Explore mid-century American cocktail culture

Join cookbook collector Amy Alessio as she takes you on a trip back to the 1950s and 1960s to examine cocktail party culture and the food and drinks that were popular at the time.

The special Zoom program, brought to you by Brookfield Public Library, will take place on Thursday, March 25 at 6 p.m. Recipes will be provided.

Registration required by phone at 708-485-6917, ext. 130 or the library’s online events calendar.

Meet the queen

Leslie Goddard as Queen Elizabeth II

North Riverside Public Library invites you to meet Great Britain’s famous monarch Queen Elizabeth II as interpreted by Leslie Goddard in “Becoming Queen Elizabeth,” a special Zoom program on Thursday, March 25 at 7 p.m.

Learn about Elizabeth’s childhood, the abdication of her uncle, her marriage to Prince Philip of Greece, her World War II service and her struggle to balance her roles as queen and mother.

RSVP to bodenl@northriversidelibrary.org or visit library’s online events calendar for adult Zoom meeting access info.

Mandela: Struggle for Freedom

Mandela voting in 1994. (Paul Weinberg, CC BY-SA 3.0)

Join Brookfield Public Library as they take you on a virtual tour of the Nelson Mandela exhibit “Mandela: Struggle for Freedom” at the Illinois Holocaust Museum via Zoom on Wednesday, March 31 at 6 p.m.

The exhibit traces the history of the fight against apartheid in South Africa, with Nelson Mandela as one of its central figures.

Registration required by phone at 708-485-6917, ext. 130 or the library’s online events calendar.

Radio Players to perform in person

The Riverside Township Radio Players welcome back a live audience for the first time in months for their next show on Friday, March 26 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Riverside Township Hall, 27 Riverside Road in Riverside.

The troupe will recreate two dramas from the Golden Age of Radio, including the 1949 episode “The Cable Car Chase” from the show “Candy Matson” and the 1947 episode “The Sheriff’s Assistant” from “The Whistler.”

Admission is free. The first 50 people will be allowed in the auditorium. Temperatures taken upon arrival. For more info visit the website.

And more

  • The men’s Holy Name Society of Mater Christi Parish in North Riverside will host their first-ever Easter Basket Raffle on March 28 at 3 p.m. Twenty-five baskets containing treats and more will be raffled. There will also be a split-the-pot with cash prizes. Tickets must be purchased in advance through the church’s website. The deadline for entries is March 27 at noon.
  • The Lyons Township High School Peaceable Schools Initiative (PSI) Club is filling holiday baskets for needy children at the Off the Streets Club, Chicago’s oldest boys and girls club. Drop off baskets/buckets, small toys, books, art supplies, juice boxes, snacks. Pre-assembled baskets and monetary donations also accepted. Items may be dropped off at either campus main entrance by March 29.
  • Riverside Arts Center, 32 E. Quincy St., invites you to “The Kitchen Sink,” a group exhibition which runs through April 3 in the Freeark Gallery. The show features the work of artists Bimbola Akinbola, Alex Bradley Cohen, Mari Eastman, Cassidy Early, Zehra Khan, Kelly Neibert and Sophie Treppendahl. Free. Appointments required. Hours are Thursday through Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. Email info@riversideartscenter.com to schedule an appointment.
  • North Riverside Public Library, 2400 Desplaines Ave., offers a number of virtual programs through Facebook Live, conference calls and the teleconferencing app Zoom. Programs include Game Night Wednesdays on March 24 at 7 p.m. via Zoom.

You can also join the library’s new Spice Club via Zoom on March 27 at 1:30 p.m. to try a new recipe and then discuss the process, flavor and joy of cooking. This week they’ll tackle Pasta alla Parmigiana.

RSVP to bodenl@northriversidelibrary.org or visit library’s online calendar for adult Zoom meeting access info.

  • Brookfield Public Library offers virtual classes and programs for patrons of all ages throughout the week. Most youth activities will be presented live on the library’s Facebook page. For adults, there’s also Chair Yoga via Zoom on March 25 at 11 a.m.

Visit the library’s online calendar to register for Zoom programs.

  • Riverside Public Library will host Zoom events in the coming week, including a Canning 101, a Zoom presentation in partnership with the Riverside Community Garden on March 25 at 7:30 p.m. For those in grades 6-12 there’s Teen Game Night via Zoom on March 26 at 6 p.m. Join in for an evening of Jackbox games.

Register to obtain Zoom access by visiting the library’s online calendar.