Friday
Brats at Kreger’s / 10AM to 3PM Fridays and Saturdays at Kreger’s Brat and Sausage Haus – 606 N. Ellsworth Naperville, IL 60563 / Stop by for lunch, conversation and camaraderie. While Bob grills, let Bill know that you know his wurst is the best, especially for weekend grilling. Brats are back. Stop by and find out what Bill’s been up to! www.kregersbrats.com.
May is National Water Safety Month / Summer begins June 21 and there’s no better time to focus on life skills that keep all ages safe in and around the water. At Fry Family YMCA, no matter what age or experience, everyone has the opportunity to learn to swim and feel secure in the water. Find more about offerings available that will keep you and your family happy and healthy all while having fun with a life skill. Learn more and register at fryfamilyymca.org, call the Y at (630) 904-9595, or stop by front desk at the Fry Family Y located at 2120 95th Street.
Asian-America and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Celebration Week / Today through May 25 / Dine out at one of more than 85 Asian/Indian restaurants in Naperville. Find many choices and participating restaurants at dinenaperville.com/aapi-home.
Saturday
Naperville Riverwalk Pickers / 9:30AM / The Naperville Riverwalk Pickers will strum their hum-along music, sometimes with accompaniment of a harmonica, from 9:30AM to 11AM Saturdays, weather permitting, in the Free Speech Pavilion located near the Civic Plaza with the Dandelion Fountain, Jackson at Webster streets in downtown Naperville. All pickers are welcome to make music!
Centennial Beach Opening Day / Centennial Beach is located at 500 W. Jackson Ave. Naperville, IL / Jump into summer as you swim in Centennial Beach’s historic stone quarry. It’s not a swimming pool, it’s not a lake, but rather it’s an experience like no other. Wade into the zero-depth entry and swim to depths of 15 feet. For generations, Centennial Beach has been the local “swimming hole” for many Naperville residents and their guests. It’s a great place to meet friends, gather with family or simply relax and enjoy. Centennial Beach is open annually from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Adult: Resident $10 / Nonresident $17; Youth: Resident $8 / Nonresident $15. Season Passes Available. napervilleparks.org/centennialbeach.
Serendipity Resale Shop Benefits Little Friends, Inc. / 10AM-5PM / Volunteers give time to benefit Little Friends, recognized as a leading service provider for children, adults and families challenged by autism and intellectual/developmental disabilities. The retail resale shop accepts donations of clean, quality clothing (especially winter wear most of the time), household items, bedding and jewelry when the shop is open 10AM to 5PM Monday thru Saturday. Donors and shoppers will find convenient storefront parking at Serendipity Resale Shop, located at 461 S. Route 59 in Aurora.
Sunday
Enjoy Every Day at Quigley’s Irish Pub / 11AM – 2AM / Quigley’s Irish Pub is located at 43 E. Jefferson Ave. in downtown Naperville. / Quigley’s Irish Pub features live music Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The pub also offers a variety of spaces for all types of special events and fundraisers, including a dog patio for well-behaved dogs on a leash. Meanwhile, stop by for honest pub fare and an Irish Coffee or enjoy a cold pint in the friendly pub EDAQ, Every Day at Quigley’s.
Reserve a Table at Mesón Sabika for any day / 11:30AM to 9PM / Find a choice in dining rooms and private spaces at Mesón Sabika to sample Spanish tapas and delicious sangria for lunch and dinner every day. Located just west of downtown Naperville at 1025 Aurora Avenue, Mesón Sabika has been serving the community since 1990. Built in 1847, the historic mansion with eight air-conditioned dining rooms is set in a beautifully landscaped four-acre estate, providing a welcoming sight with plenty of parking for lunch, dinner, special events, benefits, weddings, meetings and family gatherings throughout the year. Gift Certificates are always available. And patio days have arrived!
Monday
Memorial Day Parade / 10:30AM in Downtown Naperville / VFW Post 3873, American Legion Post 43, and the Naperville Municipal Band will conduct their regular Memorial Day observance activities on Monday, May 26, 2025. The day’s events will begin with a memorial service behind City Hall at the Commander Dan Shanower/9-11 Memorial followed by additional memorial services at various military memorials around Naperville. The Parade will begin at 10:30AM.
Memorial Ceremonies on May 26
- 7:45AM – CDR Dan Shanower/9-11 Memorial at City Hall
- 8:15AM – G.A.R. Monument in Naperville Cemetery
(south side of cemetery) - 8:35AM – Veterans Park (100 E. Gartner Road)
- 9AM – Ss Peter & Paul Cemetery (911 North Avenue)
- 9:25AM – Burlington Square (307 N. Ellsworth Street)
- 10:30AM – Memorial Day Parade Including Riverwalk Ceremony
- noon – Memorial Day Observance Ceremony (Central Park)
Century Walk Tours Every Day / Around the Clock – Daylight / The recently published 88-page Naperville Century Walk Public Art Guide to more than 50 locations featuring local stories with public art by renowned artists is now in its second printing. Soon free copies again will be available at the Naperville Art League Gallery, Naper Settlement and Hotel Indigo. When you have a colorful copy, keep it handy in a drawer. Then from time to time, take a self-guided free-winding tour throughout downtown any day— winter, spring, summer or fall!
Discover choices to whet every appetite! / Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch & Dinner / Featuring approximately 400 eateries, Naperville serves up tastes to please all ages and budgets in between shopping, bowling, pickleball, concerts and all the activities that keep families and friends busy. In fact, consider that folks can even dine out at a Naperville eatery every day of the year without eating at the same place twice! Bon Appetit!
Every day… Dine Naperville!
Did you know? Downtown Naperville features plenty of other things to do every month. Kindly note ’tis always the season to use and/or purchase Downtown Naperville Gift Cards for many things happening as the school year ends with graduations and commencement. Take a stroll to discover all that’s new and coming soon to whet every appetite for shopping and dining.
When time permits while visiting downtown Naperville to shop and dine, the Riverwalk welcomes folks to the city’s natural treasure where can-do spirit is on display from the Jefferson Avenue Bridge to the Hillside Road Bridge, all along the path of serpentine-shaped bricks. Note restoration projects are now in progress that might require a slight detour near the Grand Pavilion and the Eagle Street Bridge.
Also, the Riverwalk Dandelion Fountain is sparkling again along Jackson Avenue at Webster Street. While it may take a few visits to the popular gathering plaza to become accustomed to new look, the dark color was used for a variety of operational and safety reasons as well as to help communicate that the fountain is a fountain rather than a wading pool.
And what’s more, the Summer Sculptures and the Riverwalk Duck Race are returning with tales to tell! Find everything you need to know about taking a quack to participate in this year’s splash of special events on the downtown Naperville website under, of all things, “events.”
Know the difference between a labyrinth and a maze…
Then… Visit local shopping destinations N.E.W.S. and all along Ogden Avenue as it winds through town, showcasing car dealerships and other service centers, here and there.
Every day… Visit Naperville!
Note also that this post may be updated throughout the weekend. Thanks for reading.
