Evanston Parks & Recreation

08/29/2026

Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure kicks off at 7pm tonight (8/29) at Leider Park (Asbury at South Blvd).

08/29/2026

Meet the new Honorary Mayor of Dog-E-Town: Daphne! Daphne emerged victorious from a crowded field of 110 candidates in our Choose Your Parks & Recreation Adventure campaign—including four cats and a pet shrimp named Shrimpy Phormayor.

Thank you to everyone who entered a pet and shared their creative campaign platforms. Every candidate is a winner because they’ll soon have a brand-new place to run, play and make friends at Dog-E-Town!

Daphne is an 11-year-old Australian Cattle Dog–Great Pyrenees mix who lives with Karen and Steve York. The Yorks adopted her from the Evanston Animal Shelter in 2024 when she was 9 years old. It was Daphne’s second stay at EAS: In 2017, she became the shelter’s first pregnant stray.

Her administration will focus on “eradicating all vermin from the City’s garbage bins” and encouraging Evanstonians to adopt their pets from the shelter.

Help us celebrate the grand opening of Dog-E-Town —Evanston’s newest off-leash dog park—on Sunday, Aug. 30!
-Date: Sunday, Aug. 30
-Time: 10 a.m.
-Location: Grey Park, 1051 Main St.
-The celebration will include a ribbon cutting, tips from Dogtopia on dog park best practices and plenty of time for pups to explore the new park.

A current dog beach/park pass is required. Passes are free for Evanston residents in ZIP codes 60201 and 60202.
Learn more about Dog-E-Town and how to obtain a pass: cityofevanston.org/dog-parks

08/27/2026

The Great Evanston Picnic Hunt is on! Your perfect outdoor gathering spot might be closer than you think. This week’s Choose Your Parks & Recreation Adventure challenges you to explore Evanston’s reservable picnic sites and discover a spot you didn’t know about.

Your Mission:
- Explore Evanston’s picnic sites at cityofevanston.org/picnic-permits and find one that catches your eye. Lake view? Playground? Grill? Picnic shelter? Maybe the Fire Circle at Lighthouse Beach?
- Tell us in the comments of this post which spot you discovered and why you’d choose it for your next gathering.
- Complete the mission by Wednesday, Sept. 2, and you’ll be entered for a chance to win four tickets to the Oct. 17 Zombie Scramble!

Ready to start hunting? cityofevanston.org/picnic-permits

08/26/2026

SURVIVOR ALERT: Registration for the Zombie Scramble is OPEN!
The zombies are waiting. The clock is ticking. Your only job? DON’T GET CAUGHT.
Gather your crew and enroll now before registration closes

cityofevanston.org/register

08/26/2026

Help Us Design a New Playground at Clyde-Brummel Park at https://bit.ly/3UnVkJa

A brand-new playground is coming to Clyde-Brummel Park, and we want your voice in the process! The City of Evanston has partnered with KABOOM!, a national nonprofit dedicated to building kid-designed, community-powered play spaces, to create a playground inspired by the very children and families who will play there.

Earlier this month, community members came together at a Design Day event to help shape the two playground designs now up for your feedback!

Review the two designs at https://bit.ly/3UnVkJa, then follow the prompts to select your favorite.

Please submit your feedback by Thursday, August 27 at noon!

The winning design will be announced soon after voting closes. Then comes the exciting part: in late October, City staff, KABOOM!, and community volunteers will come together to build the playground...in less than a week! Stay tuned for more information on how to volunteer.

08/26/2026

It’s time to unleash the fun! Dog E-Town, Evanston’s new off-leash dog park at Grey Park, 1051 Main St., officially opens on Sunday, Aug. 30.

Bring your four-legged friend and join us for an opening celebration and ribbon cutting beginning at 10 a.m., followed by tips on best dog park practices by Dogtopia. Then, let your pup explore Evanston’s newest space to run, play and make new friends.

A current dog beach/park pass is required to use Dog E-Town. Passes provide access to both Dog E-Town and the Evanston Dog Beach and are free for Evanston residents in ZIP codes 60201 and 60202. Before receiving a pass, dogs must meet vaccination, testing and licensing requirements.

Learn more about Dog E-Town and how to obtain a pass: cityofevanston.org/dog-parks

08/24/2026

Tomorrow!

Join Central Street, Evanston for their 5th annual summer evening Takeout Picnic in Independence Park, in partnership with the City-hosted Starlight Concert Series. This year's concert features soft rock from Chicago-area band Soft Opening.

Come early and support local businesses! Grab a takeout picnic meal from one of the many restaurants along Central Street before settling in for the show.

This event is free and made possible through our partnership with Evanston SPACE and Evanston Folk Fest, with generous sponsorship from Jackie Mack & More.

New this year! Central Street received a Sustain Evanston grant from the City, allowing them to offer composting stations throughout the event in partnership with The Urban Canopy.

08/24/2026

Soft-Opening will perform soft rock style music at Independence Park on Aug. 25 at 6 p.m. as part of our free Starlight Concert series. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets and your favorite snacks for a fun summer evening with family and friends. Alcohol will be available for purchase to adults.

Event details
Date: Tuesday, August 25
Location: Independence Park, 2627 Stewart Ave.
Time: 6 p.m.

08/23/2026

The US National Weather Service Chicago Illinois has issued a Beach Hazard Statement for tonight through Sunday due to high wave action and dangerous currents. Please remain out of the water when lifeguards are not on duty.

More info: lnks.gd/3/3b5VD6-

08/21/2026

The Wild & Scenic Film Festival scheduled for this evening has been canceled due to the expected thunderstorms.