Tastes & Tours of Albany Park

An exploration of the northwest side from past and present

Tastes and tours was a weekend of tours, activities, and more for people to experience Albany Park, Irving Park, and North Park in a different, interactive way.

Thank you to our community partners who helped make this happen, including our lead event sponsor, the Albany Park & Irving Park Special Service Area #60 (SSA).

Friday - May 3, 2019

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Kickoff party to Tastes & Tours!

Moderated by Julie Lynch of the Near Northside History Collection at Sulzer Library! Learn more about the history, development, and heritage of Albany Park, Irving Park, and North Park from a roundtable panel of local experts, all while enjoying tasty brews & food from the bar (cash bar).

Experts on the Panel:

This event will be moderated by Julie Lynch of the Near Northside History collection of Sulzer Library.

Location: The Kedzie Inn, 4100 N Kedzie

Saturday - May 4, 2019

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[sold out] History Walking Tour of Albany Park, 11am - 1pm

Join Chicago for Chicagoans founder Patti Swanson on Saturday, May 4th for a one-of-a-kind Albany Park tour, exploring the history of the Chicago River and the way it has impacted the growth, identity, and shape of our community.
Location: Meet at the Francisco station at the CTA Brown Line, 4648 N Francisco
Time: 11am - 1pm
Price: pay-what-you-can; suggested donation $10-20 per person
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[sold out] Brick of Chicago - Albany Park Walking Tour, 3pm

On this walking tour, we'll unlock the incredible beauty and remarkable stories behind the houses, apartments, and storefronts that call Albany Park home. Led by Will of Brick of Chicago.

Location: meet at Nighthawk, 4744 N. Kimball

Time: 3pm

Cost: $12/person

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[sold out] Brown Line "L" Tour - Montrose to Kimball, 6pm

Join train enthusiast Ava Francesca Battocchio and Chicago for Chicagoans founder Patti Swanson on Saturday, May 4th for a brand new tour exploring the north end of Chicago's Brown Line and the unique slice of history its neighborhoods have to offer. Tour goers will be going aboard the L from Montrose to Kimball; limited walking.

Location: meet at Montrose Station, CTA Brown Line, 1817 W. Montrose

Time: 6pm

Cost: pay-what-you-can, suggested donation $10-20/person or group. Be sure to have your Ventra card ready and loaded.

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[sold out] Food Tasting (& Walking) Tour, 1pm

Join us on a food quest to taste signature bites at local Albany Park restaurants, and speak with the owners or chefs to discover the full history of their business and their business’s cuisine. This tour is curated by Albany Park Neighbors' project called Albany Park Dines and lead by local chef, Jairo Lopez, of Tortuga's Latin Kitchen.

Food samples will be of a signature item in small portions - be prepared to be plenty full afterwards, however. Not vegetarian friendly.

Location start: Tortuga's Latin Kitchen, 3224 W. Lawrence.

ALL FOOD STOPS/VISITS WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON! This tour will stop and taste around 5-7 local businesses so come hungry! Check out the photos from 2018.

Location end: Lawrence/Pulaski.

Time: 1pm, anticipated end time of 4pm

Cost: $25 per adult. Limited tickets available!

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Neighborhood Trivia, 9pm

Test your knowledge of neighborhood history of Albany Park, Irving Park, and North Park at Nighthawk after a long day of walking tours for a fun night! Whether you are new to an area, food loving visitor, or just wrapped up a walking tour from earlier in the day, learn about the amazing place we call home.

Location: Nighthawk, 4744 N. Kimball

Sunday - May 5, 2019

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Albany Park Gira de Historia: En Espanol, 11am - 1pm

Chicago para Chicagoans esta feliz de presentar el primer gira en español con Elizabeth Nieto y Audrey Marquez!

El gira empezará en Nighthawk Chicago (4744 N. Kimball) y continuará a el lado oeste de Albany Park-- el lado más multicultural y diverso. En esta área descubriremos las casas típicas de Chicago las Bungalow, las casas de campo icónicas que han sido diseñadas por el arquitecto Clarence Hatzfeld, y también la historia de los inmigrantes del área, teatros notables, hipódromos y 198 acres de parques.

El gira terminara en Salsa Grill (3808 West Lawrence Avenue), donde los invitamos a los participantes para almorzar con el grupo.

Empieza: Nighthawk, 4744 N. Kimball

Chicago para Chicagoans es una organización sin fines de lucro donde se “paga-lo-que-se-pueda”. Un tip de $10-20 por cada participante es sugerido y apreciado.

Si no, una revisión en Yelp, o post en Facebook, y simplemente promocionandonos es invaluable.

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[sold out] North Park Village Walking Tour, 1pm - 2:30pm

Join Northside native, Chicago historian, and Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium researcher Frances O'Cherony Archer to discover the legendary past of North Park Village. Get the full history of this incredible hidden gem which is home to housing, parks, nature, and city services.

*BONUS: All pay-what-you-can proceeds will benefit "Friends of North Park Village Nature Center!" Prepare for lots of walking on the entire NPV campus.

Start: meet at the North Park Village Nature Center, 5801 N Pulaski, at 11am. When you enter NPV at Ardmore, follow the street to the roundabout area, then go NE towards a wooden area to their main entrance.

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[sold out] L'dor Vador: the Jewish History of Albany Park walking tour, 5pm

From the early 1920s to the late 1970s, Albany Park was the center of the Northside Jewish population. Home to huge synagogues, multiple after-school youth centers, a Chicago library branch stocked with books on Jewish life and culture, and countless Jewish-owned delis and businesses. Albany Park historian Patti Swanson of Chicago for Chicagoans joins fourth-generation city resident and longtime collaborator Sam Prestigiacomo for the tour.

Start: Nighthawk, 4744 N. Kimball

Price: pay-what-you-can, suggested donation $10-20

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Bike Ride with North Branch Trail Alliance, 2pm - 5pm

The North Branch Trail Alliance of Greater Chicago (NBTA) will be leading a BIKE RIDE & BUSINESS TOUR as part of Tastes & Tours of Albany Park that begins in the suburbs and heads into the city.

Using NBTA's Route #7 (Suburbs to City) to connect and participate in Tastes and Tours of Albany Park:
  1. Meet at Howard Street Inn (6700 W. Howard Street, Niles, IL 60714)
  2. Stop in Edgebrook to visit local businesses: Local Goods, Pet Wants, Nuts and More, etc.
  3. Stop in Mayfair neighborhood of Albany Park: Bespoke
  4. Stop/End on the border of Albany Park/Irving Park at the new Twisted Hippo Taproom & Eatery. Bring the kids, because every Sunday is family day!

Event Sponsor

Event Partners

Chicago for Chicagoans

Bru Coffeeworks

Albany Park Neighbors

Albany Park Dines

Nighthawk Coffee Bar & Tavern

Event Headquarters

Me & My Shadow

Francis Archer

Brick of Chicago

Will

North Branch Trail Alliance of Greater Chicago

The Kedzie Inn

Kickoff Party Business Host