 
Monday, July 20, 2026 | View in browser
News and Updates
We are in the middle of summer and all of Evanston's beaches are clogged with beach chairs and umbrellas and people beating the heatwave.
This July, there is so much going on that it's hard to keep tract of it all. In this issue we did some of the work for you. We curated a feast of Joie de Vivre adventures that you can partake in without hopping the Purple line to Chicago.
Put on your sunscreen and let's go! What follows are serious of activities and experiences destined to bring you merriment.
Mexican Street Food: The New Spot
A new eating spot, UTACO, has arrived with authentic Mexican street food to delight your tastebuds. Owners, Carlos Rueda and Natalia Báez hails from Mexico City and are determined to bring all the flavors to Evanston. Their mantra is to make "tacos and Mexican street food made fresh daily with quality ingredients"
Evanston location: 2430 Main St.
Hours:
- Mon to Sat : 11 am – 8 pm
- Sun : 11 am – 7 pm
Whose Outside? We're Outside!
Join us at Fountain Square in downtown Evanston for a relaxing lunchtime at Sunday Jazz at the Square, a weekly live music series showcasing the next generation of local jazz talent.
On the menu for July:
7/12: Scott Hesse (guitar), Connor Sullivan (bass), Zach Sorkin (drums)
7/19: Dakarai Barclay (trumpet), Connor Sullivan (bass), Mason Lampa (drums)
7/26: Chris Madsen (sax), Connor Sullivan (bass), Mason Lampa (drums)
Summer Side Walk Sales
Sidewalk sales run Thursday through Sunday for Central Street, and Friday through Sunday for Downtown Evanston, and Main-Dempster Mile.
See the links for each area for details on additional activities and music.
Come out for Central Street’s biggest sale of the year, Thursday through Saturday and Sunday indoors at participating businesses. Shop outside tables and racks filled with fabulous discounts, grab local eats, enjoy live music and more!
Visit the Central Street website for more information: https://centralstreetevanston.com/.
When: Thursday, July 23 to Saturday, July 25 | 10 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Arts & Culture Summer Picks
"A singer, songwriter, and author whose incendiary music has soundtracked the Netflix show Sex Education, Furman has for years woven together stories of queer discontent and unlikely, fragile intimacies. She has a knack for zeroing in on the light that sparks when struggling people find each other and ease each other's course." (more on Ezra)
When: July 21 | 6:30pm doors open
Where: SPACE | 1243 Chicago Avenue
Ticket info
Join Dr. Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor in a discussion about her book “Something We Said: Richard Pryor, a Notorious Word and Me”. Dr. Pryor will be in conversation with Natalie Y. Moore, senior lecturer at Northwestern University. Moore is a Chicago native and renowned journalist known for her reporting on segregation and inequality. For 17 years, she was a reporter and editor at WBEZ.
When : August 14 | 6:00 p.m,
Where: Zora's Place, 2223 Washington St. | Located inside The Aux Wellness Collective
Learn more
Can you believe we're only TWO MONTHS away from Evanston Folk Festival 2026? Only two more months until we gather along the beautiful lakefront and celebrate all things folk music. 
Tickets are going fast, so if you haven't already, make sure to grab yours at evanstonfolkfestival.com
Noyes Cultural Center Exhibition
A Solo Exhibition: Oh Look: Objects, Places and Friends with artist, Mark Lale
" My purpose as an artist is to find the beauty and fascination in the ways appear and are made. I like this quote by Leo Tolstoy, all the variety, all the charm, all the beauty of life are made up of light and shade."
When: May 15 - Sept 8, 2026
Where: Noyes Cultural Art Center | 927 Noyes St.
Gallery hours:
Mon - Sat: 10am - 6pm
Sun - 10am - 5pm
Other Cultural Ways to Enjoy Evanston
Art Exhibitions
Evanston Just Launched this Initiative
The City is launching Arts in Sacred Spaces, a new pilot arts initiative exploring how houses of worship can become partners in Evanston's cultural life.
The Need
Artists and cultural organizations continue to face growing challenges in finding affordable places to create, present, and gather. At the same time, many houses of worship are seeking new ways to activate their facilities, strengthen neighborhood relationships, and sustain their long-term missions. Arts in Sacred Spaces is designed to bring these two needs together.
A Capacity-Building Approach
Unlike traditional venue rental or space-sharing programs, Arts in Sacred Spaces is fundamentally about building capacity. Rather than simply connecting artists with available rooms, the pilot asks a broader question: How can trusted community institutions confidently and responsibly work with artists long after the pilot concludes?
The City has engaged Gaozhe Max Li, a Chicago-based interdisciplinary artist, organizer, and consultant. Li's work at The First Presbyterian Church of Chicago has demonstrated how houses of worship can become thriving cultural partners. He will work alongside the Juelle Daley, Arts Engagement Specialist for the city to help participating institutions develop lasting strategies.
We are inviting houses of worship and artists/arts organization to participate. For more information
Max Li, Arts in Sacred Spaces Consultant
Have a upcoming event?
Help us add to our calendar! We encourage you to submit all your upcoming events through our website.
Please review the following submission guidelines:
- Only public events may be listed
- Cannot be solely retail in nature
- Cannot be solely religious or political in nature
- Cannot be solely fundraisers or networking events
- Should be leisure time or recreational activities
Event eligibility is also evaluated on a case-by-case basis. At this time, we are only able to accept event listings in English.
 What do YOU enjoy about Evanston?
With ten unique business districts, there is something for everyone to enjoy! We want to hear about your faves. Tell us about your favorite places for health and fitness, your favorite store or art gallery to explore, or your favorite place to eat! Send us an email about your favorite spots at hello@enjoyevanston.com.
See below for local upcoming events! In addition, you can find the full calendar of summer events on the Enjoy Evanston website.
Enjoy other Events around town
Starting a Business?
Join the Evanston Chamber of Commerce for our very first RoundTable Talk: Business Basics, an interactive event designed to connect local business owners with experts across key areas of running and growing a business.
This is not a traditional panel — instead, attendees will rotate through small-group discussions led by local professionals specializing in topics like leadership, SEO, social media, and accounting. Each conversation is designed to be practical, approachable, and directly relevant to the challenges businesses face every day.
Whether you’re looking to refine your marketing strategy, better understand your finances, strengthen your leadership approach, or simply ask questions in a more personal setting, this event offers the opportunity to learn and connect in a meaningful way.
When: Wed, July 29 | 11:30 a.m. -1:30 p.m.
Where :Hilton Orrington Hotel | 1710 Orrington Avenue
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