11.6.2025

Good morning, Naperville! We hope you had a safe and enjoyable Halloween! The costumes may or may not be packed away, but fall is in full swing. The leaves are changing, crisp morning walks are here, and November’s charm is just getting started. We’ve got your weekly guide to enjoying it all!

A big shout out to our winners of the launch giveaway; Sara and Jean, thanks so much for your support. Check your inbox, so we can get you the goods!

In this week’s Niche…

• No Dutch Bros, for now

• Healing Field of Honor

• Dinosaur Discoveries

Here we go!

-Elrie & Carly

📰 The Digest

🎃 Halloween is over, but those pumpkins have to go somewhere, how else are we going to make room for all that fall decor? The forest preserve district of Will County is giving you the chance to launch, smash and hurl your leftover pumpkins which are then turned into compost to enrich the soil. Blow off some steam and help the environment!

🥖 If you or someone you know is in need of food, you’re not alone. Here are a few resources to help. Loaves & Fishes, People’s Resource Center, High Point Church, West Suburban Community Pantry, Northern Illinois Food bank, 4 Kids’ Sake Food Pantry. If you’re in a position to support others in need, here’s a cool idea; a very affordable Ziploc meal kit that can be easily assembled and dispersed to those in need.

☕️ Hope you weren’t getting too excited about a potential Dutch Bros at Naperville’s Market Meadows shopping center. The proposal is tabled indefinitely, citing in part, the challenges surrounding traffic flow (If you’ve had to navigate the 7 Brew traffic on a random Tuesday at 6pm…you get it!). For now, it’s back to the drawing board for Dutch Bros.

👋 Thank You!

A quick thank you, to all of you. We’ve got a lot of new faces around here the last few weeks and we couldn’t be more grateful. Your feedback and requests have been so helpful, and we’ll keep doing our part to make sure this letter is valuable to you. If you’ve got any feedback, or just want to say hello, you can reply directly to this email. We love to hear from you!

📍Naper Now

🫡 The Naperville Park District in collaboration with Operation Support Our Troops - America, Naperville Response for Veterans, among others, will host the community’s fifth Healing Field of Honor at Rotary Hill. This year’s theme of the Healing Field of Honor is “Welcome Home” and commemorates service member’s return from Vietnam approximately 50 years ago. Opening day ceremony - 11/6 @ 5pm. Veterans Day ceremony on 11/11 @ 11am.

🧶 Browse 100+ Handmade vendors at the DuPage County Fairground’s’ Firefly Candle Market. Just in time for the holidays, an opportunity to treat yourself or someone special in your life to a thoughtfully crafted gift. Enjoy some of the last outdoor shopping before the Chicagoland winter decides to do its thing! 11/8-9

🍽️ More good eats have arrived or are coming soon to Naperville. Chicken Salad Chick and Dos Bros Fresh Mexican Grill opened recently. Crisp & Green is opening on 11/11. Snag a free wrap or bowl if you attend their grand opening event! A couple of weeks back, we did our own restaurant review, something we really enjoyed and plan to do more of soon. If you’re interested in checking that one out, it was The White Sheep and is in this issue.

🏙️ Around Town

📆 Interested in sharing an event with us? Submit it here! 

🎨 Kids Corner

Changing Leaves and Hibernation Season @ Naper Settlement (11/13) at 6pm

Discover the science behind fall's vibrant colors at Family STEM Night: Changing Leaves! Explore why leaves change, experiment with pigments, and learn about the fascinating processes that make autumn so colorful. A fun, hands-on evening for the whole family!

Dinosaur Discoveries @ Nichols Library Naperville (11/8) at 2pm

See authentic dinosaur fossils, hear stories from real digs and see some of the latest finds from T-Rexplorers! This is a unique, science-based dinosaur discovery program. Their educational programs are built around allowing children the opportunity to handle and examine authentic dinosaur fossils.

Free Admission @ The Brookfield Zoo Tuesdays & Thursdays through November

The Brookfield Zoo typically hosts free admissions days in the colder months. In November this year it’s on Tuesdays and Thursday (Note: Thanksgiving Day is not included). Parking fees still apply.

Toy Swap @ Warrenville Public Library 11/8

Every child deserves something nice and new-to-them through the coming holiday season. Donate gently used toys and find something new to take home.

Once Upon a Time @ Naperville Public Library

The Naperville Public Library hosts free story times all week long for different ages. From babies to preschoolers, there’s a spot for everyone to listen, learn, and play while enjoying library time and meeting new friends.

🐶 Furry Friend of the Week

Meet Theo 🐾 a playful pup with energy to spare! This fun-loving pup adores fetch, tug-of-war, and any adventure. He’s still mastering his manners, so he’d do best with older kids and an active family ready to match his zest for life.

Interested in adopting Theo (or seeing more adoptable pets)? Visit here to learn more.

🎶 What’s Happenin’

• 11/6 An evening of Jazz featuring Dakarai Barclay @ Wentz Hall 7:30pm

• 11/7 Funny Friday’s @ Lennon’s Lounge 8:30pm

• 11/7 Family Bingo and Pizza Night @ Ackerman SFC 5pm

• 11/7 Music Bingo @ Noon Whistle Brewing 5pm

• 11/8 The Best of the 50’s-80’s with 45 RPM @ Danny’s Pub & Grill 7:30pm

• 11/8 Ozzy Tribute with Blizzard of Ozz @ The Piazza 8pm

• 11/8 Ordinary Days Musical @ The Bit Theater 8pm

• 11/9 Fall Concert with the Naperville Municipal Band @ Wentz Hall 4pm

• 11/10 Trivia Night @ Empire Burger Bar 7pm

• 11/12 Trivia Night & ½ Price Pours @ Tapville Social 7pm

• 11/13 Live Music from Call Me Jo @ Quigley’s Irish Pub 8pm

🌤️ The Niche Forecast: Week at a Glance

• Friday: 🌦️ Morning showers, high 63°

• Saturday: 🌨️ Rain and snow mix, high 49°

• Sunday: 🌨️ Breezy with flurries, high 37°

• Monday: 🌤️ Partly sunny, high 36°

• Tuesday: ☁️ Cloudy, high 44°

• Wednesday: 🌤️ Partly sunny, high 55°

• Thursday: 🌤️ Partly sunny, high 53°

Thanks for reading the Naperville Niche today. If you enjoyed, please share it with a friend!