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October 20, 2021

The City is excited to build on the 2019 - 2021 strategic plan and continue to implement strategies to retain and expand existing businesses, attract new exciting businesses, and broaden our sales tax base to sustain a balanced and healthy business climate.

Your input and feedback is important to help support these efforts! By participating in a virtual stakeholder meeting, you'll be able to share your feedback and provide your unique insight. The following sessions are available:

• Property owners: Oct. 28 (4 – 5:30 PM); Nov. 1 (9 – 10:30 AM)
• Restaurant owners & managers: Oct. 27 (2 – 3:30 PM); Nov. 4 (2 – 3:30 PM)
• Office businesses: Nov. 1 (2 – 3:30 PM)
• Service businesses: Nov. 2 (3:30 – 5:00 PM)
• Retail businesses: Nov. 15 (2 – 3:30 PM)
• Realtors: Nov. 10 (2 – 3:30 PM); Nov. 17 (9 – 10: 30 AM)
• Residents: Nov. 9 (6:30 – 8:00 PM); Nov. 15 (6:30 – 8:00 PM)

Translation services or other accommodations will be available upon request. Please contact cityhp@cityhpil.com. 

City staff will also attend the Ravinia Farmers Market on Wednesday, Oct. 27 (8 – 9:30 AM) to connect with residents and vendors. Please complete this form to sign up for one of the sessions.

Spooky celebrations are coming to Highland Park next week!

Oct. 28: Festivities at Port Clinton Square & Rennaissance Place

Kick off a fun Halloween weekend with trick-or-treating in Port Clinton Square, Rennaissance Place, and other Downtown Highland Park Businesses on Thursday, October 28, 3 - 6 PM.

Enjoy live music and a free store-to-store candy stroll!

Special thanks to all the participating businesses, Port Clinton Management & Rennaissance Place for coordinating this event.

Oct. 29: Ravinia District Candy Stroll

The Ravinia Business District's Halloween Candy Stroll will be held on Friday, October 29 from 2 - 5 PM.

The stroll will feature four interactive Harvest Vignettes for visitors to sit and take selfies to post on social media, located at the northeast corner of Broadview and Roger Williams, southeast corner of Pleasant and Roger Williams, on Roger Williams just west of Happi Sushi, and the southeast corner of St. Johns and Roger Williams.

Special thanks to all the participating businesses and the Ravinia District Special Service Area 17 property owners for coordinating this event.

Oct 31: Free Magic Show & Trick or Treating at Madame Zuzu's - 1876 First Street

Join Madame Zuzu's on Sunday, October 31 at 3 PM for an exciting Halloween magic show with the great North Shore magician, Gary Kantor!

Bring the family in costume and enjoy this spooktacular show (for kids of all ages)! There will be allergy-friendly candy for everyone on Halloween!

This event is free. Register HERE.

Interactive Fall Stroll

October – November

Plan to stroll the Ravinia District to enjoy the fall decorations October 10 - November 30. In conjunction with the décor, a Kids Halloween Candy Stroll is scheduled throughout the Ravinia Business District on Friday, October 29 from 2 PM to 5 PM. The stroll will feature four interactive Harvest Vignettes for visitors to sit and take selfies to post on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. The Vignettes will be located at the northeast corner of Broadview and Roger Williams, southeast corner of Pleasant and Roger Williams, on Roger Williams just west of Happi Sushi, and the southeast corner of St. Johns and Roger Williams.

After Thanksgiving, the District will feature holiday décor, and the public will be invited to participate in a holiday stroll with giveaways.  

Fall fruits and veggies are in abundance at this week’s Ravinia Farmers Market. Be sure to shop for all your weekly menu needs around what’s in season this week: produce, fruit, farm fresh eggs, cheeses, meats, fish, artisan breads and pastries, hand-poured chocolates, cookies and snacks, pickles and condiments, local honey, maple syrup, cut flowers for your table and so much more!

Shop for festive organic pumpkins and gourds for decorating and baking! This week’s market features a wide selection of heirloom tomatoes, cabbage, eggplant, sweet and spicy peppers, fall squash, greens and lettuces, herbs, and other local and organically grown produce!. It’s still fruit season, and this week’s Market is abundant with Midwest pears, apples, jams and jellies, and even peaches and raspberries.

Stop by the Welcome Tent to enter the free drawing for your chance to win a natural products goodie bag!

Live music is sponsored by the Highland Park Community Foundation.

The Ravinia Farmers Market runs weekly from 7 AM to 1 PM through October 27 in Jens Jensen Park - Roger Williams Ave. between St. Johns Ave. and Dean Ave. 

Light the Night

Saturday, November 6

3 - 5 PM

Port Clinton Square, 600 Central Avenue

Join Mayor Rotering and the City Council

for the lighting of over 200 trees for the

2021 holiday season. Family-friendly

activities include Santa, music, and more.

This year's festivities will include a flash mob, and you can be part of the performance! Although the timing of the dance will be a surprise, you can prepare by learning the choreography. Visit cityhpil.com/lightthenight for more information and for instructional videos to learn the dance!

Construction for the temporary Ravinia Fire Station has begun! The temporary fire station will be placed at Brown Park, off Roger Williams and Burton Avenue while the new Fire Station is constructed where the current station is located.  Special thanks to the Park District of Highland Park for granting the City approval to use a portion of Brown Park for the temporary station.

Temporary construction fencing will be installed starting Wednesday, October 20, 2021. The fencing is anticipated to be in place for approximately 60 days while the foundation is established for the temporary station. The temporary station which will include an apparatus bay and trailer will be on-site for 12 to 15-months while the new station is constructed. The relocation to the temporary fire station will not impact the Fire Department’s ability to respond to calls for service.

Visit cityhpil.com/raviniafire to learn more.

The City of Highland Park’s new social media campaign, #EnjoyHighlandPark, highlights the unique shopping and dining, exceptional natural spaces, and vibrant arts and entertainment offerings you can't find anywhere but Highland Park. Learn more at our new website enjoyhighlandpark.com. The City will continue to add content on an ongoing basis - check back frequently!

Help spread the word, and be sure to follow @enjoyhighlandpark on Instagram and @EnjoyHighlandPark on Facebook.

Explore. Experience. Enjoy Highland Park: enjoyhighlandpark.com. 

Madame Zuzu's is a cafe and tea shop that combines plant-based foods with rare teas of the world (in collaboration with Rare Tea Cellar) and good vibes. Madame Zuzu's is a place for people to come together and discover the world of fine teas and delicious food.

Don't miss the upcoming events including the Live Comedy Night on October 22, Movie Night on October 29, and the Trick or Treat Spooktacular Family Event on October 31.

Visit madamezuzus.com to stay up to date on all the special events at Madame Zuzu's.

Madame Zuzu's - 1861 First Street

847.9267359 / madamezuzus.com

SCORE offers in-person or virtual sessions using phone, email, or video

All sessions are free and confidential. SCORE mentors are successful business professionals, some retired, some working, from all

industries and experiences.

Visit northchicago.score.org and register to “Find a

Mentor”. You will be asked to provide the nature of your business interest.

Please include whether you prefer in-person or virtual mentoring (phone,

email, video) and note, the Highland Park Public Library even

if you prefer a virtual session.

Interested in sharing your profession with a high school student exploring their career options? The Highland Park Career Exploration program (HPCE) provides students with the opportunity to gain valuable insights into a potential career path and goals. Students are matched and meet with professionals to discuss career aspirations, work initiatives, and other professional inquiries.

On August 26, 2021, the Governor signed Executive Order 21-20 which requires all individuals over the age of 2 and who can medically tolerate a face covering to wear a face-covering when in indoor public places. The Executive Order also requires health care workers, school personnel, higher education personnel and students, and employees and contractors of state-owned or operated congregate facilities to be fully vaccinated, as described in the Order.

Please place this Face Mask Required Sign in your place of business to remind customers to wear a face covering.

Face Covering FAQs

The State of Illinois has launched Get Hired Illinois to connect job seekers with employers and training opportunities as well as employers who are looking to fill open positions with available workers. Visit GetHired (illinois.gov) for more information.

The City of Highland Park has a matching grant program to assist restaurants and retailers with operational costs incurred to provide a safe environment for customers and staff in compliance with state and federal public health guidelines for the coronavirus pandemic. The program will accept applications from qualifying restaurants and retailers located and operating within a commercial building in Highland Park with a net worth of less than $2 million and generating less than an average of $200,000 in profit per year for two years after taxes. Qualifying restaurants and retailers may apply for reimbursement of up to 50% of eligible expenses related to COVID-19 public health mitigations, to a maximum of $10,000 for restaurants and $5,000 for retailers, for costs incurred between August 15, 2020, and December 31, 2021, or until funds are depleted. More information is available here. 

For general business inquiries, contact the City's Business Development Manager Carolyn Hersch at chersch@cityhpil.com.

For more information on the City's response to COVID-19, contact the City's Communications Manager Amanda Civitello at acivitello@cityhpil.com.

This newsletter is produced by the City of Highland Park's Office of Business Development. If you have information you would like to include in this weekly mailing, please submit information, photos, and news to Melissa Rosen at mrosen@cityhpil.com. The City reserves the right to edit and/or filter submissions. No pricing information will be published.