Dates & times
All times are local to the venue · America/Chicago
- 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
These are the previously published dates. Check the organizer for a new edition.
Tuesday, November 10, 2026, 5:00–7:00 p.m. Join within the first 15 minutes for a brief campfire-building lesson.
Nature Oasis: Community Bonfire at Brands starts with a fire-building lesson
Before it became a park, the Brands site was a picnic grove. The Nov. 10 bonfire makes use of that neighborhood gathering place for a different kind of evening: a short campfire-building lesson, then informal time by the fire.
A park site with a picnic-grove past
Brands Park takes its name from the German-American family that owned the property for many years. Before the grounds were formally established as a park in the 1920s, they were known as Brands Picnic Grove, a gathering place for picnics hosted by Clan-na-gael, Schwabenverein and old settlers.
Avondale residents petitioned for the grove to become a park. The River Park District began acquiring the property in 1925 and completed the purchase in 1927. That history gives the bonfire a local setting, though the event listing does not present it as a history program.
Further reading: Brands Park ↗
A short lesson, then an open-ended evening
The campfire-building lesson is the gathering’s one specifically timed activity, and it takes place during the first 15 minutes. Arriving when the event begins at 5 p.m. is the surest way to catch it.
After that, the event is described as time to meet neighbors, gather by the fire and learn about local wildlife. The listing does not name particular species or describe a separate wildlife presentation, so visitors should expect a broad learning component rather than a scheduled talk.
Further reading: Nature Oasis: Community Bonfire at Brands | Chicago Park District ↗
The lesson comes first
The only timed activity in the listing is a brief campfire-building lesson during the opening 15 minutes. The rest of the evening is described as informal time by the fire, conversation with neighbors and local-wildlife learning.
Tuesday, November 10, 2026 · Brands Park
- Brief campfire-building lesson
Plan your visit
Tuesday, Nov. 10
The event runs from 5 to 7 p.m. The brief campfire-building lesson takes place during the first 15 minutes.
Nature Oasis: Community Bonfire at Brands | Chicago Park District ↗
Free and open to all ages
The listed fee is $0.00, and the age range is all ages.
Nature Oasis: Community Bonfire at Brands | Chicago Park District ↗
Bring your own marshmallows
Marshmallows are not supplied. Guests may bring their own, and roasting sticks will be provided.
Nature Oasis: Community Bonfire at Brands | Chicago Park District ↗
No booking details are listed
The event listing gives no ticket or registration instructions and does not state a booking requirement.
Nature Oasis: Community Bonfire at Brands | Chicago Park District ↗
Ask about event-specific arrangements
The park listing identifies an ADA-accessible playground, but does not describe accessibility arrangements for the bonfire itself. Brands Park’s main phone number is (773) 478-2414.
Getting to Brands Park
Destination
The event is listed at Brands Park, 3285 N. Elston Ave., Chicago, IL 60618. The park is at Elston and Henderson in Avondale; the listing does not identify a specific bonfire entrance or spot within the park.
Nature Oasis: Community Bonfire at Brands | Chicago Park District ↗ · Brands Park ↗
Transit and directions
The park page directs public-transit users to the CTA’s directions resource but does not give a route for this event. Use the map links to calculate directions from your own starting point. The supplied park information does not specify event parking.
Before you make a plan
When is the campfire-building lesson?
It takes place during the first 15 minutes of the event, which starts at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
Nature Oasis: Community Bonfire at Brands | Chicago Park District ↗
Do I need to bring marshmallows?
Only if you want to roast them. Marshmallows are not supplied, but roasting sticks will be provided.
Nature Oasis: Community Bonfire at Brands | Chicago Park District ↗
Is there an admission fee?
No. The listed fee is $0.00, and the event is for all ages.
Nature Oasis: Community Bonfire at Brands | Chicago Park District ↗
Does the listing require registration?
It gives no ticket or registration instructions and does not state a booking requirement.
Nature Oasis: Community Bonfire at Brands | Chicago Park District ↗
Location & Google Maps
Brands Park
3285 N. Elston Ave., Chicago, IL 60618
Map search by venue and address. Check the organiser’s entrance details before travelling.