Happy August 1!
As we look forward to the last 11 Dog Days in 2025, we’re happy to have a visit from Maki, our very own dog star, while his family takes a weekend getaway. Cheers to clear skies, cooler temperatures and the Dog Star, Sirius, that’s been shining brightly since July 3.
Friday
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.
Kreger’s is open! / 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. With brats on the grill, let Bill know that you know his wurst is the best, especially for weekend grilling. Also find out what Bill’s been up to and if he had a good break. www.kregersbrats.com.
Friday & Saturday
Pinot’s Palette Painting Parties / Afternoon & Evening / Customize a friendly paint party for most ages (recommended age 6 and up) and abilities. No experience necessary. Everybody goes home with a lovely painted memory, rain or shine. For prices (they vary), information and party planning, visit www.pinotspalette.com/naperville/events. Open just about every day, Pinot’s Palette, now in its 16th year, is located at 175 Jackson Avenue in downtown Naperville.
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, kicking off at 8PM Thurs., July 31. Discover what’s sure to be a most excellent weekend! 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.
Stargaze for Dog Days thru Aug. 11 / After Dark / Stargazing gives individuals a sense of perspective that’s hard to find by day! No kidding! Simply feel grounded by looking up at the night sky from a dark place in the countryside. Today is day eight of the lunar cycle, and the first moon in August. Every year, “Dog Days” is a reference to the star Sirius, which is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major, and during Dog Days from July 3 through August 11, Sirius appears to rise with the Sun.
Saturday
Naperville Farmer’s Market / 7AM to noon at Fifth Avenue Station – 200 E. 5th Ave. Naperville, IL 60563 / Build a farm-to-table meal with a plethora of locally grown food. You’ll also find an array products, performances and events, making this a great destination for the whole family. The Market runs every Saturday through October.
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!
Halal Fest / noon to 9PM at Frontier Park – 3380 Cedar Glade Dr., Naperville, IL 60564 / Chicagoland Halal Fest is the Midwest’s largest celebration of halal food, culture, and community. Held annually in Naperville, Illinois, this two-day festival draws over 15,000 attendees from across the region for a vibrant showcase of halal cuisine, family-friendly entertainment, cultural performances, shopping, and more. Tickets are $8 and available at ilmchamber.org/halal-fest-2025. Continues Sunday.
Sunday
Naperville Sprint Triathlon / 7AM to noon / Centennial Beach and surrounding streets / The Naperville Sprint Triathlon is a 375 meter swim at Centennial Beach followed by a 22k bike and a 5k run. Info at napervilletri.events. (Reminder! Some delays may happen when headed to downtown Naperville Sunday morning.)
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. Walk this way… patio days have arrived!
Halal Fest – Day 2 / 1PM to 8PM at Frontier Park – 3380 Cedar Glade Dr., Naperville, IL 60564 / Chicagoland Halal Fest is the Midwest’s largest celebration of halal food, culture, and community. Held annually in Naperville, Illinois, this two-day festival draws over 15,000 attendees from across the region for a vibrant showcase of halal cuisine, family-friendly entertainment, cultural performances, shopping, and more. Tickets are $8 and available at ilmchamber.org/halal-fest-2025.
Enjoy the Great Outdoors Every Day! / Mornings & Evenings / Encourage kids to buddy up and enjoy carefree days discovering many varieties of wildflowers or angling for bass, bluegills, carp and catfish in local ponds, Whalon Lake and the DuPage River. Reports this week are that big bass continue to bite 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. Stay hydrated!
Summer Painted Sculptures – DUCKS! / Splash into Summer in Downtown Naperville! The annual popular tradition is back for Summer, 2025. Come find and enjoy the artistry of 18 Painted Duck Sculptures that are on display all summer long in Downtown Naperville. downtownnaperville.com. What’s more there’s a scavenger hunt featuring theme- decorated jumbo rubber ducks hidden inside many downtown shops. Visit Treasures, a toy and game shop at 121 S. Washington Street, as a great first stop to learn more about the scavenger hunt.
World-Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra / 3PM / Enjoy a performance of greatest hits, including “In The Mood,” “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” “American Patrol,” “A String Of Pearls,” “Little Brown Jug,” “Pennsylvania 6-5000,” Tuxedo Junction,” and their theme song “Moonlight Serenade.” The 15-member orchestra, their lead singers, and vocal group will perform their catalog of big band classics just the way they would have over 80 years ago when Glenn Miller stood in front of his band. Touring continuously since 1956, The Glenn Miller Orchestra will perform timeless classics that made them famous the world over in a show that has moved audiences for generations. Wentz Concert Hall is located at 171 E. Chicago Avenue, steps from downtown Naperville. TKTS: $65. Ticket INFO: (630) 637-7469. No online sales. Purchase tickets at the Box Office.
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. Free copies again are available at the Naperville Municipal Center, 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 may 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. Thanks for supporting the hospitality industry right here in Naperville. 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. 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! Now until after Labor Day, 18 whimsical and beautifully-painted duck sculptures are 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.
And then there’s next Tuesday…
Listen for the Ding! Ding! of the Naperville Trolley! Reserve a spot and climb aboard the Naperville Trolley at 11AM for an historic tour of the City on Trolley Tuesdays. www.napervilletrolley.com.
2025 National Night Out! Note…No City Council meeting on Aug. 5, 2025, will give council members, local law enforcement and first responders as well as residents, all ages, an opportunity to focus on safety and community engagement during National Night Out from 5PM to 8PM. (Times may vary slightly from one neighborhood to the next.) And what’s more, families available at 6:30PM Mon., Aug. 4, are welcomed to NNO festivities at the Fry Family YMCA on 95th Street where a free outdoor movie will run at dusk.)
Registered Voter Alert! Next Tues., Aug 5, also is the first day for hopefuls to begin passing petitions for signatures to place them on the Primary Ballot on March 17, 2026.
And there’s more… At 7PM Tues., Aug. 5, the West Suburban Irish will host its almost-monthly “Quiz Night” at Quigley’s Irish Pub, 43 E. Jefferson Ave. Teams of eight or less are welcomed to play and game-play is free of charge. Here’s the Web Bonus Question and Answer: When & where will the 2025 Naperville Irish Fest be held? Friday & Saturday, September 19 & 20 – Downtown Naperville in Central Park (right behind Quigley’s). For everything you might want to know about Quiz Nights, visit www.wsirish.org/quiznight.
Note also that this post may be updated throughout the weekend. Thanks for reading.
Every day… Visit Naperville!
