đâď¸ Read Outside With Read & Run Chicago This August
by Allison Yates
[Related: Best Places to Read Outside in Chicago This Summer]
Thereâs no doubt about: reading outdoors in Chicago is magical. Thatâs why this August, Read & Run Chicago is inviting you to soak up the best of the end of the season with three outdoor reading gatherings in three incredible outdoor reading spotsâsome you may have never heard ofâand youâre officially invited.
Whether youâre a Read & Run Chicago member, havenât yet made it to any of our events, or just curious about reading in the grass alongside fellow book lovers, these meetups are casual, welcoming, and built around our love of the city of Chicago.
These reading meetups also include an optional one-mile, easy-paced (12:00 minutes per mile) run. If youâre new to running with a group or want a better feel for the neighborhood, this is a great chance to try it out and prep for our Fall 2025 season (which will be announced in our August 11 newsletter!).
TL; DR: Hereâs whatâs coming up:
đď¸ Aug 14 â The Plant in Back of the Yards RSVP Âť
đď¸ Aug 18 â Wild Mile in Lincoln Park RSVP Âť
đď¸ Aug 28 â Montrose Harbor in Uptown [with Books with Betsy] RSVP Âť
âď¸ Read outside at a former meatpacking plant
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Thursday, August 14 @ 6:30 PM
đ The Plant in Back of the Yards
RSVP here Âť
The Plant is a research and production facility comprising a collaborative community of small food businesses in the historic Back of the Yards neighborhoodâand hosted Read & Run Chicagoâs Fall 2024 Running Tour of the Stockyards. Bring a book to read and something to sit on. Hungry? Bites and drinks available for purchase at the on-site Whiner Beer Company. Need to pee? Check out the coolest bathrooms in Chicago (imho!).
đ Read on the worldâs first floating eco-park
đ
Monday, August 18 @ 6:30 PM
đ Wild Mile in Lincoln Park
RSVP here Âť
Who says the Chicago River is canât be peaceful? Tucked behind the Lincoln Park REI, Wild Mile is a true hidden reprieve in the midst of a concrete jungle. As the worldâs first-ever floating eco-park, Wild Mile mimics a natural wetland ecosystem. Plant roots grow directly into the Chicago River and create habitats for fish, birds, turtles, beavers, frogs, and much more.
đ Sunset reading with a city view
đ
Monday, August 25 @ 6:30 PM
đ Montrose Harbor [concrete steps facing south]
RSVP here Âť
Get ready for the most peaceful [book] happy hour around. Meet Read & Run Chicago and Books with Betsy on the concrete steps facing south, crack open a good book (or several), and enjoy city views, sunset, and Whether you want to dive into a novel or just hang out with other readers, this is your excuse to kick off your shoes and unwind. Want to lake jump? Bring your suit and dive right inâexcept, please donât dive, just jump?
What to Bring:
A book (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, photographyâwhatever you want!)
Something to sit on
Snacks or drinks if you want to make it a picnic
These gatherings are free, open to all, and designed for people who love books and the outdoors. Come to one, come to all three, or just come curious.