Chicago’s answer to the Iditarod dog sled race kicks off in Bucktown tomorrow.

The event, is the urban Chiditarod. Jake Reimer is an organizer.

REIMER: Instead of sleds, we use shopping carts. Instead of dogs, we have teams of four people pushing and one person mushing behind it. We actually go from bar to bar, and there are checkpoints where you water your dogs.

And instead of Alaska’s tundra and frozen rivers, the Chiditarod runs through the streets of Wicker Park, and Ukrainian Village. The teams wear costumes, and decorate their carts. There’s been a bride, chased by four grooms, and a cart turned into a giant Pac-Man, complete with realistic munching action.

The event collects hundreds of pounds of food, for local charities.

I’m Lynette Kalsnes, Chicago Public Radio.