On Monday, May 27, Arlington Heights will hold its Memorial Day parade. The event begin at 9:30 am, when the parade steps off at Village Hall. It then goes from Dunton to Euclid to Chestnut, ending at Memorial Park. There, at 11:00, will be a ceremony to honor all veterans. It should be a lovely, meaningful way to celebrate the day.
Monday is Memorial Day, and there are a lot of parades going on throughout the area. At 10:30 am on Monday, May 27, the Naperville Memorial Day Parade steps off from the intersection of Jackson and West. It then moves east to Washington, North to Benton, and then east again to the parking lot of Saints Peter and Paul church. After the parade, there will a memorial program in Central Park, at the Community Concert Center.
On Friday, May 24 from 6:00 – 7:30, the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum presents “Pardon me, where is the kitchen?”. It is a sonic work presented by Christine Sun Kim, a deaf performance artist who explores the physicality of sound. The show is part of the 2013 Bodies of Work festival and promises to be really interesting. Even better, it is free with registration.
Jane Addams Hull-House Museum
800 S. Halsted
Chicago
Get out of the house and enjoy some nature without leaving Chicago.The North Park Village Nature Center on Chicago’s northwest side features a forty-six acre nature preserve and nature trails flanked by prairies, woodlands and wetlands. Or, go inside the field house and participate in interactive nature displays. Open daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Bring a picnic and make a day of it.
Plenty of free on-site parking. FREE ADMISSION.
North Park Village Nature Center
5801 N. Pulaski Road
Chicago
Next Saturday, May 25, the City of Chicago presents its annual Memorial Day parade. There has been a Chicago Memorial Day parade each year since 1870. The marching units will go along State Street in the Loop from Lake to Van Buren, beginning at noon. (A wreath-laying ceremony will begin at 11:00 am.) This is a nice way to honor those who have served this country. And it’s free.
Got a foamer in your family? Then Homewood is the place to be on Sunday, May 19. The Homewood Railroad Days Train Show at the Homewood Auditorium is free and will feature historical societies, antiques, model train layouts, and railroad related vendors at the Homewood Auditorium from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. If that’s not enough, Canadian National Railways (CN) will have prototype equipment on display along Harwood Avenue (adjacent to the Municipal Complex). Kids of all ages can take free rides throughout downtown on Lil Obie, the CN Safety Train. And, throughout the day, visitors are encouraged to stop by the Rail Watching Platform located at Harwood Avenue and Kroner Avenue for a terrific viewing point of the traffic from freight and commuter rail lines. The Rail Park, featuring a newly restored interior of Illinois Central caboose 9426, is located on Park Avenue, just north of the train station. The underground pedestrian tunnel, adorned with murals depicting local railroad history, connects the two attractions.
Could it get better than that? Only if you go to Aurelio’s for pizza afterward.
Homewood Auditorium
2010 Chestnut Road
Homewood
On the second Friday of each month, 30 art galleries in Pilsen open their doors to the public. Meet the artists, have some wine and cheese and learn something about art. Stop by the information booth at 1821 S. Halsted to find out the addresses of the open galleries. 6:00 – 10:00 pm. FREE
The City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) offers FREE business workshops every Wednesday and Friday at City Hall, 8th Floor. The list changes every month and covers such items as dealing with city inspectors, understanding employment law, and getting started with an online business. To register for a workshop call 312-744-2086. You can now also register by emailing OEBACP@cityofchicago.org.
On the second Friday of every month from 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm, the FAB Studios of the Fine Arts Building, invite the public to tour studios, galleries and shops on 10 floors of this National Landmark Building. A haven for artists since 1898, the building itself is an architectural gem. FREE.
The Fine Arts Building
410 S. Michigan
Chicago
The Flat Iron Artists Association opens two floors of art displayed in artists studios in The Flat Iron Building on the first Friday of every month from 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm. You can see art, listen to musical performances, enjoy refreshments, and see what’s new. 1579 N. Milwaukee. Presented by the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce. FREE Admission.
The Flat Iron Building
1579 N. Milwaukee
Chicago
The Bank of America debit card comes with free basic admission to Chicago’s great museums. Enjoy!
Participating Bank of America Museums on Us Chicago’s Museums offering FREE Admission
Bring your photo ID and Bank of America or Merrill Lynch Card.
Home Depot stores offers free hands-on workshops for kids.
The next project involves kids building a birdhouse.
The activity is offered 9 a.m. to noon January 5.
The workshops on the first Saturdays of the month are intended for youngsters ages 5 to 12.
