The Harley Clarke Beer Garden OPENS July 2 - See details below!
Summer Starts Soon.
Check Our Calendar Below for Events!
Beer Garden Opens July 2-5
Join us on the East Lawn July 2-5 - Details Below!
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Harley Clarke Summer Pop-Ups
Our Lawns will be open for Summer Pop-Ups Thursdays through Fridays this summer. Follow us on Instagram for details!
CHECK OUT OUR CALENDAR BELOW FOR MORE EVENTS!
Thank you to all that joined us!
We had so much fun connecting with everyone and sponsoring The 27th Annual Ricky Byrdsong Memorial Race Against Hate, along with the Friends of Harley Clarke on June 21st!
CHECK OUT OUR CALENDAR BELOW FOR MORE EVENTS!
INTRODUCING A LAKEFRONT LEGEND REBORN
Our Shared Vision
At The Harley Clarke Mansion, we are committed to revitalizing this historic gem into a distinctive and innovative community gathering place and event venue. Our vision is to create a space that fosters connection, creativity, and collaboration among all visitors.
EXPERIENCE THE WONDER OF THE HARLEY CLARKE MANSION
OPENING FOR COMMUNITY GATHERINGS BEGINNING IN 2026, AND FULLY-REIMAGINED EVENT SPACES IN 2027
WE'RE HARD AT WORK ON THE NEW HARLEY CLARKE MANSION
Coming in 2027. Subscribe to our AskHarley@TheHarleyClarkeMansion.com email list below.
LET'S STAY IN TOUCH
We're just getting started with our plans to bring this Lakefront Legend back to life. Please follow our progress on Instagram and subscribe to our email list below to get updates and learn about upcoming events.
The Harley Clarke Mansion
2603 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60201, United States
Use the form below to sign up for our Monthly Emails and stay up to date
UPCOMING WONDER - EVENTS CALENDAR
6/20/2026
Jens Jensen Day @ The Harley Clarke Mansion
10:00 am
-
1:30
Harley Clarke Mansion, Evanston, IL
Event Details
6/20/2026
Jens Jensen Day @ The Harley Clarke Mansion
Join our annual celebration of Jens Jensen and the powerful vision that shaped our own gardens at the Harley Clarke Mansion as well as so ma...
10:00 am
-
1:30
Harley Clarke Mansion, Evanston, IL
6/21/2026
YWCA Race Against Hate
7:30 am
Floyd Long Field, Evanston, IL
Event Details
6/21/2026
YWCA Race Against Hate
The Harley Clarke Mansion is thrilled to be the presenting sponsor of the 27th Annnual Ricky Byrdsong Memorial Race Against Hate with suppor...
7:30 am
Floyd Long Field, Evanston, IL
7/2/2026
Harley Clarke Beer Garden July 2 - 5!
The Harley Clarke Mansion East Lawn
Event Details
7/2/2026
Harley Clarke Beer Garden July 2 - 5!
Join us for the full Fourth of July Weekend!
The Harley Clarke Beer Garden will be OPEN on our East Lawn July 2, 3, 4, and 5! Thursday July ...
The Harley Clarke Mansion East Lawn
7/3/2026
Summer Coffee Pop-Up!
7pm
-
10pm
The Harley Clarke Mansion West Lawn
Event Details
7/3/2026
Summer Coffee Pop-Up!
Join us on the West Lawn for Summer Coffee Pop-Ups July 3, 4, and 5! We'll have coffee, cold brew, waters, and more to grab and go or walk t...
7pm
-
10pm
The Harley Clarke Mansion West Lawn
Frequently Asked Questions
Please reach us at AskHarley@TheHarleyClarkeMansion.com and we'll get back to you.
We’re so glad you asked. In 1927, Harley Lymon Clarke commissioned and built a family mansion on the Evanston lakefront, right next to the famous Grosse Point Lighthouse.
Nearly 100 years later, in 2025, the City of Evanston awarded Celadon Company a 40-year lease to redevelop, restore, and operate this historic property as an event venue to serve the community. Yes, a lot of things did happen in between, but we’re focused on the future here! The rich history of the property deserves a bright future and we’re planning an event venue as legendary as the property itself.
The new event property will be restored to its original grandeur with the authentic landscapes of Jens Jensen, the preservation of as many architectural details as possible from original architect Richard Powers, and the inclusion of accessible facilities, an ice cream shop, a restaurant, and modern amenities.
A historic redevelopment of this magnitude takes time. We’re working closely with preservationists and the City of Evanston to create a lasting community venue. We expect to start construction in the fall of 2026 and open for tours and events in late 2027.
We will post news on this site and in our email newsletter as soon as we know it. In the meantime, check out the next question!
The land surrounding The Harley Clarke Mansion is one of the most beloved areas of the Evanston lakefront. We are working with Jens Jensen Gardens in Evanston on a multi-year plan to bring back the historic landscape and gardens of Jens Jensen. You can see their work at the coach house on our south border.
This summer, before construction starts, we are inviting community members to visit our lawns and get a taste of what’s to come with temporary pavilions offering coffee, ice cream, and our own Harley Clarke Beer Co. to guests. We hope to be open from mid-June as long as the weather cooperates. We will post hours on our Instagram page and on signs at the property.
Please follow us on Instagram and join our email list to get the latest updates,
Yes. Yes we did. We’re thrilled to partner with C&W Ice Cream of Evanston to provide a selection of Wonder-Chill Ice Cream favorites starting in July. We also will be hosting Coffee Pop-Ups Friday-Sunday this Summer from temporary pavilions on the grounds.
You must be reading our mind. We have partnered with a local brewer to develop a signature line of Harley Clarke Beers.
On weekend nights this summer, we plan to offer a curated selection of Harley Clarke Beer on our East Lawn. Watch our Instagram for more details, times, and dates to follow.
This is by far our most popular question. And if we knew the answer we would tell you right now! Our best guess is that the first indoor event at The Harley Clarke Mansion will take place sometime in 2027, but we cannot commit to booking events until we’ve cleared a few more milestones in the development process.
We WILL post information about event bookings on our website as soon we can. If you sign up for our email, we promise you’ll be the first to know.
It’s also good to share that we hope to be able to host events of all shapes and sizes at The Harley Clarke Mansion from full size weddings to smaller professional and community get togethers.
Celadon Partners was awarded a multi-decade lease to redevelop and operate The Harley Clarke Mansion as part of an extensive review and bid process in 2025. Since then we’ve nicknamed ourselves, “The Harley Clarke Development Company” and we’ve initiated key partnerships throughout the Evanston community to ensure that we stay true to our proposed vision: To create a welcoming space that fosters connections, creativity, and collaboration. The Harley Clarke Development Company is committed to revitalizing this historic mansion into a distinctive and innovative community gathering place and event venue.
All in good time! Our plan is to develop a truly wondrous and inviting destination that provides wonder-filled, simple moments for the local community, wildly-enchanted experiences for guests from throughout the Chicagoland area, and legendary lakefront events and gatherings.
When we say, “Wonders. Never Cease.” it is part of our commitment to bringing this Lakefront Legend back to life in a lasting and engaging manner.
We started an email address, AskHarley@TheHarleyClarkeMansion.com to try and answer more questions. To be honest, we don’t know everything yet and we are asking for your patience when it comes to learning more about future event bookings and hiring details. We will do our best to reply to your emails on a regular basis, but our standard answer is, “We don’t know yet! We will make announcements on Instagram and in our community email marketing as soon as we know more!”
Thank you for reading this far. We look forward to a bright future at 2603 Sheridan Road!