Taste of Highland Park
The Taste of Highland Park was featured on WGN’s Spotlight Chicago segment in 2024.
FRIDAY, JUNE 20 & SATURDAY, JUNE 21 | 5 PM - 10 PM
The Taste of Highland Park is downtown Highland Park’s premiere dining and music festival. Mark your calendars for 2025’s event: Friday, June 20 and Saturday, June 21 from 5 PM - 10 PM both nights, at Port Clinton Square (600 Central Ave.).
The City of Highland Park is bringing the ultimate outdoor entertainment and dining experience to Downtown Highland Park with the Taste of Highland Park June 20 & 21 from 5 PM - 10 PM. Located along Central Avenue, between First and Second Streets, and in Port Clinton Square (600 Central Ave.), sample a dozen local premier food and beverage vendors and get a taste of what sets Highland Park apart on the North Shore. This year’s family-friendly entertainment will transport you back in time with Too Hype Crew’s tribute to old school hip hop (Friday) and Queen tribute band Queenflash (Saturday). Relive your favorite hits from the 60s through the early 2000s across multiple genres: hip hop, Latin, disco, rock, and more. Plus, enjoy a special opening performance of Rent on Friday, and Hairspray on Saturday. In addition, globally-recognized DJ Madrid returns as the City’s resident DJ (Friday).
Indulge in a wide selection of food options guaranteed to satisfy a variety of palates. Savor diverse flavors and dishes including Italian, Mexican, Indian, American, European, Asian, and more, as well as sweet treats, wine, beer, cocktails, and more.
*The mobile stage for the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Taste of Highland Park events was provided by the Bitter Jester Foundation for the Arts.
Get ready for more food, more music, and even more fun for 2025!
2025 Entertainment & Restaurant Lineup
Take a trip back in time and experience your favorite hits from the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and 00s at this year’s Taste of Highland Park! We have an awesome of bands waiting to transport your back to your favorite musical era.
FRIDAY, JUNE 20
5 PM - 5:30 PM | Beloved hometown favorites, Highland Park Players, kick off the Taste of Highland Park with selections from their upcoming production of Rent, running July 18-27, 2025.
6 PM - 7:30 PM | The best boy band tribute in the country, Boy Band Review, will have you dancing all noche with their Fuego! set of songs featuring hits from Ricky Martin, Menudo, Enrique Iglesias, y mas (and more)!
8 PM - 10 PM | The world’s first all-live old school hip hop tribute band, Too Hype Crew, will headline. This family-friendly tribute band pays homage to all the hip shakin’, rhyme makin’ songs of the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s!
SATURDAY, JUNE 21
5 PM - 5:30 PM | Highland Park’s very own Uptown Music Theater opens evening two of the Taste with selections from Hairspray, opening July 2025.
6 PM - 8 PM | Attention Dancing Queens! Coming to Highland Park all the way from Toronto, the largest production of Abba in the world, Abbamania, will have you grooving for hours.
8 PM - 10 PM | The Taste of Highland Park will conclude with six-piece Queen tribute band Queenflash. Frontman and Freddy Mercury look-and-sound alike, Johnny Zatylny, will rock you until the night is over.
Let your tastebuds show you what sets Highland Park apart on Chicago’s North Shore! Sample more than a dozen local food and beverage vendors during this two-night event.
Participating Restaurants:
BWB Shakes, Cafe Dacha, Central Cafe (Saturday), DeNucci’s, Fluffy Bunny (Friday), Indus Progressive Indian, Judy’s Pizza, Lynfred Winery, Michael’s Grill & Salad Bar, Mil Colibris Bakery + Cafe, Ordo, Pixca, Steep Ravine Brewing Company, Tamales, and Yana’s Speakeasy.
Getting to the Taste & Parking
The Taste of Highland Park will take place at Port Clinton Square (600 Central Ave.) as well as along Central Ave. between First St. and Second St.
Ample parking can be found throughout downtown Highland Park, including a parking garage underneath Port Clinton Square, nearby surface lots, a two-level parking deck south of Central on First St. and St. Johns, and a large lot located at 525 Central Ave. The City encourages guests to use non-motorized transportation where available. Bike racks are available at The Lot and in the immediate vicinity, and the Metra is a viable option, too. Information about parking in the City of Highland Park is available here.
Downtown Highland Park is also easily accessible via public and non-motorized transport.
Metra - take UP-N to the Highland Park station, located a 4 minute walk from The Lot.
Pace Bus - take Highland Park/Highwood Route 472 to the St. Johns/Central stop, across the street from The Lot.
Bike/Walk - from the north, take the Robert McClory Bike Trail south to Vine Ave. Head east on Vine, turning south onto St. Johns Ave. From the south, take the Robert McClory Bike Trail north along St. Johns Ave. Bike racks are available at The Lot and in the immediate vicinity.
Thank You to Our 2025 Sponsors!
For sponsorship opportunities and packages, please contact Ripple Public Relations - info@ripplepublicrelations.com / 847.432.6000