North Shore Views

Archive for the 'Things to do' Category

Guided Bird Walks in Gillson Park

Attention bird watchers:

Enjoy Guided Bird Walks in Gillson Park beginning May 5 and continuing each Sunday in May.

The Illinois shoreline juts farthest into Lake Michigan at Gillson Park, making it an excellent spot to observe warblers and other migrant birds as they rest and eat during their long journey north every spring. Beginners and experienced birders of all ages are welcome to join the free, annual guided bird walks sponsored by Go Green Wilmette and the Wilmette Park District.

Where:  Meet at the top of the Wallace Bowl near the Lakeview Center in Wilmette’s Gillson Park.  Don’t forget your binoculars and bird books.

When: Tours on May 5th at 7 & 8 a.m. and May 12, 19 & 26 at 8 a.m.
For information see www.gogreenwilmette.org or contact [email protected]

Tags: bird watching, birding, Gillson Park, Go Green Wilmette

North Shore Rummage Sales – Spring 2013

Are you ready to rummage? The North Shore’s spring rummage sale season starts tomorrow!

Saturday, April 20

Winnetka Covenant Church, 1200 Hibbard Rd., Wilmette
www.winnetkacovenant.org
8:00 am – 3:00 pm

Saturday, April 27

St. Athanasius Catholic School, 2510 Ashland St., Evanston
www.stathanasius-evanston.org
8:00 am – 3:00 pm

Friday and Saturday, May 3 and 4

Unitarian Church of Evanston, 1330 Ridge Ave., Evanston
www.ucevanston.org
May 3: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
May 4: 9:00 – noon Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: rummage sales

Summer Fun: Horse Day Camp at Palladia Farm

Is your child ga-ga about horses? Has she been begging you to give her riding lessons? Is there a pony on her Christmas list every year? If you’ve finally decided to let her try horseback riding, you’ll want to look into Palladia Farm summer camp.

Palladia Farm’s horse day camp is a great way to introduce your child to riding and horsemanship in a safe, nurturing and fun environment. At this camp, the kids don’t just learn to ride, they learn everything about caring for and working with horses safely and properly: how to lead the horse, groom him, put on saddle and bridle, mount safely, navigate the ring and clean the tack. Beginners will start by getting comfortable riding at a walk and trot, while more advanced students will add cantering and even jumping to their skills. Other activities include learning how to recognize different breeds and identify common equine ailments, as well as scavenger hunts and contests. Students receive one 30-45 minute private lesson daily.

There are six 4-day sessions throughout the summer. Each session includes no more than 8 students, so that each camper can develop an individual relationship with the horses and the instructors.

Session Dates

June 4-7, 2013, 9am-1:30pm (Tues-Fri)
June 11-14, 2013, 9am-1:30pm (Tues-Fri)
June 25-28, 2013, 9am-1:30pm (Tues-Fri)
July 23-26, 2013, 9am-1:30pm (Tues-Fri)
July 30-Aug 2, 2013, 9am-1:30pm (Tues-Fri)
Aug 6-9, 2013, 9am-1:30pm (Tues-Fri)

Each 4-day session costs $500.00.

After completing a camp session(s), children can continue to develop their skills at Palladia Farm’s riding school, which runs year round. There are also adult riding classes. Boarding (for horses, not kids!) is also available.

Learn more at PalladiaFarm.com, call 773-220-2193 or email [email protected] Palladia Farm is located at 31668 N. River Rd. in Libertyville.

Tags: day camps, horse camps, Palladia Farm, riding camps, stables on the North Shore

Third Annual Thornwood Park Egg Hunt

Back by popular demand! It’s the third annual Thornwood Park Egg Hunt, this Saturday morning, March 30, at 9:45.

Voted the #1 egg hunt on the North Shore by Kenilworth Gardens neighborhood kids, you won’t want to miss it. It looks like we’ll have decent weather for the hunt. Not as warm as last year but partly sunny and 50 degrees, which is definitely an improvement over recent temps.

The Thornwood Park Egg Hunt is hosted by the Come Home North Shore real estate team for kids 10 and under.  Be sure and bring your camera to take pictures with the Easter Bunny. And don’t forget to bring a basket for collecting your eggs. We’ll have prizes for the kids and a drawing for the parents.

Who: Kids 10 and under (but don’t worry, we aren’t going to card your kid)

Where: Thornwood Park in Wilmette (2400 Thornwood Ave. – catty-corner to Harper School)

When: Saturday, March 30. The hunt will start at 10:00 am SHARP! ( If you are even 5 minutes late you will miss it.) So come early to meet the Easter Bunny, guess the number of jelly beans in the jar and enter our drawing for a fabulous prize.

Why: Because it’s fun, of course!

Tags: Easter egg hunt, egg hunt, Thornwood Park

Spring Break Fun on the North Shore

Stuck with a stay-cation this year? Don’t worry – there are lots of fun things to do with the kids, from camps, to concerts to egg hunts. And it’s all right here on the North Shore:

Spring Egg Hunt

Saturday, March 23
9:45-10:00 am
Watts Park, 305 Randolph Ave., Glencoe
glencoeparkdistrict.com

Kids’ Concert Series: Super Stolie

Saturday, March 23 ar 10:00 am
Wilmette Theatre, 1122 Central Ave., Wilmette
Tickets: $10 in advance; $12 at the door.   wilmettetheatre.com

Doggie Egg Hunt

Saturday, March 23
Dogs under 30 lbs: 9:00 am
Dogs over 30 lbs: 10:00 am
Centennial Park, Winnetka
winpark.org

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: camps, egg hunt, Family fun on the North Shore, plays and performances, Things to do, Things to do with kids

Guide to Outdoor Skating on the North Shore

I started this post last winter but the weather never got cold enough to have functioning outdoor ice rinks on the North Shore (except for Watts Ice Center, which is refrigerated), so it didn’t seem particularly relevant.

This year it looks like we may low enough temperatures to make ice, but just barely. Many of the rinks were finally flooded and frozen after New Years, and we have been enjoying them for the last couple of days. Hopefully (for those who love to skate), it will stay cold enough, because there’s just something different and better about skating outdoors.

So, here’s my guide to all the outdoor rinks on the North Shore. Before you go, call to make sure there’s ice.

Evanston

Dawes Park Lagoon, Sheridan Rd. at Church St. Call 847-859-7822 ext. 8

Baker Park, Forest Ave. at Keeney St.. Call 847-859-7822 ext. 8

Wilmette

Gillson Park, Sheridan Rd. and Michigan Ave.
Lighted til 10:30 when usable. Recreational skating only- no hockey

Mallinckrodt Park, Elmwood and Ridge Rds. (Parking in north lot)
Lighted til 10:30 when usable. Recreational skating only- no hockey

Thornwood Park, Dartmouth Ave. and Thornwood Ave. Call 847-256-6100

Winnetka

Pond on the Green, 490 Hibbard Rd. (just south of Winnetka Ice Arena)
Open 3:00-7:00 pm weekdays and 9:00 am – 7:30 pm weekends, weather permitting.

Hubbard Woods Park, Green Bay Rd, west of train station
Open 4:00 – 9:00 pm weekdays and 12:00 – 9:00 pm weekends, weather permitting

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: ice skating, North Shore parks, outdoor rinks, winter fun

Winter Break Fun: 10 Cures for Cabin Fever On the North Shore

The holidays are over but there is still a week left of winter break. What to do to keep the kids entertained? If cabin fever is setting in at your house, try some of these fun activities for kids on the North Shore:

1. Wonderland Express

Daily through January 6 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Rd., Glencoe
A 10,000-square-foot exhibition of miniature trains winds through more than 80 miniature Chicago-area landmarks, all made of twigs, bark and leaves. Tickets: Adults $10/$12 members/non-members; Kids $8/$10 members/non members. Go here for info.

2. 101 Dalmatians (movie)

Friday, December 28 from 2:00 to 3:30
Wilmette Library Auditorium, 1242 Wilmette Ave., Wilmette
847-256-5025  wilmettelibrary.info

3. Pump It Up New Years Eve Glow Bash

Monday, December 31 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm or 2:00 to 4:00 pm
Pump It Up, 1857 Elmdale Ave., Glenview
$8.00. Call 847-904-7867. www.pumpitupglenview.com

4. Lego Club (Grades K-4)

Wednesday, January 2 from 1:00 to 2:00
Wilmette Library (Youth Program Rm) , 1242 Wilmette Ave., Wilmette
847-256-5025  wilmettelibrary.info
Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: family fun, Things to do with kids, winter break activities

Holiday Plays and Performances on the North Shore

Winter break is right around the corner. If you’re looking for fun things to do with the kids while they’re off school, why not load everyone into the car and get out to see one (or more) of these plays and performances on the North Shore this holiday season.

It’s Christmas Charlie Brown! – The Musical

December 15 at 10:00 am and 12:00 pm
Wilmette Theatre, 1122 Central Ave, Wilmette

The Actors’ Training Center has transformed the classic holiday movie into a live performance. Disgusted by the commercialism around him, Charlie Brown tries to find the true meaning of Christmas. Tickets: $15. www.wilmettetheatre.com

Legally Blond

December 15 and 16 at 12:30 and 4:00 pm
Northbrook Children’s Theatre, 3323 Walters Ave., Northbrook

The Northbrook Children’s Theatre’s young cast will sing, dance and act the tale of a Valley Girl who discoers she is smarter than anyone thinks whe she attends Harvard law School. Tickets: $35-55. www.nbparks.org

Bah, Humbug!

Through Dec. 22
Piccolo Theatre, 600 Main St., Evanston

The annual holiday Panto presents a “Christmas Carol” in a whole new way, with music, jokes and magic. Tickets: $25, senios $22, students $15, $10 children under 9. www.piccolotheatre.com

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: plays and performances, Things to do with kids

Northwestern Football: Big Ten in Our Own Backyard

I’m not much of a sports fan, but catching a game of Northwestern Football now and again was always a brilliant way to spend a Saturday afternoon with my dad or brother.

For being home to a major college football team, Ryan Field has a delightful backyard quality to it.  The stadium is nestled right in the Evanston suburbs, surrounded by beautiful vintage homes.  Plentiful parking and an el stop are just a few blocks away, so getting to a game is painless.  Fans casually stroll into the stadium, and even when the game is full the seats give you plenty of room.  It’s clean, comfortable, and convenient.

Yet it is home to some very serious football.  The Big Ten conference has some of the best action college football has to offer.  The Wildcats sit in a sweet spot:  Good enough to win some big games, bad enough that it’s always an uphill battle.  I count both of those qualities in their favor–I may not always be happy when the game ends, but I’m never bored.  Hence their nickname, the “Cardiac Cats”.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Big Ten football, Northwestern football, Northwestern University

Holiday Music on the North Shore

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, it’s time to get in the holiday spirit. Here’s where to go to hear all your favorite holiday music on the North Shore:

New Tradition Chorus Holiday Show

December 1 at 2:30 and 8:00 pm
December 2 at 2:30 pm
Glenbrrok South High School, 4000 Lake Ave., Glenview
Tickets: $16-20 (kids <12 $9)   www.newtradition.org

Navidad en Mexico

Dec. 1 at 8:00 pm
Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston
Chicago a cappella performs Mexican Christmas music
Tickets: $28-$35 ($12 students).  www.chicagoacappella.org

Home for the Holidays

Dec. 2 at 4:00 pm
Divine Word Chapel, 2001 Waukegan Rd., Techny
Presented by the Northbrook Coomunity Choir, Northbrook Symphony Orchestra and several area choirs.
Tickets: $15-$37   www.northbrooktheatre.org

Holiday Sing-A-Long

Dec. 4 at 7:30 pm
Evanston S.P.A.C.E., 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston
Tickets: $22-$36     www.evanstonspace.com

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: choral music, Christmas music, holiday music