Our Events
Ranch Triangle Walking Tour
Ranch Triangle Walking Tour | Strong Towns Chicago
Join Strong Towns Chicago on Sunday, August 10 from 1 - 2:30 p.m. for a free neighborhood walking tour of the Ranch Triangle area of Lincoln Park! The tour will start and end at the Armitage Brown Line station (940 W Armitage) and will be led by two Strong Towns Chicago volunteers who live in the neighborhood.
This walk will touch on the two different sections of the neighborhood, including the vibrant Armitage retail corridor as well as the former manufacturing sites that dot the southeast corner of the former Lincoln Yards.
Walk Details:
--Meeting Location and Time: Aug 10th, 1 PM, at the Armitage Brown Line station.
--Walk Distance and Time: The walk is anticipated to last a little more than an hour with several stops along the way. We'll end at at the Armitage Brown Line station as well.
--Post-Walk Social: Please join us after the walk around 2:30 PM for socializing and drinks at Kincade's!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ranch-triangle-walking-tour-strong-towns-chicago-tickets-1500946664879
Housing-a-thon
Join Strong Towns Chicago, Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), Abundant Housing Illinois (AHIL), and the Parking Reform Network for an evening of energizing, small-group discussions rotating around a variety of housing topics!
Look forward to learning more about the current state of incremental housing (think duplexes, granny flats, etc.), counterproductive building codes, and parking reform at the city and state-levels. We will brainstorm together on effective ways to advocate for more housing to address the dire housing shortage.
We'll focus on building knowledge, smart legislative policies, and concrete advocacy actions. No prior experience or background required!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/housing-a-thon-tickets-1545771667669
Pilsen Walking Tour
Join Strong Towns Chicago for a neighborhood walking tour of Pilsen led by Luis Tubens with Pilsen Public Art Tours. This walk will focus on the murals of Pilsen and the culture of the historically hispanic neighborhood.
There are two tours available. The routes and content are the same between both tours. Please only register for one tour as capacity is limited.
Walk Details:
--Meeting Location: August 30, outside the National Museum of Mexican Art
--Tour Times: 10:30 AM or 12 Noon
--Walk Distance and Time: Each walking tour is anticipated to last 90 minutes and will end at the National Museum of Mexican Art.
--Post-Walk Social: TBD
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pilsen-walking-tour-strong-towns-chicago-tickets-1501472497659
Strong Towns Public Meetup | August
Strong Towns Chicago Monthly Meeting | August
Join us for our monthly meeting on August 6th at 6:30 at the Near North Branch Library. This event is free and open to all ages! Newcomers VERY welcome.
This is a great opportunity to learn about our current initiatives and get involved.
After the meeting, we'll head to Declan's for a post-meeting social. Note: Declan's is 21+.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/strong-towns-public-meetup-august-tickets-1544791746699
Strong Towns Chicago Happy Hour
Join us for a happy hour on Wednesday, 7/23 at Weather Mark Tavern in South Loop starting at 6 PM!
We will be celebrating the recent parking reform win that passed through the Chicago City Council!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/strong-towns-chicago-happy-hour-tickets-1508098255479
Ravenswood Walking Tour
Ravenswood Walking Tour | Strong Towns Chicago
Join Strong Towns Chicago for a free neighborhood walking tour of Ravenswood in partnership with two neighborhood organizations, the Heart of Lincoln Square and the Greater Rockwell Organization.This walk will cover the history of Ravenswood as well as current work by the Heart of Lincoln Square and the Greater Rockwell Organization to make their places safer, stronger, and more prosperous.Walk Details:--Meeting Location and Time: July 10th, 6 PM, at the Western Brown Line station.
--Walk Distance and Time: The walk is anticipated to last a little more than an hour with several stops along the way. We'll end at the Dank Haus.
--Post-Walk Social: Please join us after the walk for a free neighborhood night at the DANK Haus—a cozy, casual evening to unwind and soak in the charm of this historic space.
Bronzeville Walking Tour & Documentary Screening
Join Strong Towns Chicago for a neighborhood walking tour of Bronzeville in partnership with Borderless Studio.
This walk will cover the history and culture of Bronzeville, including how the closure of Overton Elementary impacted the neighborhood and how local leaders are looking to revitalize the building for the community.
Walk Details:
--Meeting Location and Time: June 27th, 6 PM, at the Arts Lawn (337 E Garfield Blvd, near the Garfield Green Line stop).
--Walk Distance and Time: The walk is anticipated to last a little more than an hour with several stops along the way. We'll end at Overton Elementary School.
--Post-Walk Documentary Screening: Please join us after the walk for a free outdoor screening of Beyond Closure Film (2024, 55-min) at Overton Exchange POP (Public Outdoor Plaza), and conversation to learn more about the story of Creative Grounds–an initiative led by Borderleess Studio to explore the community and future role of school grounds after the largest Public Schools Closure in Chicago's history. Register on the Eventbrite for the film screening here.
Chicago Mobility Collaborative
Strong Towns will be tabling at the Chicago Mobility Collective from 5-6pm. A panel and community tables will follow from 6-8.
Location: DePaul Center - Concourse Level
Address: 1 E. Jackson Blvd.
More Details Here: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdot/supp_info/chicago-mobility-collaborative.html
Registration Link Here: https://cloud.citynews.chicago.gov/2025CMC_March_RegistrationForm
Op Ed Writers Workshop
This is an op-ed workshop session led by STC leads Neil Stein and Ronan O'Callaghan, as well as Chicago Growth Project founder Adam Drakulic.
The Chicago Growth Project is a Political Action Committee dedicated to electing leaders who will enact structural reform and pro-growth policies to set Chicago on the right path. We believe the best way through our city's issues is through building more housing, better transit, stronger businesses, and safer communities.
Strong Towns Chicago is an organization that empowers neighborhoods to incrementally build a more financially resilient city from the bottom up, through abundant housing, safe streets, and effective transportation.
One Year Of Strong Towns | Anniversary Party
It was about a year ago that we hosted our welcome back happy hour event with Chuck Marohn!
In the time since, Strong Towns Chicago has grown massively. We have hosted dozens of events, including neighborhood walking tours, a housing panel, and workshops. Our members have rallied to attend city council meetings, published articles in newspapers, and changed their neighborhoods for the better. We couldn't be more proud.
Whether you've been volunteering for months or just now heard about us, join us in a celebration of the milestones we've achieved together!
We’ll share some highlights of the past year and big plans for the future.
Appetizers will be provided and additional food will be available to purchase. Attendees will be covering their own drinks. Heads up, a 20% gratuity will already be added for large parties, so keep this in mind while tipping.
See you there!