Northwestern Neighborhood and Community Relations

09/03/2026

https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2026/09/evanston-mashup-is-on-the-northwestern-campus-this-year?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=community-engagement

Local entrepreneurs, civic leaders, artists, educators, nonprofit leaders, Northwestern officials and Evanston residents all will be in attendance at this year’s Evanston MashUp.

09/02/2026

Safe Sidewalks Start With All of Us! 🚲🛴

Northwestern University is proud to support the City of Evanston’s Safe Sidewalk Initiative, an effort to help keep Downtown Evanston and our local business districts safe, welcoming, and accessible for everyone.

Whether you’re walking to class, heading to work, visiting a local business, or exploring the community, we all have a role to play in creating safer shared spaces.

When traveling through Downtown Evanston and other business districts, remember to:

*Dismount and walk your bike, scooter, skateboard, roller skates, or similar device on sidewalks.

*Use designated bike lanes or streets when riding.
*Stay alert and be respectful of pedestrians.
*Keep sidewalks accessible for people of all ages and abilities, including those using wheelchairs and other mobility devices.
*Look for posted signage throughout Downtown Evanston.

Northwestern is proud to join the City in encouraging our students, faculty, staff, neighbors, and visitors to help make Evanston safer and more accessible.

Ride where you should. Walk where you must. Share the sidewalk safely.

09/02/2026

Team Northwestern is joining the Race Against Cancer! 💜

On Thursday, September 17, Northwestern University's Operations colleagues, friends, and families are invited to come together in Lincoln Park for the Lurie Children’s Race Against Cancer—supporting children and families cared for by Lurie Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders.

Whether you’re ready to take on the 5K, participate in the 1-mile walk, sign up your little ones for the Kid’s Dash, or simply come out and cheer on Team Northwestern, there’s a way for everyone to be part of this meaningful evening!

Thanks to the Office of the VP/COO, registration fees for Team Northwestern participants are fully covered. Participants can also enjoy complimentary food and beverages, live entertainment, family-friendly activities, and a designated Team Northwestern gathering area.

📅 Thursday, September 17
📍 Lincoln Park
📝 Register by Friday, September 4
💜 NU purple encouraged!

Register here by Friday, September 4: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=dHTylW-cBkSB3BxV9bP5yiBawLiS03dOpo5qef3j9T5UM1NHRk1YWDhCVVEwU01CS0hMMUMzVEczMS4u

Let’s show up strong as Team Northwestern and make a positive impact for children and families affected by cancer.

Thank you Luke Figora for your leadership and continued encouragement of staff getting involved in community engaged opportunities!

Go 'Cats!

09/01/2026

MashUp 2026 is coming home to Northwestern!

One of Evanston’s signature annual events is returning to Northwestern University’s campus — and this year’s MashUp promises to be especially memorable!

MashUp has long celebrated the strong partnership between Northwestern and the City of Evanston, with the Mayor of Evanston and Northwestern’s President serving as the event’s “co-captains.” It’s an evening that brings together leaders, businesses, nonprofits, community members, and the Northwestern community to celebrate the relationships and collaborations that make Evanston such a special place.

After several years of being hosted off campus, MashUp 2026 returns to Northwestern, taking place under the tent at the new Cohen Lawn space. MashUp 2026 is taking place on Thursday, Sept. 10, from 5:30-9PM at Norris University Center.

And the timing couldn’t be better. With a new Northwestern president, a new campus gathering space, the opening of the new Ryan Field, and another exciting chapter beginning in the Northwestern-Evanston relationship, there’s plenty to celebrate!

We’re encouraging our fellow Wildcats — faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends — to come out, connect with our Evanston neighbors, and help make MashUp 2026 one of the best yet! Purchase tickets here: https://www.evchamber.com/programsandevents/mashup2026

One University. One City. One Community.

We’ll see you at MashUp 2026!

08/24/2026

Last Wednesday, Northwestern's Office of Neighborhood and Community Relations had the pleasure of hosting our 2026 ANCHOR Grants Orientation & Networking Session, bringing together this year’s cohort of community and Northwestern partners to connect, build relationships, and officially kick off another year of collaboration.

https://ZoIrieMedia.pixieset.com/anchorgrants2026orientationandnetworkingsessions/

The ANCHOR (Advancing Neighborhood & Community Health, Opportunity & Resilience) Grants Program invests in community-driven partnerships between local organizations and Northwestern faculty and staff. Through these collaborations, partners are working to address important community priorities related to health equity, economic and social empowerment, and children and youth learning throughout Evanston, Chicago, and Cook County.

Since the program’s launch, more than $2 million has been awarded to support impactful projects while strengthening the relationships between Northwestern and the communities we serve.

One of the highlights of last week’s session was hearing directly from each of our partners about their organizations, their Northwestern collaborations, and the projects they will be leading during this grant cycle. We all left the room inspired, energized, and motivated by the passion, creativity, and commitment behind this work—and even more excited about the collective impact these partnerships can make.

We are proud to support our 12 ANCHOR partners for the 2026–27 grant cycle and look forward to sharing their stories, celebrating their progress, and seeing their projects come to life over the year ahead!

Here’s to another year of partnership, collaboration, and community impact!

Photo collection by ZoIrie Media

08/09/2026

Two Great Events. One Great Community!

As summer winds down and we get ready for another exciting fall in Evanston, there are TWO upcoming events you’ll want to have on your radar!

🏈 Northwestern Football Meet the Team Night- Saturday, August 15

Get ready for the upcoming season and come out to meet the Wildcats! Meet the Team Night is always a great opportunity for fans, families, and community members to connect with Northwestern Football student-athletes and celebrate the excitement surrounding a new season. RSVP is encouraged: https://u4h66.share.hsforms.com/2YfAjtgf8QliGb_Kpoj0Etw

🎉 Annual ’Kits, ’Cats & Kids Block Party — Tuesday, September 1

One of Evanston’s favorite back-to-school traditions is back! Each year, the ’Kits, ’Cats & Kids Block Party brings together Northwestern University, Evanston Township High School (ETHS), Evanston/Skokie School District 65, the City of Evanston, and our broader community for an evening of family fun, music, activities, school spirit, and community connection.

More than 1,200 community members traditionally come together at ETHS’s Lazier Field for this FREE celebration, featuring games, inflatables, food, activities, live entertainment, and performances from the Northwestern and ETHS marching bands. 🎶💜🧡

These are two great events for our community and two more opportunities to bring Northwestern and Evanston together!

We hope to see you there!



07/29/2026

What a night!!!

After a day filled with storms, the skies cleared just in time for a beautiful evening of fun, fellowship, and community at our Annual Community Movie Night!

It was wonderful to see so many families, neighbors, students, and friends come together to enjoy a great movie, delicious snacks, fun giveaways, and an unforgettable night under the stars. Events like this remind us of the power of bringing people together and creating opportunities to connect, laugh, and make lasting memories.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make this year's Community Movie Night another incredible success. We also extend our appreciation to our sponsors, volunteers, and staff whose hard work made the evening possible.

We’re already looking forward to next year! 💜

https://evanstonroundtable.com/2026/07/28/photos-northwestern-community-movie-night/

07/27/2026

Northwestern University cordially invites you to
the Ryan Family Workforce Development Initiative Community Resource Fair

A free evening of career resources, workshops, and community connections.

Open to All Evanston Residents

Wednesday, August 5
4:00-7:00 PM
Location: YWCA Evanston-North Shore
1215 Church St, Evanston

Hosted by Northwestern's
Office of Neighborhood and Community Relations

Please RSVP at the link below:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfEgHknG-92IJJMrTVgWYSB2P1EqlmCyPlPWC1jJQfj54Jlcg/viewform

07/27/2026

🍽️ Calling All Evanston Restaurants!

Could your restaurant be part of the excitement surrounding the new Ryan Field?

Northwestern University is seeking local restaurant partners to participate in a new food vendor program for Ryan Field events. This is a unique opportunity to showcase your business to thousands of visitors while expanding your reach to new customers. Applications are open now, and the deadline to apply is Friday, July 31.

If you're interested in learning more and submitting an application, check out the details below.

👉 Apply by Friday, July 31: https://evanstonroundtable.com/2026/07/23/ryan-field-local-restaurant-program/