Thanks for reading and for all the kind words about the annual Naperville Memorial Day Parade on May 26. If you missed the parade and other remembrances, two links are attached with photos that help tell the local story of 114 Naperville families that gave the ultimate sacrifice dating back to the Spanish-American War.
Photo Galleries / 2025 Memorial Day Parade (Click Here)
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.
Go Fish! / Mornings & Evenings / Encourage kids to buddy up and enjoy carefree days angling for bass, bluegills, carp and catfish in local ponds, Whalon Lake and the DuPage River. Reports this week are that big bass are biting for catch and release at May Watts Pond. Looking for worms for bait? Try Walmart. Click here for a few big fish memories with photos of fishing and a listing of ponds in Naperville.
Register today for The Amatones Choir Camp set for Mon., Wed. & Fri. June 2-25 / The Amatones Choir Camp with Alex Amato and Allie Budney empowers youth ages 8–15 in DuPage County to grow as confident, creative, and compassionate leaders through the unifying power of music. Rooted in connection, self-expression, and collaboration, the camp offers a welcoming environment where singers of all skill levels can develop healthy vocal technique, build meaningful relationships, and strengthen essential life skills like communication, teamwork, and resilience. Camp hosted at The Alive Center, 500 W. Fifth Ave. in Naperville. $25 for full camp & registration. Scholarships are available. Inquire via info@alivecenter.org or (331) 219-8098.
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.
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.
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 join the group and make music! Listening is free!
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!
Sunday
Makin’ Strides for Strays 5k & Family Fest / 9AM / A.D.O.P.T. will host its annual Makin’ Strides for Strays walk from 9AM to 1PM on Sun., June 1, at Phillips Park, 1000 Ray Moses Drive in Aurora. This year’s event boasts a new, scenic location with an expanded 5k walk/run. Registration is $45. In addition to the 5k Run/Walk, participants will find food trucks, music, entertainment, activities for the kids and fun vendors. Registration is now in progress. To rsvp, click here.
Park District Kite Fly / Noon to 4PM at Frontier Sports Complex – 3880 Cedar Glade Rd. Naperville, IL 60564 / Visit Frontier Sports Complex for a high-flying day of excitement at Kite Fly. Watch professional kite flying demonstrations by Chicago Kite that will fill the sky with colors. Enjoy live music performances from local entertainers, indulge in delicious eats from a variety of food trucks, and bring the whole family for fun games and kite flying.
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 Naperville choices to whet every appetite north, east, west and south! / Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch & Dinner / Featuring approximately 400 eateries, Naperville serves up tastes to please all ages and budgets in between shopping, bowling, pickleball, golf, swimming, 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! And if you find a place that truly suits your taste, tell you friends! Help all restaurants thrive. Bon Appetit!
Every day… Dine Naperville!
Did you know? Downtown Naperville features plenty of other things to do every day and 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. And watch out for ducks! Beginning June 2, 18 whimsical and beautifully-painted duck sculptures will be placed on display for the summer.
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 and enhancements are now in progress that might require a slight detour near the Grand Pavilion and the Eagle Street Bridge.
To augment the arrival of the “Splashing into Summer,” Downtown Naperville also is conducting a Riverwalk Duck Race at 11AM on Fri., June 6. All proceeds will benefit the Riverwalk Foundation. Every time there’s been a Riverwalk Duck Race, some folks who flocked downtown that day have said, “I didn’t know about the Duck Race!”
Thanks for telling your friends, families and neighbors so at least they’ll know if they want to take a quack at it!
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 with the dark colored basin, the new look 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.
One more thing, one more time! 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.”
Note 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 Naperville, showcasing car dealerships, other service centers and businesses that welcome support, here and there.
Every day… Visit Naperville!
Note also that this post may be updated throughout the weekend. Thanks for reading.
