About Thursday Night Out


Thursday Night Out runs Thursday evenings between June 6th to August 29th (excluding the July 4th holiday) from 5pm to 9pm this year.

More than 20 Downtown Oak Park restaurants offer a variety of drinks, appetizers, entrees, and desserts on the TNO menu. Tables and chairs are set up outside for patrons to enjoy dining al fresco. Live music acts play at the end of Marion Street by North Blvd. Get to know different local non-profit groups each week at their tents and tables throughout the event area. Plus, mark your calendars for the theme nights below when there is a little something extra special happening at TNO!

 

Featured Nights

June 6th - WDCB Jazz Night Out

Kick off the 2024 TNO season with musicians sponsored by WDCB Jazz Radio!

June 13th - Kids Night

Join us for a night of all youth musical acts and activities from local family-friendly organizations!

Check out Marion Street and Lot 3 for activities from: Dynamic LynksCEDA WIC, OPPL Book Bike, Glasser Preschool, ProMusica Youth Chorus, Let's Play Work, OPRF Day Nursery

All Night - Join The Collaboration for Early Childhood and their mascot CeCe The Flying Pig for Toddlin Around Town! Take your littles on a scavenger hunt around the district to spot CeCe in DTOP businesses and win prizes! 

5pm - 7pm - Interactive Instrument Experience at Ten Thousand Villages - Presented in partnership with School of Rock - Plus 20% off kids toys and games in store!

6pm-7pm - Toddler Rave at Beer Shop - Let your little get their groove on with bubbles, glow sticks, music by DJ Matt Wylde, and Miss Dani teaching choreography! 

6:30pm - 7:30pm - Piggy Bank Decorating at Vigo Coffee - Partake in a cultural enrichment activity centered around decorating a traditional Mexican piggy bank ($10 participation fee.) Space is limited! Sign up here

 

June 20th - Thursday Night "Out in the Burbs"

TNO's second annual Pride Night, in partnership with the OPRF Chamber of Commerce! 

 

5pm-9pm - West End 40 - Marion St

Get in the groove with a group that absolutely brings the party! 

 

5pm-9pm - Community Resource Fair - Lot 3

Featuring RUSH Oak Park, OPRF Chamber of Commerce, OPALGA+, PFLAG, OPRF Pride Club, Age Options Thrive with Pride, & Sapphic Before Sunset

Purchase a Pride Night tote bag at the OPRF Chamber of Commerce table - 10% of sales go to OPALGA+!

Plus visit the OPPL Book Bike for some great summer reads!

 

6pm-8pm - Drag Queen Mingle 

Meet and mingle with drag artists sponsored by local businesses as they walk the event area. Chat with the artists to learn more about the businesses they represent and get some swag!

 

6:15pm & 7:05pm - Drag Performances - Lot 3

Enjoy two sets of performances from some of the sponsored drag artists!

 

5pm-9pm - EcoWilde Flower Co - Marion Street

This sustainable floral company will be selling colorful blooms all evening!

 

July 11th - Bikes and Blues

Pedal your way down to TNO for a Bike-centric experience! Get to know Oak Park Cycle Club and Bike Walk Oak Park while enjoying some of Chicago's best Blues artists - Billy Flynn and The Smiley Tillmon Band!

July 18th - Art Night

Celebrate the arts at Thursday Night Out with live music MC'd by Comedy Plex, a pop-up art market featuring the unique work of local artists, and arts-related non-profit organizations on site with information about their programs!

Featuring the work of local artists: Shannon Hochman, Dima Jewelry, Color Me Bad Chicago (not just a hair salon, also a gallery!), Eightmen, EcoWilde Flower Company, and Jazonvinyl (at The Beer Shop)!

 

August 15th - Health and Wellness Night

Get to know the Health and Wellness businesses available right here in Downtown Oak Park at a Self-Care Fair in Lot 3, featuring local businesses and organizations, including Thursday Night Out sponsor RUSH Oak Park!

For an extra healthy TNO:

Walk or bike to the event

Enjoy some of the healthy options on the TNO menu

Dance with friends and neighbors

Connect with other Oak Park community members

 Thursday Night Out is sponsored by Byline Bank and co-sponsored by RUSH.

Become a non-profit participant at Thursday Night Out!

Are you a local non-profit interested in participating in Thursday Night Out?

Please contact to jayne@downtownoakpark.net. 

Our Green Mission

Downtown Oak Park’s green mission is to create and maintain a sustainable and eco-friendly climate within our businesses and at all our events.