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 choices of things to do in the city right now.
For starters, this post is launched on Thursday. Plan a picnic in Central Park for this evening’s staged presentations by the DuPage Symphony Orchestra and the Naperville Municipal Band. Let the music begin at 6:30PM when the big stage door goes up, up, up. And remember the NMB will be performing at 7:30 Thursday evenings in Central Park through Aug. 13. Central Park is located at 104 E. Benton Avenue in downtown Naperville.
Friday
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.
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.
Summer Place Theatre presents Rent
7:30PM at Naperville Central High School – 440 Aurora Ave, Naperville, IL 60540
Summer Place Theatre continues its 60th season with Rent, the Tony Award-winning musical about love, friendship, chosen family, creativity and living for today. Performances this weekend are 7:30PM, Fri., July 24; 7:30PM, Sat., July 25; 2PM, Sun., July 26. Then the production continues next weekend at 7:30PM on Fri., July 31; 7:30PM, Sat., Aug. 1; and 2PM, Sun., Aug. 2, at Naperville Central High School Auditorium. Recommended for teens and adults. Ticket sales are available through Summer Place Theatre.
Oh! What a beautiful dog day!
Looks like a lovely weekend weatherwise for Naperville, Illinois.
Enjoy the great outdoors and plan things to do for a local staycation. And just in time for school to begin again in mid-August, window shopping from one retail destination to the next can provide fun and education with plenty of information to share. We’re hearing from folks headed out of town for family vacations, wondering when the August issue will hit the local distribution racks. It’s now a work in progress. Look for the next printed publication of PN, Vol. 25. No. 12, on August 5, 2026. Happy trails!
DuPage County Fair runs through July 26 just beyond Naperville!
Visit the DuPage County Fair through Sunday, July 26.
Hours will be 11AM to 10PM Thursday; 11AM to 11PM Friday; 12-Noon to 11PM Saturday; and 12-Noon to 8PM Sunday. The Fairgrounds are located at 2015 Manchester Road in Wheaton. For more information regarding admission, 4-H exhibits, schedules of events and more, visit dupagecountyfair.org.
Saturday
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.)
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.
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. 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.
Sunday
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 – Infunktious
7PM to 8:30PM / Tall Grass Park, 3512 Grassmere Road / FREE
Concerts in Your Park is a Sunday evening summer music series for families and neighbors; each concert features a musical group or cover band and is held at a different neighborhood park. BYO lawn chairs and blankets for a FREE evening of outdoor musical entertainment. Find more about this Sunday’s entertainment at tunesforaminute.com/infunktious.
Downtown Naperville Summer Painted Sculptures – Dog Days of Summer
All Day Every Day in downtown Naperville thru Labor Day
Come see the painted DOG Sculptures in Downtown Naperville this summer, a group of popular pups and one cat sculptures in attractive designs that have welcoming families since the first week of June. The Dog Days of Summer … here we are! They are ‘pawsitively’ awesome! Remember also to check for any remaining balance on Downtown Naperville Gift Cards, simply purrfect for many shopping and dining pleasures in the heart of the City.
Do you know anyone from the NCHS Class of 1986?
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.)
Illinois Now Reports Dealing with Cyclospora Outbreak
Centers of Disease Control & Prevention lists Illinois among states with diarrhea-causing parasite.
Let us remind readers of the advice repeated often from 2020 through 2022. Perhaps as a child you were taught whenever washing your hands to sing the entire “happy birthday” song in order to get them thoroughly clean. Let us also add: Always be prepared to wash your hands when necessary, just don’t wash away your common sense.
