ALBANY PARK — Tastes & Tours of Albany Park returns this week and will feature a weekend of food tastings, trivia, a cultural community bike ride, walking tours and more.
The festivities kick off Friday night with a history lesson about the neighborhood.
At the free event, guests will learn about the history, development and heritage of Albany Park, Irving Park and North Park from a roundtable panel of local experts while enjoying tasty brews and food at The Kedzie Inn, 4100 N. Kedzie Ave.
The panel will be moderated by Julie Lynch of the Northside Neighborhood History Collection at Sulzer Library.
The Saturday trivia event will be at Nighthawk Chicago, 4744 N. Kimball Ave., and begins at 9 p.m. It’ll be hosted by two knowledgeable Albany Parkers — Christopher Bissell and Patti Swanson.
Earlier on May 4, a series of walking and food tours will be happening throughout the festivals, so the evening trivia event will reward those who have been paying attention to their guides.
And in addition to the scheduled events, local coffee roaster Brü Coffeeworks created a special roast called the “60625 Blend.” The coffee will be served by the cup or bag at Nighthawk during the weekend festival.
Here’s the full Taste of Albany Park schedule:
• May 3 at 6:30 p.m. — Northside History Roundtable — Free
Attendees will 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 brews and food at The Kedzie Inn bar at 4100 N. Kedzie Ave. Moderated by Julie Lynch of the Northside Neighborhood History Collection at Sulzer Library. Registration is encouraged and you can do so here.
• May 4 at 11 a.m. — Albany Park History Walking Tour — Suggested Donation $10 to $20
Explore the history of the Chicago River with “Chicago for Chicagoans” founder Patti Swanson. Registration is required.
• May 4 at 1 p.m — Tastes of Albany Park Food Tour — $25
Taste signature bites at Albany Park restaurants and speak with the owners and chefs to discover the full history of their business and their cuisine. This tour is curated by Albany Park Neighbors’ project called Albany Park Dines, and led by chef Jairo Lopez of Tortuga’s Latin Kitchen. Restaurant stops include Kim’s Home Cooking, Subo Filipino Kitchen, Nighthawk Chicago (serving Bru), Tortuga’s Latin Kitchen, El Siglo, Noon-O-Kebab and Rojo Gusano.
The tour is not vegetarian friendly, but attendees should bring their appetites. Registration is required.
• May 4 at 3:00pm — Brick of Chicago Walking Tour: Albany Park — $12
On this walking tour, learn about the materials used to build houses, apartments and storefronts in Albany Park. Register here.
•May 4 at 6 p.m. — Brown Line Tour: Montrose to Kimball — Suggested Donation $10 to $20
Join transit enthusiast Ava Francesca Battocchio and Swanson for a tour exploring the northernmost end of Chicago’s Brown Line.Registration required.
• May 4 at 9 p.m. — Albany Park Neighborhood Trivia — Free
Do you love Albany Park? Have you lived there a long time? Or at least taken a walking tour? Put your neighborhood knowledge to the test at the first-ever Albany Park trivia night at Nighthawk Coffee Bar & Tavern, 4744 N. Kimball Ave. Registration is first come, first serve starting at 8 p.m.
• 05 de Mayo a las 11 a.m. — Gira de Historia en Albany Park- Presentada en Español — Una propina de $10-20 por cada participante es sugerido y apreciado
Chicago para Chicagoans esta feliz de presentar el primer tour en español con Elizabeth Nieto y Audrey Marquez! La gira empezará en Nighthawk Chicago y continuará hacia el oeste de Albany Park — el lado más multicultural y diverso. RSVP.
• May 5 at 1 p.m. — North Park Village History Tour — Suggested Donation $10-$20 with proceeds benefiting Friends of the North Park Village Nature Center.
Join Northside native, Chicago historian and Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium researcher Frances O’Cherony Archer to discover the legendary past of North Park Village. Registration required (cap of 30 people).
• May 5 at 5 p.m. — L’dor Vador: the Jewish History of Albany Park — Suggested donation $10 to $20
From the early 1920s to the late 1970s, Albany Park was the center of the Northside Jewish population. It was 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. Registration required.
• May 5 at 2 p.m. — Cultural Bike Ride with North Branch Trail Alliance — Free
The North Branch Trail Alliance of Greater Chicago invites you to come along on a community bike ride of the Northwest Side, starting in Niles and ending in Albany Park! Beginning at Howard Street Inn, 6700 Howard St. in Niles at 2 p.m., the route will make use of the North Branch Trail and includes stops at local area businesses in Niles, Edgebrook, Mayfair and Albany Park. Unwind at the last stop, Twisted Hippo, for food, beers and their family friendly activities. Register by emailing: northbranchtrailalliance@gmail.com or click here.
For more information on Tastes & Tours of Albany Park, please visit North River Commission’s event website or Facebook page.
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