North Branch Works

SBIF closes in Kennedy/Kimball TIF
2026-04-30 17:00 (America/Chicago) | IL
The deadline for SBIF applications for the Kennedy/Kimball TIF closes at 5pm today.

North Branch Works Annual Goose Island Cleanup
2026-05-09 09:00 - 12:00
Join North Branch Works for the 13th annual Goose Island Cleanup on May 9th, 2026, in collaboration with Friends of the Chicago River.

Exit Planning Webinar - Employee Ownership with Project Equity
2026-05-27 08:00 - 17:00
In collaboration with the Greater Northwest Chicago Development Corporation, Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce, North Branch Works, and Peterson Pulaski Business & Industry Council, Project Equity and the Revolution Institute are hosting a succession planning webinar designed specifically for business owners who want to prepare their companies for the future.

Register here: Securing what you built: EO for Chicago's North Side

LIRI Job Fair
2026-06-11 09:00 - 12:00
Join us at The Hatchery for a chance to meet employers actively recruiting for roles in modern manufacturing, logistics, transportation, and more! For more information and to register for this FREE event, please see the link below:
Upcoming Events – The Hatchery Chicago

Blues and Brews Tour: Bike the North Branch 2026
2026-07-25 10:00 - 12:00
Please join us for our bike tour on July 25th from 10 a.m. to noon.To register, please go here.
This 5-mile tour will highlight businesses from the music industry and the brewing and distilling world, that keep the city singing and dancing!
The ride will start near famed Chicago venues, The Hideout and The Salt Shed, and follow the Elston separated bike lanes to Rockwell. We will make our first stop at Rockwell on the River for coffee and pastries at Dolce Arte (3057 N Rockwell St).
After gathering our refreshments, we will make a short jaunt to the outer walls of Electrical Audio (2621 W Belmont Ave) and visit Steve Albini Way to tell the story of an incredible audio engineer who worked with bands such as Nirvana, The Pixies, and PJ Harvey.
Our journey continues on the 312 River Run Trail, which includes the breathtaking Riverview Bridge (pictured below) that provides a safe connection across the Chicago River. While taking in the beautiful scenery and riding along the North Branch, we will discuss its designation as a "working" river with recreational benefits as well as collective efforts to revitalize the natural habitat.
At Irving Park Road, we will leave the trail and stop into Delmark Records (4121 N Rockwell St) to discuss blues recordings at, "the oldest continuously operating jazz and blues independent record label in the United States."
Our ride will conclude at Burning Bush Brewery (4014 N Rockwell St). Pizza will be provided at no extra cost!

Chicago River Boat Tour 2026
2026-07-31 08:00 - 17:00
Join North Branch Works for a Boat Tour of the river on September 10th, 2026. The tour will commence at 6pm from the Eastbank Club Boat Launch at 500 N Kingsbury.
Tickets can be found here.

Bike to Feel Good!
2026-08-08 09:30 - 11:00
Please join North Branch Works and Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce for Bike to Feel Good on August 8th from 9:30-11:30 a.m.! You can register here.
The cost of attendance is pay-what-you-can and all proceeds benefit the Chaddick Institute's Riley O'Neil Memorial Fund.
This 5-mile, accessible ride will convene at local coffee shop Dolce Arte (3057 N Rockwell St.) and give participants the chance to enjoy coffee and pastries.
Coffee at Dolce Arte
We will begin the programming at 9:30 am, taking some time to discuss Dolce Arte before proceeding west on the Belmont to a cornerstone of Avondale, Brothers Restaurant (3000 W Belmont Ave).
Riders will hear from the owner and chef, Nestor Hurtado, and be given the chance to sample some of Brothers' top-notch food and hospitality.
After spending some time with Nestor and crew, we will backtrack on Belmont to Clark Park, where folks can use the restroom before hearing a few words about the 312 RiverRun Trail and the River View Bridge from our one and only, Steve Simmons!
Demonstration at Chicago Glass Collective
After riding along the scenic North Branch, we will make our way to Berteau Avenue, leading us directly to Chicago Glass Collective (1770 W Berteau Ave).
Here, we will have the chance to checkout a live glass blowing demonstration from members of the collective and hear a few words about their presence in Ravenswood.
Our ride will wrap up by touring a short segment of the recently installed separated bike lanes on Clark Street before looping to the final stop and namesake of the ride: The Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce Feel Good Festival (Clark/Sunnyside)!
Steve will lead a group back to Dolce Arte after arriving to Feel Good Fest for those who are interested in returning to the start.
If you'd like to spend more time exploring the festival before returning to Dolce Arte, see the instructions and map here!
Don't have a personal bicycle? Worry not! Divvy stations are located outside both the start and end points of this tour (Rockwell/Belmont and Clark/Montrose).
We encourage all riders to wear a helmet, stay hydrated, and apply plenty of sunscreen!
With any questions about the ride, please contact Hayden Tillinger: hayden@northbranchworks.org.

Paddle for the North Branch
2026-08-15 10:00 - 12:00
Our summer kayak tour sets sail on Saturday, August 15th (10 a.m. to noon)! Please sign up via this link.
Attendance is limited, so get your tickets now!
We are partnering with Water Riders, Urban Rivers, and Friends of the Chicago River to facilitate this relaxing paddle up the North Branch. Our tour will depart from Eastbank Club (500 N Kingsbury) at 10 a.m. and head to Goose Island where we will stop at the Wild Mile.
After hearing about the Wild Mile and discussing the dynamic businesses along the river, we will return to East Bank Club, finishing our 4.5 mile-long route around 12 p.m.

2026 North Branch Works Fall Festival
2026-10-08 18:00 - 21:00
Join North Branch Works for our annual Fall Festival, Thursday, October 8th, 2026.
