“Skokie reminds us that a village grows larger each time it makes room for another story.”

Murphy Development Group has emerged as the frontrunner to revive an unfinished hotel at 4930 Oakton Street in Skokie. Eight developers have expressed interest, but Murphy was the first to submit a workable proposal and is helping village officials negotiate with contractors over claims tied to the stalled project.

Construction stopped in 2023 amid disputes involving the original developer, its contractor and its lender. Murphy’s preliminary plan would keep the site a hotel, but Skokie is still seeking an independent property assessment. The structure remains usable for now, though every winter it sits unfinished adds maintenance pressure—and urgency to the search for a way forward.

🍂 Fall Activities Around Skokie

1. Things That Go Bump in the Night

📅 Date: Friday, October 16

🕒 Time: 6:00–8:15 PM

📍 Location: Emily Oaks Nature Center, 4650 Brummel St.

🎟️ Admission: Registration required

📄 Details: A spooky fall evening at Emily Oaks featuring nighttime nature activities and seasonal fun. A great choice for families looking for Halloween atmosphere without going straight to a haunted house.

2. Fall Family Play Day

📅 Date: Friday, October 23

🕒 Time: 4:00–5:30 PM

📍 Location: Emily Oaks Nature Center

🎟️ Admission: Check registration details

📄 Details: Families can enjoy an afternoon of fall-themed play and outdoor activities at Emily Oaks.

3. Kooky Spooky Candy Trail

 📅 Date: Saturday, October 24

🕒 Time: 3:00–5:00 PM

📍 Location: Oakton Park

 🎟️ Admission: Check registration details

📄 Details: Kids can dress up and enjoy a Halloween-themed candy trail at Oakton Park.

4. Halloween Skate & Costume Contest

📅 Date: Friday, October 23

🕒 Time: 7:15–9:15 PM

📍 Location: Skatium Ice Arena

🎟️ Admission: Check with Skatium

📄 Details: Celebrate Halloween on the ice with a costume contest and seasonal skating fun.

5. Scream Scene Haunted House

 📅 Date: October 23–25 and throughout the Halloween season

🕒 Time: Evening hours

📍 Location: Skokie Water Playground, 4715 Oakton St.

🎟️ Admission: Ticketed

📄 Details: The seasonal Scream Scene haunted house returns to Skokie Water Playground with new characters, sets and scenes. The Park District advises that it is not recommended for children under 10.

Fitness First at Skokie’s Weber Leisure Center offers ways to work out on your schedule, from annual or monthly memberships to single-day and short-term Flex Passes.

Membership rates change May 1, 2026, with options for individuals, couples, families, juniors and seniors; resident and non-resident prices differ.

Flex Passes include the fitness center, track and locker rooms, while Class Passes cover classes only. For a more tailored routine, Fitness First also offers personal training, massage therapy and Pilates sessions at Pilates First.

Members must be at least 11, and children ages 11–13 need an adult member beside them on the fitness floor.

Explore Middle Eastern Flavors at Zad by Pita Inn.

Zad by Pita Inn brings the Pita Inn name to a dining experience centered on Middle Eastern flavors. It’s an introduction to the kind of food that rewards a little mixing and matching, from savory mains to dips and fresh sides.

Dishes such as shawarma, falafel and hummus offer familiar starting points for newcomers, while sharing a few plates makes it easier to explore the menu.

Service is part of the experience, too: a welcoming, unhurried approach can make choosing dishes feel as enjoyable as sitting down to eat them.

I went birdwatching in Skokie and finally spotted the famous Swift.

No wings, but it did make me tap my Ventra card.

Community News

New Developer Emerges for Skokie’s Unfinished Downtown Hotel

Date: October 6, 2026 | Location: 4930 Oakton St., Downtown Skokie

Chicago-based Murphy Development Group has emerged as the leading candidate to take over the unfinished hotel property, with discussions continuing between the developer, lien holders and the Village.

Residents Invited to Discuss Accessory Dwelling Units

Date: October 7–8, 2026 | Location: Skokie

The Village is seeking resident feedback on proposed rules for accessory dwelling units in single-family residential districts.

October Police Beat Meetings Continue Across Skokie

Date: October 2026 | Location: Various Skokie neighborhood locations

Residents and local organizations can meet with Skokie police officers, discuss current crime conditions and share neighborhood concerns.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago broke ground on Battery E, a nearly $400 million system at the O’Brien Water Reclamation Plant that will use a biological process to remove phosphorus from wastewater.

Reducing phosphorus can help prevent algae blooms that threaten aquatic life and limit recreation in downstream waterways. The new system will also let the district make extensive upgrades to the plant’s four existing batteries. Operating since 1928, the O’Brien facility serves more than 1.3 million people and treats an average of 230 million gallons of wastewater each day.

Up Comming Events

Natural Art – School Day Off

📅 Date: Friday, October 9, 2026

🕒 Time: 9:00 AM–4:00 PM

📍 Location: Emily Oaks Nature Center

🎟️ Admission: Registration required

📄 Details: A full-day nature-themed program for children enjoying a day away from school.

Scream Scene Haunted House

📅 Date: Friday, October 9 & Saturday, October 10, 2026

🕒 Time: 7:00–10:00 PM

📍 Location: Skokie Water Playground

🎟️ Admission: Check event registration for pricing

📄 Details: Get into the Halloween spirit with Skokie Park District's seasonal haunted-house

Face 2 Face (Tribute to Elton John & Billy Joel)

📅 Date: Saturday, October 10, 2026

🕒 Time: 7:30 PM

📍 Location: North Shore Center for the Performing Arts – Van Dusen Theatre, Skokie

🎟️ Admission: Tickets required

📄 Details: A live tribute celebrating the music of Elton John and Billy Joel.

Flea Market Frenzy

📅 Date: Sunday, October 11, 2026

🕒 Time: 9:00 AM–4:00 PM

📍 Location: Oakton Community Center Parking Lot

🎟️ Admission: Check event details

📄 Details: Browse a variety of goods and discover secondhand treasures at this popular SkokiePark District flea market.

Libranimals Launch Party

📅 Date: Sunday, October 11, 2026

🕒 Time: 1:00–3:00 PM

📍 Location: Skokie Public Library

🎟️ Admission: Free

📄 Details: Kids can celebrate the new Libranimals reading game with a live animal show, games and prizes.

Interesting Facts

• A different name: Incorporated as Niles Centre in 1888, the village adopted the name Skokie in 1940.
• A march that never happened: A neo-Nazi group’s proposed march in Skokie became a landmark free-speech dispute, but the group never marched there.
• A lasting response: Local Holocaust survivors organized in response to the proposed march. Their efforts eventually led to the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, which opened its current Skokie building in 2009.
• Railway afterlife: The CTA’s Yellow Line began service as the Skokie Swift in 1964, reusing part of a former interurban railway route.
• Art by the water: The Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park turns a strip beside the North Shore Channel into an outdoor gallery.

Q: Can you reach Skokie by train from Chicago?

A: Yes. The CTA Yellow Line runs from Howard to two Skokie stops: Oakton-Skokie and Dempster-Skokie.

Q: Where can you find art outdoors in Skokie?

A: The Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park places public artworks along a path beside the North Shore Channel.

Q: Is there a place to explore history through personal stories?

A: The Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center in Skokie features survivor testimony alongside exhibits about the Holocaust and human rights.

A pumpkin-picking trip near Skokie offers more than a Halloween decoration: it’s a chance to get outside, spend time with family and friends, and support local growers. The guide highlights options from Downtown Highwood’s pumpkin fest to farms in Waukegan, Lincolnshire and beyond, where seasonal outings may include hayrides, corn mazes and kids’ activities.

Planning to carve your find? Choose a sturdy, clean pumpkin meant for jack-o’-lanterns rather than a smaller, sweeter baking pumpkin. Sketch your design first, scoop out the seeds thoroughly, then cut the larger shapes before tidying the edges. Finish with a battery-operated light or a candle in a holder.