The Chicago Route - South Side festival life with the Chicago skyline
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The South Side, Done Right.

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All southside businesses · Updated weekly

★ SPOTLIGHT ★

This Week’s Spotlight.

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★ South Side Calendar ★

Upcoming Festivals & Events

90 days of live music, food, art, and community across the South Side — from Pilsen to Beverly to Oak Lawn.

Full Calendar →
NOWTHRU NOV 8
Homer Glen
Bengtson’s Pumpkin Farm Fall Fest
Bengtson's Pumpkin Farm

Bengtson's runs its fall season daily from early September into November on its Homer Glen farm.…

03NOV · TUE
Citywide
Election Day: Illinois General Election
Free · Your assigned polling place

Illinois votes Tuesday, November 3. Polls are open 6 AM to 7 PM, you can register…

03NOV · TUE
Hegewisch
Turkey Shoot at Mann Park
Free · Mann (James) Park

A free youth sports challenge at Mann Park in Hegewisch: kids test their aim at hockey,…

03NOV · TUE
Greater Grand Crossing
The Artist’s Studio at the Library
Free · Chicago Public Library — Greater Grand Crossing Branch

An after-school art session for kids and tweens at the Greater Grand Crossing branch. Free; registration…

03NOV · TUE
South Shore
Teen Anime Night
Free · Chicago Public Library — South Shore Branch

Teens hang out and watch anime at the South Shore branch. Free, no registration.

03NOV · TUE
Chicago Lawn
Beginners Reading Club
Free · Chicago Public Library — Chicago Lawn Branch

A small reading club for early readers at the Chicago Lawn branch. Free; spots are limited,…

04NOV · WED
Bridgeport
Block Play
Free · Chicago Public Library — Daley, Richard J.-Bridgeport Branch

Morning block-building playtime for little ones and their grown-ups at the Daley branch in Bridgeport.

04NOV · WED
Chinatown
Chinatown Tween Takeover
Free · Chicago Public Library — Chinatown Branch

After-school hangout time for tweens at the Chinatown branch. Free, drop in.

04NOV · WED
Chinatown
LEGO at the Library
Free · Chicago Public Library — Chinatown Branch

Free LEGO building time for kids at the Chinatown branch. No registration needed.

04NOV · WED
Beverly
OBOC Young Readers Club: The Lion of Mars
Free · Chicago Public Library — Beverly Branch

The kids' side of One Book, One Chicago: a book club on Jennifer L. Holm's The…

04NOV · WED
Woodlawn
The Artist’s Studio at the Library (Obama Presidential Center)
Free · Chicago Public Library — Obama Presidential Center Branch

Open art-making time for all ages at the library branch inside the Obama Presidential Center.

04NOV · WED
Beverly
Sculpt Like Hunt and Perkins
Free · Chicago Public Library — Beverly Branch

A hands-on sculpture workshop for grown-ups and kids at the Beverly branch. Free; very few spots…

More happening every weekSee the Full Calendar →
View Full Calendar →
106 events over the next 90 days. Submit your event: contact us →
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Questions about the Route

What is The Chicago Route?
A local guide to the South Side and all of Chicagoland — real businesses, real events, and real reviews from real people.
What kinds of businesses can I find?
Restaurants, home services like plumbing, HVAC and gutters, beauty, jewelry, event parking, web design and more — with new neighborhoods added all the time.
How do I find events and festivals?
Check the Events page. It covers festivals, nightlife and game days across the city, and it is updated every month.
Can I list my business?
Yes, and it is free. Tap Get Listed — once we approve it, your business gets a full profile on the Route.
Are the reviews real?
Yes. Reviews come from people with Route accounts, and every new account has to pass a quick human check, so bots can't post.
Is the Route only for the South Side?
The South Side is where we launched, and it is our home base. Our first hubs are Pilsen, Little Village, Chinatown and Oak Lawn. Next up: Hyde Park, Bridgeport, and our first North Side hub — North Side businesses are already joining, so it is coming.

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