   • Adult rental groups will be given the option to cancel without penalty so long as they follow the above time period.
   • Private lessons/training staff or clients are given the option to cancel without penalty
   • Drop in classes and/or programs will be determined by the facility manager
4. In all situations, the Park District reserves the right to adapt this procedure and make decisions based extenuating circumstances and/or on the safety of staff, patrons, and/or participants.
5. Park district facilities themselves will remain open for non-registered and/or drop-in activities (e.g. fitness and tennis club use, public skating, open gym, cross country ski rentals, etc.) unless specifically directed to close due to weather conditions.

Because weather and road conditions can change dramatically as the day progresses, the Park District will monitor weather conditions and announce closing updates throughout the day. Communication regarding any weather related closings and updates will be posted on the Park District of Highland Park website, Facebook, and app. The district will also post information on the Chicago Emergency Closing Center website www.emergencyclosingcenter.com. Emails will be sent to customers who have subscribed to the park district email program.