Streetcar memories
Did you know a streetcar line ran through North Riverside, Riverside and Brookfield from 1890 to 1948?
Railroad enthusiast David Wilson presents “The History of the West Towns Streetcar System” on Sunday, Jan. 22 at 2 p.m. in the Great Room of the Riverside Public Library, 1 Burling Road. The talk will touch on the development of the system, where it ran, who rode it and why the system was replaced with buses.
Admission is free.
Olmsted Society Annual Meeting
The Frederick Law Olmsted Society will hold its Annual Meeting on Friday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. in the Great Room of the Riverside Public Library, 1 Burling Road.
All are welcome to the meeting, which will feature the presentations “Riverside’s Arboretum” and “Swan Pond: Plans and Progress,” by garden historian and Riverside Landscape Commission Chairwoman Cathy Maloney.
The annual meeting begins at 7 p.m., with the presentations following at 8 p.m. The library will be closed for business and only open for the event, which is free to attend.
Benefit dinner for refugee agency
Ascension Lutheran Church, 400 Nuttall Road in Riverside, is hosting a Benefit for RefugeeOne, a nonprofit refugee resettlement agency in the Chicago area, on Saturday, Jan. 21 from 5 to 8 p.m.
The benefit dinner features build-your-own tacos, margaritas, beer, soda and more. Tickets are $12 in advance ($15 at the door), $5 for kids 5-12 and free under 5. There will be activities for kids and fun for all. Proceeds benefit RefugeeOne.
For tickets call 708-447-2600 or buy them at the door.
LTHS student theater fest
The Lyons Township High School Theatre Board presents the Donna N. Mavros Student Theatre Festival on Friday, Jan. 20 and Saturday, Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. in the South campus Performing Arts Center, 4900 S. Willow Springs Road in Western Springs.
The festival features three student-directed, performed and produced plays performed in a row with quick set changes between them. Admission is free. The theater opens 30 minutes prior to show time.
Big Band Memories
North Riverside Public Library, 2400 Desplaines Ave., presents “Big Band Memories,” on Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 2 p.m. Band leader Steve Cooper will show film clips of the greatest orchestras and singers of the Big Band era.
Admission is free. To sign up, call 708-447-0869 or visit www.northriversidelibrary.org/events.
