Briefs: Festival in Aurora

The Fox Valley Park District will host a family festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday at the Vaughan Athletic Center, 2121 W. Indian Trail in Aurora. The festival will include football throwing contests, carnival games and an inflatable climbing wall. The very young crowd can participate in a diaper derby and Big Wheel races, among other events. Admission is $5 per person. The admission includes access to all activities. For more information on the VACyard Bash, call (630) 907-9600.

Elburn Days

Elburn Days will be held from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday , from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday at Lions Park on Stetzer Avenue one block west of Route 47. The parade begins at 6 p.m. Friday from downtown Elburn. The festival includes food, live entertainment, a local talent hunt, an antique tractor display and a tractor pull at 11 a.m. Saturday. Call (630) 365-6315 or visit www.elburnlions.com.

ECC student group lauded

Elgin Community College's Organization of Latin American Students recently won the Lideres Summit Award for Achievement at the National Council of La Raza conference in San Diego. The award is given each year to the group that has made a significant impact on its campus. This is the third year the group has won the award.

U-46 set registration dates

With less than a month left until school begins, all 53 of Elgin Area School District U-46's elementary, middle and high schools have posted their registration dates and times. Parents of elementary students can register at their respective schools from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 19. Dates and times at district middle and high schools vary by location. Visit www.u-46.org.

Meet the Democrats

Want to meet the Democrats running for Kane County posts? If so, the Kane County Democratic Party is holding a fundraiser for candidates Tom Sandor for auditor, Ed Nendick for clerk of the circuit court, Frank Craig for recordor and Stan Hickrod for coroner. The event is scheduled from 6 to 10 pm. Aug. 21 at the Elgin VFW Hall, 1601 Weld Road. A donation of $30 per person or $40 for a family is requested. For details, call (630) 897-4330.

ECC and Roosevelt get joint grant

Elgin Community College and Roosevelt University were recently awarded a multi-year grant for $891,000 by the National Institutes of Health for the Bridges to Baccalaureate program. The partnership develops academic year programs at ECC and summer programs at Roosevelt, preparing minority students to transfer from ECC to four-year programs in the sciences.

Park grand reopening

The Fox Valley Park District will reveal renovations at 11 a.m. on Thursday at Westwood Park at a grand re-opening ceremony. The ceremony will include bags, balloon animals and Parker, the FVPD's mascot. Renovations include a new playground and a double basketball court. The project is part of the Park District's annual program to renovate at least three parks per year. Westwood Park is located on Aurora's southwest side off Jericho Road, just west of South Lake Street. For directions and more information, contact FVPD public relations manager Jeff Long at (630) 966-4527.