What's Good, Naperville (3/4)

Happy Tuesday, Naperville. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let The Naperville Brief serve up this week’s What’s Good Edition featuring five things that’ll help you live better, stay ahead, stress less, and enjoy more ☕️

In this week’s edition:

• Get shamrocked ☘️ 

• A lot o’ free stuff 📑

• Healthier eats 🥕

• Friendly reminder 📋️

• Spring tune-ups 🏠️

Let’s get to it!

🍀 Naperville’s going green

Our streets will transform into an emerald wonderland on March 15th as the traditional St. Patrick's Day Parade and celebration kicks off at 10:00 am.

As always, there will be colorful floats, traditional musicians, energetic dancers, and community groups march through the heart of the city. It regularly draws thousands of people, so start planning now to get there early for the best spot →

After, you can continue the fun at local restaurants and pubs offering special menus, prizes, parties, and fun. There will be a Lucky Charm bar at JoJo’s, Cirrus Falcon will be playing at Quigley’s, and The Lantern will open early with green beer, Jameson, and Reubens all day.

Tapville Social is also hosting an (early) celebration with cupcakes and cocktails on March 9th at 4 pm →

Want to continue the fun (adults only)? There’s a St. Paddy’s Day pub crawl in Aurora that includes free entry to all the bars, fun costumes, holiday drink specials, food specials, and a free afterparty.

If you like to get up early and run, Naperville Sunrise Rotary is hosting the Paddy’s Day 5k, which starts at 8 am on March 15th.

📚 Your library card has secret super powers

Your library card might be the most underutilized tool in your wallet. Don’t have one? You should get one! It’s free for residents →

Beyond free books (which is a huge win already if we’re being honest), our libraries have evolved into community resource centers with benefits that make premium subscriptions jealous.

From documentaries, newspapers, and free online courses to audio books, eBooks, tv shows, movies, and music, your card gives you immediate access to a whole lot of stuff.

On top of that, you can check out DVDs, board games, video games, projectors, and more.

Each branch offers free programs, including story times for families in various languages, teen hangouts, craft parties, trivia, lectures, networking events, scavenger hunts, volunteer opportunities, and more.

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to check out your neighborhood library, this is it →

🥗 A quick tip to healthier eating around town

Finding quick & nutritious food can feel like hunting for a unicorn. The secret weapon? Establishing a rotation of healthy local spots for those "I can't even" days.

It’s not always easy to find places with transparent ingredients and balanced meals featuring actual vegetables. But when you find one, make a mental note, start a list in your notes app, or write it down somewhere.

This way, you always have a go-to when you don’t want to think about lunch or dinner.

I started my own list a few weeks ago and let me tell you… it’s a whole lot easier to make smart choices amidst the chaos.

Top of my list? Nature’s Best Cafe — just about everything on the menu is so tasty you’ll have to remind yourself it’s healthy, but their wraps, salads, and smoothies are my favorite.

📝 You have 42 days to file your taxes

This is your friendly reminder that April 15th will be here before you know it. Whether you DIY it with TurboTax, keep it old school with pen, paper, and snail mail, or leave it to the pros (we like VWA & Chawla), it’s just as important to get all your tax ducks in a row as soon as possible.

If you need extra assistance, AARP Foundation volunteers will be at various locations (including Rubin Riverwalk Community Center and Wheaton Community Center) on different days at different times until April 15th to help you for free.

No matter your age or income, they’ll answer all your questions and hep you cross “tax panic” off your to do list →

🏠 Spring tune-ups for homeowners

As winter winds down, it's time to give your home some post-hibernation attention. Start by inspecting your roof for rebellious shingles, sagging, and plant growth and checking screens before bug season launches its all-out invasion. It’s also a good time to make sure your gutters are in working order. Hit up Allmax Roofing if you prefer relaxing instead of getting up on a ladder.

Your foundation and siding are other areas that require special scrutiny. Look for obvious signs of wear, cracks, and deterioration that can lead to expensive problems later.

While you're outside, check your irrigation and drainage systems, look for areas that could cause pooling water, and trim plants that are getting too cozy with your foundation (Ware Landscaping is great if you don’t want to deal with outdoor clean up yourself). You may also want to consider giving your deck and siding a proper power wash to rinse away winter's grime – just be gentle with those pressure settings.

Inside, make sure your air conditioner is ready for the summer. If you need a tune-up, repair, or replacement, we like Harmonic HVAC and Four Suns.

The City of Naperville offers an emergency home repair program for qualified residents.

🧩 Extra fun & games

This week’s word search features the most fun, unique, or Naperville-esque words from this edition.

See ya Friday (with a fresh batch of 20+ things going on next week)!

P.S. Know of any good things around Naperville we should share or want to ask a question? Feel free to reply (or email us) any time.