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The Week Ahead Is Worth Getting Out For 🎨
Sponsored by Coco Design & Build Co.
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In this issue:
Check the event details before heading out in case of changes/cancellations!
Want to support Around Evanston? |
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| | All WeekWriters Fest 2026Time: 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Cost: Free
Location: Deering Library
Northwestern English hosts the 18th annual Writers Fest with public readings from Leni Zumas, Aminatta Forna, and Marsha de la O. The festival opens Monday, May 11 with a reading by novelist Leni Zumas, author of Red Clocks and Wolf Bells. 
La BohèmeTime: 7:00 PM Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
Cost: $49.87
Location: Trinity Lutheran Church
Opera Aeterna presents Puccini’s La Bohème. The opera follows a group of young artists in Paris as they navigate friendship, love, and loss.
Monday, May 11Hatchet Burger Pop-UpTime: 4:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Cost: $7.00 - $15.00
Location: 700 Main Street
Hatchet Burger is back with their weekly pop-up. The special this week is a corned beef hash sandwich with hashbrowns, fried egg, Swiss, and Thousand Island. The menu also includes smashburgers, a vegetable fritter option, wedge salad, and fries or tots.
Evanston Open Mic NightTime: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Cost: No cover
Location: Sketchbook Brewing Evanston
Sketchbook Brewing hosts an all-ages open mic night featuring comedy, music, poetry, and storytelling. Sign-up begins at 6:00 PM and performances start at 6:30.
Candlelight YogaTime: 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Cost: $14.00 Residents / $18.22 Non-Residents
Location: Robert Crown Community Center
End your Monday with a relaxing and restorative candlelight yoga class meant to bring peace and calmness to your mind and body.
Tuesday, May 12Yarn & BeyondTime: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Cost: Free
Location: Evanston Public Library Main Branch
This fiber arts club invites knitters, crocheters, and other makers to work on personal projects and meet fellow hobbyists. Basic materials are available in the Innovation Station, and participants are encouraged to bring works in progress to share and troubleshoot together.
Wednesday, May 13May Garden WorkdayTime: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Cost: Free
Location: Eggleston Park
Volunteers will help maintain the Ecology Center’s Farmette Demonstration Garden through seasonal tasks like weeding, planting, and spreading wood chips. Activities vary based on the garden’s needs and the time of year.
Evanston History Center's Lunchtime Curiosity CafeTime: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Cost: Free
Location: Evanston History Center
This monthly lunchtime series at the Evanston History Center features informal talks on local history topics. The May program looks at YMCA Camp Echo through the decades with longtime camp leader Katie Trippi.
Thursday, May 14Grand Reopening and Trunk ShowTime: 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Cost: Free
Location: cloth + home
Cloth + home marks its grand reopening with a trunk show featuring designers Parron Allen, Volta Atelier, and Indie-Pendant.
Evanston Arts & Craft Beverage CrawlTime: 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Cost: $37.05
Location: The Main-Dempster Mile
This crawl features pop-up art exhibits inside local shops along Main, Dempster, and Chicago Avenue. Attendees can view and purchase artwork by local artists while sampling craft beverages from Evanston producers. The event also includes food pairings and live entertainment, with proceeds supporting Evanston Made.
Adult Kickball ClubTime: 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Cost: Free
Location: Kamen Park East
This recreation program for adults 18 and older offers organized kickball games with a focus on basic skills and group play.
Edible Evanston Beginning Gardener Series: PlantingTime: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Cost: Free ($5.00 suggested donation)
Location: Robert Crown Branch Library
This beginner gardening class covers the basics of moving seedlings into the garden and preparing for a productive harvest. Participants will learn about hardening off, watering, spacing, and temperature needs for growing plants.
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| | Monday, May 11Hearts of ReadersTime: 10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
Cost: Free
Location: Evanston Public Library Main Branch
Adults from Misericordia Day Services lead a storytime with picture books for young children. The 30-minute program is designed for ages 1–5 and welcomes children with their caregivers.
Tuesday, May 12Recycled Art WorkshopTime: 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Cost: Free
Location: Art Makers Outpost
Evanston Township High School students lead this drop-in workshop using recycled materials for art projects. Participants can make crafts with plastic bags, bottles, and other reused items.
Family Kickball ClubTime: 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Cost: Free
Location: Kamen East Park
This recreation program offers organized kickball games with a focus on basic skills and group play.
Wednesday, May 13Storytime DadsTime: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Cost: Free
Location: Booked
Mr. Greg and Mr. Michael lead a weekly storytime session for kids featuring stories, songs, and fun.
Rebel STEAMersTime: 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Cost: Free
Location: Robert Crown Branch Library
This program wraps up a multi-session Sphero coding project for grades 5–9. Participants test the obstacle courses they built and program robots to navigate them. The session focuses on problem-solving and game design concepts.
Camp Preview Workshop: Street ArtTime: 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Cost: $35.00
Location: One River School Evanston
Students in grades 6–12 can create their own street art-inspired designs during this camp preview workshop. The session introduces spray paint, stencils, and mural techniques used in the school’s summer street art program.
Thursday, May 14Baby StorytimeTime: 10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
Cost: Free
Location: Evanston Public Library Main Branch
This storytime introduces babies and caregivers to songs, books, and simple play activities. It supports early language development through group singing and reading.
Jammie TimeTime: 6:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Cost: Free
Location: Evanston Public Library Main Branch
This evening storytime includes books, songs, and group activities for kids in PreK through grade 2.
Mudpie: Now What?Time: 7:00 PM
Cost: $12.50 - $25.00
Location: Mudlark Theater
Mudlark Theater presents its annual Mudpie production featuring original writing by local kids. This year’s show explores questions about change, community, and life in the present moment through scenes and performances created by young writers.
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| Upcoming Concerts and Live Music |
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| Click the included links for info and tickets!
Monday, May 11
Tuesday, May 12 Americana Music with Pierce Crask at Celtic Knot Public House, 5:00 PM, No cover Irish Music Session at Sketchbook Brewing Evanston, 7:30 PM, No cover Vance Gilbert w. Sam Robbins at Evanston SPACE, 7:30 PM, $27.27 - $40.54 Northwestern University Jazz Ensemble at Galvin Recital Hall, 7:30 PM, $8.00 General/$5.00 Student NU Brass Ensemble at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 7:30 PM, $6.00 General/$4.00 Student
Wednesday, May 13
Thursday, May 14 The Kris Cortez Band at Double Clutch Brewing, 7:00 PM, No cover Tenille Townes w. Corrina at Evanston SPACE, 7:30 PM, $33.90 - $40.54 Rakesh Chaurasia & Salar Nader at Nichols Concert Hall, 7:30 PM, $33.00 - $49.00 Zachary Good, clarinet at McClintock Choral and Recital Room, 7:30 PM, Free The Canal Jumpers at American Legion Post 42, 8:00 PM, No cover
Friday, May 15 Glinka Sextet with Marta Aznavoorian at Nichols Concert Hall, 7:00 PM, $41.00 Haydn’s Mass in Time of Distress at First United Methodist Church of Evanston, 7:30 PM, Free A String Thing: Donovan Mixon/Dave Onderdonk at Studio5 Performing Arts Center, 7:30 PM, $30.00 - $40.00 NU Concert Band at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 7:30 PM, $6.00 General/$4.00 Student Soul Asylum (Acoustic Trio) w. Jason Narducy at Evanston SPACE, 8:00 PM, $89.08 Legion Concert Series: Judson main at American Legion Post 42, 8:00 PM, No cover The Smiletones at Celtic Knot Public House, 8:30 PM, No cover
Saturday, May 16
Sunday, May 17 Sunday Jazz on the Square at Fountain Square, 12:00 PM, Free Bluegrass Jam at American Legion Post 42, 2:30 PM, No cover Irish Music Session at Celtic Knot Public House, 3:00 PM, No cover NU Guitar Ensemble at Galvin Recital Hall, 3:00 PM, $6.00 General/$4.00 Student NU Spring Festival Concert at Alice Millar Chapel, 5:00 PM, Free Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues feat. Ernie Watts at Evanston SPACE, 7:00 PM, $47.17 - $60.45
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| Trivia and Game Night Roundup |
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| Click the included links for info and tickets!
Monday, May 11
Tuesday, May 12
Wednesday, May 13 Evanston Chess Club at Levy Center, 6:30 PM, Annual fee of $65.00 Residents/$85.00 Non-Residents Trivia at Ridgeville Tavern, 7:00 PM, No cover Trivia at Firehouse Grill, 7:00 PM, No cover
Thursday, May 14 Trivia at Stacked & Folded, 7:00 PM, No cover Trivia at Luna's Pub, 7:00 PM, No cover
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| | | | Saturday, May 30Umbrella Arts FestivalTime: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Cost: Free
Location: Fountain Square
This festival highlights Asian American arts and culture through performances, food, and visual art. Organized by Evanston ASPA, the event features music, dance, crafts, and community groups throughout the afternoon. Local artists and vendors will present work across multiple disciplines.
The Catalyst BallTime: 6:00 PM - 10:30 PM
Cost: $185.00
Location: The Woman’s Club of Evanston
This annual gala by Paws and Claws Cat Rescue brings guests together for an evening of fundraising and community. The event includes a cocktail reception, dinner, live music, and both silent and live auctions. Proceeds support rescue efforts and care for cats in need.
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Did you do something fun this past week? Or take a great pic of our city? We’d love to hear about it! Send us a note or picture, and we may include it in the newsletter! Thanks for reading! We’ll be back in your inbox on Thursday.
-Jonathan and Melissa Please share our newsletter if you like it! Was this email forwarded to you? You can sign up here!
Have an Evanston event you’d like us to consider including in an upcoming newsletter? Submit it here. |
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