Summertime in Geneva means lots of fun things to do
It's summertime in Geneva, and special events are coming fast and furiously.
There are so many, in fact, that there's no way to do a column on one or even two, before the events are held. So here is a quick rundown of some upcoming festivities. Have fun - partake!
Get some friends together for a sumptuous lobster feast. Lobsters from the annual TriCity Family Services Great Lobster Fly-in arrive Saturday. Fresh 1.25-pound lobsters will be delivered to the Kane County Courthouse parking lot on James Street in downtown Geneva. Lobsters are $20 each and patrons can order extras, including French bread, cinnamon almonds, even the TriCity Family Services cookbook.
Orders must be placed by Monday. Visit www.tricityfamilyservices.org, or return a form with payment to the TCFS building at 1120 Randall Court, Geneva. All proceeds benefit TriCity Family Services.
The same day the lobsters fly in, Saturday, is the date for the Geneva Park District's Battle of the Bands. Musicians aged 12 to 19 will be participating, with the winner moving on to regional competition in July. Enjoy the music from noon to 6:30 p.m. at Island Park.
And by the way, last year's Geneva winner - the Grape Soda Jerks - won the state competition.
A week from today is Father's Day, and it's also time to celebrate the 97th annual - that's nearly a century! - Svenskarnas Dag, the Scandinavian Midsummer Celebration. The fun begins at 11 a.m. June 15 at Good Templar Park, 528 East Side Drive, Geneva.
Svenskarnas Dag is the oldest ethnic festival in Illinois and is sponsored by the International Organization of Good Templars. Festivities include the traditional maypole raising and dance, singing by the Swedish American Children's Choir, dancing by Nordic dancers and a performance by singer/accordion player Ernie Sandquist.
There's also guided tours of the Swedish cottages, a traditional Swedish breakfast served at 9 a.m. and a non-denominational worship service at 10 a.m. Admission is $5 (children younger than 12, and anyone wearing traditional Scandinavian costumes will be admitted free) and includes parking.
For information, visit www.swedishday.net or call Pamela Gustafson at (847) 845-2640.
All you middle and high school students, get your dancin' shoes on. The annual "Third Street Dancin'" event is set for 7 to 9 p.m. June 16 on South Third Street in downtown Geneva, in front of the old Kane County Courthouse. All in Geneva are welcome, though middle and high school students particularly are targeted.
The dance is chaperoned, and it is sponsored by the Geneva Coalition for Youth.
The dance party is always held the Monday before Swedish Days begins, which means Swedish Days is coming up.
Geneva's annual Swedish party begins June 17 and continues through the great parade on June 22. In between is too much fun to list here. Suffice to say the schedule is jam-packed, with entertainment on South Third Street (that's a busy place this month), big sales, a carnival, the craft show, the Granquist Memorial Music Competition, a whole day set aside for fun for kids, the Rosemaling Show, and food, food, food. More information is available at the Chamber of Commerce, 8 S. Third St., or by visiting www.genevachamber.com/swedishdays.html.
During Swedish Days, the Friends of Geneva Public Library group holds its annual used book sale. (It will be on June 19 this year.) Numbers for first admittance will begin to be distributed at 9 a.m. at the check-in desk just inside the entrance. The sale begins at 5 p.m.
I realize that perhaps this sale is of somewhat limited appeal, but it's important enough to my oldest child and me that my daughter, at her university for the summer attending summer school, is trying to figure out a way to get off work and out of school long enough to attend. We go yearly and this year we happen to be holding the winning tickets for spots No. 1 and No. 2 for getting into the sale. We're pretty happy. The sale continues from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Speaking of the library, the summer reading program is under way. Read a book and gain a chance to win great prizes. There are programs for both kids and young adults/adults. Beyond the reading program, the library also has a full roster of summer fun, particularly for children.
The Kane County Relay for Life reminds us that summer is not all fun and games. This annual event combines entertainment with a very serious purpose: raising money to combat cancer. As of Tuesday, 74 teams were registered, with the top team having already raised more than $8,000.
The Relay for Life of Kane County is set for June 27 through 28 at the Kane County Events Center at Elfstrom Stadium. Opening ceremonies are at 7 p.m. June 27. The always emotional survivors lap follows at 7:45 p.m. to open the relay.
People needn't walk to participate. For more information, visit relay.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RelayForLifeIllinoisDivision?fr_id=6844&pg=entry&JServSessionIdr008=1883s8i0w1.app314b.
Lots of fun to be had out there in the next few weeks. I'll see you out and about.
Did you call your grandfather "Grandpa Joe" or the more formal "Grandfather?" Does your son call your dad "Pop-pop?" Grandfathers out there, what do your grandchildren call you? And is there a reason why you go by "Foo-foo," and not "Grandpa?" I'm looking for grandfather "name" stories for a column for the upcoming Father's Day. Please send me your tales to bbales10@ameritech.net.