Gail Borden Public Library offers holiday, music programs
The Gail Borden Public Library is offering a variety of holiday and music programs in December. For information, call (847) 742-2411 or visit www.gailborden.info/events.
• Join the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission and the Gail Borden Public Library for the "Kwanzaa Stories & Celebration" from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2, in at the main library, 270 N. Grove Ave. in downtown Elgin. The event, celebrating the seven core principles of Kwanzaa, will take place in the lobby and Meadows Community Rooms at the library. This free and family-friendly event will include entertainment, music, food and activities!
• Local pianists will perform Thursdays, Dec. 6-27, in the lobby of the main library. Steve Yoder will perform from 11 a.m. to noon, Denise Williams from 2 to 3 p.m., Shirley Remes from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., and John LaBorn from 7 to 8 p.m.
• The "Music in the Stacks" series continues at the Rakow Branch, 2751 W. Bowes Road, west of Randall Road in Elgin. On Saturday, Dec. 8, the Five Reed Quartet, a four-person ensemble featuring a B flat clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, and contrabass clarinet, will perform festive tunes and talk about their interesting instruments.
• The "Festival of Lights: Hanukkah Stories, Traditions and Treats" will be offered for kids up to fifth grade from 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9, in the Meadows Community Rooms of the main library. Families are invited to learn about the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah through stories, music, food and the dreidel game. This is part of a series of programs sharing our community's December holiday traditions.
• The Brown Bag Lunch Classic Films continues with the 1945 holiday comedy "Christmas in Connecticut" from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Dec. 10, in the Meadows Community Rooms of the main library. While recovering in a hospital, war hero Jefferson Jones (Dennis Morgan) grows familiar with the "Diary of a Housewife" column written by Elizabeth Lane (Barbara Stanwyck). Jeff's nurse arranges with Elizabeth's publisher, Alexander Yardley (Sydney Greenstreet), for Jeff to spend the holiday at Elizabeth's bucolic Connecticut farm with her husband and child. But the column is a sham, so Yardley hastens to arrange a publicity ploy by setting up single, nondomestic Elizabeth on a country farm. No registration is required. Coffee and tea will be served.
• The Elgin Community Network's "Elgin Alive" series continues with a holiday movie showing with Mrs. Claus from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 11, in the Meadows Community Rooms of the main library. Kids of all ages - come in your pajamas, bring a favorite toy to cuddle and celebrate the holiday season with a showing of the short animated classic "The Snowman." Mrs. Claus will be on hand to talk about the book before the film. For more information, go to elgin-ecn.org.
• "No Shushing Movie Fridays" continues from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Fridays, Dec. 14-28, in the Hoffer Room of the South Elgin branch library, 127 S. McLean Blvd. Come enjoy a G- or PG-rated movie in a family-friendly, casual setting. Chatting and snacks from home are welcome. This program welcomes people of all abilities. Contact the library one week in advance if you need accommodations. No registration is required. On Dec. 14, the movie will be the 2011 film "Arthur Christmas," followed on Dec. 21 by the 1983 classic "A Christmas Story," and on Dec. 28 by the 2018 animated film "Hotel Transylvania 3."
• "Colonial Williamsburg During the Holidays" will be presented by Nancy McCully from 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, in the Hoffer Room of the South Elgin branch library. Colonial Williamsburg is a magical place during the Christmas season. See the decorations and discover how easy it is to add Williamsburg style touches to your holiday celebration. Registration is required. Deadline for registration is 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8.
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