'Pigskin Peanuts' exhibit touches down at Elmhurst Historical Museum
Charles M. Schulz, creator of the beloved comic strip "Peanuts," is remembered for many cartoons, but his "Fall Classic" - of Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown just as he runs up to kick it - became a rite of autumn in American pop culture.
Fans may associate Schulz more with baseball, but he created more than 250 football-themed "Peanuts" comic strips over his prolific career.
Many will be featured in "Pigskin Peanuts," a traveling exhibit on display from Friday, June 12, through Sunday, Aug. 9, at the Elmhurst Historical Museum, 120 E. Park Ave., Elmhurst. Marking the 65th anniversary of the Peanuts gang, the exhibit was organized by the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa Rosa, California. It was last shown at the William J. Clinton Library in Arkansas.
"Pigskin Peanuts" features 50 Sunday and daily strips that demonstrate the fun Schulz had with the sport of football and explore the wonderful world inhabited by the Peanuts gang. Visitors will also enjoy viewing football-themed Peanuts objects and memorabilia, dressing up in the team locker room, taking a photo-op on a football trading card, and re-enacting Lucy's infamous prank of pulling the football from Charlie Brown.
The Elmhurst Historical Museum staff has planned a full summer schedule of programs and activities connected to the "Pigskin Peanuts" exhibit, including:
• Third Thursdays After Hours from 5 to 8 p.m. June 18, July 20 and Aug. 20. Families and working folks can bring a picnic dinner to enjoy the museum lawn, listen to live music, and tour the museum's "Pigskin Peanuts" and "Beyond All Accounts" (history of Elmhurst) exhibits. Bring a blanket or chairs; a limited number of picnic tables are available. Free.
• Touchdown Tailgate Party from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 28, Join in an afternoon of football fun on the museum grounds with live music, comic strip craft activities, a touchdown dance-off contest, football-themed inflatables, an appearance by Snoopy - and lots more. Tailgate treats provided. Free.
• Summer Fun & Games Programs from noon to 2 p.m. Tuesdays, June 23 to July 28. Kids and their caregivers can drop by on summer Tuesdays for a make-and-take Peanuts or vintage craft activity in the EHM Education Center. Kid-friendly tours of the exhibits will take place in the museum. Best for kids ages 3-12. Families are encouraged to bring a blanket and picnic lunch to enjoy on the lawn from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; juice boxes and a sweet treat provided (while supplies last). Cost: $2 museum members; $4 nonmembers.
• Elmhurst Travelers Football Club Reunion from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 25. Elmhurst had its own semipro football team from 1927 to 1967 called the Elmhurst Travelers. The public is invited to celebrate the team's legacy with a reunion of former players and their families. Meet the players and hear their stories, enjoy refreshments, and view team photos and memorabilia. Free.
Summer hours for the Elmhurst Historical Museum are 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays and Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays, and 1 to 8 p.m. third Thursdays, June 13 through Aug. 30. Admission and parking are free. For more information, like the museum's Facebook page, visit the website at www.elmhursthistory.org, or call (630) 833-1457.
If you go
What: Pigskin Peanuts exhibit
When: Friday, June 12, through Sunday, Aug. 9; hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays and Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays, and 1 to 8 p.m. third Thursday of the month
Where: Elmhurst Historical Museum, 120 E. Park Ave., Elmhurst
Admission: Free
Info: www.elmhursthistory.org or (630) 833-1457