Friday, June 13, 2025  |  View in browser

Good morning, 

Check out this week's Parks & Recreation e-news featuring information on camp opening, beach news, summer programs, upcoming events, and more.

News

Reopening of Independence Park on June 14

Let the play begin! Join us at 10 a.m. on June 14 for the official reopening of Independence Park, located north of Central Street and east of Stewart Avenue. City leaders will be present for a ribbon cutting. The park has been closed for the past several months and the City renovated the park to include a new playground, new pathways, new LED lighting, new site furnishings, streetscape improvements and landscaping.

Check out the special promotions local businesses will offer on June 14 to celebrate to park's reopening.

Upcoming Events

Jamming Jean Concert – June 13

This high-energy band blends R&B, Rock, Pop, Jazz, Blues, and Soul, creating a sound that captivates audiences across the country. With powerhouse vocals and incredible musicianship, this is a show you won’t want to miss.

Bring your lawn chairs or blankets and settle in for a great time under the summer sky. Grab a bite from Cocina Azteca, serving up delicious, authentic Aztec cuisine available for purchase onsite.

Event details
Date: Friday, June 13
Time: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Location: Levy Senior Center in James Park
Cost: Free

Downtown Evanston Farmers' Market: June 14

Join us every Saturday for the Downtown Evanston Farmers' Market, which was named Best Farmers Market – Suburbs by Better Chicago, featuring:

• 70+ local vendors
• Live music every market day
• Spud Club 
• Fresh produce, flowers, cheeses, baked goods & more

Shop local, eat fresh, and celebrate 50 years of Evanston tradition. Learn more.

Event details
Date: Saturday, June 14
Time: 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m (early shopping for seniors & those with disabilities starts at 7 a.m.)
Location: University Place & Oak Ave, behind the Hilton Garden Inn
Cost: Free

Live entertainment:
Time: 8 a.m.: Natalie Lynch; 10:30 a.m.: The Sullivan Sisters

Summer Sound Meditation: June 13

Join sound meditation facilitator and musician Jay Taylor for an hour-long immersive experience in the Levy Center courtyard. Lie back and relax as you listen to the singing bowls. The session will begin with a brief introduction and some light guided breathing. Following the meditation, the instructor will share some final thoughts on the experience. No prior experience or skills are required. Please bring a yoga mat, blanket, and pillow (if you would like), to make yourself comfortable during this program.

Event details
Date: June 13
Hours: 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Location: Levy Center Courtyard
Cost: $25 R/$33 NR
Register

Bubble Science: June 14

Experience the wonder, magic, and science of bubbles! Learn about how bubbles form, participate in hands-on experiments, and have fun playing outside with giant bubbles. Participants will make their very own bubble wand to take home. This is a kids' drop-off program.

Event details
Date: June 14
Hours: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Lovelace Park
Cost: $20 R/$26 NR
Register

Summer Solstice Astronomy Party: June 21

Celebrate the longest days of the year with a summer solstice celebration! Join us at Lovelace Park, as we enjoy safe solar viewing with the Chicago Astronomer’s solar filter telescopes, learn about the science of the sun, and discuss summer solstice traditions that incorporate nature. Then we will gather around the campfire to end the evening with s'mores. Children must be accompanied by a registered adult. You are welcome to bring picnic food to enjoy in the park.

Event details
Date: June 21
Hours: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Location: Lovelace Park
Cost: $15 R/$20 NR
Register

A Divine Nine Juneteenth: June 21

Join us for an unforgettable afternoon of music, culture, community, and celebration as we honor Juneteenth and the legacy of the Divine Nine!

Special live performances Include:

• The Cooke Book: The Music of Sam Cooke, featuring Darrian Ford
• Ayodele All Female Drum & Dance
• Spoken Word Artists Ollie “Hood Raised” Woods & Shameeka “Darlin’ Mikki” Adams
• Divine Nine (D9) Strolling & Stepping

Also featuring:

• Dozens of artisan and food vendors
• Kiddie play zone and face painting
• D9 scavenger hunt
• Present & Future Freedom Parade: kicks off at 11 a.m. at ETHS and leads into the festivities at Ingraham Park.

Event details
Date: Saturday, June 21
Time: 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Ingraham Park
Cost: Free

Dementia Care Workshop: June 24

Join us for Challenges and Strategies for Good Communication, a part of the Dementia Care Workshop Series. In this workshop, we’ll explore how family dynamics between caregivers and care receivers can complicate communication—and share science-based strategies to help overcome these challenges. The workshop will be led by Dasha Kiper, who has over a decade of experience supporting dementia caregivers. 

Topics include:

• Why communication becomes difficult in dementia care
• How brain changes affect family dynamics
• Practical tools and tips to foster more effective communication

Event details
Date: Tuesday, June 24
Time: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Location: Evanston Public Library – Falcon Room, 3rd Floor
Cost: Free
View event flyer
Registration isn't required but recommended by calling 847-448-8620.

Food Truck Fest and Wicked: June 27;
Dennis the Menace: June 28

Evanston's free 2025 Starlight Concert & Movie Series features six outdoor concerts and four outdoor movies at park locations throughout the summer. Join us for free movies and the Food Truck Fest in just. 

On June 27, we'll host the Starlight Movie and Food Truck Fest at Ingraham Park. The feature film will be the blockbuster hit Wicked, which will begin at 6 p.m. Food trucks will be on-site beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Enjoy food from:

• Firehouse Grill & Bluestone
• Yum Dum
• Pinoy Grill
• Culinary Gangster
• The Fat Shallot
• La Cocinita
• Bumbu Roux
• Good Stuff Eats BBQ
• Soul & Smoke
• El Zorro Tacos
• And more

On June 28, we'll screen Dennis the Menace and Uncle Buck, at Baker Park, as part of our Evanston on the Big Screen movie theme.

Starlight movie: Wicked
Date: Friday, June 27
Time: Food trucks arrive at 5:30 p.m.; movie starts at 6 p.m. 
Location: Ingraham Park, 2100 Ridge Ave.
Cost: Free

Starlight movie double feature—Dennis the Menace followed by Uncle Buck
Date: Saturday, June 28
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: Baker Park, 605 Forest Ave.
Cost: Free

New Art Exhibit—In This Moment: Opening Reception on June 27

The Noyes Upstairs Gallery is proud to present In This Moment, a new exhibition featuring works by Jennifer Taylor of Sparkle House. This evocative collection explores the fleeting but powerful moments that exist between thought and transformation.

Exhibit Dates: June 27 – September 9, 2025
Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes St
Gallery Hours:

• Monday–Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Sunday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

FREE Opening Reception
Join us on Thursday, June 27 from 4 p.m.  to 7 p.m. for a community celebration and preview of the exhibition.

Interested in getting more involved in our arts community? Register for our Community Art Workshop:
Date: Saturday, July 26
Location: Noyes Cultural Arts Center
Time: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Register online or call 847-448-8263

Glow in the Park: July 11

Join us for Glow in the Park – a nighttime dance party like no other! First 100 people to register get a FREE swag bag!

Black lights, neon paint, and rockin' music combine for a glowing good nighttime dance party! Dance to the beat, paint yourself with glow paint, and take a photo in a blacklight photo booth.

Event details
Date: Friday, July 11
Time: 7–10 p.m.
Location: Ingraham Park
Cost: $6 R/$8 NR
Register

Lakefront News and Activities

Beaches Are Open—Get Your Beach Passes!

Evanston’s public swimming beaches are open for the season—and beach passes are available. Starting Saturday, June 7, beaches are open from 10:30 a.m. until 8 p.m.

The City of Evanston is offering free season beach passes to Evanston residents (ZIP codes 60201 & 60202). Residents can pick up passes for their household by providing proof of residency.

Passes will be available at Dempster Street Beach office from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., the Clark Street Beach office from 10:30 a.m. to 7:45 p.m., and during regular business hours at the following locations:

• Robert Crown Community Center
• Levy Senior Center
• Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center
• Chandler-Newberger Community Center
• Prieto Community Center

For more information, visit cityofevanston.org/beaches or call/text 847-448-4311. For convenience, residents can simply dial 311 while in Evanston.

Lakefront Rentals Are Back — Starting This Week!

Make a splash this summer with Evanston’s lakefront rentals, available seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. through August 17. Whether you're looking for a relaxing paddle or a breezy sail, we’ve got you covered with paddleboards, kayaks (single or double), and Barnett 1400 sailboats.

2025 Rental Rates:

• Paddleboard: $30 R /$40 NR
• Kayak: $35 R /$45 NR
• Sailboat: $40 R/ $50 NR

Each additional hour is $15

Ask about 10-hour punch passes for extra savings, and give us a call if you're interested in lessons.

Reservations can be made online or by calling 847-866-4167.

Community Programs

Free Summer Food Program

This summer, Evanston is offering free breakfast and lunch for youth ages 1–18 at convenient locations across the city—no sign-up or income requirements needed! Just drop in!

Dates: June 9 – August 8
Days: Monday – Friday
Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Lunch: 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
No service on June 19 and July 4

Meal Sites:

• Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center
• Robert Crown Community Center
• Mason Park
• Dawes School

Free Access to Fishing thru August 23

Dementia Friendly Tip of the Month For Pride month, we focus on dementia tips for the LGBTQ+ community. Learn more.

Summer Classes and Camps Spotlight

Registration for our Summer programming is open. View all our upcoming classes, camps, workshops, school days off activities, and special events.

Below are some camps and classes that have availability.

Grown Up Camp At last—a camp for adults! Unleash your inner kid and explore creativity at the Noyes Cultural Arts Center. Meet on Fridays between July 11 and August 1. Register now.

Early Childhood Arts Camp Give your little ones a summer of creativity and fun! The Noyes Cultural Arts Center is offering its Early Childhood Arts Camp, specially designed for children ages 3.5 to 5.5 years. Register now.

Ecology Center Summer Camps Explore the natural world at Ecology Center summer camps! EcoQuest Camp (ages 5-7 yrs), EcoTravelers Camp (ages 8-9 yrs), EcoExplorers Camp (ages 10-11 yrs), and Counselor in Training Camp (ages 12-14 yrs) provide a summer full of exciting nature adventures!  Register now.

Camp Kaleidoscope For children ages 3.5 to 5.5, the camp at Chandler-Newberger Center encourages kids to build independence and ease into the structure of a camp setting. Register now.

Accessible Rec Gaming Camp Get immersed in the world of tabletop role-playing with Multifaceted Worlds: Gaming Connections. Campers will explore character creation, apprentice with professional dungeon masters, and take on costume quests and prop building. Register now.

American Sign Language Class This six-week introductory course is taught by a Deaf instructor from the Chicago Hearing Society and will cover the basics of ASL in a supportive and engaging environment. Register now.

Play Time, Drop-in Activities, and Rentals

Planning a Party, Meeting, or Special Event? We’ve Got the Perfect Space

Whether you're hosting a birthday bash, baby shower, community meeting, or family celebration, Evanston’s Parks & Recreation rental facilities offer flexible, affordable spaces to fit your needs.

Choose from a variety of rooms, community centers, and party packages across the city — perfect for both small gatherings and big milestones.

Looking to celebrate a child’s birthday? Check out our birthday party packages featuring fun themes and activities at select locations.

Spaces book up fast — plan ahead and secure your ideal date today.

Explore rental options and book online

For more info, call 847-448-4311 or email recreation@cityofevanston.org.

Let’s Play Drop-In

Looking for a fun and flexible activity for your kids? The Prieto Community Center offers Let’s Play Drop-In, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Saturday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

We’ve recently lowered prices to better support families.

Pricing:

• Residents: $10 per child, $7 for each additional child
• Non-residents: $13 per child, $10 for each additional child

Tennis/Pickleball Outdoor Court Reservations

The outdoor tennis/pickleball court nets are up, and so is our online court reservation system. Secure your spot in advance at cityofevanston.org/courts. The courts are still available for free play on a first-come, first-served basis.

Get Involved

Upcoming Board & Committee Meetings

• Dementia Friendly Committee: June 10 at 3 p.m., Levy Center 
• Commission on Aging & Disabilities: June 12 at 3 p.m., Evanston Public Library
• Parks & Recreation Board: June 12 at 6 p.m., Levy Center
• ADA Committee: June 26 at 3 p.m., Evanston Public Library

Accessibility for all

The City of Evanston is committed to promoting a citywide culture of accessibility and inclusivity. To request an accommodation for a program, service, or activity, please call 847-866-2919 to make an ADA service request or complete a request form online. 

Facility Locations and Phone Numbers

Chandler-Newberger Community Center: 847-448-8252
Levy Senior Center: 847-448-8250
Robert Crown Community Center: 847-448-8258
Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center: 847-448-8254
Ecology Center: 847-448-8256
Prieto Community Center: 847-859-7697

Support Evanston Parks & Recreation Your donation will help support lakefront upkeep and the Fleetwood-Jourdain Theater. Donate now

Thanks for reading. Have a great weekend,

The City of Evanston’s Parks and Recreation Team