In the Before Times, when I lived and worked in Chicago, I founded and edited Chicago Home + Garden magazine. We were sponsors of many design-oriented events, such as the Heartland Alliance House Tour in Harbor Country. It seems to me that we also were sponsors of Designs for Dignity’s Kitchen Walk in Harbor Country, which, like most things, went on hiatus during the pandemic.

The walk restarted two years ago, and this year it’s happening Oct. 18.

Designs for Dignity’s Jen Sobecki tells me there will likely be six homes on the tour, in Michiana, Sawyer, Galien and perhaps Lakeside (details still be hammered out). If you’re not familiar with the area, you should know this is not a walk at all—the homes are pretty spread out, and check-in is in Lakeside, meaning you’ll have to double back to Michiana after check-in if you’re coming from Chicago or other points west to see that kitchen.

Specifically check-in is at Stones Throw Interiors at 15460 Red Arrow Hwy. in Lakeside, and a wine reception and silent auction at Commune + Market in Three Oaks follows the tour. The tour runs from 11am-4pm ET, and there will be tasty bites at each home, from, among others, Shelley Young, the former Chopping Block owner who now is head chef at Viola’s.

Sobecki says the homes range from “a cool outdoor kitchen project to a family compound to modern container homes and contemporary Prairie-style.” Though the tour is billed as a kitchen theme, you will obviously also get to see exteriors, gardens in their autumn splendor, and the occasional living room connected to a kitchen.

Tickets are $100 each or less for a block of four.

Funds raised from this event supports Designs for Dignity’s work transforming spaces of other nonprofits through pro-bono design services and in-kind donations.

Can’t make it? Watch this space. I’ll likely post pics after!