Upcoming Events

Kids Concert:

July 17, 2012:

Performing selections from Women in Rock and Pink Floyd, The Paul Green School of Rock concert is great for children of all ages and will definitely get everyone up and dancing.

The free show starts at 7:30pm and is located at Harbert Park (on Dempster at McDaniel, one block East of McCormick).

Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band


July 19, 2012

Rock. Country. Blues. If any or all of those words appeal to you, come out and see Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band and hear them play - for free at 7:30pm on Thursday at James Park (300 Dodge Ave).

Ethnic Arts Festival:

Come out and see Evanston's annual Ethnic Arts Festival from July 21-22 (Saturday to Sunday 12:00-7:00pm).

We have live music, dance performers, and a juried art collection all on display.

Click through the link to get more details about who is playing and when. We hope to see you there!

30th Anniversary of City of Evanston Arts Camp

Thursday, July 5, 4-6 p.m.
Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes Street

Did you ever attend a City of Evanston Arts Camp?  

Were you a counselor or a teacher?  

Do you know someone who was?

Come back to remember and celebrate—after 30 years it is time for a reunion!

Wear your camp tee shirt, bring your VHS video (we will have a player on hand), dust off that scrapbook, and come to the Noyes Cultural Arts Center, on Thursday, July 5 from 4-6 p.m. for a reception, then fan out across Evanston to check out our current camp Parents' Night!

We are thrilled that Marilyn Price, the artist educator who thought the whole thing up, will be with us to see how her “baby” grew up! 

For more information, contact Angela Allyn, 847-448-8260, aallyn@cityofevanston.org.

The Western Elstons - Starlight Concert

Thursday, June 28, at 7:30 p.m., The Western Elstons perform as part of the City of Evanston's 2012 Starlight Concert series with a free performance at James Park at Dodge Avenue and Mulford Street, (South of Oakton) in Evanston. The Western Elstons concert features music ranging from western swing to honky-tonk.

All Starlight Concert performances are free to the public, and will take place from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, rain site information will be available after 4:30 p.m. on the show date by calling 847/448-8258, 847/448-8260 or 847/44-4311.  Concert rain sites: Levy Senior Center, 300 Dodge Ave., Evanston will be the rain site for Dawes, James and Brummel Park concerts. Fleetwood-Jourdain Center, 1655 Foster St., Evanston will be the rain site for Twiggs, Harbert and Bent Park concerts.

Expo '76 - Starlight Concert

Tuesday, June 26, at 7:30 p.m., Expo '76 performs as part of the City of Evanston's 2012 Starlight Concert series with a free performance at Bent Park located at Central Street and Cowper Avenue in Evanston. Expo '76 performs covers of dusties and one-hit wonders. 

All Starlight Concert performances are free to the public, and will take place from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, rain site information will be available after 4:30 p.m. on the show date by calling 847/448-8258, 847/448-8260 or 847/44-4311.  Concert rain sites: Levy Senior Center, 300 Dodge Ave., Evanston will be the rain site for Dawes, James and Brummel Park concerts. Fleetwood-Jourdain Center, 1655 Foster St., Evanston will be the rain site for Twiggs, Harbert and Bent Park concerts.

Custer's Last Stand Festival of the Arts

Saturday, June 16 - Sunday, June 17, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m., at Chicago and Main, Evanston.  Custer's Last Stand Festival of the Arts  features arts and crafts, antiques, a food fest, two music stages and a children's area. This fun event began in 1972 on historic Custer Avenue named after General George Armstrong Custer in gratitude for his service to the Union during the Civil War. Each year since then artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, restauranteurs, entertainers and the business community get together with 70,000 attendees for this award-winning Northshore tradition.

Waco Brothers - Starlight Concert

Thursday, June 14, at 7:30 p.m., Chicago's own Waco Brothers will open the City of Evanston's 2012 Starlight Concert series with a free performance at James Park, 300 Dodge Avenue in Evanston.


Founded by Jon Langford of the Mekons, the Waco Brothers' train-wreck approach to country has been described as Johnny Cash meets the Clash. See the video below for a taste of their concert at James Park in 2009.





All Starlight Concert performances are free to the public, and will take place from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, rain site information will be available after 4:30 p.m. on the show date by calling 847/448-8258, 847/448-8260 or 847/44-4311.  Concert rain sites: Levy Senior Center, 300 Dodge Ave., Evanston will be the rain site for Dawes, James and Brummel Park concerts. Fleetwood-Jourdain Center, 1655 Foster St., Evanston will be the rain site for Twiggs, Harbert and Bent Park concerts.

October is National Arts & Humanities Month, and Evanston joins communities nationwide in celebrating the arts and recognizing the many ways that arts and culture enhance our lives.
From art in downtown storefront windows, to lectures, book discussions, performances, exhibits, and artist open studios, there's sure to be something of interest to everyone during this month-long celebration of the arts and humanities.

Join the Evanston Arts Council at a downtown kick-off event for Arts & Humanities Month from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday, October 1, at Design Within Reach, 1710 Sherman Avenue. This free event will feature refreshments, entertainment by the Blue Dragons, and art work on display by a number of artists including Hiroshi Ariyama, Richard Cohen, Elizabeth Freyou, Sarah Kaiser, Sara Strozinsky, and Paul Wear.

Show 'em a Poem

Monday, May 10 is the deadline for submission of short poems for a competition organized by the City of Evanston's Public Art Committee and the Evanston Public Library. Five original poems will be selected to be installed in concrete on the sidewalk ramp in front of the Evanston Public Library in downtown Evanston.

The Library Sidewalk Poem Project is open to Evanston residents of all ages. Original poems appropriate for a public audience are welcome. Click here for submission guidelines. For more information, please call 847.448.8260.