Tag: Highwood

Where to get into the Halloween spirit

 

Pumpkins and scarecrows have taken over Highwood. (J Jacobs photo)
Pumpkins and scarecrows have taken over Highwood. (J Jacobs photo)

 

Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival

Go to downtown Highwood, a tiny, just over a square mile North Shore city known for its restaurants, to see skeletons dressed for the season, carve pumpkins, take carnival rides and find more pumpkins than you can count.

They’re all a part of the Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival, this weekend. 

The Fest already began on Thursday but events continue all weekend including pumpkin carving at 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday at three pumpkin carving stations.

Ghostly figures climb a distillery wall of glass downtown Highwood on Sheridan Road during the Great Highwood Pumpkin festival. (J Jacobs photo)
Ghostly figures climb a distillery wall of glass downtown Highwood on Sheridan Road during the Great Highwood Pumpkin festival. (J Jacobs photo)

Anyone can carve three pumpkins to help the festival’s goals to outdo past years’ total pumpkins carved. They are in Everts Park west of the Metra tracks, at City Hall Park on the east side of the track, and at Painters Park at 424 Sheridan Road across from Buffo’s where visitors can find Interactive Skeleton Displays that re-enact dance scenes from movies and pop culture.

There’s also a carnival, three stages of music, hayrides, food vendors and Sunday costume and pie-eating contests. Signups are still available for the Pet Costume noon contest, the  Kids Costume Contest at 1 p.m. and the Pumpkin Pie Eating contest at 2 p.m.

 

Lots of Howling photo spots to take photos at Boo at Brookfield Zoo. (Photo courtesy of Chicago Zoological society.
Lots of Howling photo spots to take photos at Boo at Brookfield Zoo. (Photo courtesy of Chicago Zoological Society.

Boo!

Brookfield Zoo’s famed Boo at the Zoo festival starts Saturday and Sunday Oct. 8-9 and continues weekends in October through Oct. 22-23, 2022. What to do: Take selfies at the zoo’s funny photo spots such as a Howl-O-Scenes at the Nature Stage or the photo frames and peek boards.

Also, find the “Crazed Maize” on the West Mall open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.. But don’t get lost because there are Zoo chats at the Hamill Family Play Zoo at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and at the Australia House at 3:30 p.m.. Plus, there are pumpkins for animals feeding times and a “Creepy Carousel” to take.
Get a sweet treat upon exiting from 11:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.

No costume contests this year but youngsters age 13 and younger are encouraged to wear their Halloween costume.

For more zoo information, visit CZS.org/Boo or call (708) 688-8000.

Jodie Jacobs

 

Two different fests Labor Day Weekend

 

You don’t have to go out of town to find something different to do Labor Day Weekend 2022. In Chicago go over to the United Center where the Bulls are generating excitement for their 2022-23 season with Bulls Fest. Or drive up to north suburban Highwood for the sounds and tastes of Nashville.

Bulls Fest 2022 (Photo courtesy of Choose Chicago and The Bulls)
Bulls Fest 2022 (Photo courtesy of Choose Chicago and The Bulls)

Bulls Fest

Go over to the United Center, 1901 Madison St. Sept. 3-4 for entertainment, street food, Bulls and basketball related art and memorabilia and a hoops tournament. Find schedule information here at NBS BullsFest.

The BEATS stage sponsored by Michelob Ultra features Da Brat, G Herbo, Sixteen candles, The Trippin’ Billies, Benny and the Luvabulls. 

Food and drinks are sold outside the UC on Madison Street.

The event basically goes from 8 a.m to 10 p.m. both days.  Admission is free.  For more information visit Bulls Fest 2022.

 

Tala Coffee and the next door Chicago Mike's Ice cream will have "all ages" stages on their parking lots/ patios during Nashfest. Photo courtesy of Tala Coffee)
Tala Coffee and the next door Chicago Mike’s Ice cream will have “all ages” stages on their parking lots/ patios during Nashfest. Photo courtesy of Tala Coffee)

“Nashwood” Highwood Nashville and Food Fest

Known as restaurant town, arguably for more restaurants within its slightly over square mile limits compared to any other small town in Illinois, Highwood is adding Nashville’s sounds to its streets, bars and restaurants Sept. 2-4, 2022.

Folks can where cowboy boots and hats, hear Country, Blues, Bluegrass and Southern Rock bands and singers. Along with Highwood’s regular restaurant choices there will be Southern-style food and drink specials.

Also, visitors can ride the Nashwood Hop On to do a loop to restaurants and bars. The event is free with no cover charges but tip jars will be out. 

Nashwood will run Friday from 5 p.m. until-bar close, Saturday from noon to bar close.  Sunday times vary according to venue. An All-Ages Stage will be at the Chicago Mike’s Ice Cream Co. and Tala Coffee Roasters parking lot/patios.

For more info visit Nashwood.

Have a fun, safe long weekend.

 Jodie Jacobs

Halloween doings

Drive through suburban Highwood to see the skeletons that populate its downtown (J Jacobs photo)
Drive through suburban Highwood to see the skeletons that populate its downtown (J Jacobs photo)

Pumpkin? Check. Candy? Check ((don’t forget some kids have nut allergies) A special fall and Halloween outing?

If not sure yet about where to go or what to do this crazy, upside down year, here are some ideas.

 

Take a selfie at Brookfield Zoo and watch animals noshing on pumpkins. (Brookfield Zoo photo)
Take a selfie at Brookfield Zoo and watch animals noshing on pumpkins. (Brookfield Zoo photo)

Brookfield Zoo 

Even though the zoo is not doing its annual Boo event, it has cute selfie stops, a sweepstake contest, animals being fed pumpkins and fall color and decorations. The zoo, operated by the Chicago Zoological Society) in suburban Brookfield, is a place to go if you want to be outside.

Admission is free Tuesdays and Thursdays in October and November. Admission and parking ($15) must be arranged ahead of time. In addition, Pace Bus 331 goes there. The zoo has two Brookfield entrances. North Gate is at 8400 31st Street, South Gate, the main entrance,, is at  3300 Golf Rd..  For more information visit CZS/fall/BrookfieldZoo.

 

MSI pulls out gruesome items from storage for Boo Fest (Museum of Science and Industry photo)
MSI pulls out gruesome items from storage for Boo Fest (Museum of Science and Industry photo)

Museum of Science and Industry

Located in the Hyde Park area of Chicago, the popular museum is holding Boo Fest. Costumes encouraged. MSI has pulled out some of its creepy curiosities from storage for a scary exhibit recommended for youngsters age 8 and older.

But it also has a Trick-or-Treat area where guests who bring their own bag can get non-food goodies from a chute operated by MSI staff.  And there are cool Live Science Experiences stops where visitors can make Frankenslime or watch a pumpkin drop.

In addition, there are Halloween haunted mine and superstition motion simulators, a crime lab chance to see werewolf files and a Sleepy Hollow building experience.

MSI follows the Covid protocols. For protocols, time-tickets admission and ticket information visit MSI/Explore/Events.

Peanuts crowd move to AppleTV (AppleTV and WildBrain Shows photo)
Peanuts crowd move to AppleTV (AppleTV and WildBrain Shows photo)

Charlie Brown

Watch the classic “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” streaming on demand on AppleTV, Oct. 30-Nov. 1. Premiered in 1966 on CBS, it moved to ABC but now, in 2020, it can be found on AppleTv.

You can see it without a paid account by visiting the Apple TV+ website.

According to the company’s news release, Apple is working with WildBrain, Peanuts Worldwide and Lee Mendelson Film production on Peanuts holiday specials.

“A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” will be on Apple TV+ on Nov. 18 and stream for free from Nov. 25 to Nov. 27. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” will be free Dec. 11 to Dec. 13.

For more information visit AppleTV/News2020 and AppleTV.

Jodie Jacobs

Good Chicago area art fairs fill the August and September calendar

You never know what you will see or find at a summer art fair. (Port Clinton-Jodie Jacobs photo)

Check out some suburban shopping areas and Chicago neighborhoods while the weather is still  warm and breezy. The reward may be a painting perfect for the hall, a sculpture just right for the yard or mantle, a silk print scarf or tie to wear to a concert or a piece of jewelry to hold onto until gift giving during the holidays.

Here are some art fairs that are a good excuse to get outdoors.

August

 4-5 Glenview

Art at the Glen features 185 artists in the Glen Tower Center. Hours: 10 am – 5 pm. For more info see Amdur Productions.

11-12  Lincolnshire

About 120 artists participate in the annual Lincolnshire Art Festival held on the Village Green in north suburban Lincolnshire. Hours are 10 am – 5 pm.  For more info see Amdur Productions.

 25-26 Oak Park

On the western edge of Chicago look for more than 130 exhibitors at  the annual Oak Park Avenue-Lake Arts & Crafts Show in Scoville Park at Oak Park Avenue and Lake Street. Hours: Saturday 11 am – 7 pm , Sunday 9 am – 5 pm. For more info see American Society of Artists.

25-26 Highland Park

The Port Clinton Art Festival, among the Midwest’s best art fairs, sprawls across First and Second Streets and the Port Clinton Plaza on Central Avenue as it showcases about 265 artists from across the globe. For more info see Amdur Productions.

25-26 Chicago

About 200 artists exhibit their works at the annual Bucktown Arts Fest held in Senior Citizens Memorial Park, 2300 N. Oakley Ave at 2300 W. Lyndale St. Hours: 11 am – 7 pm. For more info see Bucktownh Arts Fest. Continue reading “Good Chicago area art fairs fill the August and September calendar”