Frank Brichetto
Chicago is a very big place, over 234 square miles (that’s over 606 km²); so it’s no surprise that, having been born and raised on Chicago’s North Side, I have yet to become familiar with much of the South Side and suburbs. Look, there are so many amazing things to do that our schedules will be busy, and our plates full. Let’s get started!
First up, let’s head to the Fall on the Green Festival, September 8 – 10. It’s on the Village Green, 9446 Raymond Avenue, 94th & Cook Avenue, Oak Lawn. This festival celebrates the beginning of autumn by bringing joy to the south suburbs. Fall on the Green has grown steadily over the years, now it’s the one of the biggest and best attended outdoor festivals in the South suburbs. It’s on the first weekend after Labor Day. Admission and rides are entirely free. (Sorry, no pets allowed.) This event features Bingo, entertainment and a great food tent, of course. While the kids go bouncing in the big inflatables, we’ll take a turn on the climbing wall, are you ready to show off your skills? Then we’ll try the eurobungy, take a stroll around the new car show, and so much more!
That same weekend, let’s drop in at Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park, on the Governors State University Campus, 1 University Parkway, University Park. “Big Ideas are presented here through contemporary sculpture on a large scale.” This Sculpture Park displays very large, artistically significant works and has become recognized as one of the TOP TEN sculpture parks in the world. This haven of exploration remains a free public resource for the community 365 days a year, but it can only fulfill this mission through the support of folks like us, so please remind me to throw a few dollars into the donation box. Our support enables education, acquisition and conservation activities year-round. September is a good time to visit, but actually, the Park is open 365 days a year, the presentations and the landscaping are always changing, so any day is a good day. If you’re so inclined, there is a wonderful fundraising gala, Sculpture, Wine, and Dine, planned for 3:30 – 6:30 p.m, September 9, but registration closes soon, so get online and make your reservation NOW. For ticket information contact Gina Ragland at 708.235.7559, www.govst.edu/sculpture.
Over in Palos Heights, at Lake Katherine Nature Center, we’ll count on attending the Monarch Butterfly Festival, Sunday, September 17, won’t that be wonderful fun, especially for the kids? They’ll get their faces painted, see live animals up close, and so much more. Enjoy the unique and magical experience of walking through a real butterfly tent where we’ll share, with the kids, the beauty and natural grace of these amazing creatures! We can all get our faces painted, walk our family past live animals, stroll through an arts & crafts fair, perhaps duck into food & drink vendors’ tents. We’re not even done yet, with children’s crafts, storytime, scarecrow making, and an education tent still to catch. This is going to be a fun-filled day, beyond a doubt. 7402 W. Lake Katherine Drive, Palos Heights, (708) 361-1873 or email lkvisitorinfo@lakekatherine.org
How about this for an unexpected, glorious, uplifting extravaganza? Glen Burtnik, of Styx fame and the original Beatlemania, is bringing you, according to their website: “the Summer of Love Concert–a tribute to the iconic rock music from the period of time generally between the 1967 release of The Beatles revolutionary album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and the famous Woodstock Music and Art Festival in 1969. Joined by 12 performers, including a horn section, strings, keyboardists, percussionists, background vocalists, and an incredible rock rhythm section, the Summer of Love Concert recreates “note for note and absolutely live” the songs, and the psychedelically flavored spirit, of the Woodstock Generation.” This wonderful concert will be held on September 23nd, at Moraine Valley Community College, 9000 W. College Parkway, Palos Hills, http://summerofloveconcert.com. Visit the website for tickets and seat availability.
Lastly (for this month), in Homewood, we’ll visit their Farmer’s Market, at Martin Avenue Square 18020 Martin Avenue, Homewood, peruse and select fresh vegetables and other produce, perhaps a loaf of very fresh bread, or any of a good selection of prepared foods and condiments. It’s open Saturdays, but especially consider September 30th, when it’s also the Hunt & Gather Vintage Market, where we can browse thousands of interesting items, and perhaps pick up something for the table or living room? I don’t want to admit it, but Fall and Winter are coming, so maybe it’s time for a couple of new decorations. We’ll put them up, next month, in October (or maybe November? We can only hope.) Until next month, dear readers, enjoy Chicago.
