Every week when I write this post, my goal is to keep things light, talk about current events, and dive into the list of events happening over the weekend. Today, following the Nice attack in France, I am finding it difficult to be humorous.
It seems that almost every other week we hear about another tragedy, whether it be Orlando, Dallas, and now Nice, making it clear that we live in an intimidating world. But we mustn’t let that stop us from living.
As human beings, we have the option to listen for one of two sounds. We can either wait patiently for life’s end gong, or we can get swept up in life’s chiming bells. I admit that this morning, the energy has been taken from my eyes, and I find myself in line with the former- not hearing the bells, shocked, processing information, sitting on my hands, and so on.
If you find yourself in a similar state of mind, make sure you allow it to eventually pass. There is so much to smile about, like Pokémon Go and the events in the Oak Park area this weekend.
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Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio Open House
Friday from 5-7:30 p.m.
The Frank Lloyd Wright Trust invites the community to Wright’s Oak Park Home and Studio, 951 Chicago Ave., Oak Park, for the Trust’s annual Summer Open House. In addition to the highlights tour of the Home and Studio, there will be refreshments, an art project in the courtyard, and a “photo op” with a cardboard cutout of Frank Lloyd Wright. This free event is appropriate for all ages. Admittance will on a first-come, first serve basis; no reservations are required.
Forest Park Music Fest
Fri. 5-11 p.m., Sat. noon-11 p.m., Sun. noon-10 p.m.
The 2016 Forest Park Music Fest will take place on Madison Street, spanning the area between Des Plaines and Circle Avenues. With two lively stages filled with some of Chicago’s best up-and-coming artists, including 16 Candles, Mike & Joe and 7thHeaven. In addition to the stages, there will be two beer gardens, food from some of the neighborhood’s top vendors, as well as a wide variety of carnival games, arts and crafts, and a sidewalk sale of boutique, gallery, and specialty items. Admission is $5.
Pokémon Go in Oak Park
If you’re one of the millions of people to get swept up in the Pokémon Go craze, we want you to share your photos of Pokémon creatures around Oak Park. So, if you see Pikachu at Lake Theater while you’re out to the movies this weekend or Charizard at Scoville Park during the Summer Concert Series, send them to us so we can share it! Head to our Instagram account @aroundoakpark and DM us the photos OR you can email kelli@aroundoakpark.com. You will be credited for the pictures and it will be shared with our social media followers.
OPRF Gangster Tour – There Goes the Neighborhood
Sunday at 11 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.
There Goes the Neighborhood, a popular gangster tour led by mob historian and author of “The Chicago Outfit” John Binder, returns on Sunday. The tour highlights 15 homes in Oak Park and River Forest that were previously owned by crime bosses such as Anthony “Tough Tony” Capezio, Sam Giancana, Jack “Machine Gun” McGurn, Tony Accardo, and Paul Ricca. The tour departs from (and returns to) the Oak Park Visitor Center (OPVC), 1010 Lake St., Oak Park. Tickets are $30, which can be purchased at the OPVC.
Third Friday Gallery Walk
Friday from 6 to 10 p.m.
It’s the third Friday of the month and that means the Oak Park Arts District will host the Third Friday Gallery Walk on Harrison Street. Head to Art Gecko for one-of-a-kind art and jewelry created with recycled materials, view the work of artists Linda Abrams, Bobbi Meier and Gina Lee Robbins at Gallery PINK, listen to live music at Buzz Café, and check out live entertainment at Open Door Theater. For more information, visit the Oak Park Arts District website.
Final Weekend for Pygmalion at Austin Gardens
This is your last chance to see George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion: a story of a phonetics professor who tutors a lower-class girl to speak proper English in order to pass for a “lady.” The play will be shown at Austin Gardens, 167 Forest Avenue, Oak Park. Showtimes are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $29 for general admission, $26 for seniors, $15 for students, children under 12 and dogs are free. To purchase, visit oakparkfestival.com.
Free Summer Concert Series at Scoville Park
Sunday from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Enjoy free concerts on Sundays throughout the summer at Scoville Park, 800 W. Lake Street. This week, an R&B and blues outfit called Deja Blue will take the stage. These musicians are seasoned veterans of the Chicago blues scene. Some of the members have played together since the 6th grade, which leads to a special chemistry like no other.
Oak Park Farmers Market
Saturday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Oak Park Farmers Market is now in its 41st annual year. Items for sale include locally grown produce, flowers, bedding plants, honey, cheese, frozen meat, bread, and doughnuts. Cash is the preferred method of payment but credit and debit are available depending on the vendor. The Farmers Market is located in the Pilgrim Congregational Church parking lot, 460 Lake Street.
5th Annual Sculpture Walk
The 5th Annual Oak Park Sculpture Walk features 12 sculptures from various local artists. The sculptures can be viewed as a part of the outdoor exhibit in Mills Park near Pleasant and Home Avenues. The walking tour will be open for public viewing until Sept. 5.
