The Main-Dempster Mile puts on some of Evanston’s Best Events and we always participate! This page shows the upcoming Events and how to purchase tickets where necessary.

The Main Street Fair is a reboot of the former Custer Fair, which was a signature Evanston tradition before it closed in 2020, drawing thousands of residents and visitors for live music, local art, food, and family-friendly activities. In 2025, the Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club resurrected it as the Main Street Fair, and the local community cheered.

The Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club, which organized the 2025 Main Street Fair, is unable to produce the event in 2026 so a coalition of local nonprofits including Evanston Made, Shorefront Legacy Center, Evanston Latinos, Evanston ASPA, Evanston Chamber of Commerce, Around Evanston, Hive Center for the Book Arts, and the Main-Dempster Mile, has begun planning to sustain the Main Street Fair this year and beyond.

“This event is more than a street festival — it’s a celebration of Evanston’s diversity, creativity, small businesses, and community spirit,” said organizers from the nonprofit coalition.

Watch for information on the Wine Walk – tickets go on sale June 1!