Have you settled into the new school year and are looking for exciting things to do with kids this weekend? We’ve got a list for you! Below you’ll find over 95 family-friendly events including festivals, storytimes, classes, music performances and more.
This weekend, some local organizations are also recognizing Grandparents Day, which is celebrated each year on the first Sunday after Labor Day. If you’re lucky enough to have supportive grandparents in your child’s life, it’s a great time to thank them for all they do or invite them along to a family adventure in the weekend planner below.
Things to Do with Kids This Weekend: Western Suburbs
Please check the details before you go to these events to ensure you know about registration requirements and additional info to maximize your family’s fun. While we do our best to keep the most up-to-date information in our calendar, last minute location or time changes do happen. Want to find “weekend events near me”? We have you covered!
Friday
There’s great options for live music on Friday, with Rock the Block Party at Elmhurst City Centre or Friday Summer Concert Series on Main Street in Downtown Glen Ellyn. Geneva Public Library and Downtown Aurora are hosting First Friday festivities, too!
Step Into a Story: Wonder Walkers Pop-Up StoryWalk® (Glen Ellyn)
September 6, 2024 | during park hours, usually dawn to dusk
Plum Playdate: Baby and Toddler (Helen Plum Library, Lombard)
September 6, 2024 | 9:30am – 11:30am
Taste of Chicago (Grant Park, Chicago)
September 6, 2024 | 11:00am – 9:00pm
Annual Rotary Steak Fry Honoring Veterans and First Responders (Western Springs)
September 6, 2024 | 12:00pm – 1:30pm
Purchase tickets in advance for discounted pricing.
Good Old Days Festival (Winfield)
September 6, 2024 | 4:00pm – 10:00pm
Rock the Block Party (Elmhurst City Centre)
September 6, 2024 | 4:00pm – 11:00pm
First Friday: Sing and Soar with Nanny Nikki (Geneva Public Library)
September 6, 2024 | 4:30pm – 5:30pm
Roselle Cruise Nights
September 6, 2024 | 5:00pm – 9:00pm
First Fridays (Downtown Aurora)
September 6, 2024 | 5:00pm – 9:00pm
St. Cletus Fall Fest (La Grange)
September 6, 2024 | 5:00pm – 11:00pm
Aurora Art League Member’s Show (Santori Library, Aurora)
September 6, 2024 | 5:30pm – 8:30pm
Friday Summer Concert Series on Main Street (Downtown Glen Ellyn)
September 6, 2024 | 6:00pm – 10:00pm
Friday Night Sing-Along: Beauty and the Beast (Lisle Public Library)
September 6, 2024 | 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Flying High Pizza Fun Night (Countryside)
September 6, 2024 | 7:00pm – 10:00pm
Register in advance for discounted admission.
A Night at the Movies: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (Rotary Hill, Naperville)
September 6, 2024 | 7:30pm – 9:30pm
Saturday
Saturday’s options are impossible to choose from! It’s the annual Brookeridge Fly and Drive-In in Downers Grove on Saturday, Mighty Con at DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton, and Western Springs’ Harvest Fest.
Step Into a Story: Wonder Walkers Pop-Up StoryWalk® (Glen Ellyn)
September 7, 2024 | during park hours, usually dawn to dusk
Oswego Area Moms and More Resale (Old Post Elementary School, Oswego)
September 7, 2024 | 8:00am – 2:00pm
Home Depot Workshop (Check your local store)
September 7, 2024 | 9:00am – 12:00pm
Aurora Art League Member’s Show (Santori Library, Aurora)
September 7, 2024 | 9:00am – 4:00pm
Touch A Truck (Berens Park, Elmhurst)
September 7, 2024 | 9:00am – 12:00pm
Go Nuts for Donuts Storytime (Helen Plum Library, Lombard)
September 7, 2024 | 9:30am – 11:00am
Touch A Truck (North Riverside Park Mall)
September 7, 2024 | 10:00am – 1:00pm
Super Sensational Saturdays (Lufkin Park, Villa Park)
September 7, 2024 | 10:00am – 12:00pm
Brookeridge Fly and Drive-In (Downers Grove)
September 7, 2024 | 10:00am – 3:00pm
Legotastic Saturday (Brookfield Public Library)
September 7, 2024 | 10:00am – 12:00pm
Printers Row Lit Fest (Chicago)
September 7, 2024 | 10:00am – 6:00pm
Pistons for the Parks Auto Show (James O. Breen Community Park, St. Charles)
September 7, 2024 | 10:00am – 1:00pm
Cookies and Crayons (Lisle Public Library)
September 7, 2024 | 10:00am – 11:00am
Bluey Bash (Glen Ellyn Public Library)
September 7, 2024 | 10:00am – 11:30am
Prairie Fest (Wolf Road Prairie, Westchester)
September 7, 2024 | 10:00am – 4:00pm
Revolutionary War Weekend (Cantigny Park, Wheaton)
September 7, 2024 | 10:00am – 4:00pm
Included in general admission.
Mighty Con (DuPage County Fairgrounds, Wheaton)
September 7, 2024 | 10:00am – 5:00pm
Outreach Open House (The Promenade Bolingbrook)
September 7, 2024 | 10:00am – 2:00pm
Downtown Downers Grove Fine Arts Festival
Downtown Downers Grove Fine Arts Festival
September 7-8, 2024 | 10:00am – 5:00pm
The 47th Annual Downtown Downers Grove Fine Arts Festival will be held September 7th-8th, 10am-5pm. Juried artists will have art on display and available for purchase. Enjoy live entertainment and a kids’ art booth while you shop a variety of mediums including, jewelry, painting, photography, woodworking, mixed media, drawing, fiber, ceramics, glass and metalworking. Saturday, stop by Smile Downers Grove for games, face painting & balloons, 10:30am-1:30pm. Explore our unique boutiques and take a break in one of our restaurants.
Details including a list of artists at www.downtowndg.org or 630.725.0991.
Budding Botanists (Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago)
September 7, 2024 | 10:30am – 2:30pm
CommUNITY Diversity Storytime (La Grange Public Library)
September 7, 2024 | 10:30am – 11:00am
Good Old Days Festival (Winfield)
September 7, 2024 | 11:00am – 10:00pm
Rock the Block Party (Elmhurst City Centre)
September 7, 2024 | 11:00am – 11:00pm
Make a Paper Mola (Naper Boulevard Library, Naperville)
September 7, 2024 | 11:00am – 11:45am
The Navy Pier Lakefront Games (Chicago)
September 7, 2024 | 11:00am – 8:00pm
Star Wars Day (Wheaton Public Library)
September 7, 2024 | 11:00am – 3:00pm
Taste of Chicago (Grant Park, Chicago)
September 7, 2024 | 11:00am – 9:00pm
Dual Language Storytime: Polish (95th Street Library, Naperville)
September 7, 2024 | 11:30am – 12:00pm
ARC’s Birthday Party (West Chicago)
September 7, 2024 | 12:00pm – 2:00pm
Migrating Monarchs Celebration (Thatcher Woods, River Forest)
September 7, 2024 | 12:00pm – 3:00pm
St. Cletus Fall Fest (La Grange)
September 7, 2024 | 12:00pm – 11:00pm
Naperville Food Truck Festival (Naper Settlement, Naperville)
September 7, 2024 | 12:30pm – 7:00pm
Good Old Days Coin Carnival (Winfield)
September 7, 2024 | 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Glen Ellyn Backyard BBQ (Glen Elllyn)
September 7, 2024 | 2:00pm – 10:00pm
New! Western Springs Harvest Fest
Harvest Fest
September 7, 2024 | 2:00pm – 10:00pm
Spring Rock Park
4400 Central Avenue
Western Springs, IL 60558
Harvest Fest is a FREE event taking place September 7th from 2:00-10:00 p.m. at Spring Rock Park in Western Springs. There will be activities for all ages: sport clinics, reptile & bug show, prime time remote car racing, inflatables, balloon artists, face painters, and more!
Come and enjoy our food trucks and stop by our beer and wine tent. There will be live music and a night that ends with FIREWORKS! You don’t want to miss this one of a kind event!
For more information follow us on Instagram: @westernspringsparkdistrict and @westernspringsbusiness
JoyFest (Bolingbrook Village Hall)
September 7, 2024 | 2:00pm – 9:00pm
Fall Fest (Forest Park)
September 7, 2024 | 2:00pm – 7:00pm
Live on the Lake (Navy Pier, Chicago)
September 7, 2024 | 2:00pm – 11:00pm
Sunday
Celebrate St. Cletus Fall Fest in La Grange, the Good Old Days Festival in Winfield, or Bolingbrook’s Pathways Parade and PathFest.
Step Into a Story: Wonder Walkers Pop-Up StoryWalk® (Glen Ellyn)
September 8, 2024 | during park hours, usually dawn to dusk
Dog Admission Days (Morton Arboretum, Lisle)
September 8, 2024 | 7:00am – 7:00pm
Western Springs Fire Association Pancake Breakfast
September 8, 2024 | 7:00am – 12:00pm
Fall Flea Market (North Riverside)
September 8, 2024 | 9:00am – 2:00pm
MSI Free Admission for Illinois Residents (Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago)
September 8, 2024 | 9:30am – 4:00pm
Tickets can be reserved in advance.
Winfield Duck Race (Lions Park, Winfield)
September 8, 2024 | 10:00am – 10:30am
Printers Row Lit Fest (Chicago)
September 8, 2024 | 10:00am – 6:00pm
Grandparent’s Day at The Hub (Elmhurst)
September 8, 2024 | 10:00am – 4:00pm
Downtown Downers Grove Fine Arts Festival
Downtown Downers Grove Fine Arts Festival
September 7-8, 2024 | 10:00am – 5:00pm
The 47th Annual Downtown Downers Grove Fine Arts Festival will be held September 7th-8th, 10am-5pm. Juried artists will have art on display and available for purchase. Enjoy live entertainment and a kids’ art booth while you shop a variety of mediums including, jewelry, painting, photography, woodworking, mixed media, drawing, fiber, ceramics, glass and metalworking. Saturday, stop by Smile Downers Grove for games, face painting & balloons, 10:30am-1:30pm. Explore our unique boutiques and take a break in one of our restaurants.
Details including a list of artists at www.downtowndg.org or 630.725.0991.
Budding Botanists (Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago)
September 8, 2024 | 10:30am – 2:30pm
Good Old Days Festival (Winfield)
September 8, 2024 | 11:00am – 6:00pm
The Navy Pier Lakefront Games (Chicago)
September 8, 2024 | 11:00am – 8:00pm
Taste of Chicago (Grant Park, Chicago)
September 8, 2024 | 11:00am – 9:00pm
St. Cletus Fall Fest (La Grange)
September 8, 2024 | 12:00pm – 9:00pm
Grandparent’s Day BINGO (Geneva Public Library)
September 8, 2024 | 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Grandparents’ Day Celebration (Santori Library, Aurora)
September 8, 2024 | 2:00pm – 4:00pm
Pathways Parade and PathFest (Bolingbrook)
September 8, 2024 | 2:00pm – 6:00pm
Live on the Lake (Navy Pier, Chicago)
September 8, 2024 | 2:00pm – 11:00pm
Concert in the Park (Peg Bond Center, Batavia)
September 8, 2024 | 3:00pm – 4:00pm
Things to Do with Kids This Weekend: Northwest Suburbs
We strive to answer the question “Where can I find weekend events near me?” Our team takes care to stock the calendar full of kid-friendly fun, but please keep in mind that last minute changes to events do happen. We recommend clicking through to the event details to double check if there has been a change in registration requirements and to get additional information before you go. Have fun!
Friday
If the weather doesn’t cooperate, stop by the Friday Fun Day at Wood Dale Public Library. We hope the rain clears up in time to visit Itasca Oktoberfest or Fridays on the Green in Downtown Mount Prospect.
Friday Fun Day (Wood Dale Public Library)
September 6, 2024 | 11:00am – 4:30pm
Taste of Chicago (Grant Park, Chicago)
September 6, 2024 | 11:00am – 9:00pm
Itasca Oktoberfest (Washington Park, Itasca)
September 6, 2024 | 5:00pm – 10:30pm
Candy DNA Discoveries (Mount Prospect Public Library – South Branch)
September 6, 2024 | 5:00pm – 6:15pm
Register in advance.
Fridays on the Green (Downtown Mount Prospect)
September 6, 2024 | 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Cruisin’ Park Ridge
September 6, 2024 | 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Movies in the Park: Coco (Streamwood)
September 6, 2024 | 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Platzkonzert Germanfest (Hideaway Brew Garden & Bar, Hoffman Estates)
September 6, 2024 | 6:00pm – 11:00pm
Saturday
Family-friendly fun is everywhere on Saturday. Stop by Fischer Farm 4-H Open House in Bensenville, Bloomingdale’s annual Septemberfest, or Hanover Park’s Fall Fun Fest.
Fishing Derby (Surrey Park, Glen Ellyn)
September 7, 2024 | 8:30am – 10:30am
Hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Streamwood.
Home Depot Workshop (Check your local store)
September 7, 2024 | 9:00am – 12:00pm
1st Saturday Family Craft (Bartlett Depot Museum)
September 7, 2024 | 9:00am – 12:00pm
Community Fall Garage Sale (Hoffman Estates)
September 7, 2024 | 9:00am – 2:00pm
Printers Row Lit Fest (Chicago)
September 7, 2024 | 10:00am – 6:00pm
Fischer Farm 4-H Open House (Bensenville)
September 7, 2024 | 10:00am – 12:00pm
Art on the Fox (Downtown Algonquin)
September 7, 2024 | 10:00am – 5:00pm
Super Saturday Jam with ChangoSnakeDog and Friends (Mount Prospect Public Library)
September 7, 2024 | 10:00am – 10:30am
Budding Botanists (Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago)
September 7, 2024 | 10:30am – 2:30pm
Septemberfest (Bloomingdale)
September 7, 2024 | 11:00am – 10:00pm
Art in Nature Festival (Crabtree Nature Center, Barrington)
September 7, 2024 | 11:00am – 3:00pm
The Navy Pier Lakefront Games (Chicago)
September 7, 2024 | 11:00am – 8:00pm
Taste of Chicago (Grant Park, Chicago)
September 7, 2024 | 11:00am – 9:00pm
Platzkonzert Germanfest (Hideaway Brew Garden & Bar, Hoffman Estates)
September 7, 2024 | 12:00pm – 11:00pm
Franklin Park Ice Arena 50th Anniversary (Franklin Park)
September 7, 2024 | 1:30pm – 3:30pm
Live on the Lake (Navy Pier, Chicago)
September 7, 2024 | 2:00pm – 11:00pm
Bluesmobile Cruise Nights (Downtown Mount Prospect)
September 7, 2024 | 2:00pm – 9:00pm
Itasca Oktoberfest (Washington Park, Itasca)
September 7, 2024 | 3:00pm – 10:30pm
Fall Fun Fest (Hanover Park)
September 7, 2024 | 3:00pm – 7:00pm
What’s On The Menu? (Crabtree Nature Center, Barrington)
September 7, 2024 | 3:00pm – 3:30pm
Movie In The Park: Elemental (Centennial Recreation Center, Addison)
September 7, 2024 | 7:00pm – 10:00pm
Sunday
Spend your Sunday at Art on the Fox in Downtown Algonquin, Platzkonzert Germanfest at Hideaway Brew Garden & Bar in Hoffman Estates, or the Taste of Chicago at Grant Park in Chicago.
Scandinavian Day Festival (South Elgin)
September 8, 2024 | 8:00am – 5:00pm
MSI Free Admission for Illinois Residents (Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago)
September 8, 2024 | 9:30am – 4:00pm
Tickets can be reserved in advance.
Printers Row Lit Fest (Chicago)
September 8, 2024 | 10:00am – 6:00pm
Art on the Fox (Downtown Algonquin)
September 8, 2024 | 10:00am – 5:00pm
Budding Botanists (Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago)
September 8, 2024 | 10:30am – 2:30pm
The Navy Pier Lakefront Games (Chicago)
September 8, 2024 | 11:00am – 8:00pm
Taste of Chicago (Grant Park, Chicago)
September 8, 2024 | 11:00am – 9:00pm
Platzkonzert Germanfest (Hideaway Brew Garden & Bar, Hoffman Estates)
September 8, 2024 | 12:00pm – 6:00pm
Live on the Lake (Navy Pier, Chicago)
September 8, 2024 | 2:00pm – 11:00pm
What’s On The Menu? (Crabtree Nature Center, Barrington)
September 8, 2024 | 3:00pm – 3:30pm
Want to look ahead to next week?
Check out all the family-friendly events happening in your neighborhood and beyond on our events calendar. You can filter the calendar by day by clicking the date on top, so if you are looking for things to do on a specific day, it’s easy to find!
You might also be interested in…
We hope you found some family-friendly fun in our list of things to do with kids this weekend in the west and northwest suburbs of Chicago! This list is updated every week and sent out in the Kidlist emails. (Click here to sign up if you haven’t already.)
We love local businesses, libraries, park districts, villages, and organizations — they plan great events for all of us to enjoy. If you are hosting an event or know of an event that should be on our list, click here to submit it to the Kidlist calendar!
We strive to be the most comprehensive source for family fun, which is why you’ll always see so many weekend events listed. It would definitely be easier to just list the details for a few events and call them “the best weekend events for families”, but we recognize that everyone has different interests. Not to mention, sometimes I’m in the mood to go to a huge festival, and sometimes I’d rather go to a low-key storytime at the library. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels that way. That’s why we work hard and spend a lot of time to find everything going on in our area so you don’t have to!
We hope you find it helpful and we are open to suggestions. The Kidlist Team always talks about how we can improve and evolve to meet your needs, so let us know!
