Starlight Concerts and Movies in the Park returns for the summer Tuesday. The free events, all held across various Evanston parks, will feature either live music or feature films.
The Daily has compiled a list of the entire 2025 lineup.
Concerts:
The concerts will feature musicians on select Tuesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. The genres featured include jazz, folk, rock and more.
June 10 — J. Davis Trio
Kicking off the Starlight Series, the J. Davis Trio will perform garage jazz with big beats at Tallmadge Park (927 Noyes St.). Barbecue and soul food restaurant Soul & Smoke will be in attendance.
July 1 — Chris Greene Quartet
Jazz act Chris Greene Quartet takes the stage at Harbert Payne Park (1135 McDaniel Ave.). Bumbu Roux will bring its fusion of Indonesian and Creole dishes that evening.
July 8 — Radio Free Honduras
Leah LoMar Park (1411 Mulford St.) will ring out with the Latin Americana sounds of collective Radio Free Honduras. Venezuelan-inspired La Cocinita is the featured food truck for the evening.
July 22 — Finom
Chicago-based rock band Finom will perform at Kamen Park West (583 Asbury Ave.). Food for sale will be from Fork N Fry Poutinerie and El Zorro Tacos.
Aug. 19 — The Midnight Sun Band
The Midnight Sun Band will perform music from the ‘60s to today’s contemporary hits at Beck Park (2423 Lyons St.). Mexican restaurant Cocina Azteca will be in attendance.
Aug. 26 — The Sullivan Sisters
The last concert of the summer is by bluegrass act The Sullivan Sisters at Independence Park (2627 Stewart Ave.).
Movies:
The Starlight movies will debut in late June and run until the end of August. This year will have three days of double features and one standalone film. Each day highlights a theme listed below.
June 27 — “Wickedly Good Food Truck Fest”
The 2024 movie adaptation of musical “Wicked” kicks off the movie series at 6 p.m. on June 27. Held at Ingraham Park (2100 Ridge Ave.), the award-winning movie will be accompanied by several food trucks.
June 28 — “Evanston on the Big Screen”
The first double feature of the summer will be held at Baker Park (605 Forest Ave.). Attendees can expect the family-friendly “Dennis the Menace” to start at 5:30 p.m., followed by “Uncle Buck” at 7:20 p.m. Audience members may recognize some locations in the movies, as both were filmed in Evanston.
August 2 — “Growing Up”
Pixar films “Toy Story” and “Inside Out 2” comprise the second double feature of the summer. Released nearly 30 years apart, both films were rated over 90% on Rotten Tomatoes by critics and audiences alike. Catch them at Bent Park (2524 Cowper Ave.). “Toy Story” starts at 5:30 p.m., while “Inside Out 2” begins at 7:20 p.m. Evanston establishments Firehouse Grill and Bluestone will serve food for purchase.
August 30 — “Out of This World”
Closing out the Starlight Series is a double feature of “The Wild Robot” and “Asteroid City” in Larimer Park (1099 Crain St.). Animated film “The Wild Robot” begins the evening with a story about a robot on an uninhabited island. Wes Anderson’s “Asteroid City” rounds out the evening with a kick of sci-fi comedy about extraterrestrial beings and UFOs. Soul & Smoke will return as the food truck for the evening.
Though the Starlight Series is free-of-charge, attendees should expect to bring picnic blankets, lawn chairs and snacks for their own use.
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