Highwood

A suburb in the Chicago area

Highwood's restaurants and bars program live music across genres, and the town's own annual Nashwood festival turns its downtown into a multi-stage country and rock weekend. The city's bandshell in Everts Park anchors a free Wednesday Evening Gourmet Market music series running June through August. 28 Mile Distilling, on Sheridan Road, is a craft distillery and live-music venue with a rooftop bar and a bourbon lounge. Both spaces run music with no cover charge and no reservations required. The venue runs several recurring series: Dead Wednesdays feature Grateful Dead music with local and touring musicians, and Bluegrass Sundays pair world-class bluegrass with all-you-can-eat pizza. Its Friday "Rock the Rails" series is designed to connect independent artists and independent venues along the Metra rail line from Chicago to Kenosha, drawing national and rising acts. The Toadstool Pub has been open since 2011 and is a locally-owned neighborhood bar with a large outdoor patio. The patio hosts music on weekends and Sunday afternoons, leaning toward local bands. The Toadstool is also a sponsor of the Everts Park Wednesday series. The Wooden Nickel is also cited in the area as a spot that hosts live music, including original artists.