Above / Throughout the year, the Naperville Riverwalk provides the natural setting for many annual charity walks, concerts and special events. For instance, the Riverwalk Duck Race is slated on a Tuesday in August, just before school begins. In 2018, thanks to funds raised by the Riverwalk Duck Race, a new flag pole and American flag were placed near the Riverwalk Covered Bridge at Webster Street.
Located between Jackson Avenue and Water Street, the Riverwalk Covered Bridge attracts visitors to cross the DuPage River in downtown Naperville where more than 300 shopping and dining experiences help create the vibrant heart of the community every day of the year.
Updated, Dec. 29, 2020 / Thanks to everyone who has been visiting this post from Jan. 29, 2020. Oh. My. What a difference a year makes! So much for predictions! Again, thanks for reading…
Note a few Naperville traditions-plus to kick off the New Year…
Mark your calendars! Events posted below are open to the public, all happenings featuring local culture, social engagement and community spirit in Naperville, Illinois.
Most events below are traditional repeats. Inaugural events may be submitted to PN’s calendar via click here and will be marked “New!” (Note, your submitted entry will go through an editing process. It will not appear immediately.) Thanks for sharing this service that also extends to other local media outlets.
Please note that some special event organizers send printed invitations via their acquired mailing lists with “save the date” messages as reminders. Invitations to community fundraisers listed here are not exclusive. Everyone is welcome as long as space allows. It’s likely once you attend, you will receive invitations in the mail.
The events listed here, many free*** of admission charge, invite all individuals to participate, whether by personal invitation or not. Everyone’s support is welcome. Come catch the spirit of this community. Seize opportunities to learn.
Overview of January 2020
Happy New Year, Naperville! Bundle up for winter and have a ball with memories of 2016-17!
Positively Naperville goes to press the second week in January… To avoid being thrown out with the holiday wrapping paper, PN waits a week to go to press after the New Year. Thanks for wondering. (Jan. 8, 2020)
Over for 2020! KidsMatter Student Job Fair at Fort Hill Activity Center (Moved from March to Jan. 4, 2020)
Throughout the School Year North Central College Arts Calendar
All Month! Discover delicious dining in downtown Naperville at Catch 35 (Seafood & Premium Steak Menus Daily) (Now through Feb. 8)
See Jan. 21! Note the Naperville City Council has canceled its regularly scheduled meeting for 7PM Tues., Jan. 7. The 9-member City Council under the leadership of Mayor Steve Chirico is set to kick off 2020 with its first meeting of the New Year at 7PM Tues., Jan. 21, in Council Chambers, 400 S. Eagle Street. The public is welcome.
Over for January! West Suburban Irish Quiz Nights at Quigley’s Irish Pub (First Tuesday of most months) (7PM Jan. 7, 2020)
Onward! Jeopardy! GOAT Watch Parties… Naperville native and quick buzzer master James Holzhauer, now home based in Las Vegas, will appear on the Jeopardy! “Greatest Of All Time” shows, Jan. 7 and Jan. 8, 2020, matching up with Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. Join Ian Holzhauer (Jeopardy! James’ brother), family and friends during Jeopardy! GOAT watch parties beginning at 7PM Tues., Jan. 7, at Two Brothers Barrel House, 16 W. Jefferson; followed the next day and the day after at 7PM Wed., Jan. 8, and Thurs., Jan. 9, at Quigley’s Irish Pub, 43 E. Jefferson. (See Jan. 14, 2020)
Above / During the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce Roaring 20Twenties Gala event on Jan. 10, President/CEO Kaylin Risvold and NACC Board of Directors Chairman Ian Holzhauer welcomed more than 375 members and guests to bet on the Chamber’s new beginnings and “business forward.”
Over for 2020! Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Inauguration Gala (Jan 10, 20Twenty) The Chamber’s largest fundraising event of the year is set for 7PM to 11PM where guests will have a chance to mix and mingle, enjoying the speakeasy spirit of the Roaring 20Twenties at Embassy Suites Chicago-Naperville, located at 1823 Abriter Ct. The cocktail reception will be followed by gourmet food stations and an evening of dancing and celebration with live entertainment as the Chamber kicks off a new year under new leadership and a new Board of Directors. The cost is $175 per person. To check availability, click here.
Completed! Magical Starlight Theater presents Wizard of Oz. (Jan. 10-12 and Jan. 17-19, 2020) Performances are 7:30PM Fridays, 1:30PM & 6:30PM Saturdays, 1:30PM Sundays, at at Naperville Central High School Auditorium, 440 West Aurora Ave. Tickets are $15 at the door. INFO: (630) 848-5000.
Completed! Community Conversation / Panel discussion with professionals from Linden Oaks and School District 204 will address mental health issues and suicide prevention. Event will be held in Council Chambers at the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle Street. Hosted by City Councilman John Krummen & DuPage County Board Member Dawn DeSart. (6:30 to 8:30PM Mon., Jan. 13) Public welcome and encouraged to attend.
Completed! Welcome & Meet District 204 New Superintendent Dr. Adrian Talley at Special Reception (4:30 to 5:30PM Tues., Jan. 14) Indian Prairie School District’s Board of Education has recommended Dr. Adrian Talley as the district’s next superintendent. The board is expected to vote on Dr. Talley’s appointment at its January 13, 2020, meeting. The community is invited to meet Dr. Talley at the special reception planned at the Crouse Education Center, 780 Shoreline Drive, Aurora.
Completed! Jeopardy! GOAT Watch Party… Naperville native and quick buzzer master James Holzhauer, now home based in Las Vegas, will appear on the 4th Jeopardy! “Greatest Of All Time” show Jan. 14, 2020, again matching up with Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. Join Ian Holzhauer (Jeopardy! James’ brother), family and friends during Jeopardy! GOAT watch party at Quigley’s Irish Pub, 43 E. Jefferson. (Thanks for the memories! Final 2020 Jeopardy! GOAT Watch Party question ends with Ken Jennings as the victor.)
NOW OPEN! WhirlyBall’s debut at 3103 Odyssey Court in Naperville (6-9PM Thurs., Jan. 16) Enjoy complimentary bites and cocktails fueled by The Pivot Room, plus games of WhirlyBall, bowling, LaserTag and more. On-site raffle at the event and 100 percent of proceeds will go toward Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana. Kindly RSVP by Mon., Jan. 6, 2019. Tickets are $20 each at whirlyball-naperville-grand-opening-party-tickets.
Above / Director Kris Visher says Starlight Theater is “thrilled” to be presenting six performances of “The Wizard of Oz” as the 25th anniversary show beginning Jan. 10.
Over for 2020… Magical Starlight Theater presents Wizard of Oz. (Jan. 17-19, 2020) Performances are 7:30PM Friday, 1:30PM & 6:30PM Saturday, 1:30PM Sunday, at at Naperville Central High School Auditorium, 440 West Aurora Ave. Tickets are $15 at the door. INFO: (630) 848-5000.
Annual Indoor ‘Sidewalk Sales’ in downtown Naperville (Jan. 17. 18, 19 & 20, 2020)
NOW OPEN! Cinnaholic Grand Opening Celebration at 41 W. Jefferson, entrance along Main St. (10AM to 2PM Fri., Jan. 17, 2020) Arrive early between 10AM and 2PM while delicious cinnamon rolls are hot for $1 each. Open for business 10AM to 9PM, Sundays thru Thursdays and 10AM to 10PM other days! Limit one $1 roll per customer, per visit. All additional orders are regular price. Must be present at the time of purchase, ages 3 and up. No call-in orders until 6PM. Offer not valid with any other discounts or coupons.
Above / Hundreds of couples were welcomed to Naper Settlement on January 18, 2020, by associates representing the Naperville Convention and Visitors Bureau, shining light on all the venues and services available for engagement parties, bridal showers, weddings and receptions in Naperville.
Wedding Showcase at Naper Settlement (Moved from February back to January 18, 2020) ***
Completed! Candacy Taylor’s Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America Book Presentation, in partnership with Anderson’s Bookshop, at Meiley Swallow Hall, 31 S. Ellsworth on the campus of North Central College. (2PM Sat., Jan. 18, 2020) This event is free and open to the public.
Save Weekend in 2021! Monthly Dinner/Social hosted by American Legion Post 43 (Jan. 18, 2020)
MLK Annual Tributes at North Central College (3PM Sun., Jan. 19, 2020) As part of the Chicago Sinfonietta’s annual tribute to MLK, the group will join forces with the North Central College Concert Choir and Roosevelt University’s Conservatory Chorus to perform Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, the “Resurrection Symphony.” Purchase tickets here.
Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday (Mon., Jan. 20, 2020)
Naperville public schools in District 203 and District 204 will be closed to commemorate the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Over! Benedictine University MLK Breakfast (8AM Mon., Jan. 20) Goodwin Hall, Room 411, Lisle Campus. Sponsored by Center for Mission, Ministry, and Inclusion, the keynote speaker is Dr. Lucy Di Rosa, Director of Content and Communications at the Sargent Shriver Peace Insititute. She leads the digital communications, marketing, and historical research efforts for the organization. The Sargent Shriver Peace Institute is a research and communications organization devoted to the study of Sargent Shriver (1915-2011) as a peacebuilder. Suggested donation $25.00 per person. INFO: Karl Constant at kconstant@ben.edu.
Above / Thirty-two tables were set to welcome more than 300 guests to hear Dr. Herman White reminisce about listening to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., when he was a youngster in Tuskegee, Alabama. The “brunch,” held in the Wentz Science Center at North Central College, also featured inspiring music performed by the Voices of Praise Gospel Choir, pictured below.
Completed! North Central College Welcomes Fermilab Scientist to speak at MLK Day Breakfast (10AM Mon., Jan. 20) Annual MLK Day Breakfast at North Central College Wentz Science Center, 131 S. Loomis, features an address this year by Dr. Herman B. White, Jr., a member of the North Central College Board of Trustees who recently retired from a distinguished 45-year as a senior scientist at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Ill. Throughout Dr. White’s career, he collaborated in the design, commission and data analysis of several of the world’s best known particle physics experiments. He is considered the first African-American in history to have a scientific equation that bears his name. Dr. White is featured as part of the 50th anniversary celebration the Black Creativity exhibit at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry that opens on Jan. 20, which aims to showcase African-Americans and their contributions, past and current, to the fields of science, technology, engineering and medicine. RSVP required. For last-minute reservation availability, contact Marilyn Zydlo at mdzydlo@noctrl.edu.
Completed! City Council Meets (Jan. 21, 2020) Note the 9-member Naperville City Council under the leadership of Mayor Steve Chirico is set to kick off 2020 with its first meeting of the New Year at 7PM Tues., Jan. 21, in Council Chambers of the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle Street. The public is welcome. Find the agenda posted by Jan. 17, 2020.
Almost 3-Minute Rant in Print… This first City Council meeting of 2020 ran from 7PM until a few minutes after 1AM Yes! Six hours, 3 minutes and 31 seconds. During Public Comments, speakers signed up to share views about Century Walk SECA funding; appreciation for city services and city staff during the Naperville Half Marathon; initial adult-use recreational cannabis findings since Illinois law took effect on Jan. 1, 2020; and a proposal to change the Fifth Avenue Steering Committee to a Fifth Avenue Task Force.
We always appreciate learning and seeing seats in Council Chambers filled with active and attentive listeners. We value the First Amendment. We also appreciate when individuals who support the same message as other speakers lend their support and free speech by standing and/or showing raised hands.
Later on the agenda, another 58 speakers wanted to share opinions and concerns about puppy sale regulations and commercial breeding practices of puppies, cats and rabbits, better known as “puppy mills.” City Council was asked to consider two options for an amendment to the City’s municipal code pertaining to the local sale of dogs and cats and conduct the first reading of the corresponding ordinance amending the Naperville Municipal Code. One by one, three-minute presentations began.
We left a little after 10PM before nearly 40 speakers who had signed up to address City Council for three minutes had yet to speak. We returned home and watched from the comfort of our TV room until way after midnight, bleary-eyed and wondering why many of the comments had not been combined out of respect for all. It’s long been our opinion that trying to listen, deliberate and make good public policy is challenged when meetings with first readings last beyond 11PM. Plus, most members of our City Council have full-time day jobs. Not surprisingly, no action was taken. But this was a “first reading.”
Think about it. What news report can possibly adequately cover the comments/concerns at such a lengthy City Council meeting? And how many constituents have time to watch the six-hour-plus rebroadcast? Or was there just too much on the agenda for a one-meeting month? And a gazillion other questions about cost and enforcing regulations begin to come to mind.
We agree that education and repetition can help folks learn. We welcome folks to consider Pet Words of Wisdom by Greg Gordon, published monthly in PN. Encourage individuals of all ages to read and learn how to adopt and care for animals, providing loving forever homes. Let folks choose the right way to welcome a pet into their homes.
All that said, the good news is early in the meeting some business was conducted so a few projects and new policies could be approved. For instance, after an enlightening discussion of give and take, City Council approved the recommended changes to add sick leave to the PTO-11 time-off plan and add paid parental leave as a City employee benefit.
Completed! State Representative Grant Wehrli (41st District) Town Hall (7PM Wed., Jan. 22, 2020) State Rep. Wehrli invites residents in the 14th District to join him for a discussion about Illinois’ ethics laws and solutions that address much publicized public issues in the state. The Town Hall will be held in Council Chambers at Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St., from 7 to 8PM on Wed., Jan. 22, 2020. Wehrli seeks solutions and support to “what can be done to get past the unacceptable logjam preventing ethical government in Illinois.” Wehrli will provide an update on legislative solutions already proposed in the General Assembly, but rejected by majority party during the fall Veto Session. He will also provide an update on the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform.
Plan now to ‘Meet & Greet’ candidates running in the Primary Election (2020 polls open 6AM to 7PM Tues., March 17, 2020) Familiarization events and fundraisers will be posted as received during Feb. & March.
Naperville 2020 Restaurant Week (Jan. 24-Feb. 8, 2020)
This Week!
New! Register to Vote in the City Clerk’s Office! Voter Registration continues now through Feb. 16, 2020, for the Primary General Election when polls in Illinois will be open from 6AM to 7PM Tues., March 17. Early Voting runs March 2 through March 16, 2020, at the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle Street. Note! Individuals who have changed their legal names since the last election or moved to a new address must re-register to vote.
New! Fair Maps for Districts! Ask folks who represent you what they think about Fair Maps, a redistricting reform proposal. Help get the nonpartisan question on the Nov. 3 ballot in the the State of Illinois. Find info to learn more at www.changeil.org.
New! Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar Opens (Wed., Jan. 29, 2020) Lazy Dog Restaurant, a casual dining restaurant known for its handcrafted American food and drink, will open its doors to the Naperville community at 11AM on January 29. The new Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar will open in the Heritage Square Shopping Center at 436 S. State Route 59.
New! Naperville Neighbors United (7PM Wed., Jan. 29, 2020) Another conversation in a series hosted by Naperville City Councilman Benny White will be held in the Lower Level at Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle Street. This week’s facilitator will be Adrienne Coleman, director of Diversity and Inclusion at Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. The public is welcome to participate.
New! February 2020 Positively Naperville hits the news racks around town during distribution of 25,000 copies to local businesses and homes! Thanks for reading in print monthly and online daily.
New! Totally “Rad” 80’s Trivia Extravaganza (Thurs., Jan. 30, 2020) Join the fun during this first-time fundraising event hosted by the Rotary After Dark Club at the Judd Kendall VFW Post 3873, 908 W. Jackson Ave., from 6 to 9:30PM. Table set up (your own snacks) is from 6 to 7PM. Trivia begins at 7:30PM. Cash bar. Trivia Master Chuck Corrigan will put together categories celebrating the 1980s. Tickets are $30 per person OR $200 for 8-person team. 80’s attire is welcome! For info, contact Heather Gottfried at heather.gottfried@yahoo.com or (406) 460-5453.
New! Celebrate North Central College Championship Football Season! (3:30PM Fri., Jan. 31) The community is invited to celebrate the 2019 North Central College Championship Season with cheers at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium. The Naperville Police and Fire Departments will lead players and coaches in a 3:30PM processional from Fire Station 7, 1380 Aurora Ave., to a 4PM rally at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium, 455 S. Brainard St.
