Events › Repair Cafe

"Never take broken for an answer!" Our Repair Café Volunteers will do their best to bring your beloved items back to life... with your help!

So what’s this all about? Repair Cafés are free events where people fix things together. Besides saving money, Repair Cafes help keep stuff out of the landfill, promote connection and collaboration, skill-sharing and community self-reliance.

So give it a try! Find that broken item and sign up for a slot. Once at the Repair Café, you will work together with our volunteers to repair your items. Spare parts: Bring them if you have them! Please sign up for ONE SINGLE SLOT per event. Additional slots will be deleted.

• Small Appliances: Provide make and model when you sign up, as well as a description of what is not working.

• Electronics: Bring items fully charged and/or with ALL their power cords. (Printers: bring the cable that connects it to your computer!) Sorry, no TV sets or VCRs!

• Sewing: We focus on teaching you how to repair. We do not provide alteration or tailoring services. We don't replace zippers: but we can try to repair sliders. Your items must be clean.

• Jewelry: Restringing, fixing clasps or chains, gluing, basic cleaning and polishing We do not solder.

At some of our events, you will find additional repair categories. Check the sign-up to see what is available.

• Bikes: We provide basic repairs such as tightening loose bolts, loosening stuck seats and stems, chain cleaning and lubing, shifting adjustments and brake alignment.
• Knife Sharpening: We sharpen knives, scissors and pruning shears.
• Sock Darning and Basic Visible Mending: Bring your item and the matching thread. Your items must be clean.
• Item Assembly/Small Furniture Repair: "Some assembly required" but you've lost the instructions? Bring it so we can work on it together.
• Music Instruments: Instrumental consultations, repair referral suggestions, and music theory questions.

Co-sponsored by Climate Action Evanston.

We are grateful to the Evanston Repair Café volunteers for their expertise, time, and support.

Questions? We’re at evanstonrepaircafe@gmail.com
The City of Evanston is committed to promoting a Citywide culture of accessibility and inclusivity. To request an accommodation for a program, service, or activity, please call 847-866-2919 to make an ADA service request or fill out a request form online.