Naperville is situated in the west suburbs of Chicago, and is the fourth largest city in Illinois. This quaint city has been voted several times as one of the best places to live in the United States. Its activities are one reason why. Summertime is about to begin for Naperville residents! Keep reading for our favorite unique Naperville summer activities that will bring joy to the entire family.
Children’s Lunch Hour Entertainment
If you have elementary school kids, this may end of being one of your favorite events in Naperville. Every Tuesday, beginning on June 13th and concluding on July 25th, the Naperville Park District puts on a Children’s Lunch Hour Entertainment. The event will always be at 11:30am, but will rotate locations weekly between 95th St. Community Plaza and Riverwalk Grand Pavilion. Come and enjoy live music for 45 minutes, plus 10 minutes of book readings for those showing up prior to the shows. And it is all free!
Here is the lineup:
June 13th: Jeanie B! (95th St. Community Plaza)
June 20th: Istvan & His Imaginary Band (Riverwalk Grand Pavilion)
June 27th: Super Stolie (95th St. Community Plaza)
July 11th: Ben Tartar (Riverwalk Grand Pavilion)
July 18th: Wendy and DB (95th St. Community Plaza)
July 25th: Miss Jamie from the Farm (Riverwalk Grand Pavilion)
Father’s Day Fishing Derby
One great thing about Naperville is that, on top of all it has to offer, its now-larger neighbor Aurora has some pretty cool stuff too! Traveling just a bit west, you can find Blackberry Farm, located at 100 S. Barnes Road in Aurora. On Father’s Day, Sunday, June 18th, Blackberry Farm is hosting a Fishing Derby from 1:00-2:00pm. Bring your dad out to Lake Gregory and show off your father-son fishing skills. There will be awards for those who catch the:
- most fish
- biggest fish
- smallest fish
The Fishing Derby is included with a daily Blackberry Farm admission ticket. Check out their website for more info.
School of Rock & Naper Nights
The Naperville summer activities and traditions continue at the Naper Settlement on Friday, June 16th for Naper Nights. The School of Rock kicks off the event, putting on a show for all ages from 5-10 pm. Covering the spectrum from classic rock and Motown favorites to modern rock and pop hits, The School of Rock allows future artist the ability to develop their music abilities through live shows.
Here’s the full Naper Nights lineup:
Adult tickets are $20 and children’s (4-12) tickets are $15, available here. Naper Settlement is located at 523 S. Webster St. in Naperville.
Downtown Naperville Car Show
The Downtown Naperville Car Show is another option among the free events in Naperville that will rev up Father’s Day weekend, with over 100 cars in this year’s show. Located on Jackson Ave. along the Riverwalk, this free event takes place from 9-12pm on Saturday, June 17th. Whether it’s the classic models from yesteryear that get your wheels turning, or the latest muscle cars, Naperville Car Show has many lanes for you to choose from.
Festa Italiana
Unable to take a trip to Italy this summer? Know worries, Naperville residents can pay $5 to bring all the joys of the European nation to their own backyard. Taking place Friday, August 4th through Sunday, August 6th is Naperville’s annual Festa Italiana. From shopping vendors to a meatball eating contest, you are bound to find something that will bring a smile to your face when attending the festival. With live music that is rooted from the old country and classic ’50s Vegas hits, Festa Italiana brings the joyous sounds of Italy home. There are also plenty of attractions for kids, and rides to enjoy as well. Times for each date are as follows:
Friday August 4th: 5-10pm
Saturday, August 5th: noon-10pm
Sunday, August 6th: noon-8pm
Featured image by Ron Cogswell, under CC by 2.0
