Summer sendoff
Send summer out with a bang – literally – on Friday, Sept. 15 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the North Riverside Parks and Recreation Department’s annual Autumn Fest and Chili Cook-off at the Village Commons, 2401 Desplaines Ave.
The free event features live music, carnival games, a scarecrow contest, a petting zoo, pumpkin decorating, activities for kids and, to cap off the event, a fantastic fireworks display. In addition to the free chili samples from the chefs in the cook-off, food and drink will be available for purchase.
Taste of Brookfield on Friday
The Brookfield Public Library and the Friends of the Library will host their 11th Annual Taste of Brookfield @ Your Library fundraiser on Friday, Sept. 15 at the library, 3609 Grand Blvd. from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
The fundraiser benefits the Friends of the Brookfield Public Library and incorporates fine food and drink, live music, a silent auction and a special $500 raffle. Featured local restaurants this year include the Brookfield Ale House, Fiesta Margarita and Tony’s Mexican Grill. Music will be provided by the Spats Studebaker Trio.
Tickets in advance ($40 each or two for $75) are available at the library’s checkout desk or online at www.tasteofbrookfield.com. Tickets at the door are $45 each.
Child care is available for kids 12 and younger at a cost of $5 per child. Advance registration is required for child care.
For additional information, contact the library at 708-485-6917 or visit www.tasteofbrookfield.com.
Panel discussion on immigration
The League of Women Voters of the LaGrange Area will host a panel discussion of legal and humanitarian issues surrounding immigration on Thursday, Sept. 14 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the LaGrange Public Library, 555 N. LaGrange Road.
Panelists include Heena Musabji, an attorney and director of operations for the Pro Bono Network; Joan Stopka, a retired teacher who is now companera of Taller de Jose, a community resource center for people in need; Ina Winston, immigration staff attorney for the Chicago Legal Clinic; and Melanie Schikora, executive director of Interfaith Committee for Detained Immigrants.
For more information, visit www.lagrangearealwv.org or email league@lagrangearealwv.org.
Brookfield Chamber kicks off ’60 to Win’
The Brookfield Chamber of Commerce kicks off its annual “60 to win” raffle this week, with its first prize drawing on Sept. 14 at 4:30 p.m. at Joe’s Saloon, 9220 47th Street, Brookfield.
Each ticket sold helps support chamber-sponsored events and gives you a chance to win any or all of the five $100 prizes and one $500 prize drawn each week.
Tickets are $20 and only 1,100 tickets will be sold. All drawings will be held at Joe’s Saloon each Thursday through Nov. 16. Tickets remain in the tumbler for the full 10 weeks regardless of how many times you win.
BJS presents the Sound Hounds
The Brookfield Jazz Society presents a night of live jazz featuring the Sound Hounds mini-big band on Thursday, Sept. 14 from 7 to 9:30 p.m. in the lower-level Jazz Room of Sawa’s Old Warsaw, 9200 W. Cermak Road in Broadview.
Open to the public. Admission is $7 to Brookfield Jazz Society members and $10 for non-members.
And more
• Riverside Arts Center, 32 E. Quincy St., continues its exhibition of paintings by Paula Henderson in the FlexSpace gallery from through Oct. 7 and “Portage,” featuring the work of Duncan Anderson, George Blaha and Dan Gamble in the Freeark Gallery through Oct. 21. Admission is free. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. Call 708-442-6400 or visit online at www.riversideartscenter.com.
• Lyons Township High School will host an open house for parents at the North Campus, 100 S. Brainard Ave. in LaGrange, on Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. Tour the building, go through an abbreviated form of your student’s schedule and ask questions.
• North Riverside Public Library, 2400 Desplaines Ave., hosts Crocheting Scarves, Part Two on Sept. 20 at 6:30 p.m. Free. Supplies provided. Also, the library’s Harry Potter Film Festival continues with Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on Sept. 17 at 1 p.m. Free. Drop-in only. To sign up these programs, call 708-447-0869 or visit www.northriversidelibrary.org/events.
• Riverside Public Library, 1 Burling Road, and historian Dave Clark host “Chicago Turns 180: From Frontier Outpost to World Class City” on Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. in the Great Room; Wednesday Night Book Club discussion of The Hobbit on Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. in the Quiet Reading Room.
• The Frederick Law Olmsted Society will host its next docent-led walking tour of Riverside on Sept. 17 from 2 to 4 p.m. with a look at the North Division of the village. Meet on the east side of the Riverside Train Station main platform, 90 Bloomingbank Road. Tickets are $15 ($10 seniors/FLOS members) and are available at the time of the tour. For more information, visit www.olmstedsociety.org.
• The Brookfield Farmers Market continues on Sept. 16 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the west parking lot of the village hall, 8820 Brookfield Ave. The market will be held rain or shine every Saturday morning through Oct. 14.
• The Riverside Farmers Market continues on Sept. 13 and Sept. 20 from 2:30 to 7 p.m. in Centennial Park at Longcommon Road and Forest Avenue. The market runs every Wednesday afternoon/evening through Oct. 11.
• The Brookfield Elks Lodge, 9022 31st St., hosts bingo every Monday night. Doors open at 5 p.m. and games start at 7 p.m. minimum cash payout of $2,275 a night, plus pull tabs, lightning, tic-tac and raffles.
