All Weekend
Stand-Up Paddleboard Yoga
Time: 12:00 PM Friday, 10:30 AM Saturday and Sunday
Cost: $50.00 (includes stand-up paddleboard)
Location: Northwestern Sailing Center
Stand-up paddleboard yoga classes on Lake Michigan combine yoga practice with balance and movement on the water. No prior experience is required.
Evanston Art & Big Fork Festival
Time: 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Saturday, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Sunday
Cost: Free
Location: 800 Church St
The festival features original work from 150 juried artists, plus food vendors and live music. Kids can take part in art bingo, spin art, sand sculpture, coloring, and drawing.
The Cookie Jar
Time: 7:30 PM Friday, 2:30 PM Sunday
Cost: $35.00
Location: Piven Theatre Workshop
This original ensemble theatre production by veterans explores their stories, trials, triumphs, and journeys back to wholeness.
Thursday, August 20
Downtown Summer Sounds: Windy City Ramblers
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Cost: Free
Location: Fountain Square
The Windy City Ramblers perform music inspired by New Orleans and Chicago traditions. The event also includes childrenβs art activities, food trucks, and drinks for sale from Sketchbook Brewing and Five & Dime.
Everybody Rides Group Ride
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Cost: Free
Location: Wheel & Sprocket
Wheel & Sprocket hosts a Thursday evening group bike ride at a 13β17 mph pace. Helmets are required, and bike lights are strongly encouraged.
Thursday Night Live Comedy Showcase
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:45 PM
Cost: $17.85 General / $5.00 Students
Location: Culture Connects 707
SmartAFChicago presents a weekly stand-up showcase hosted by comedian and Northwestern professor Sepehr Vakil. The lineup features Chicago-area comedians alongside rising student comics from Northwestern University, Loyola University Chicago, DePaul University, and other local colleges.
Friday, August 21
Collage Art Workshop
Time: 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Cost: $39.19
Location: The Vintage Cat
Chanda Johnson leads an adults-only collage workshop where participants combine assorted materials to make their own artwork. Art supplies are provided.
Wild & Scenic Film Festival
Time: 7:00 PM
Cost: Free
Location: Evanston Ecology Center
The Evanston Environmental Association and City of Evanston present an annual screening of environmental and adventure films. The festival highlights stories focused on nature, conservation, and environmental issues.
Rhythm Evolution Community Drum Circle
Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Cost: Free
Location: Kamen East Park Field House
Rhythm Evolution NFP leads a lightly facilitated monthly drum circle for all ages. Participants can bring a drum, percussion instrument, found sound, or take part without an instrument.
Don't Tell Comedy
Time: 8:00 PM
Cost: $30.00
Location: Secret Venue in Evanston (given the day of the show)
Don't Tell Comedy presents a 21+ stand-up show at a secret indoor event space in Evanston. The lineup and exact address are revealed to ticket holders on the day of the show.
Friday Nights at the Dearborn Observatory
Time: 10:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Cost: Free
Location: Dearborn Observatory
The Dearborn Observatory offers free Friday night walk-in tours with telescope viewing, space permitting. Early hours require a reservation, but the 10:00 PM session is open to all.
Saturday, August 22
Downtown Evanston Farmers Market
Time: 7:30 AM - 1:00 PM, early shopping at 7:00 AM for seniors and those with disabilities
Cost: Free
Location: Evanston Farmers Market
The Downtown Evanston Farmers Market features over 70 local vendors offering fresh produce, baked goods, flowers, and more. Weekly events include live music and collaborations with local groups.
Cat Yoga
Time: 9:00 AM - 9:45 AM
Cost: $35.00
Location: Paws and Claws Cat Rescue
An instructor leads a 45-minute, all-level yoga session while kittens roam around the class. Participants bring their own yoga mats.
Tai Chi and Qigong in the Park
Time: 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
Cost: Free
Location: Cornelia Lunt Park
The Human Process leads outdoor Qigong and short-form Yang Style Tai Chi sessions for all skill levels. Each class begins with Qigong and continues with Tai Chi rounds.
The Mystic Storyteller
Time: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Cost: $12.50 - $25.00
Location: Studio5 Performing Arts Center
David Ellzey uses storytelling, mime, Zen, and humor to create shifting worlds on a nearly empty stage.
Sunday, August 23
Intro to Cupping Workshop
Time: 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Cost: $150.00
Location: Reprise Coffee Roasters
Authorized SCA trainer Axel Vega and Reprise Coffee owner Kati Paiz lead a workshop on coffee sensory evaluation. Participants explore aroma, flavor, acidity, sweetness, and other tasting fundamentals through guided tastings and exercises.
Yoga By The Lake
Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Cost: $25.00
Location: Clark Square Park
Grateful Yoga of Evanston hosts a lakeside yoga class with rotating teachers. Participants should bring a mat and props, and part of the proceeds supports the Evanston Environmental Association.
Chicago Stars vs Racing Louisville FC
Time: 1:00 PM
Cost: $18.43 - $172.60
Location: Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium
The Chicago Stars face Racing Louisville FC in a home match at Martin Stadium. The matchday theme is All-In, with a themed scarf for the first 3,000 fans.
NU Women's Soccer vs Denver
Time: 6:30 PM
Cost: Free
Location: Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium
Cheer on the Wildcats as they take on Denver.
Sponsored by The Taste of Evanston
Great Food for a Great Cause
Taste of Evanston, presented by the Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club, returns August 30 with bites and drinks from favorite local restaurants, breweries, and wine shops. Enjoy live music by Guitarra Azul, dancing, a raffle, and silent auction on the lakeside lawn of the Charles Gates Dawes House, all while supporting efforts to combat housing insecurity.
