Directions and Parking
The North Shore Center for the Performing Arts
(Venue until may 10, 2026)
Northlight Theatre is located at 9501 Skokie Blvd. in Skokie, IL, inside the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts. We are just east of the I-94 Edens Expressway (across from Westfield Old Orchard shopping center) – easily accessible from Chicago as well as the North and Northwest suburbs.
Our location at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts offers Complimentary Parking.
Directions
From the North: Take I-94 east and exit at Old Orchard Road (east). Proceed east on Old Orchard Road to Skokie Boulevard. Turn right (south) onto Skokie Boulevard. After the intersection of Golf Road and Skokie Boulevard, make a left turn at the traffic light (Foster Ave).
From the South: Take I-94 west and exit at Old Orchard Road (east). Proceed east on Old Orchard Road to Skokie Boulevard. Turn right (south) onto Skokie Boulevard. After the intersection of Golf Road and Skokie Boulevard, make a left turn at the traffic light (Foster Ave).
From the East: Go west on Dempster Street to Skokie Boulevard. Turn right (north) onto Skokie Boulevard. Proceed north on Skokie Boulevard to the traffic light at Foster Ave. (just before Golf Road) and turn right.
From the West: Go east on Dempster Street (Rte. 14) to Gross Point Road. Turn left on Gross Point Road (northeast) and proceed to Skokie Boulevard. Turn left onto Skokie Boulevard and proceed north. Take a right turn at the traffic light at Foster Ave. (just before Golf Road).
Public Transportation
The Yellow Line ‘L’ (Skokie Swift) stops 1 mile from the Theatre, where you can transfer to CTA bus #97 which stops in front of our building. Several other CTA and PACE bus routes also stop at Old Orchard across the street. (Please note: The last #97 departs at 10:30pm Monday-Friday, and earlier in the evening on Saturday-Sundays, so this route is not recommended for weekend evening performances.) For more information on specific schedules and routes, visit the CTA web page a www.transitchicago.com
The New Northlight Theatre
(Venue starting september 2026)
location & Parking
New Home: 1012 Church St, Evanston IL 60201
PARKING OPTIONS
FREE:
FREE PARKING for Northlight Patrons at the 1800 Maple Self Park Garage. (Validate at Northlight for up to 4 hours) The garage is 0.2 miles from the theatre entrance, equivalent to approximately 1.5 city blocks.
FREE SUNDAYS – All Public Parking – metered street parking, lot, or garage – is free on Sundays and Holidays.
FREE ADA PARKING – ADA Parking in all public lots and garages is free at all times with Disability Parking Placard.
NEARBY ALTERNATIVES:
PUBLIC LOTS 25 and 27 are steps from Northlight’s back entrance! Both lots include ADA spaces, and are adjacent to Northlight’s back entrance, which will be open at all performance and event times. (Walking distance is less than the distance from the North Shore Center back entrance to the back half of the surface lot behind.) Public lots cost only $2/hr.
METERED STREET PARKING – Parking meters on Church St and surrounding streets cost only $2/hour and end at 9:00pm. For an evening performance at 7:30, early arrival at 7pm would mean a total cost of only $4!
ADDITIONAL GARAGE PARKING – The Sherman Plaza Garage (821 Davis Street, entrance on Davis St or Benson Ave). Garage parking is only $6 for up to 5 hours – enough for a meal and a show! Located 0.2 miles from theatre entrance.
Public Transportation
Both the CTA Purple Line (Davis stop) and Metra (UP-North/Evanston station) stop a half block east of the theatre entrance! For buses and additional routes, visit TransitChicago.com.