Things to Do in Evanston, IL

The city of Evanston offers numerous recreational activities for all to enjoy. From sporting activities to fine arts and historical museums, there are activities sure to meet the diverse interests of all of the city’s residents.

Evanston, IL Sports & Recreation

Gardens and outdoor spaces are plentiful in Evanston, IL, as the residents take pride in the area’s natural beauty. The Merrick Rose Garden features more than 100 varieties of roses. Many sites are maintained by the Garden Club of Evanston, including the Shakespeare Garden on the Northwestern University Evanston campus, a wildflower garden at Grosse Point Lighthouse and a new perennial garden at Evanston Township High School. Residents also have the option to plant in one of four popular community gardens to raise vegetables and flowers. The ecology center at the Ladd Arboretum and the nature center at the Grosse Point Lighthouse contribute to widespread community awareness of natural resources and conservation measures.

Outdoor spaces in the city of Evanston are also popular for families, including the city’s 300 acres of land in over 90 public parks, a 54-acre public golf course, and Evanston beaches and lakefront parks. Outdoor recreational activities are popular throughout the year, with several sledding hills and skating rinks during the winter months throughout the city of Evanston.

The Evanston Park District supervises the activities and programs offered in Evanston’s parks, Evanston beaches and community centers. Some of the facilities and programs the department oversees are:

• Parks and playgrounds: Evanston, IL operates and maintains 75 parks and playgrounds.
• Evanston beaches: The city of Evanston operates 5 beaches during the summer months.
• Community recreation centers: Chandler-Newberger, Fleetwood-Jourdain, Robert Crown, and the Levy Center offer a variety of scheduled and drop-in recreational activities.
• Youth programs: The Evanston Park District offers after-school activities, organized sports including football, baseball and volleyball, mother/father/tot leisure hours, preschool play centers and child summer programs.
• Tennis: The city of Evanston has 34 outdoor tennis courts, offering tournaments, league play, and instructional programs.
• Senior programs.
• Ice skating: Robert Crown Community Center houses an indoor ice rink, headquarters of the Evanston Youth Hockey Association, the Evanston Speed Skating Club and Evanston Figure Skating.

Evanston, IL Art & Theater

The city of Evanston boasts one of the largest and most diverse arts communities in the state. The Evanston Art Center offers classes, exhibits and scholarships, sponsoring several popular summer activities, including the Lakeshore Arts Festival, the Ethnic Arts Festival, summer Starlight Concerts and an arts camp.

The Noyes Cultural Arts Center provides space for artists’ workshops, as well as theater and dance performances. Evanston, IL was the starting point for the careers of several nationally recognized actors, including John and Joan Cusack, Jeremy Piven and Aidan Quinn.

The city of Evanston also hosts an impressive public art collection. A number of sculptures and murals remain from the Works Progress Administration era of the 1930’s and 1940’s. Notable examples can be found at the Evanston Post Office and at some Evanston schools.

Evanston, IL Festivals

The city of Evanston offers numerous festivals throughout the year. Evanston First Night is a New Year’s Eve celebration for families, featuring music, dancing, puppet shows, face painting, jugglers, clowns, and an Evanston fireworks display at midnight.

Spring festivals include the annual Evanston Garden Fair, the Young Evanston Artists outdoor street display, and Strut for Strays, a dog walk-a-thon to raise money for the animals at the Evanston Animal Shelter.

The summer festivals begin with Custer’s Last Stand in June, followed by arts-and-craft festivals, the Ethnic Arts Festival and the Lakeshore Arts Festival. Starlight concerts and weekly street dances are presented to the city of Evanston’s residents, along with the World’s Largest Garage Sale, held in Evanston’s downtown parking garage. Another festival that attracts many people to the city of is the Evanston Independence Day parade and the Evanston fireworks display.

Evanston, IL Museums

The city of Evanston offers a number of museums and historical destinations. Built in 1873, the Gross Point Lighthouse’s 113-foot tower, keeper’s quarters, and storeroom have been fully restored, and are now designated as a National Historic Landmark. The two fog-signal houses east of the tower have been converted into a nature center and a maritime museum that explores the Great Lakes area history.

The Evanston Historical Society is located in the magnificent Charles Gates Dawes House, a chateau-style mansion overlooking Lake Michigan. Dawes was the 30th Vice President of the United States and his home is also a National Historic Landmark.