Arts & Entertainment News
Continuing its mission of supporting McKinley Park, the McKinley Park Advisory Council (MPAC) elected new officers at its meeting on Sept. 12, 2016, at the McKinley Park field house. New officers are President Veronica O'Malley, Vice President Samantha Hertel, Secretary Katie Flores and Treasurer Heather Breems.
MPAC has been extremely active over the past year, with lineups of both special programs and ongoing activities. This has included a Latin and hip hop dance class for adults and teens, a poetry slam, Painting in the Park sessions for kids and adults, ecology classes, premier performances like Midnight Circus, and stewardship days for cleaning up the park and lagoon.
Read more: McKinley Park Advisory Council Elects New Officers
The annual Blessed Sacrament Parish carnival takes place this Thursday, Aug. 18, through Sunday, Aug. 21, on the 3500 block of South Hermitage Avenue and in parish properties on the block. The lineup includes amusement rides, games, food and drink, raffles, and live and DJ music entertainment on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, and Sunday afternoon through evening.
Hours are 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, Aug. 18 and 19; 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20; and 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 21. Special ride packages cover Thursday and Sunday, and a four-day, all-ride Mega Pass is also available.
Read more: McKinley Park's Biggest Party Is This Weekend at Blessed Sacrament Parish
The McKinley Park Farmers Market, a weekly program of market vendors, entertainment and activities, presents a Hawaiian luau at the market 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Sunday, July 31, 2016. The sounds of Lanialoha Lee and Uke Nation will return for a performance between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., and the first 100 visitors will receive a free Hawaiian lei. The organizers encourage residents to join the free fun and wear Hawaiian attire.
The market is held every Sunday through September 2016 at the southeast corner of Western Boulevard and Archer Avenue next to the William McKinley memorial. Vendors can accept many credit cards, including LINK cards, and sell fresh produce and crafts and often treats each week. For more information and a map, review the list of events here.
McKinley Park Farmers Market is a program of the McKinley Park Advisory Council.
Starting Sunday, July 10, 2016, the McKinley Park Farmers Market inaugurates its weekly program bringing fresh produce, meats, prepared food and entertainment to the McKinley Park neighborhood. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday through September 2016, the market will offer locally sourced items from Chicago and Midwest vendors, as well a rotating lineup of entertainers and payment support for Illinois Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Link Cards.
From its location next to the President William McKinley memorial at the corner of South Western Boulevard and Archer Avenue, the market hopes to be a food resource and driver of neighborhood engagement, said market manager Samantha Hertel. "Food tends to be a uniting feature for the community," she said.
Read more: McKinley Park Farmers Market Kicks Off Sunday, July 10
The Midnight Circus, a Chicago Park District program that hosted extremely popular shows in McKinley Park in 2015, will return in 2016 for noon and 3 p.m. shows on Saturday, Sept. 10, and Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. As detailed in an emailed Park District announcement, the Midnight Circus will perform at ten different Chicago parks in August, September and October this year.
Read more: Midnight Circus Returning to McKinley Park in September 2016
