Locals looking to find a new favorite shop to grab gifts for friends and family or indulge in a treat for themselves have a key opportunity at Oak Park’s July sidewalk sales.
The Downtown Oak Park Business Alliance and Hemingway District businesses are hosting sidewalk sales from July 18 to 21. The Oak Park Arts District Business Association is the organizer of the July 20 sidewalk sale, according to Visit Oak Park.
Visit Oak Park is the “state-certified convention and visitors bureau for Western Cook County” that represents communities including Oak Park and River Forest.
The sidewalk sales are designed to entice all kinds of buyers with accessories, art, home goods and food and drinks. Sales start in the Hemingway District and downtown Oak Park at 11 a.m. July 18, according to Visit Oak Park, and end at 5 p.m. July 21.
Sales and specials, according to the Downtown Oak Park Business Alliance, include:
- 16 Suitcases – up to 50% off
- Color Me Bad – 20% off
- EcoKarat Jewelry – sales and specials
- Fitzgerald’s Fine Stationery – select sales and specials
- JAYNE – clothing starts at $10, footwear at $30 and special discounts
- Pumpkin Moon – sale items
- Scratch n’ Sniff – sale items
- Sugarcup Trading – up to 50% off
- Ten Thousand Villages Oak Park – 50% off clearance merchandise
- The Book Table – books on sale for $3 and up
- Billy Bricks – pop-up ice cream shop
- Candycopia – sale on freeze-dried candy and tackle boxes
- FILONI – 30% to 70% off racks
- Lively Athletics – discounts and activities
- Manouche – certain deals
- Olive & Well – discounts on select items
- R Titus Designs – discounted items plus raffle entry
- Selleria Veneta – up to 70% off
- Spilt Milk – variety of items on sale and new specials
- The Beautiful Life – promotions available
- The Coffee Shop Oak Park – discounts
- Village & Vessel – 20% off candles
- Yoga Loft Studio – discounts
The “Sizzling Summer” sidewalk sale on July 20, hosted by the Oak Park Arts District Business Association, will begin at 10 a.m. According to the Facebook event page, participating organizations with events such as art displays and pop-up shops this day include Dancing Krow Studio and Art Gallery, Laura Maychruk Real Estate, Fat Cat Art Gallery and Purple Sun Arts.
Those interested can also participate in the “Sip & Shop” event July 20. Participants can visit any of the 14 involved businesses for free beverages and to collect a stamp at each location. By collecting stamps on four connecting squares and turning it into a participating business, “Sip & Shop” partakers will be entered in a raffle. Local businesses will be giving out 11 total prizes in the raffle.
The sidewalk sales also overlap with “Hemingway’s Birthday Fete,” celebrating Nobel Prize-winner Ernest Hemingway, who was born in Oak Park. On July 19, history lovers can take a tour of the Hemingway Business District and participate in three readings at 6 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.
On 10 a.m. July 20 at Scoville Park, The Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park, the Hemingway Business District and the Collaboration for Early Childhood will host a “kids running with the bulls” event. Kids ages 3 and up can build a bull and race them. A Visit Oak Park-sponsored scavenger hunt will also take place.
From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. July 20, a concert featuring Nora O’Connor and Steve Dawson will take place at the Ernest Hemingway Birthplace Museum. And on July 21, Hemingway’s birthday, the Park District of Oak Park will host another concert at Scoville Park featuring Echo Track.