Upcoming Events
And our monthly meeting is the first Wednesday of every month.
January Monthly Meeting 🗓️💪
Join us for our monthly meeting on January 7th at 6:30pm at the Near North Branch Library. This event is free and open to all ages! Newcomers VERY welcome.
January Volunteer Night
Join Strong Towns Chicago leads to grow our organization and move our initiatives forward! A great way to meet fellow urban enthusiasts! No technical expertise necessary. You can help us plan events, brainstorm future initiatives, create social media content, design graphics, code, research, and more!
January Book Club - Killed by a Traffic Engineer by Wes Marshall
Meet up with us at New Wave Coffee in Logan Square on Sunday, January 18th at 11 AM as we discuss Killed by a Traffic Engineer by Wes Marshall for this month's book club.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/january-book-club-strong-towns-chicago-tickets-1978746694630
ReVive Center for Housing and Healing Walking Tour
Join Strong Towns Chicago for a guided walking tour of the Revive Center for Housing and Healing, hosted by ReVive’s Director of Programs.
Big Tent Urbanist Holiday Party! ☃️⛺
Save the date for the second annual Big Tent Holiday party being planned for Wednesday December 17. Eventbrite link in event details!
Transit Tuesday Meetup! 🚆🚌
Join us this winter for Transit Tuesdays—a meetup to move Chicago’s transit initiatives forward!
December Monthly Meeting
Join us for our monthly meeting on December 3rd at 6:30 at the Near North Branch Library. This event is free and open to all ages! Newcomers VERY welcome.
November Volunteer Night
Join Strong Towns Chicago leads to grow our organization and move our initiatives forward! A great way to meet fellow urban enthusiasts! No technical expertise necessary. You can help us plan events, brainstorm future initiatives, create social media content, design graphics, code, research, and more!
Thanksgiving Party
Gather with Strong Towns Chicago at Black Barrel Tavern in West Loop on November 20 starting at 6:30. We will be reflecting on the accomplishments of the past year, what we're thankful for, and looking ahead!
November Book Club - Escaping the Housing Trap
Meet up with us at New Wave Coffee in Logan Square on Sunday, November 16 at 11 AM as we discuss Escaping the Housing Trap by Chuck Marohn and Daniel Herriges for this month's book club.
Grey Environmentalism Workshop
In this free workshop, Vitaliy Vladimirov, MUPP will go over “Grey Environmentalism”, how we can design cities to be climate-friendly.
Strong Towns Board Game Night!
Join fellow STC members for a fun night of board games at Snakes & Lattes! There will be more than enough games at the venue, but feel free to bring your own if there is one you want to play.
Happy Hour Public Transit Celebration
Join Strong Towns Chicago to celebrate the huge passage of transit reform and funding! We will be celebrating the passage of $1.5 BILLION dollars in transit funding and massive reforms!
November Monthly Meeting
Join us for our monthly meeting on November 5th at 6:30 at the Near North Branch Library. This event is free and open to all ages! Newcomers VERY welcome.
Meet Me On Milwaukee (Last One!)
Meet Me On Milwaukee is a pilot series of “pedestrianization” events between Alderman La Spata, the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce (WPBCC), and the Chicago Department of Transportation.
Broadway Upzoning Celebratory Happy Hour
Come and join us for a happy hour in Edgewater to celebrate the Broadway Upzoning passing city council and more neighbors coming to our community in the future! Hosted by Strong Towns Chicago allied organization, Neighbors of Edgewater & Uptown.
October Volunteer Night
Join Strong Towns Chicago leads to help plan events and brainstorm future initiatives. A great way to meet fellow urban enthusiasts!
ADU Alder Opt-In Volunteer Training
Join Strong Towns Chicago (STC) and Abundant Housing Illinois (AHIL) to learn how you can help your alderperson opt-in their ward to Chicago’s new ADU ordinance. This session will include information on the new ADU ordinance’s opt-in provision, what wards have opted-in so far, and next steps for getting your ward to opt-in.
Contacting Local Officials Workshop
Learn how to make engaging email templates, strategic call scripts, and post cards with guidance from Strong Towns Chicago and 350 Chicago. Whether you’re a seasoned advocate or have no idea who your representatives are, this free workshop will build your persuasive writing skills and give you the tools to make your voice heard.
Bronzeville Pop-Up at Overton
Join Strong Towns Chicago, Creative Grounds, Borderless Studio, and neighbors for a fun Community Day at Overton! The former Anthony Overton Elementary public school plaza will have multiple collaborative projects and creative activities for all ages.
Café y Conversación de Casitas
Venga a un taller organizado por Abundant Housing Illinois y Strong Towns Chicago. Disfrute de un café gratis mientras hablamos de los ADUs (Unidades de Vivienda Accesoria), los four flats (edificios de cuatro apartamentos) y el transit fiscal cliff (abismo fiscal del transporte público).
ADU Celebration Happy Hour with Alderman Bennett Lawson
Come celebrate the passage of Chicago's ADU Ordinance with Strong Towns Chicago, Abundant Housing Illinois, and Alderman Bennett Lawson.
September Book Club Overflow Session - Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson
Discuss Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson at Strong Towns Chicago's September book club!
Logan Square Redesign Tour | Strong Towns Chicago & GWCN Chicago
Come tour the progress of the Logan Square redesign and the new pedestrian spaces with Strong Towns Chicago and GWCN Chicago on Saturday, October 4th. Learn about the recent changes to the square and share your ideas about making more of our public spaces car-free!
October Monthly Meeting
Strong Towns Chicago Monthly Meeting | October
Join us for our monthly meeting on October 1st 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/october-monthly-meeting-strong-towns-chicago-tickets-1641262082069
September Book Club - Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson
Meet up with us at Bourgeois Pig Cafe in Lincoln Park on Tuesday, September 30 at 7 PM as we discuss Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson for this month's book club.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/september-book-club-strong-towns-chicago-tickets-1617858932619
Meet Me On Milwaukee
Meet Me On Milwaukee is a pilot series of “pedestrianization” events between Alderman La Spata, the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce (WPBCC), and the Chicago Department of Transportation. For one Sunday in August, September, and October, Milwaukee Avenue between North/Damen and Ashland will be closed to car/bus traffic, replacing the usual traffic, honking, and vehicle emissions with pedestrians, bikes, live music, outdoor dining*, exercise classes, sidewalk sales, and more!
See more detail on Alderman La Spata’s website.
Interested in volunteering? La Spata’s office needs help with set-up, take-down, welcoming attendees at entrances, etc. Volunteers are needed from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and volunteers can sign up in 3-hour shifts. Their volunteer form is here.
Strong Towns Illinois (STILL) Statewide Gathering
Strong Towns Illinois (STILL) Gathering Agenda
Join the many Strong Towns Local Conversations in the state of Illinois for the first-ever state-wide gathering hosted in Chicago! Come meet folks doing the bottom-up work of Strong Towns, swap ideas, and share successes and challenges.
You do not need to currently be involved in a Local Conversation to attend. If you are interested in joining or starting one for your city/town, this is event is also for you!
9/26 Friday (Optional, Early Arrivals) - Industry Ales Brewpub @ 230 S Wabash Ave
8 pm Happy Hour (early arrivals)
9/27 Saturday (Main Event) - Workbox Chicago @ 125 S Clark St ste 1700
12–1 pm Welcome Lunch
1–5 pm Kickoff/Workshops/Closeout
9/27 Saturday (Optional, Social) - Details will be shared at Main Event
5–6:30 pm Loop/West Loop Walk
7–8:30 pm Dinner
9 pm+ Socials (karaoke, jazz, etc.)
9/28 Sunday (LC Leadership) - Atwood @ 1 W Washington St
11 am–12 pm LC Leads Brunch
Suggested nearby hotels for those saying on Friday and/or Saturday evening:
Minimal and Bang-for-the-buck (best for for lodging alone)
Central Loop Hotel 111 West Adams Street
The Midland Hotel Chicago 172 W Adams Street
Hyatt Centric The Loop Chicago 100 West Monroe Street
Extended Stay (best for groups of 3+)
Hampton Inn Majestic Chicago Theatre District 22 West Monroe Street
Residence Inn by Marriott Chicago Downtown/Loop 11 South LaSalle Street
Hilton Garden Inn Chicago Central Loop 245 S Franklin St
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/strong-towns-illinois-still-statewide-gathering-tickets-1608511032799
City Council ADU Vote!
Show up for ADUs at Chicago City Council
Join us in person at Chicago City Hall to support the alderpersons who are pushing to get ADUs legalized citywide. We are also asking for members to sign up to give a verbal public comment.
General rules for giving public comment at committee meetings:
Try to arrive by 9:50 a.m. if you are planning to give a verbal comment.
If it is very busy or a lot of people are trying to give comment, they may do a random lottery for who gets to speak.
You'll need to go through metal detectors before going to the Chambers.
Don't bring a backpack, but tote bags and laptop cases are okay.
Note that food and beverage are officially prohibited but sometimes officers will let them in (typically water and coffee are fine).
See the Abundant Housing Illinois Eventbrite post for more information
PARK(ing) Day 2025: A Celebration of Community and Urban Transformation
Join us for PARK(ing) Day 2025, a citywide festival where we reclaim parking spaces and convert them into temporary public parks for a day! This event aims to spark conversations about our urban landscape and showcase the potential for a more livable, human-focused Chicago. Our goal is to connect, educate, and empower you to advocate for people-oriented city design.
This year, the festivities are hosted at the parking lots of two premier local breweries, Demo Brewing Company and Dovetail Brewery, which are just a 4-minute walk from each other.
PARK(ing) Day is free for everyone to attend. If you'd like to help us put on more events like this, there will be an opportunity to donate at the entrance.
See the event page or the Eventbrite link for more detail on the event.
Public Data Workshop
Strong Towns Chicago Public Data Workshop
Join Strong Towns Chicago for a crash course on public data--what is it, how to access it, and what you can do with it!
We’ll walk through a real-world example and workshop ways that YOU can write a FOIA to hold your lawmakers accountable (and satiate your curiosity).
This event will take place on Wednesday, September 17th from 6-7 pm at the Near North Branch of the Chicago Library. Hope to see you there!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/public-data-workshop-strong-towns-chicago-tickets-1626393640159
Bridgeport Walking Tour
Bridgeport Walking Tour | Strong Towns Chicago
Join Strong Towns Chicago on Saturday, September 13th from 3 - 4:30 p.m. for a free neighborhood walking tour of Bridgeport! The tour will start at Park 571 (2754 S Eleanor St.) and will be led by a Strong Towns Chicago volunteer who lives in the neighborhood.
Walk Details:
--Meeting Location and Time: September 13th, 3 PM, at Park 571 (2754 S Eleanor St.)
--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 Palmisano park, which is near the Halsted Orange line stop.
--Post-Walk Social: Please join us after the walk around 4:30 PM for a post-walk picnic in Palmisano Park.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bridgeport-walking-tour-strong-towns-chicago-tickets-1657832855699
Save Metra Canvassing | Wheaton Farmers Market
It's critical that suburban residents contact their legislators urging them to pass funding for public transit – and we need your help to inform them and provide them materials to do just that!
We'll meet at Ogilvie Transportation Center (OTC) to take the 8:40am UP-W Metra train together and return on the 12:54pm train.
We will be partnering with Better Streets Chicago for this event!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/save-metra-canvassing-wheaton-farmers-market-tickets-1613143237849
Strong Towns Public Meetup | September
Strong Towns Chicago Monthly Meeting | September
Join us for our monthly meeting on September 3rd 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/september-monthly-meeting-strong-towns-chicago-tickets-1560324575809