Jefferson Park Forward

JPF May 2024 General Meeting
2024-05-16 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Windsor Tavern and Grill, 4530 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60630, USA, Chicago, IL, United States
Join us on Thursday, May 16, at 7pm at the Windsor Tavern (4530 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago) to hear about spring happenings in Jefferson Park! Guests include the Jefferson Park Sunday Market and Jefferson Park Pollinator Gardens, with more invited!

JPF May 2024 Walk
2024-05-25 09:30
Hey, a location we’ve never walked to…

For May we’ll we head east to check out Andersonville. We’ll walk E down Foster, possibly taking a quick detour into Bohemian Cemetery to check out some graves. After that we’ll continue eastward (possibly via Bryn Mawr) all the way to Clark St to explore Andersonville. Obviously refreshment will be involved with Simon’s Tavern and Hopleaf being options. Women & Children First is a worthwhile stop for book shopping. Middle East Bakery a good place to stock up on pita and falafel if you have interest.

For the trip home we can do either Foster or Lawrence bus. Total distance will be around 7 miles. Meet up for 9:30 departure at Weston’s.

Hope to see you there.

JPF Saturdays in the Alley: Music & Merriment!
2024-06-01 13:00 - 15:00 | Jefferson Park Alley, 4870 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, Illinois, 60630, United States
Join Jefferson Park Forward SATURDAY, June 1 from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM. Grab a snack and beverage at Weston’s and enjoy an afternoon of music and merriment with neighbors in the Jefferson Park Alley. The Alley is located on Milwaukee Ave, next to Weston’s Coffee & Tap & across from the Jefferson Park Transit Center.

JPF June 2024 General Meeting
2024-06-20 19:00
Join us on Thursday, June 20, at 7pm at the Windsor Tavern (4530 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago) to hear a legislative update from Illinois State Representative Lindsey LaPointe. Come early for dinner and stay after the meeting for a social hour (or two)!

JPF Community Stage at Jeff Fest
2024-07-12 18:00 - 22:00
6-8pm: Join us for a JPF Happy Hour to kick off the Community Stage! Wear your JPF gear and come say hello!

6:00 pm – Sidehug

7:15 pm – Salisman

8:45 pm – Bloodhype

Want to volunteer for a shift at the beer tent to help raise funds so JPF can continue to bring great artists like these to your neighborhood? Sign up at our volunteer page.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Side Hug

Friday at 6:00

Bio: Amid the tapestry of Chicago’s indie rock scene emerges Side Hug, the sonic brainchild of Lyd Landor (vocals, guitar), Christian Ovalle (drums) and Allan Cardenas (lead guitar). After crossing paths working at a local ice cream shop on the North Side, the group formed their sound — a dreamy concoction of shoegaze and indie rock — highlighting sharp guitar work, raucous drums, and slacker-esque vocals with heartfelt lyrics. On their sophomore EP Wasted Summer, Side Hug brings a more complex and reverb-soaked sound, that is nostalgic like a double scoop with sprinkles melting in the midday sun.

Links: Bandcamp | Apple Music | Spotify | Instagram | Facebook

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Salisman

Friday at 7:15

Bio: Salisman is a four-piece psychedelic indie-rock band with a sound they refer to as “western shoegaze.” The band features Travis Salisbury on pedal steel, Paul Foreman on guitar and vocals, Sean Burke on drums and Kevin Pulaski on bass. The songs tell the story a fictional cult leader who is forced to reinvent himself each time his followers lose faith and abandon him. This four piece plays with heavy dynamics and slide between hushed, country-tinged waltzes to aggressive, fuzz-drenched barn-burners.

Links:

Bandcamp: https://salisman.bandcamp.com/music

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salismanblessed/

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Bloodhype

Friday at 8:45

Bio: Bloodhype, originally created as a solo electronic project by Maureen Neer in 2011, was born in Athens, Ohio where it floated along the Hocking River to pick up rhythm and mixing mastermind Chris Lee. Like most weird, sci-fi-obsessed kids, Bloodhype (now more of a group project) made its way to Chicago, IL where it Kirby-inhaled Colin Mulhern, who occasionally adds additional instrumentation and mixes Bloodhype’s songs.

Bloodhype’s latest album, TRENDOIDS, is a dancey, electronic banger. You can probably tell from upbeat extraterrestrial and cryptid themes in “Encounter at Alpha 7 Quadrant” and “Night Crawler” that the album was conceived during COVID as a response to the need for silliness. TRENDOIDS is for fans of Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark, The Talking Heads, and Devo

Links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloodhype_chi/

Bandcamp: https://bloodhype.bandcamp.com/

Spotify:

JPF Community Stage at Jeff Fest
2024-07-13 14:30 - 22:00
2:30 pm – Buzz Hunter

4:30 pm – Jessica Risker

6:30 pm – Blue Stevenson

8:30 pm – Thomas Comerford

Want to volunteer for a shift at the beer tent to help raise funds so JPF can continue to bring great artists like these to your neighborhood? Sign up at our volunteer page.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Buzz Hunter

Saturday at 2:30

Bio:

Buzz Hunter is a local musician who has been singing and writing songs since he was a student at St. Pat’s.

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Jessica Risker

Saturday at 4:30

Bio: Jessica Risker is a Chicago-based singer/songwriter and guitarist renowned for her unique blend of psychedelic folk music. Collaborating with talented bandmates Joshua Wentz (synths/electronix) and Brian Weza (bass) and drawing inspiration from Broadcast, Jessica Pratt, Laurel Canyon, and Beck, Jessica Risker crafts music that is both deeply introspective and expansively psychedelic. Jessica’s previous album “I See You Among the Stars” was released via Western Vinyl to critical acclaim.

Risker is currently recording a new album with Chicago engineer Dave Vettraino and bandmates Joshua Wentz, Brian Weza, Maria Jacobson, and Steve Plock.

Links: https://jessicarisker.com/

https://deadbeatbeatbeat.bandcamp.com

https://www.instagram.com/jessicarisker

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Blue Stevenson

Saturday at 6:30

Bio: Blue Stevenson is a songwriter and singer based in Chicago, IL. Inspired by the storytelling of pop artists like Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo, her work centers catchy melodies and heartfelt lyrical narratives,

Links:

Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/21yRQpj7ZChZ1n1meeXHze?si=L0lmnVNSRXWav6OHG_Jo8A

Apple Music – https://music.apple.com/us/artist/blue-stevenson/1708046297

Instagram – @blue.stevenson

YouTube – www.youtube.com/@bluestevenson2407

Tik Tok – @bluestevenson_music

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Thomas Comerford

Saturday at 8:30

Bio:

Thomas Comerford is a Jefferson Park, Chicago-based singer-songwriter whose songs and singing have been compared to Jeff Tweedy and Tom Waits (“USA Today”) as well as Lou Reed and the Go-Betweens (“Chicago Reader”). He has released four studio albums and a handful of singles, including 2023’s “Spell of Protection” b/w “Those Who Fear Tomorrow” recorded at Electrical Audio. Currently, Thomas is recording an EP of new songs with his live band. He also plays in a rock n roll band, Glimmerwire, and a Velvet Underground tribute band, Another VU.

Links:

thomascomerford.net

thomascomerford.bandcamp.com

facebook.com/thomascomerfordmusic/

youtube.com/user/ThomasComerford/

JPF Community Stage at Jeff Fest
2024-07-14 14:00 - 21:00
2:30 pm – Chicago Music and Acting Academy

5:00 pm – Citywide Symphony Orchestra Ensembles

7:00 pm – Jefferson Park Songwriters

Want to volunteer for a shift at the beer tent to help raise funds so JPF can continue to bring great artists like these to your neighborhood? Sign up at our volunteer page.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Chicago Music and Acting Academy

Sunday at 2:30

Bio: Chicago Music & Acting Academy will be taking the stage this year with a live band! Our students, ages 5-adult, will perform pop/rock and musical theatre hits through the decades.

Links:

www.chicagomaa.org

Facebook: Chicago Music and Acting Academy

Instagram: @ChicagoMusicandActing

Tik Tok: @chicagomusicandacting

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Citywide Symphony Orchestra Ensembles

Sunday at 5:00

Founded in 1947, The Chicago City Wide Symphony Orchestra is an all-volunteer community orchestra comprised of students and amateur, semi-professional and retired musicians of all ages from Chicago and the surrounding metropolitan area.

https://citywideorchestra.org

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Jefferson Park Songwriters

Sunday at 7:00

A group of talented local musicians will share their original songs. Don’t miss this!

JPF October 2024 General Meeting
2024-10-17 19:00 - 20:00
Join JPF for our next general member meeting on Thursday, October 17, from 7-8pm.

We are hosting our meeting in the back area of The Windsor. (Come early, grab a seat, grab some food, tip well!)

We’ll have a vote for proposed bylaw changes (you can review those here: https://www.jeffersonparkforward.org/proposed-2024-bylaw…/).

For October’s meeting, we will feature local businesses! Come meet and hear from some of our favorite new and established businesses in the area and see what they have coming up this fall and winter

Back Porch Music Series
2025-06-22 14:00 - 15:00, 2025-07-13 14:00 - 15:00, 2025-07-27 14:00 - 15:00
FREE CONCERT SERIES! Join the Jefferson Park Forward, and local co-sponsors as we present the Back Porch Music Series. This event recurs on select Sundays in Jefferson Memorial Park, featuring talented local artists who will entertain us from the porch of the Esdohr House (just south of the JMP Fieldhouse). Grab your lawn chair, a snack, and your listening ears for some summer fun in the park. NOTE: these concerts occur on the same day as the Jefferson Park Sunday Market, so make a day of it!

Thanks to the Jefferson Park Memorial Advisory Council and the Chicago Park District for making this event possible! These events are also sponsored by the Jefferson Park Chamber of Commerce and the Jefferson Park Neighborhood Association.

JUNE 22: Buzz Hunter – Singer/Songwriter and Nashville recording artist, Buzz Hunter will be bringing his music to Jefferson Park. Buzz is a former high school principal, where a trip to his office could be a musical experience.

JULY 13: You Know Who – a neighborhood band of wise old owls playing decades of rock and pop favorites, and a cool deep cut or two. Flocking soon to the back porch of the Esdohr House.

JULY 27: +AXONS+ – Axons is the songwriting project of Jefferson Park community leader Adele Nicholas. Axons’ most recent album, I Object to Everything, is inspired by the true story of how two federal prisoners escaped from the Metropolitan Correctional Center in downtown Chicago by rappelling 17 stories down the side of the building on ropes fashioned from braided bedsheets sewn together with dental floss in December of 2012.

Jefferson Park Open Mic Night!
2025-07-07 19:00 - 22:00
Jefferson Park Forward is excited to extend our monthly open mic night in our neighborhood with our friends at The Brig!

Singers, songwriters, instrumentalists – all are welcome at the monthly Jefferson Park Open Mic at The Brig. Casual, friendly, and a great chance to play your music on a local community stage. Free to play, free to attend!

Monthly, every second Tuesday of the month. All ages!

JPF General Meeting
2025-07-17 19:00 - 20:00
Join us for our next JPF General Member Meeting on Thursday, July 17 from 7-8pm! We’ll be in the Gateway Lounge (Annex) at Copernicus Center.

Come meet your neighbors, grab a refreshment from the Gateway Lounge (bar will be open!) and join us for local updates including:

• Local Summer Events

• Legislative Update from Rep. Mike Quigley’s Office

• Update from Copernicus Center

• Preview of the Jeff Fest Community Stage – local musicians performing live!

Following the meeting, we’ll head to Rex Tavern for a social hour. Bring a friend and see you there!

JPF GENERAL MEETING

THURSDAY, JULY 17

7-8 PM

COPERNICUS CENTER GATEWAY LOUNGE (ANNEX), 5938 W LAWRENCE

SOCIAL HOUR AT REX TAVERN TO FOLLOW

RSVP HERE

JPF Community Stage at Jeff Fest
2025-08-01 18:00 - 22:00
Jefferson Park Forward is hosting the Community Stage at Jeff Fest for the 7th year! This year will feature 8 bands of all original songwriters and recording artists from Jefferson Park and the surrounding area. Come support live music, original music, and your neighbors at the JPF Community Stage!

FRIDAY 6-8pm: JPF Happy Hour at the Community Stage Beer Tent!

FRIDAY BAND LINE UP:6:00pm – Noiseland (https://www.instagram.com/noiseland_/ ?; https://noise-land.bandcamp.com )7:15pm – Miniskirt (https://www.instagram.com/miniskirt_chi/ ; https://miniskirtchi.bandcamp.com/album/miniskirt-s-t-ep )8:45pm – Josephine (https://linktr.ee/Josephineluhmusic )

JPF Community Stage at Jeff Fest
2025-08-02 13:00 - 22:00
Jefferson Park Forward is hosting the Community Stage at Jeff Fest for the 7th year! This year will feature 8 bands of all original songwriters and recording artists from Jefferson Park and the surrounding area. Come support live music, original music, and your neighbors at the JPF Community Stage!

SATURDAY LINE UP:1:00pm – Chicago Music and Acting Academy (https://www.chicagomaa.org)3:30pm – Jefferson Park Songwriters5:00pm – Michelles (https://michellesband.com )7:15pm – Surgery Cult (https://surgerycult.bandcamp.com )8:30pm – Baron Von Future (http://www.baronvonfuture.com )

Jefferson Park Open Mic Night!
2025-08-11 19:00 - 22:00
Jefferson Park Forward is excited to extend our monthly open mic night in our neighborhood with our friends at The Brig!

Singers, songwriters, instrumentalists – all are welcome at the monthly Jefferson Park Open Mic at The Brig. Casual, friendly, and a great chance to play your music on a local community stage. Free to play, free to attend!

Monthly, every second Monday of the month. All ages!

JPF Community Stage at Chicago Italian Beef Fest
2026-07-31 18:00 - 22:00, 2026-08-01 14:00 - 22:00, 2026-08-02 15:30 - 18:30
It’s that time again: Time for live, local bands at the JPF Community Stage in Jefferson Park! Grab a blanket, pull up a chair, or better yet, get on your feet and rock out to these original songwriters in a wide range of genre, all in the verdant cradle of Jefferson Memorial Park (on the Higgins Avenue side).

This year’s lineup is:

FRIDAY, JULY 31:6:00 PM • Ian McKinley – https://ianmckinleymusic.com/7:30 PM • Dexter – http://www.dexterchicago.com9:00 PM • Emily Jane Powers – https://emilyjanepowers.com/

SATURDAY, AUGUST 12:30 PM • DJ Sliam – https://open.spotify.com/artist/5k9hoBWDCQ3DUpgbgByZTV4:00 PM • 8-Bit Creeps – https://8bitcreeps.bandcamp.com/5:30 PM • The Prime – https://theprimechicago.com/7:00 PM • Salisman – https://salisman.bandcamp.com/8:30 PM • Little Church – https://littlechurch.bandcamp.com/

SUNDAY, AUGUST 23:00 PM • Chicago Music and Acting Academy – https://www.chicagomaa.org/5:30 PM • Jefferson Park Songwriters
