Inside Out 2 outdoor screening, Taste of Glen Ellyn fair, astronomy fundamentals family night, and more. 
Happy Friday, Naperville. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let Naperville Brief serve up everything you need to know for the weekend ahead.
📰 In the news
Local happenings: A million dollar gift boosts the animal shelter, planners reveal vision for the fifth Avenue Metra station area, and a birder nears 250 hummingbird sightings — catch up here.
State-level stories: West Coast drive thru coffee chain coming to Glen Carbon and Urbana, Clarendon Hills Little League at Williamsport, 31% of third graders reading proficiently — see what else is brewing.
National headlines: South Korea’s court dismissed a Baby Shark copyright claim, a judge blocked fishing around Pacific atolls, and retirees eye a bigger Social Security increase — peruse the best of the rest.
Highlights this week
- Play as superheroes in sensory playground
- Meet gentle greyhounds ready for adoption
- Join the Smash Hunger pickleball tournament
- Explore the cosmos with your family
- Unlock dozens of travel deals with AARP
🫶 We got your back
Home: Your living room has been begging for a personality upgrade and Naperville’s decor stores will hook you up with everything from sleek modern pieces to quirky one-of-a-kind finds.
Golf: Think Illinois golf is all about Chicago’s exclusive clubs with impossible tee times and yacht-sized fees? Think again. The Prairie State hides public gems from north to south and these Illinois courses are worth the drive.
Finance: Navigating credit cards with your teen can feel like deciphering hieroglyphics. These easy credit lessons turn confusing plastic power into real-world know-how.
Cocktail: Whether you’re craving a smoky mezcal riff, a floral gin fantasia, or a boozy twist on the classics, Zorba Lounge mixes rare spirits, house-made syrups, and a dash of theater into cocktails that turn your evening into a liquid performance you won’t forget.
Money: The average driver pays $175 a month on car insurance, but most of us are paying way too much. If it’s been a while since you shopped around, you’re likely part of that “most of us.” This comparison tool can save you hundreds.
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📆 Around town this weekend
All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.
Today
🎬 A Night at the Movies: Inside Out 2 @ Rotary Hill | Friday (8/15) at 8:15pm – Balmy summer nights beg for a free outdoor screening of Inside Out 2 under the stars. Haul out your comfiest chair, cozy up with a blanket, and smuggle in all your favorite movie snacks for a nostalgic, low-key evening that’s 100% guilt-free therapy.
🚗 Cheap Foreign Cars @ Two Brothers Roundhouse | Friday (8/15) at 8:30pm – Cheap Foreign Cars is rolling into Two Brothers Roundhouse to crank out Cheap Trick, Foreigner, and The Cars hits like it’s 1979 again. Think great beers, solid bar bites, and a rowdy crowd that enjoys quality time with a side of power chords.
This weekend
🎮 Play Day @ Sensory Garden Playground | Saturday (8/16) at 10:00am – Nothing sets the weekend mood like toddlers in capes marauding the Sensory Garden Playground for a hero-themed romp, complete with crafts, giveaways, and the season’s final collectible rubber duck (complete your quartet for a surprise reward). A $5 family pledge makes you the real hero.
🎤 Sing Around @ Two Way Street Coffee House | Saturday (8/16) at 2:00pm – Grab your guitar or your ears and head to Two Way Street Coffee House for a laid-back folk sing-around. You’ll hear dusty ballads and campfire classics you forgot you knew, courtesy of neighbors who actually remember the words. Two hours of tunes will fly by.
🎵 Dina Bach Music @ Abbey Farms | Saturday (8/16) at 5:30pm – Early evening calls for labyrinths you can actually conquer, wine in one hand, map in the other. Abbey Farms is flipping its corn maze into a ticketed taste fest, complete with local pours, artisan bites, and a chaos zone for the rugrats.
🍴 Taste of Glen Ellyn 2025 @ College of DuPage | Sunday (8/17) at 12:00pm – College of DuPage is turning into Glen Ellyn’s very own mini fairground, with booth-lined business expo, carnival rides, and mouthwatering bites from every corner of town, plus cold drinks and national acts serenading your snack break. Wear stretchy pants and your most forgiving shoes.
🔒 Speakeasy Escape Room @ Naper Settlement | Sunday (8/17) at 1:00pm – If you’ve been dying to prove your inner gumshoe, here’s your chance to help our detective agency bust Prohibition’s biggest crime boss. Whisper the right password, crack cryptic clues, and earn your spot at the secret bar. Cheers to putting those puzzle skills to work.
🎪 Venardos Circus | Sunday (8/17) at 2:00pm – If you’ve ever dreamed of a Broadway-style circus without the sad lion, Benedictine U’s new Venardos tent in Lisle has you covered. Expect jugglers, contortionists, and enough slapstick to make you snort your pink lemonade, all under a taller tent for better aerial views.
Next week
🏓 Smash Hunger Classic Pickleball Tournament @ White Eagle Golf Club | Monday (8/18) at 10:00am – Swap your walks for a few dinks at Naperville’s White Eagle. The inaugural Smash Hunger pickleball tourney guarantees three games, court-side bites, and a post-game reception, all while slamming hunger across Northern Illinois. Sign up, swing hard, and feed your neighbors.
🧶 Make & Create @ Downers Grove Public Library | Monday (8/18) at 2:30pm – Yarn, glue, and zero grown-ups? Sounds like a dream Monday for crafty kids in grades 1–6. This week’s drop-in session is all about yarn art—wrap it, weave it, or just go wild. No sign-ups, no rules (except that whole “no parents” thing).
🌌 Astronomy Fundamentals : Family Night @ Grace United Methodist Church | Tuesday (8/19) at 7:30pm – Tuesday evening is the perfect excuse to swap the couch for a church hall, where you’ll make moon craters, test your weight on Mars, then assemble a marshmallow constellation. It’s free, family-friendly, and proof that even grown-ups crave sticky science fun.
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
🎶 Live music & entertainment
- 8/15 Naper Nights @ Naper Settlement – 5 pm
- 8/15 Friday Night Live @ Downtown Downers Grove – 5:30 pm
- 8/15 Sealed with a Kiss @ Taste of Glen Ellyn – 6 pm
- 8/15 Second Hands News @ The Forge – 6:30 pm
- 8/15 Sunny Sweeney and more @ The Venue – 7 pm
- 8/17 True West @ Copley Theatre – 1 pm
- 8/17 Summer in the Parks Concerts @ Arrowhead Park – 2 pm
- 8/19 Weeknight Patio Jams @ Potter’s Place – 6 pm
🏠️ Price is right – Naperville edition
How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).
Listed by: Kirk Bennett (ByOwner.com)
A grand two-story foyer, wrought iron spindles, and hardwood floors set the tone for this 3,700+ square foot stunner on a corner lot in River Run. The kitchen is a party magnet with granite counters, a coffee bar, and a wet bar, while the family room brings the drama with a vaulted ceiling, skylights, and a Fanimotion paddle fan. Cathedral ceilings pop up everywhere, from the master suite to the lofted in-law setup, and the finished basement packs in a theater, wet bar, and game room.
Outside, a new stamped concrete patio overlooks lush landscaping, and the three-car garage hides a deep third bay for extra toys. River Run Club perks include pools, tennis, pickleball, and a gym that actually makes working out tempting.
Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →
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