La Grange Today

Last minute events: Library's Xmas craft programs

If you are one of those people who bought their Christmas decorations when they hit the store shelves before Halloween, a presentation tonight at the La Grange Library on making wreaths and other holiday decorations in the fashion of Colonial Williamsburg may be too late for you.

But if you're one of those people who puts everything off until the last minute, this program is perfect because its commencement is only hours away.

Librarian and traveler Nancy McCully will host Christmas in Williamsburg, a slide lecture, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Dierkes Community Room. Reservations are recommended and can be made online by clicking here. Don't worry, it's not booked up. We checked with the library late Monday afternoon.

Don't worry about a sitter either. The library also is offering a Holiday Card Workshop for children at the same time. Well, almost. That program starts at 6:45 p.m. in the library's Youth Services department. Register for that program by phoning (708) 352-0576.

Admission is free to both events.

West End Art Fair 2009 sets up this weekend

The 14th annual West End Art Fair happens this Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 12-13, along Burlington Ave in front of the Stone Ave train station in La Grange.

The juried festival, which features 125 artists from across the country, will be open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. both days. Visitors will find paintings, sculptures, woodwork, jewelry, photography, watercolor, and mixed media creations.

One of the easels to be offered at the
Art Under the Stars auction.

The fair also will be the setting for an Art Under the Stars auction Saturday evening of 47 artworks that were displayed on easels all summer long throughout the downtown and the West End business districts. The artworks all are take-offs with a La Grange twist of well known masterpieces by the likes of Picasso, Van Gogh, Rockwell, Wyeth and Salvador Dali.

Click here to view all 47 easels in an online gallery hosted by the La Grange Business Association (LGBA), which sponsored and promoted the event known as The BIG Picture. The easels also will displayed all day Saturday under the trees at the Stone Ave station.

Proceeds from the auction, which begins at 5 p.m., will benefit the Pets and Pals Charity and the La Grange Historical Society.

In conjunction with the auction, the LGBA also is hosting three other events on Saturday:

• High School Film Festival from 11 .a.m to 4 p.m. in the newly renovated La Grange Theater. Students from Lyons Township High School and Nazareth Academy will showcase their short films on the big screen. The festival has five categories including dramatic shorts, comedic shorts, stop-motion animation, computer generated animation and music video. A first prize of $100 in LGBA gift certificates will be given in each category in addition to a $100 overall audience favorite award. The awards will be presented at 5:30 pm at the Art Under the Stars auction.
  
• Masterpieces on Glass from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Indian Guide tribes, Boy and Girl Scout troops, church youth groups, and individual families will team up with local businesses to create a painting of “Their La Grange” on a 4x4 foot section of the sponsoring business’s window. The pieces will be judged and prizes will be awarded at the Art under the Stars auction that evening. There is no entry fee for this contest and those interested should contact Heather Cavanaugh at heather@lgba.com for more information.
• Architectural/Historic Trolley Tours of La Grange from noon until 4 p.m. The La Grange Historical Society will host the trolley tours, which are intended to give interested residents and visitors the opportunity to learn about both the history and architectural importance of La Grange. The tours are free but tickets are required. Tickets are available at the community development office in the La Grange village hall and, if there are tickets remaining, at the festival.
  

Asperger on Chicago mag's "best downtown" kudos

In her opening remarks at last Monday's meeting of the village board, President Elizabeth Asperger thanked local business owners, village staff and residents for efforts that resulted in Chicago magazine citing La Grange as having the "best downtown" among Chicago suburban communities.

"This designation really affirms the positive momentum that we have enjoyed, the work that has taken place in our central business district for at least the last couple of decades," Asperger said.

Related story:

• La Grange has "best downtown," Chicago Magazine says

Library offers live folk & country music Monday night

Guitarist and singer Steve Justman will present a musical revue of vintage American folk music and classic country tunes at the La Grange Public Library on Monday, Aug. 10.

Click here for larger image

The show, titled The Roots of Americana, begins at 7 p.m. Admission is free, but online registration is recommended as attendance is limited.

Justman has been performing in the Chicago area for many years. According to his own website, he is a "true folksinger ... a throwback to a different era singing popular folk music and country songs that people know and focusing on strictly an audience's entertainment."

Listen to a sampler of Justman's musical recordings on his MySpace page.

Miss this year's Family Fest? See the fireworks here

In case you were unable to attend the 8th Annual Family Fest, hosted last night by the Park District of La Grange, we offer you here a video of the fireworks display, a first for the Fest.

The live fireworks ran about twice as long as what you see here and were enjoyed by around 2,200 people who gathered in Gordon Park, site of the festivities. The weather was perfect, an exception for an otherwise damp and often chilly summer.

Park district officials appeared as delighted as the attendees who spent a few hours preceding the fireworks playing games, listening to music, dining on fare served up on site by local restaurants, and just having a good time with family and friends. The beer garden, also a first for the Fest, also proved a hit, drawing a spirited crowd.

"I hope everyone enjoyed themselves," Dean Bissias, the park district's executive director, said.

Fireworks, festivities to mark park district's 80th year

The Park District of La Grange tonight will mark its 80th anniversary, and its 8th annual Family Fest with a fireworks display at 9:30 in Gordon Park. Also new this year is a beer garden.

The free event, which begins at 5 p.m., offers something fun for everyone, according to park district officials, such as raffles, face painting, a petting zoo and dunk tank. Other offerings include:

• Bingo, 5:30 - 7:30
• DJ, 5:00 - 7:30
• Beer Garden, 5:00 - 8:00
• Kids Carnival Games, 5:00 - 8:00
• Food Vendors, 5:00 - 9:00
• Fun Jumps, 5:00 - 8:00
• Pony Rides, 5:00 - 8:00
• Dueling Pianos, 8:00 - 9:30

The entrance to Gordon Park is located on Ogden Ave east of La Grange Rd. Free parking is provided.

Village Potters offer some bowls for life's cherries

Local residents who take classes at the Terra Incognito clay studio and gallery in downtown La Grange know the joy of sharing one's work with family and family. Clay bowls and sculptures make lovely gifts.

But after several months of taking classes, their creative output was accumulating while their lists of likely gift recipients was dwindling. Who else might appreciate their clay craftwork? they wondered.

They found their answer at the La Grange Farmers Market, where 19 of the students have been offering their wares for sale every Thursday morning under the moniker, Village Potters.

In the video below, one of students, village resident Juanita Davis, talks about the group's venture and shows off some of their offerings.

This video was shot in mid-May soon after we acquired our camera. The footage was edited earlier this month as it took some practice to get the hang of our new editing software. Sales at the Farmers Market have grown significantly for the Village Potters, Juanita reports. Two weeks ago, the booth sold 40 pieces. All 19 potters have sold at least one piece so far this summer.

'Movie in the Park' will be shown come rain or stars

The Park District of La Grange Friday night (June 19) will screen the Pixar-animated, feature-length movie, WALL-E, outdoors at Denning Park, weather permitting. In the event of rain or other inclement weather, the film will be shown in the gymnasium of the park district's recreation center at 536 East Ave.

In either case, the show begins at 8:30 p.m. Admission is free, and patrons are encouraged to bring their own seating in the form of lawn chairs or blankets.

WALL-E is rated G and is appropriate for all ages.

For more information, contact the park district at 708-352-1762.

Video: Opening night at the La Grange Carnival 2009

The La Grange Carnival continues today with the 63rd Annual Pet Parade beginning at 9:30 a.m. along La Grange Rd and Burlington Ave.

Midway rides and attractions reopen at noon and run until 10 p.m. tonite. Sunday hours are noon until 7:00 p.m.

Carnival midway opens to revelers at 5 p.m. tonight

The 2009 La Grange Carnival will begin Friday, May 29, at 5:00 p.m. with the opening of the midway along W Harris Ave, featuring rides, amusements, food vendors and a beer garden.

Workers set up rides for La Grange Carnival 2009
Click photo for larger image

Saturday morning brings the 63rd annual Pet Parade along La Grange Rd and Burlington Ave. The midway will reopen Saturday at noon with unlimited carnival rides until 4:00 p.m. with the purchase of a $20 bracelet. 

The midway will close on Friday and Saturday nights at 10:00 p.m. Sunday hours are noon until 7:00 p.m.

Radio Disney will host an interactive play area  in the parking lot behind Palmer’s Place, 56 S La Grange Rd, to promote “G-Force,” a children's spy movie being released to theaters in July.

Also, the Radio Disney Road Crew will perform a special 90-minute show on Saturday beginning at 2:00 p.m.