The History of Riverside
Before it was a postcard-perfect village, Riverside was a radical idea.
In the years after the Great Chicago Fire, the city was rebuilding fast and growing faster. Gridlines ruled the day, and every spare patch of land was primed for profit. But a group of visionaries had something else in mind. What if a town could be more than practical? What if it could be beautiful?
Enter Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the same landscape architects behind New York’s Central Park. In 1869, Olmsted and Vaux were commissioned to design what would become one of America’s earliest planned suburbs—not with straight lines and sharp corners, but with curving streets, green space, and a natural relationship with the Des Plaines River.
The result was Riverside.
They imagined walkable neighborhoods, shared gardens, winding paths, and a central village that welcomed community life. It was groundbreaking and a statement about how people should live.
Over time, Riverside became known as a living museum of American architecture and urban planning. From Frank Lloyd Wright to William Le Baron Jenney, some of the greatest design minds left their mark here. But the town never turned into a time capsule. It kept growing, adapting, and evolving, without losing its soul.
Today, Riverside is still that original vision made real. A place where nature and community intersect. A place that feels like home even if it’s your first time visiting.
To help mark the milestone, Riverside is rolling out a full lineup of events that celebrate the past, present, and spirit of the village.
Here’s how to spend a weekend in a town that knows how to throw a party with soul.
It Starts with a Story: Bends in the River
August 1–2, 7:00 PM | Hauser Auditorium
Before there was a party, there was a story.
Bends in the River kicks off the sesquicentennial with a set of one-act plays that feel like opening up a family scrapbook. These are scenes pulled from the margins of local history and the imaginations of the people who call Riverside home. You’ll meet characters you might recognize, even if you’ve never seen them before.
Set in Hauser Auditorium, this isn’t Broadway, and it doesn’t need to be. It’s a reflection of Riverside itself.
Slow Ride Through a Living Museum
August 8, 6:00 PM | Train Station
On Thursday, grab your bike (or borrow one from a neighbor) and join the Slow Roll—a community ride that winds through the village like the river that inspired it. This isn’t a race. It’s a moving conversation. Kids in helmets, parents with reusable water bottles in hand, neighbors waving from their porches. It’s all part of the rhythm.
You’ll coast past century-old homes, shaded parks, and curves in the road that were mapped out by Frederick Law Olmsted himself. If you’ve never seen what a “planned suburb” looks like in motion, this is the night to find out.
The ride begins at the train station, a fitting starting point for a town that’s always been just far enough from the city to feel like a retreat, but close enough to stay connected.
Music Under the Stars
August 8, 7:00 PM | Big Ball Park
The slow roll winds up in Big Ball Park as the sun starts to set and the temperatures cool. Welcome to the Riverside 150 Homecoming Concert, featuring the down-home country/rock vibes of the Nashville Electric Company.
Whether you bring a blanket or chairs, or just show up and enjoy the music, this concert is not just for locals. It’s for anyone who loves that feeling of being in the right place at the right time.
Saturday in the Heart of Town
August 9, 1:00–4:00 PM | Guthrie Park
By Saturday afternoon, Riverside is fully awake and out in the sun. Guthrie Park becomes the village’s living room—blankets on the lawn, kids chasing bubbles, neighbors catching up between bites proffered up by local community groups.
This is the Sesquicentennial Festival, but it feels more like a block party stretched across generations. There’s music in the air, the smell of fresh popcorn, maybe even a friendly competition or two. You’ll find local artists, community booths, and just enough lawn games to keep both toddlers and grandparents entertained.
Evening Splits Two Ways
August 9, 6:30–9:00 PM
As the sun starts to dip, you’ve got options. Two events, one spirit.
Over on Quincy Street, the Popcorn, Pizza & Pajama Party is every kid’s dream evening—comfy clothes, warm food, maybe a story time and a dance-off or two. Parents can exhale. Kids can be kids, and everyone heads home with a smile (and maybe a little popcorn on their shirt).
Ticket information available here.
Or, if you’re looking for something a little more grown-up, the Sesquicentennial Soiree at the Riverside Train Station is waiting. Picture the old depot dressed up for the occasion: music echoing off the brick, a bespoke silent auction, conversations swirling between sips. A little sparkle. A little nostalgia. A perfect end to the night.
Ticket information available here.
For a full list of events, click here.
What Else? Plenty.
If this is your first visit, take the long way while you’re here. Walk through downtown and stop for coffee, maybe even bring a bike and follow the curves of the Des Plaines River. Take a self-guided tour past homes designed by legends like Frank Lloyd Wright and William Le Baron Jenney, or let the town show itself to you, one quiet corner at a time.
Swan Pond Park offers some of the best picnic spots around, and the Riverside Historical Museum is a must if you want to see how this whole thing got started. Families will love the playgrounds. Architecture buffs will find plenty to admire. Everyone will find something worth remembering.
Click here to learn more about Riverside.
Why 150 Years Still Matters
You don’t stick around for 150 years without doing something right. Riverside isn’t just still here—it’s still itself. That’s no small thing.
In a world that changes fast and forgets faster, this little village has held on to what matters: green space, thoughtful design, and people who look out for each other.
So come through. Celebrate big. Eat well. Stay late. Riverside is turning 150 and there’s no better time to experience what makes it special.
