A LOTTA FUN

With the warm season descending upon us, the aptly named The Lot in Highland Park is gearing up to host a packed schedule with activities and entertainment in the city’s downtown. The festivities include al fresco dining from some of Highland Park’s best restaurants; The Taste of Highland Park and Oktoberfest, which are just two of the six events from June through November; and a French Market on Sundays throughout the season.

It’s rather obvious how The Lot earned its name. No mystery there. Located at 525 Central, prior to serving as the city’s al fresco dining space it served as a parking lot.

This will be the third season The Lot has been utilized by the city and its management team, Ripple Public Relations, to bring the community together in a central location to get outdoors, gather together, and satisfy their appetites and need for entertainment.

“It started back in 2021. City staff and members of the Economic Development Advisory Group had been conducting some focus groups and gathering feedback from residents, businesses, commercial property owners, and other stakeholders in the area,” says Diane Larson, Marketing Coordinator at the City of Highland Park. “There was a great need to attract more people to the downtown business district.”

Larson says with their interest in placemaking and business development, municipalities are adept at maximizing space, so Highland Park conducted a review of all of its downtown assets and up popped The Lot.

“Staff found a couple of locations that not only provided space but also easy access for vendors and entertainers,” says Larson. “We also wanted to provide access from the east side of the railroad tracks from downtown, and the St. John’s North Lot fit all of our criteria.”

What you’ll find on event days at The Lot is much of what you’d find at one of Chicago’s many summer festivals. There will be six events taking place over the course of June to November. Additionally, the French Market will run on Sundays from June 9 to September 29.

In addition to the goal of bringing more foot traffic downtown so people can learn about businesses and goods available for sale, The Lot plays a role as a community gathering place where neighbors who might not have gotten out much during the cold winter months can meet up with each other and chat, and kids can mingle and play with their friends.

“At first glance, in the off season, it’s just an asphalt lot, but it does really transform during spring events. We bring in décor. We bring in tents. We bring in lighting, and it’s really vibrant over the summer during events,” Larson says. “Two of the most prominent things that most people come together for are food and music, so The Lot serves as a local place where you can gather close to home and sample food from different Highland Park restaurants all at once while enjoying live entertainment from recognizable artists.”

For more information about The Lot and its summer schedule, visit enjoyhighlandpark.com/the-lot.