Northbrook in 60 seconds

Big fun at Farmers Market

The Northbrook Farmers Market is opening with a bang on June 16.

"Every year we eagerly anticipate opening the market season, but this year we're especially excited, given what we've all been through over the past 14 months," said Dale Duda, market manager.

New Village President Kathryn Ciesla will commemorate the opening of the market's 13th season with the customary watermelon-cutting ceremony at 9 a.m. in the center of the market at the parking lot of Meadow Plaza, Cherry Lane and Meadow Road. The market itself will begin at 7 a.m.

Northbrook entertainer Steve Zane will provide live music, and from 10:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., RC Juggles will be sculpting balloon creations.

Farmers Market sponsor NorthShore University HealthSystem will have health information and handouts. While supplies last, the Northbrook Dairy Queen Grill & Chill will pass out free Dilly Bars.

Also, Northbrook Pet Nannies will offer mini-lessons on etiquette with bringing dogs to the market.

Visitors will be able to pick up a butterfly garden seed packet including milkweed, a starter kit to help out pollinators, while supplies last.

At the welcome booth, people can enter for a chance to win a free prize by providing their email address to a market worker at the entrance.

The 2021 market operates 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays, June 16 through Oct. 13. For details and a list of purveyors, visit northbrookfarmersmarket.org.

Father's Day idea

The Northbrook Symphony's 2020-21 season finale, its 41st, will be three Father's Day weekend concerts featuring the Chen String Quartet performing Elgar's Introduction and Allegro for Strings Op. 47.

Robert Chen has been a concertmaster for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1999. His wife, Laura Park Chen, is a former member of the Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra and Boston Orchestra. Their children, Beatrice and Noah, are students at the Curtis Institute of Music and the Juilliard School, respectively.

Founded in 2014, the Chen String Orchestra has performed on WFMT, in Washington, D.C., and with the Music Institute of Chicago. The quintet has performed more than 80 concerts on virtual platforms during the pandemic. The Northbrook Symphony performances will be prerecorded live concerts on Vimeo.

Broadcast dates are 7:30 p.m. June 18-19, and 4 p.m. June 20. A discussion with Northbrook Symphony Music Director Mina Zikri will follow each performance.

Cost of the performance is $30 each, $50 per household. For tickets, visit northbrooksymphony.org.

Hail to the chief

The Northbrook Chamber of Commerce & Industry will host a meet-and-greet luncheon featuring new Northbrook Police Chief Christopher Kennedy on June 23 at Marcello's.

Kennedy, who took in the post in April following the retirement of former Chief Roger Adkins, brought 29 years of experience in the Chicago Police Department. He'll share stories about his experience and discuss his priorities with the Northbrook Police Department.

Most recently with the CPD, Chief Kennedy oversaw units specializing in counterterrorism and special operations. He came to Northbrook with 12 years of command-level leadership.

The luncheon at Marcello's, 1911 Cherry Lane, is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Cost is $25 for chamber members, $30 for guests, and reservations are required. Visit the chamber website, northbrookchamber.org.

Attention, parents

Northbrook/Glenview School District 30 is destroying temporary records for its Class of 2016 on June 25.

Students who transferred, withdrew or graduated from the district and would like to have their temporary records should contact Lauren Schulman, District 30 director of Student Services, before June 25 by emailing her at lschulman@district30.org.

Only temporary records are being destroyed. The school district is retaining student transcript and health records per the Illinois Student Records Act.

A live concert

The North Shore Chamber Music Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary June 9 and June 11-12, with both in-person and streaming performances. In-person concerts will be held at The Village Presbyterian Church, 1300 Shermer Road, Northbrook, and will have limited seating.

Artistic director and violinist Vadim Gluzman and NSCMF executive director and pianist Angela Yoffe have assembled a strong program performed by many musicians familiar to Music Festival audiences since its 2011 debut.

Surprisingly, thanks to donor support including lead sponsor The Alphadyne Foundation, attendance is free for both in-person and online concerts. To reserve in-person seating, call (847) 370-3984 or email office@nscmf.org. There will be a "robust" safety protocol for those wishing to attend the performances at the church.

The June 9 concert will be "Mostly Beethoven" in honor of Ludwig Van's 250th birthday. Performers include Atar Arad, viola, a professor at Indiana University's renowned school of music; and the Ariel String Quartet, winner of the Cleveland Quartet Award.

June 11 presents both a preconcert performance by students from the Betty Haag Academy of Music and a program titled "Romance from France" featuring recipients of the North Shore Chamber Music Festival's own Arkady Fomin Scholarship Fund.

June 12's program is "Brahms & Company," heavy on piano. An initial Haydn piece features both Gluzman and Yoffe, along with cellist Wendy Warner. A Dohnányi modern sextet follows, capped by Brahms' "Piano Quintet in F Minor, Op. 34."

Should in-person attendance not be available, the concerts will be streamed at the festival website, nscmf.org and on the platform of the festival's media partner, The Violin Channel.

For a brochure and to inquire about attendance, visit the North Shore Chamber Music Festival website.

Relay For Life

Relay for Life of Glenbrook North runs 7 to 10 p.m. on the GBN football field, 2300 Shermer Road, Northbrook. The event raises money for the American Cancer Society, celebrates survivors, remembers those we've lost, and fights back against cancer. Details about COVID restrictions and shift information will be emailed to participants upon registration. Only registered participants who raise $50 or more are allowed to attend in order to promote our mission. If you are unable to attend, please consider donating or buying a luminaria to honor a loved one who has been affected by cancer by visiting relayforlife.org and searching for Glenbrook North. Questions? Email Ms. Vogg at avogg@glenbrook225.org.