MARKETS & FESTIVALS (July 7 – 13) 🛍️

🚗 Rand Red Hots Classic Car Cruise Night (Des Plaines) | 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Free | Celebrate a local summer tradition by browsing an impressive display of vintage automobiles while snacking on classic drive-in favorites. | Rand Red Hots (Link)

💦 Rainbow Falls Theme Day: Dance Party (Elk Grove Village) | 11:30 AM - 4:30 PM | $12 Resident / $18 Non-Resident | Waterpark guests can groove to high-energy music and enjoy themed giveaways right by the pool. | Rainbow Falls Waterpark (Link)

🍦 Ice Cream Social & Bingo at the Farm (Schaumburg) | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Free | Gather for a sunset celebration featuring competitive bingo, custom sundaes, and scenic evening wagon rides around the grounds. | Heritage Farm at Spring Valley (Link)

📚 Summer Book Sale (July 9-12) (Barrington) | 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Free | Browse thousands of discounted fiction titles, children's books, CDs, and media elements during opening night. | Barrington Area Library Gallery (Link)

🎶 Thursday Night Out (Barrington) | 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM | Free | Gather in downtown Barrington for an open-air evening featuring local dining pop-ups, family activities, and live music. | BMO LOT (Lot 18) (Link)

🍷 Sip & Stroll into Summer (Des Plaines) | 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM | $35 | Wander through the downtown district to sample local flavors and craft beverages at various shops while discovering historical displays. | Downtown Des Plaines / Des Plaines Theatre Registration (Link)

🍔 Taste of Park Ridge (July 9-11) — Day 1 (Park Ridge) | 11:00 AM - 10:30 PM | Free | Kick off the town’s premier three-day food and music festival featuring exceptional local merchant bites, refreshing drinks, and a special opening ceremony. | Uptown Park Ridge (Link)

📚 Summer Book Sale (Barrington) | 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM | Free | Score amazing deals on second-hand paperbacks, hardcovers, young adult fiction, and multimedia favorites. | Barrington Area Library Gallery (Link)

🌽 Downtown Elgin Market (Elgin) | 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Free | A weekly community staple packing South Riverside Drive with farm-fresh produce, unique handmade goods, and incredible local eats. | South Riverside Drive (Link)

🧀 Pop-Up: Suburban Graze (Elgin) | 5:00 PM | Free | An evening gathering featuring fresh, artisan charcuterie plates to pair with local craft beverages. | Plank Road Tap Room (Link)

🥬 Lake Zurich Farmers Market (Lake Zurich) | 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Free | Shop premium, locally grown produce, artisan treats, and homemade baked goods directly along the scenic neighborhood waterfront. | Paulus Park (Link)

🍔 Taste of Park Ridge — Day 2 (Park Ridge) | 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM | Free | Keep the momentum rolling through the weekend with incredible local restaurant stands, family pop-up fun, and massive open-air evening crowds. | Uptown Park Ridge (Link)

🌽 Schaumburg Farmers Market (Schaumburg) | 7:00 AM - 1:00 PM | Free | Browse a seasonal open-air spread spotlighting fresh regional harvests, artisanal cheeses, and handcrafted local treats. | Trickster Cultural Center Lot (Link)

🤖 BotCon Transformers Fan Convention (July 10-12) (Schaumburg) | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM | $40 | Immerse yourself in a premier pop-culture celebration featuring celebrity guests, panels, and an expansive dealer hall. | Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center (Link)

🌽 Arlington Heights Farmers Market (Arlington Heights) | 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Free | Browse nearly forty local vendors showcasing seasonal produce, artisanal cheeses, and fresh pastries outside the historical museum. | Arlington Heights Historical Museum (Link)

📚 Summer Book Sale (Barrington) | 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM | Free | Score amazing deals on second-hand paperbacks, hardcovers, young adult fiction, and multimedia favorites. | Barrington Area Library Gallery (Link)

🍯 General Store Tasting (Bartlett) | 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM | Free | Sample a delightful variety of artisanal country favorites, from golden local honey and gourmet licorice to specialty dips and fresh brew-bread mixes. | Prestige Creative Markets & Nursery (Link)

📚 Foundation Used Book Sale (Buffalo Grove) | 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM | Free | Discover incredible values on a vast selection of fiction, children's literature, and various media at this library fundraiser. | Indian Trails Public Library (Link)

💃 GENCenter Sock Hop (Des Plaines) | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Free | Put on your dancing shoes for a nostalgic afternoon of retro oldies and community socialization. | GENCenter (Link)

🚗 Classic Car Show 2026 (Elgin) | 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM | Free | Explore an extensive collection of stock and modified classic cars, trucks, and motorcycles on the museum lawns alongside live music. | Elgin History Museum (Link)

🚗 Bluesmobile Cruise Nights (Mount Prospect) | 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Free | Stroll through rows of vintage muscle cars, classic hot rods, and custom trucks at this popular community auto tradition sponsored by the Lions Club. | East Commuter Lot (Link)

🥬 Palatine Farmers Market (Palatine) | 7:00 AM - 1:00 PM | Free | Stroll through the train station lot to browse premium, direct-from-the-farm produce, local artisan products, and freshly baked community goods. | Palatine Metra Station Parking Lot (Link)

🥬 Park Ridge Farmer's Market (Park Ridge) | 7:00 AM - 1:00 PM | Free | Stroll down the neighborhood sidewalks to stock up on seasonal local farm produce, artisan baked goods, cheeses, and unique regional treats. | Between Maine & Garden Streets (Link)

📚 Friends of the Park Ridge Library Summer Book Sale (Park Ridge) | 9:30 AM - 2:00 PM | Free | Browse thousands of deeply discounted favorite paperbacks, hardcovers, children's books, and media items at this popular community library fundraiser. | Park Ridge Public Library (Link)

🍔 Taste of Park Ridge — Day 3 Finale (Park Ridge) | 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM | Free | Savor the absolute best food, community booths, and cold drinks in town during the ultimate final day of Park Ridge's signature summer celebration. | Uptown Park Ridge (Link)

🐴 Mongol Naadam – Chicago 2026 (Rolling Meadows) | 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM | Free | Immerse yourself in a vibrant cultural festival showcasing heritage through traditional Mongolian wrestling, archery, and thrilling horse racing. | Busse Woods (Link)

🤖 BotCon Transformers Fan Convention (Schaumburg) | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM | $40 | Explore exceptional artist tables, voice actor panels, and custom toy contests at this massive fan gathering. | Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center (Link)

🛍️ Old Orchard Vintage & Artisan Market (Skokie) | 10:00 - 7:00 PM | Free | Browse a premium, open-air curation of upscale throwback garments, home decor elements, and hand-built regional crafts. | Westfield Old Orchard (Link)

🛍️ Summer Market (Streamwood) | 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM | Free | Stroll through local vendor showcases featuring unique handmade crafts, fine jewelry, specialty food items, and artisan products. | Poplar Creek Public Library - Meeting Rooms 1, 2, and 3 (Link)

📚 Summer Book Sale (Barrington) | 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM | Free | Score amazing deals on second-hand paperbacks, hardcovers, young adult fiction, and multimedia favorites. | Barrington Area Library Gallery (Link)

🛍️ The Hoffman Estates Maker’s Market | 10 AM - 2 PM | Vistex parking lot (Link)

📚 Summer Book Sale (Barrington) | 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM | Free | Score amazing deals on second-hand paperbacks, hardcovers, young adult fiction, and multimedia favorites. | Barrington Area Library Gallery (Link)

🍳 Villa Olivia Sunday Brunch: Taste of Tuscany (Bartlett) | 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM | $25.95 | Gather the family for a massive buffet spread featuring classic breakfast staples, carving stations, and fresh pastries overlooking the golf course. | Villa Olivia (Link)

🥬 Buffalo Grove Farmers Market (Buffalo Grove) | 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM | Free | Shop for seasonal harvests, artisanal goods, and handcrafted treats at this weekly open-air celebration of local producers. | Mike Rylko Community Park (Link)

🧸 Play, Picnic & Party! (Elk Grove Village) | 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM | Free | Celebrate summer with a massive community extravaganza featuring a petting zoo, touch-a-truck, live music, bumper cars, and a foam party. | Elk Grove Village Hall (Link)

🍹 Margaritas & Makers featuring Terrapin Flyer (Hoffman Estates) | 12:00 PM | Free | Spend a relaxing summer afternoon browsing unique local artisan makers while enjoying refreshing drinks and live Grateful Dead jam band music. | Hideaway Brew Garden (Link)

🥬 Mount Prospect Lions Club Farmers Market (Mount Prospect) | 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM | Free | Shop premium regional produce, artisanal baked items, fresh specialty cheeses, and handmade goods from local vendors spanning Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan. | West Metra Commuter Parking Lot (Link)

⛵ Cardboard Boat Regatta (Palatine) | 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Free | Watch local crews test their creativity and engineering skills as hand-built cardboard vessels race across the pool to see who sails or sinks. | Eagle Pool (Link)

🤖 BotCon Transformers Fan Convention (Schaumburg) | 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM | $25 | Cap off your weekend by browsing rows of rare collectibles and comic vendors on the final day of the expo. | Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center (Link)

🥬 Skokie Farmers' Market (Skokie) | 7:30 AM - 12:30 PM | Free | Stroll down the village square to browse premium regional growers showcasing fresh seasonal crops and artisan treats. | Village Green (Link)

🌳 Skokie Garden Walk (Skokie) | 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM | Free | Embark on the inaugural village tour to admire hidden, expertly landscaped neighborhood residential backyards and gardens. | Village Limits Spaces (Link)

🛍️ Old Orchard Vintage & Artisan Market (Skokie) | 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM | Free | Catch the final afternoon of this outdoor pop-up market showcasing hand-carved goods, local artwork, and retro items. | Westfield Old Orchard (Link)

🍷 Wine Club Pairing Dinner: A Summer Night in Porto (Arlington Heights) | 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM | $79 | Indulge in an exquisite Portuguese-style street festival dinner perfectly paired with vibrant local Vinho Verde wines. | Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant (Link)

📚 Summer Book Sale: $5 Fill-a-Bag Day! (Barrington) | 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM | Free | Load up an entire provided shopping bag to the absolute brim with books and media for just a flat five-dollar bill. | Barrington Area Library Gallery (Link)

🎲 Monday Bingo at the Dutch Inn (Elgin) | 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM | Free | A lively community game night featuring cash progressive jackpots, food and drink specials, and fun prizes. | Dutch Inn West (Link)

🚗 Niles Monday Night Car Show (Niles) | 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Free | Stroll through a brilliant open-air exhibition of beautifully restored vintage automobiles, classic hot rods, and custom trucks surrounded by fellow car enthusiasts. | AMC - Golf Mill Shopping Center (Link)

🚗 Palatine Cruise Night (Palatine) | 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM | Free | Stroll through a vibrant local lot to view vintage muscle cars and classic hot rods while connecting with neighborhood automotive enthusiasts. | Culver's Palatine Parking Lot (Link)