Concert, holiday programs highlight upcoming events

Photo by Kevin Botterman

Concert puts spotlight on Broadway tunes
The St. Charles Public Library will host Two for One Broadway, a cabaret performance featuring Matt and Cynthia Gruel, at 2 p.m. Nov. 13. The show will feature music from seven Broadway shows from the 1940s to the present. Admission is free, but registration is encouraged. The show is part of the library’s Sunday Concert program. For more information or to register, call 630-584-0076. The library is located at 1 S. Sixth Ave., St. Charles.

Library program to feature Our Lady of Angels fire
Jim Gibbons will discuss the Our Lady of the Angels School fire during a program at 7 p.m. Nov. 14 at the Geneva Public Library. The 1958 fire at Our Lady of the Angels School in Chicago claimed the lives of 92 children and three nuns.  Admission is free, but registration is encouraged. For more information, call 630-232-0780, ext. 251. On a personal note, my mother is still moved by her memories of the tragedy. Mom was raised in Chicago, but was residing in the suburbs at the time of the fire. I imagine the library's presentation will be a challenging but worthwhile experience for attendees old enough to remember the incident.

Senior center sets annual Holiday Craft Fair
The Oswego Senior Center will present its sixth annual Holiday Craft Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 19. The fair will feature hand-made items by more than 65 artists and crafters. Admission is free. The fair also will include a cookie sale, door prizes and other attractions. The center is located at 156 E. Washington, Oswego.  For more information, call 630-554-5602.

Festival of Lights program welcomes the holidays
Batavia will welcome Santa and the holiday season during its annual Festival of Lights program from 4 to 7 p.m. Nov. 27 at the Batavia Riverwalk, 151 Island Ave., in downtown Batavia. 
    Santa is scheduled to arrive at 5:30 p.m. and will assist in lighting the community Christmas tree before sitting down to visit with children.
    The event will include a holiday craft fair, music, hayrides and other activities. Visitors can tour Christmas Tree Lane, a special attraction featuring 25 tress decorated by local businesses and organizations. Admission is free. Refreshments will be available for purchase.
    For more information, call 630-879-5235. The festival is presented by the Batavia Park District, the City of Batavia, Batavia MainStreet, the Batavia Chamber of Commerce and the Batavia Police Department.

Did you know:
The Kane County Farm Bureau recently shared some interesting facts about cranberries, including these tidbits:
• The first recorded yield of cranberries was grown and harvested in 1816 in Dennis, MA.
• Honeybees are used to pollinate cranberry crops.
• Wisconsin ranks No. 1 in cranberry production.
• Cranberries need sandy soil, abundant fresh water and a growing season from about May to October. Cranberries are grown in the dry bed and then beds are flooded with water.


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Fishing the Fox River and so much more

Photo courtesy of Eric Schaaf

A big shout out to Sugar Grove resident Eric Schaaf for sharing the photo above. Eric hosts and produces Fish the Fox, a website devoted to fishing activities on the Fox River. The site offers a variety of helpful information about the river and features a personal journal about Eric’s fishing experiences. Those with an interest in fishing and the Fox River will appreciate the site, but you don’t have to fish to enjoy the gallery of photos and images Eric captured along the Fox River. We're sure you'll enjoy visiting Eric’s site. 



It's Chop Around the Block time again
Craig Foltos and the crew at Foltos’ Tonsorial Parlor in downtown Batavia will conduct the 27th annual Chop Around the Clock hair-cutting event Friday, June 3 and Saturday, June 4 to benefit the Ronald McDonald’s Children’s Charities. The event will begin at 4 p.m. June 3 at the parlor, 7 E. Wilson St. The event will include entertainment, free food, music and other attractions. The event will continue around the clock until 4 p.m. June 4. For more information or to volunteer, call Craig at 630-879-5253.

Batavia's Farmers' Market opens June 4
Batavia’s Farmers' Market will open for the season June 4 on River Street, just north of Wilson Street. The market will be open from 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays through Oct. 22 and will include more than 20 vendors. Shoppers will find fresh produce, flowers, meat, cheese, music and more.

Museum and garden set open
The Fabyan Villa Museum and Japanese Garden will open for the season at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 29. Admission is $3 for the villa museum and $1 for the garden. The museum and the garden are located in the Fabyan West Forest Preserve, near Route 31 in Geneva. The museum and garden are open from 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 13. For additional dates, visit the click here.

Program recalls airborne operations on D-Day
The St. Charles Public Library will observe the anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy with The Airborne on D-Day, a special program at 7 p.m. June 6 at the library. The program will look at the critical role U.S. airborne forces played during the early hours of the invasion on June 6, 1944. The program is free, but registration is encouraged. The library is located a 1 S. 6th Ave., St. Charles. For more information or to register, call 630-584-0076.



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Library program to highlight garden herbs

The St. Charles Public Library will host a presentation about growing and preserving herbs at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 22. The program will feature a master gardener from the University of Illinois Extension and will offer suggestions and recipes for using herbs in cooking. Admission is free. For more information about the program, call the library at 630-584-0076. The library is located at 1 S. Sixth St. in downtown St. Charles. (Submitted photo)

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Choir to host annual Swedish Meatball Dinner

The Swedish American Children's Choir will host its fourth annual Swedish Meatball Dinner from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Saturday, March 9 at Bethany Lutheran Church, 8 S. Lincoln St. in Batavia. The dinner will include Swedish meatballs and gravy, carrots, Swedish rye bread, lingonberries and dessert. The event also will offer Swedish music, baked goods, and Swedish gift items for purchase. Dinner tickets are by reservation only and can be ordered by phone at 630-414-9700. Tickets are $12 for adults, $6 for children ages 3 to 10. Children age 3 and younger are admitted free.

St. Charles Public Library to host concert
The St. Charles Public Library will host a concert featuring Mike Basin at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 10. The concert will be presented in the library's Carnegie Community Room. Admission is free, but seating is limited. The performance is part of the library's Sunday Afternoon Concert series. The library is located at 1 S. Sixth Ave. in downtown St. Charles. For more information, call 630-584-0076.

Wine, craft beer tasting to benefit Elderday Center
The Elderday Center in Batavia will host a wine and craft beer tasting from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 2, at 409 N. River St. in Batavia. The event also will include hors d'oeuvres and silent auction. The wine and beer will be offered from Gibby's Wine Den and Stockholm's, both located in Geneva. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. To order tickets, call 630-761-9750. For more information about Elderday Center, go to  www.elderdaycenter.org.

And here's another benefit
TriCity Family Services in Geneva will host a wine tasting of its own from 4 to 7 p.m. on  Saturday, March 9 at The Wine Exchange, 1 Illinois St., St. Charles. The evening will be open house style and will benefit TriCity Family Services. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. The event will include light hors d'oeuvres and a raffle. For more information, call 630-232-1070, or go to www.tricityfamilyservices.org. 

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Geneva Marine completes leadership training

Cpl. Neil O. Garity of Geneva.

Submitted photo

• Cpl. Neil O. Garity of Geneva recently received a non-commissioned officer sword aboard the USS Pearl Harbor after completing a non-commissioned officer leadership training program. Garity, 23, serves as a mortarman for Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team 3/1. Congratulations, Cpl. Garity, and thank you for your service to our country.


• TriCity Family Services will present a Layperson's Guide to Mental Illness, a free workshop, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. May 22 at the St. Charles Public Library. The program is part of TriCity Family Services observation of Mental Health Awareness Month in May. The library is located at 1 S. Sixth St., St. Charles. For more information about the event, call 630-232-1070.


• The Batavia Park District and the Batavia Senior Citizens Club will host the fourth annual Super Savvy Senior expo from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 6 at the Eastside Community Center, 14 N. Van Buren St., Batavia. The free event will feature a variety of services available to local seniors and their caregivers. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call 630-879-5235.


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GreenFields hosts ribbon-cutting ceremony

• GreenFields of Geneva, above, recently hosted a grand opening celebration that included a ribbon-cutting ceremony. GreenFields is a senior living community located at 0N801 Friendship Way. GreenFields will host a free brunch and tours at 10 a.m. May 22 and May 30. For more information about the tours, call 800-930-4023. 


• TriCity Family Services will celebrate Mental Health Month with a special event at the St. Charles Public Library. The counseling center will present A Layman's Guide to Mental Illness from 7 to 8:30 p.m., May 22. The program will feature a variety of information about mental illness, including details about the economic impact of untreated mental illness. The program is free. For more information, call 630-232-1070.


• The United Methodist Church of Geneva, 211 Hamilton St., will host a free community dinner from 4:30 to 7 p.m. May 22. The meal will include baked pasta, a choice of meatball or Italian sausage, salad and fresh fruit. A carry-out service is available. The meal is part of the church's monthly community meal program and is open to all. I can tell you that food is always good and the church's members always offer a warm welcome to visitors. For more information, call 630-232-7120. 

• The Kane County Cougars will host Ozzie's Home Run and Walk 5K event May 19 at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark, 1 Cougar Trail, Geneva. Day of the event registration will begin at 6:45 a.m. The run will begin at 8 a.m. The registration fee is $25 for adults and $12 for kids ages 5 to 12. For more information, go to www.kccougars.com. I will be at the ballpark, and I hope to see you there.


• While we're talking about the Cougars, the team recently announced its entertainment plans for the Memorial Day weekend, May 25 through May 28. The full schedule of plans is available here. The Cougars will host the Burlington Bees and the Beloit Snappers during the weekend.


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