Face Painting at Fall Festival

Summer may be coming to a close, but there are still lots of opportunities to get out with the family and enjoy some fun fall festivals on the North Shore. Here’s a round-up of festivals in September and October 2010:

Cruise the Backlot

Village Green, 5201 Oakton, Skokie
September 15,  6-9 pm

Browse 75 classic cars and enjoy food, fun and entertainment on the Village Green.

ShermerFest

Village Green Park, 1320 Shermer Rd., Northbrook
September 19

Enjoy an old-fashioned day at the park, with an antique car show, music and children’s activities.

Highwood Last Call Art Fair

Intersection of Sheridan Rd. and Highwood Ave., Highwood
September 25-26, 10 am – 5 pm

Live music, food and activities for the kids. Free admission. Call 847-926-4300 for more info.

Ridge Road Fall Fest

Ridge Rd. between Lake and Wilmette Avenues, Wilmette
September 25, 10 am – 1 pm

Held in conjunction with St. Joseph Parish Oktoberfest, the Ridge Road Fall Fest features free pony rides, moon bounce and other children’s activities. The Oktoberfest (corner of Ridge Rd. and Lake Ave.) goes til 4 pm with an antique market, games, contests and entertainment. At 6:00 pm there is an adults-only party with German food and beer, oompah music and dance music by PopRocks.

Deerfield Historical Society Fall Festival

517 Deerfield Rd, Deerfield
September 26, 12-4 pm

A family-friendly event with a classic car show, book sale, craft demonstrations, food and live entertainment. Call 847-948-0680 for more info.

WFamily Harvest Festival

Westfield Old Orchard, Skokie (near L.L. Bean and Crate and Barrel stores)
October 23, 12-5 pm

Pumpkin Patch, corn and hay maze, games, rides, crafts and entertainment, including an appearance by Curious George.

The first church building was a log cabin built in 1843 on the northwest corner of Ridge Rd. and Lake Ave., near the site of the present cemetery. The log cabin was replaced by a frame church in 1850 and this was replaced by a large brick church in 1869. Due to poor construction, that building only lasted sixty years. The current Art Deco style church was built on the southeast corner of Ridge and Lake and dedicated in 1939. After World War II an annex and convent was added.

St. Joseph School, which is located across the street, was built in the late 1930’s but was forced to close its doors in 1986 as a result of post-baby boom demographic shifts. It was reopened ten years later starting with the preschool. By 1998 the entire school had been renovated and updated to serve children from preschool through 8th grade.

If you’re not Catholic the most notable thing about St. Joseph (besides its imposing structure) is their annual Oktoberfest, held on a Saturday each fall in conjunction with the Ridge Road Fall Festival. There’s an outdoor antiques fair, which has great deals (especially at the end of the day) and a family festival with games, contests and entertainment. The adult party starts at dusk with a traditional German dinner complete with oompah music, followed by dancing under the stars.

Wilmette

Summerfest at Beth Hillel Congregation on Saturday, August 22 from 11 am to 4 pm. Live music, food, children’s activities, Israeli dancing and appearances by alumni Blackhawks players. Free admission.
3220 Big Tree Lane, Wilmette. Call 847-256-1213 for more information.

Evanston

American Craft Exposition. 150 juried craftspeople will exhibit baskets, ceramics, furniture, glass, jewlry and mixed media crafts. Friday, August 27 from 10 am to 8 pm Saturday and Sunday, August 28-29 from 11 am to 5 pm.  Tickets: $12 in advance; $15 at the door (good all 3 days). Proceeds benefit breast and ovarian cancer research.
Northwestern University’s Henry Crown Sports Pavilion, 2311 Campus Drive.

Skokie

Backlot Bash. A summer tradition featuring live music on the main stage at Oakton Avenue, amusement park/carnival, classic auto show, sidewalk sale and teen activities. Friday, August 27 from 6 to 10 pm, Saturday, August 28 from 11 am to 10 pm and Sunday, August 29 from noon to 8 pm. Lincoln at Oakton in downtown Skokie. You can see the schedule of events here.

Highland Park

Port Clinton Art Festival featuring works by 260  juried artists, live music, children’s activities and Taste of Highland Park. August 28-29 from 10 am to 6 pm. Admission free. Port Clinton Square, 600 Central Ave.

So before you head out on your vacation, take a few minutes to watch this video from The Today Show, where Janice Lieberman shares tips from ex-cons on how to foil burglary attempts.

Some of the tips are obvious; some not so much, like these:

1. Don’t hide your valuables in the sock drawer. That’s the first place the crooks will look. Instead, hide them somewhere in your kids rooms.
2. Have a neighbor remove fliers from your mailbox. Burglars will leave fliers to see if they are picked up. If not, it means no one is home.
3. Don’t announce your vacation on Facebook and other social networking sites. And wait til you’re home again to post pictures of your vacation. Believe it or not, burglars are on Facebook too.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

This year, the museum celebrates its 25th anniversary. It was founded in 1985 by Dolores Kohl. The museum was originally located in Wilmette and moved to its current and larger home in Glenview in 2005.  It offers a wide array of enrichment activities and exhibits where children can play, explore and learn in an environment built specifically for them. There are 16 permanent exhibits to enjoy and usually there are 2-3 temporary exhibits. Right now, in addition to the Monarch butterfly exhibit, there is one featuring Curious George and another featuring Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl to show children how to care for our natural resources.

To celebrate its 25 anniversary the museum has a number of special activities planned, most of them geared to younger children. Here’s a run-down of activities for the museum’s anniversary kick-off week:

Sunday, July 25- Free Admission Day

• 12-1:30                             WTTW “Readers are Leaders” performance with Miss Lori’s Campus

Monday, July 26 – Science Day

• 10:00 and 10:45 am       Very Hungry Caterpillar Appearance
• 10:00 – 12:00                   Anderson Pest Solutions Insect Zoo
• 2:00 – 4:00  pm              Botanic Gardens Wiggly Worms Activity
• 3:00 and 4:00 pm          Bubble Juggler Geoff Akins Performance

Tuesday, July 27 – Health and Safety Day

• 9:30 am – 1:00 pm          Firezone Fire Engine Exploration
• 10 am – 12 pm                   Gymboree
• 10 am – 12:30 pm             Little Legends Soccer Clinic
• 2- 3 pm                               Operation Railroad Tracks Safety Presentation
• 3 and 3:45 pm                   Smokey Bear Appearance

Wednesday, July 28 – Arts and Literacy Day

• 9 am – 5 pm                        Free Family Photo
• 10 am – 12 pm
  and 1-4 pm                          Blick Art Materials Activity
• 2-5 pm                                 Writers’ Theatre Children’s Acting Workshop
• 3 and 3:45 pm                    Clifford the Big Red Dog Appearance

Thursday, July 29 – Music Day

• 10 and 11 am                        Karen Banks-Lubicz Concerts
• 1, 2 and 3 pm                       Mindy Hester and the Time Outs Concerts
• 3-3:45 pm                             Curious George and the Man in the Yellow Hat

Friday, July 30 – Grand Celebration

• 10-10:45 am                          Very Hungry Caterpillar Appearance
• 11 am – 1 pm                          Free cake and ice cream sponsored by Bobtail Ice cream and Tetra Pak
• 1 – 1:45 pm                             Curious George and the Man in the Yellow Hat
• 3 – 3:45 pm                            Clifford the Big Red Dog Appearance

The museum is located at 2100 Patriot Blvd. in Glenview (in the Glen).You can get directions here.

Summer hours are:
Monday-Saturday 9:30 am – 5 pm
Sunday 12-5 pm

Admission is $8.50 (free for children under 1 year; $7.50 for seniors)

The show will be held at Clarkson Park on Willow Rd. All dogs will be entered into either the smallest or largest dog category. In addition, contestants can choose two more categories to enter:

• Best costume
• Fanciest trick
• Best looking
• Best behaved
• Floppiest ears

I’m not sure which category any of my dogs would even have a chance to win, but I know they’d refuse to enter the “best dressed” competition. Way too embarrassing for a self-respecting lab!

If you’d like to enter, call 847-446-4428 to register.

Ed and I stopped in for breakfast the other day and both of us ordered the Savory Strata. I got the vegetarian version with spinach and mushrooms and he ordered the one with Italian Sausage. I had never had a strata before but it was a yummy concoction made with Heavenly Hearth French bread, peppers, Crimini mushrooms, onions, low fat yogurt, Gruyere and Parmesan cheese, all topped by a garlic mushroom sauce and sun dried tomatoes. It was de-lish!

Fuel opened almost a year ago. Its owner, Tim Lenon, is an ex-trader and Wilmette resident, who is passionate about supporting local farmers and local businesses. His concept is “farm to table”, meaning that everything he serves is fresh off the farm and comes from within a 100 mile radius. The eggs are from cage-free chickens and the produce is grown using organic farming techniques. Fuel also claims to be the only green restaurant in town, as the space was built using recycled materials.

You can eat outside or in. The interior of the space has kind of an urban feel, not surprising given that its inspiration was some of the places Tim used to frequent in Bucktown and Wicker Park. It has cool colors and clean lines. I overheard one patron describe it as “small and concise.” And it is.

If you’re trying to make a train, or are otherwise in a rush, you can get “Fast Fuel” to grab and go: smoothies, pastries and muffins and breakfast burritos.

Fuel is open Monday – Friday from 6:00 am to 2:00 pm and on Saturday and Sunday from 7:00 to 2:00. Breakfast entrees cost $9.00-10.00 while lunch runs $8.50-10.00. Kids’ breakfasts are $5.50-7.50.

Wilmette

Friday and Saturday, July 9 and 10
9 am – 4 pm
Shopping, food and family fun, including DJ entertainment, magician, face painting, moonwalk and petting zoo on Saturday.
Call 847-251-3800 or visit www.wilmettechamber.org

Evanston – Central Street

Thursday to Saturday, July 15 to 17
10 am – 5 pm
Bargains from businesses located between the 1900 and 2100 blocks of Central Street. Central Street, located in North Evanston, is chock full of mom and pop run businesses and retains a local and distinctive charm which sets it apart from many shopping districts. There are women’s boutiques, flower shops, bakeries (including one for dogs), restaurants, a renowned spice shop, realtors, and much much more!
For more information visit www.centralstreet-evanston.com.

Winnetka

Friday and Saturday, July 16 and 17
9 am to 5 pm
This year’s theme is “Jazzing Up July”. In addition to shopping, listen to New Orleans jazz while the kids enjoy games, activities and face painting.

Phil Passen and Petra van Nuis will be performing live music during the two-day event. Passen, musician and singer, will perform a variety of traditional American music. Playing the hammered dulcimer, Passen says his music will “capture the essence of old-time music. The beautiful sound and versatility of the dulcimer shine in this captivating performance.” Consistent with the theme of the weekend, Chicago based jazz vocalist Petra van Nuis will perform several songs from her extensive repertoire on Saturday.

And some star power will be added to this year’s sale. Winnetka also will welcome Kathryn Stockett, the author of the best-selling novel The Help to the sale. The novel, set in 1960s Jackson, Miss., deals with the issue of segregation in the South a century after the Emancipation Proclamation.
Call (847) 446-4451 or visit www.winnekachamber.com.

Evanston – Downtown

Saturday, July 24
10 am to 5 pm

Close to 200 Evanston merchants in both downtown Evanston and the Chicago/Dempster district will offer deals on summer inventory, featuring the ideal mix of independent shops and your favorite national chain stores. Expect to find deals on apparel, shoes, one-of-a-kind accessories and decorative arts, including the best in specialty designed, hand-crafted goods. Resale shoppers and antique & vintage hunters will find a variety of shops to explore.

To get to the sale on public transit, take the CTA Purple Line “el” to the Davis, Dempster, or Main stop; or take Metra to the Davis or Main stop.
Call 847.866.6319 or visit http://www.downtownevanston.org

Highland Park

Thursday to Sunday, July 22 to 25
This is your opportunity to get clothing, shoes, jewelry, home décor, and other great stuff at 50 to 75 percent off regular prices. Great back-to-school bargains, too. Of course, early shoppers always find the best one-of-a-kind deals.

And this year, look for a balloonist, magician, face painters, and musicians to entertain the kids while you look for great buys.
To get there, just take the Edens Expressway – exit at Central Avenue East – travel about one mile – and you’re there.
Call 847-432-0284 or visit www.ehighlandpark.com

There are so many things to love about summer on the North Shore, but for me one of the highlights has to be the Thornwood Park Concert, right here in Kenilworth Gardens.

In its sixth year, the annual concert is the brainchild of Terri and Tony Lorenz, who organized the first concert back in 2005 and have continued to be the driving force behind it. They had moved from the city and bought a house across the street from the park. And they thought, “Wow, wouldn’t this be the perfect venue for a fun neighborhood event.” And the Thornwood Park Concert was born.

The performers? Local dads (and one mom) who play in rock bands (for fun). It was a big hit that first year and has increased in popularity ever since. The concert is held on a Sunday afternoon and families wander over after nap time with strollers, wagons, bikes, picnics and coolers to enjoy the music and visit with friends.

This year’s concert features five bands. The first four are made up of Harper parents (and one Romona parent).

• Name It
• East of Edens
• Lucky Jackson Band
• Jimbo Jones
• Legs Akimbo

A new addition this year is the junior concert featuring local artists under 18, who will kick-off the event at 2:00 pm. There will also be other fun things for kids to do while parents enjoy the music: face painting, balloon animals and a bouncy house.

Last but not least, we’ll have a visit from the Wilmette Police in their squad cars and the Fire Department. For the kids, the highlight of the day is when the firetruck shoots a stream of water high in the air for the kids to run under and cool off.

This is truly a neighborhood event, and the $5000 cost of producing it is entirely funded by passing the hat among the folks who come to enjoy it, plus a couple of local sponsors.  (Most of the hat-passing is done online at the concert web site). Any money that’s left over after the concert expenses are paid goes to fund things for the playground or for maintenance of the beautiful  Prairie Garden along Kenilworth Avenue.

This year’s  concert will be held on Sunday, July 11 from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Thornwood Park is in the Kenilworth Gardens neighborhood in Wilmette. It is bounded by Kenilworth Avenue, Dartmouth Street and Thornwood Avenue, catty-corner to Harper School.

You can get more info about the concert at www.thornwoodparkconcerts.com. If you would like to come and enjoy great music and a fun afternoon, please consider making a donation to help offset the concert’s cost. You can do this right on the web site.

Evanston

July 4
7:30 pm – Twilight Concert featuring the Palatine Concert Band
9:00 pm – The musical fireworks extravaganza will be launched from Clark Street Beach and can be viewed from any part of the lakefront area east of Downtown Evanston.

Wilmette

July 3
4:00 pm -  Games and rides for children, entertainment, roving performers, and a Tastefest at Gillson Park.
7:30 pm – A traditional concert of patriotic music by the Palatine Concert Band in the Wallace Bowl. It will be preceded by a sneak preview of this summer’s Starlight Theatre musical feature.
9:30 p.m – Fireworks begin. In case of rain, the fireworks will be rescheduled to a later date.

The easiest way to get to and from the Independence Day celebrations in Gillson Park is by using the special Pace shuttle bus service. Motorists may park at Edens Plaza or at the METRA commuter lot. To see a complete listing of events or for additional transportation information see the Wilmette Park District’s website.

Winnetka

July 4
1:00 pm – The celebration begins with Winnetka’s annual parade. (Note the change in time from past years). The parade sets off from the corner of Elm and Glendale Streets, and heads east to the Village Green.
2:00 pm – -A flag-raising ceremony, children’s flag parade, and family races follow the parade on the Green.
6:30 pm -  “Fourth Fest,” featuring food, children’s entertainment, and a pre-fireworks concert at Duke Child’s Field
9:15 pm – Fireworks begin

Northfield

July 4
9:45 am -  Bike parade kicks off from two locations — Somerset and Old Willow or the Ameritech Lot. Both routes end at Willow Park.
10:30 am -  Bike judging, music and amusement rides begin. Family activities include relays, wheelbarrow races, a hula-hoop contest and an egg toss. For more information, go to northfieldparkdistrict.org or call 847-446-4428.

Glencoe

July 4
8:00 am – Fun Run starts at the train station, 724 Green Bay Road
10:00 am – Games in Kalk Park, Park Aveune and Green Bay Road
2:00 pm – Parade
6:30 pm -  Barbecue on the beach with children’s entertainment and music
9:00 pm – Fireworks on the beach
847-835-3050

Glenview

July 5

11:00 am -  Bike Parade starting at the corner of Glenview rd. and Church St.
11:30 am -  Main parade starting from OLPH parking lot and ending at Johns Park.
7:30 pm – Twilight Show with patriotic concert by the North Shore Concert Band. The show’s finale will be fireworks synchronized to patriotic music.
847-724-5670

Highland Park

July 4
11:00 am – Parade in downtown Highland Park
12:00 pm – Fourth Fest at Sunset Woods Park
9:15 pm – Fireworks at Wolters Field on Park Avenue West
847-432-0800

Lake Forest

July 4
6:00 pm – Beer garden with kids activities and live music by Sixteen Candles at Deerpath Community Park
8:00 pm – KC and the Sunshine Band
9:30 pm -  Fireworks sponsored by the Lake Forest Symphony