Make your weekend unforgettable with our ultimate things to do guide for Naperville! From restaurants and live music to unique shopping and family-friendly activities, discover the very best things to do in the city right now.
But first… Things began happening Thursday…
Just in… After last week’s Independence Day fireworks were canceled due to inclement weather, the Naperville Community Fireworks Show, presented by Woody Buick GMC and supported by College of DuPage, now is set to begin at 9:30PM on Sat., Aug. 8, at Frontier Sports Complex, located at 3380 Cedar Glade Drive. Save the date to celebrate America 250!
Sizzling Summer Sidewalk Sale Days in Downtown Naperville are set for the next four days! For lists of shopping, entertainment and dining opportunities, visit www.downtownnaperville.com. Perhaps sing along, “East side, west side all around downtown…” and shop until you stop to plan a picnic for the Naperville Municipal Band concert with dinner-to-go from a downtown eatery. Thanks for reading on and on…
Naperville Municipal Band is set to play in Central Park. The big stage door goes up at 7:30PM. Tonight let there be dancing music. Bring your dancing feet for a little swing, tango, cha-cha, rhumba, folk dancing and more! Let’s Dance! (Note… NMB Thursday evening Summer Band Concerts continue through August 13.)
World Cup Soccer Quarter-Finals start today at 3PM July 9 with France vs Morocco! Watch at Quigley’s Irish Pub. Then catch one of the pub’s favorite musical trios, Call Me Jo Band to kick off the weekend at 8PM! And SAVE THE DATE! World Cup Soccer Finals begin at 2PM Sun., July 19, at MetLife Stadium in E. Rutherford, NJ.
Friday
Downtown Naperville Sizzling Summer Sidewalk Sales
All weekend in Downtown Naperville
Downtown Naperville businesses are “taking it to the streets” for the annual summer sidewalk sales, sometimes under cool tents! Enjoy sizzling summer savings—inside and out—during these four special days. Runs Thursday, July 9 thru Sunday, July 12.
Bee Baum is blooming beautifully a May Watts Park
Find May Watts Park in Countryside, just off Sequoia Road, Whispering Hills, and/or Oakton.
Bee baum joins a variety of wildflowers and low-growing clover to enhance the landscape along the .89-mile trail in May Watts Park every July. Fishing, bicycling and jogging are among activities that attract folks, all ages, to the natural treasure in the heart of the city.
Kreger’s Brats and Sausage Haus
10AM to 3PM Fridays and Saturdays at Kreger’s Brat and Sausage Haus – 606 N. Ellsworth Naperville, IL 60563
Since 1893, Kreger’s has been a cornerstone of the community, now serving as a wonderful stop for lunch, conversation and camaraderie every Friday and Saturday. And this weekend Kreger’s is back with brats on the grill. Let Tim and Mary Jo know that you know Bill’s wurst is the best. Find more than 20 fresh flavors as well as fresh-baked buns, added varieties of fresh-made salads, pickles, desserts and more. Pre-order at (630) 355-4418. And be reminded Kreger’s sauerkraut slaw is tasty atop a brat or all by itself! Thanks for supporting your local sausage dealer. www.kregersbrats.com. Call today for pick up on Friday and/or Saturday.
Serendipity Resale Shop Benefits Little Friends, Inc.
10AM to 5PM Monday thru Saturdays, find convenient storefront parking at Serendipity Resale Shop, located at 461 S. Route 59 in Aurora.
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 Daily at Quigley’s Irish Pub – 43 E. Jefferson Ave. in downtown Naperville
Quigley’s Irish Pub features live music Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays that will return after the World Cup. The pub also offers a variety of spaces for all types of special events and fundraisers. (Simply contact Andy for more information.) 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. Plus, Quigley’s is set for every game of the World Cup!
Saturday
5th Avenue Naperville Farmer’s Market
7AM to noon at 5th Avenue Train Station – 200 East. 5th Avenue, 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.
WTRO 250th Celebration of America – 1776 to 2026
9:30AM to 11:30AM at the Bolingbrook Golf Club, 2001 Rodeo Drive, Bolingbrook
Showcasing the theme “Honoring Our Past, Celebrating Our Freedom, Building Our Future,” Wheatland Township Republican Organization will host a brunch featuring guest speaker Ted Dabrowski, former Illinois Gubernatorial Candidate. Brunch tickets are $60 per person. For more info, visit wheatlandrepublican.org.
Did you know? Wheatland Township is one of six townships that serves portions of Naperville. The other townships are Naperville Township, Lisle Township, DuPage Township, Milton Township and Winfield Township. Townships are a unit of government not intended to duplicate services provided by other governmental entities. The State of Illinois has 1,426 townships throughout its 102 counties.
NCHS 1986 Classmate Search Party Launched!
Naperville Central High School Class of 1986 is set to celebrate its 40th reunion Sept 25 & 26. Help spread the word to friends, family and classmates in town and beyond. Thank you very much!
Erin O’Donnell, now a resident of Tampa, Florida, is helping to organize Naperville Central Class of 1986 high school’s 40th reunion. The committee aims to spread the word to classmates “who may have wandered off into the witness protection program, changed their names, or simply escaped social media.” All efforts to help locate classmates here and beyond are appreciated! Even if unable to attend, organizers hope classmates will kindly register/contact organizers via nchsclassof86.com. (PN strongly encourages attending high school reunions. Muncie Central High School, home of the Bearcats, was demolished and rebuilt in a new location; yet, memories are rekindled every five years! Plus, classmates who have moved are eager to reconnect with everybody who still lives in town.) Meanwhile, Happy 4th of July!
Saturday
Gardener’s Art Fest
10AM to 5PM at The Growing Place Garden Center – 25w471 Plank Rd, Naperville, IL 60563
Join the Art Fest on Saturday, July 11, to shop one-of-a-kind botanical art and wander through the gardens. Shop for art with a botanic aesthetic from 40+ local artists and makers. Enjoy live music as you shop the art. Watch Plein Air Painters capture the landscape on their easels throughout the gardens. Admission is always free. See full artist and musician lineup at thegrowingplace.com.
Rosie’s Home Cookin’ is now open every day!
Find the spacious new diner at CityGate Centre, just off Ferry Road.
Rosie’s Home Cookin’ is open for breakfast, brunch and lunch—now from 7AM to 2PM every day! Rosie’s also is now located in CityGate Centre, near Rt. 59 and I-88. (For more information about Rosie’s co-founders Lynn Lowder and Dale Eisenberg and how the restaurant helps support the mission of the nonprofit Veteran Business Project, click here and check out an earlier post on this website that helps tell the history of this diner with a purpose, also a tribute to Rosie the Riveter.)
Gary Sinise & The LT Dan Band / Rockin for Our Vets
Doors open at 2PM. Music starts 5PM.
Come out early to enjoy the food, beverages and special guests! Experience a patriotic night that changes lives! The West Suburban Foundation for Disabled Veterans presents – ROCKIN FOR OUR VETS AMERICA 250 with Gary Sinise & The LT Dan Band at Cantigny! TICKETS: www.ticketsource.com/naperville-vfw-3873/wsfdv-gary-sinise-the-lt-dan-band-rockin-for-our-vets-rsvp-veteran-only-tickets/e-zkozyj
Sunday
Naperville Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk
8:30AM at Riverwalk Grand Pavilion – 912 Honorary Sindt Memorial Court Naperville, IL 60540
Naperville Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk put on its annual event on Sun., July 12, at the Riverwalk Grand Pavilion. The Lustgarten Foundation’s Walk for Research is your chance to join thousands of others whose lives have been touched by pancreatic cancer. 8:30AM Event Village Opens / 9:30AM Ceremony Begins / 10AM Walking Starts. Together we are raising the critical funds and awareness needed to transform pancreatic cancer into a curable disease. Register. Donate. Fundraise. Fundamental research is led by Lustgarten and powered by you. Support the walk today! 100% of all donations fund life-saving pancreatic cancer research. Register at hope.lustgarten.org/event/naperville.
Consider a look back at last year’s PHOTO GALLERY… 2025-naperville-lustgarten-pancreatic-cancer-research-walk
Water Street Fine Art & Fine Craft Show
10AM to 5PM in Downtown Naperville – 135 Water St. Naperville, IL 60540
The show is inviting local artists from the Chicago and suburban area to exhibit fine art and fine crafts in a variety of media including painting, drawing, sculpture, fiber, graphics, mixed media, jewelry, photography, pottery, metalwork, glass, wood, digital art work, glass and digital art. Admission to the show is free and free parking is available in the Hotel Indigo Parking Garage or Municipal Center upper deck.
Note! Water Street, along with a portion of Webster Street, will be blocked off to parking and traffic this Sunday, July 12, to accommodate the Water Street Art Fair.
Naperville Art League New Member ‘Meet & Greet’
From 1:30PM to 3PM find out more about the Naperville Art League & its Fine Art Center & Gallery.
Organizers say, “All members are welcome to come share a piece of your work, introduce yourself, talk with other artists, ask questions and learn about what is going on at NAL and in the art world around us.”
Reserve a Table at Mesón Sabika
11:30AM to 9PM at Mesón Sabika – 1025 Aurora Ave. Naperville, IL 60540
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.
Concerts in Your Park
7PM at Arrowhead Park – 711 Iroquois Ave., Naperville, IL 60563
Concerts in Your Park is a Sunday evening summer music series for families and neighbors; each concert is held at a different neighborhood park. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets for a FREE evening of outdoor musical entertainment from 7-8:30PM. Join your friends and neighbors for the musical event coming to your area.
