About Thursday Night Out


Thursday Night Out runs Thursday evenings between June 5th to August 28th 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!

 

June 5th - Pride Night

Kick off the 2025 TNO season with our third annual Pride Night, presented in partnership with the OPRF Chamber of Commerce! This event also marks the beginning of Pride weekend, leading up to the Out In The Burbs celebration on Saturday, June 7. 

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 PFLAG, OPRF Chamber of Commerce, Age Options Thrive with Pride, & Sapphic Before Sunset

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! 

6:30pm & 7:30pm - Drag Performances - Lot 3

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

June 12th - WDCB Jazz Night

Join us for a night of Jazz sponsored by WDCB Jazz Radio!

Check out Marion Street and Lot 3 for activities from the Animal Care League

5pm - 7pm - Visit the OPPL Book Bike for some great summer reads!

5pm - 7pm -Tempero Brasileiro - Marion Street

Spice up your evening with the rich rhythms of Tempero Brasileiro, a flute and guitar duo blending Brazilian choro, samba, classical, and jazz—perfect for a flavorful night of live music you won't want to miss!

7pm-9pm - Marcel Bonfim’s Brazilian Jazz Quartet - Marion Street

Experience the vibrant sounds of Marcel Bonfim’s Brazilian Jazz Quartet, where rich Brazilian rhythms meet smooth Chicago jazz for an unforgettable night of soulful, cross-cultural grooves.

June 19th - Juneteenth

Join us for a night of music!

5pm - 9pm - I.V. Collective - Marion Street

Celebrate Juneteenth with the I.V. Collective, a powerhouse band of true artists whose soulful, high-energy performance blends gospel, hip hop, and pure musical mastery—don’t miss this unforgettable night of rhythm, pride, and celebration!

July 3rd - Red, White, and Blues

Join us for a soulful evening of live blues from Chicago's finest, great food, and patriotic vibes in the heart of Downtown Oak Park! 

5pm - 9pm - Billy Flynn and The Smiley Tillmon Band - Marion Street

Catch Chicago’s finest—Billy Flynn and The Smiley Tillmon Band—live at Red, White & Blues! Don’t miss this unforgettable night of powerhouse blues.

July 10th - Kids Night

Join Us for a night of music and activities from local family-friendly organizations!

Check out Marion Street and lot 3 for activities from: Dynamic Lynks, CEDA WIC, OPPL Book Bike, Glasser Preschool, ProMusica Youth Chorus, Collaboration for Early Childhood, Imagine Foundation, and Oak Park Film Festival

5pm - 7pm - Juliet Trio - Marion Street

The Juliet Trio is a rising jazz trio from Oak Park, delivering smooth standards with skill and style. Catch these talented young artists live!

5pm - 9pm -The Local Band - Marion Street

The Local Group brings high-energy rock and pop hits—classic anthems to today’s chart-toppers. Come ready to sing, dance, and party!

July 24th - Salsa Night

Feel the rhythm at Salsa Night—enjoy Latin music all evening and join a free community salsa lesson under the stars!

5pm - 5:45pm -Salsa Lesson Led by Denita of Desueno Dance - Marion Street

Join Denita Inez, for  a free salsa community class before the live salsa begins!

5:45pm - 7pm - Tematica - Marion Street

Temática brings the vibrant energy of modern Cuban Timba to Chicago, blending Afro-Cuban rhythms with a fresh, danceable sound that’s perfect for summer nights.

7pm - 9pm -Almafuerte - Marion Street

Experience Almafuerte at Thursday Night Out—a genre-blending Latin roots project led by Jaime Garza, mixing cumbia, Latin jazz, son jarocho, and soul in a vibrant live performance! 

August 7th - Art Night

Celebrate the arts at Thursday Night Out with live music and 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: Coming Soon!

August 14th - 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

August 28th - Dog Day of Summer

Celebrate our furry friends at Dog Day of Summer—a tail-wagging evening of pet-friendly fun and activities with Animal Care League!

More Information Coming Soon!

Become a non-profit participant at Thursday Night Out!

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

Please contact us

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.