Celebrate Ray Bradbury’s birthday at Dandelion Wine Arts & Music Festival

Celebrate one of Waukegan’s favorite sons with a day of art and music at the 26th annual Ray Bradbury’s Dandelion Wine Arts & Music Festival. The event will take place from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, at Bowen Park, 1800 N. Sheridan Road, Waukegan.

The festival will feature art vendors who work in a variety of mediums — including painting, photography and sculpture — displaying and selling their work. The Arts Park Program also will give festival guests the opportunity to create their own art.

The Haines House Museum at Bowen Park will be open for free self-guided tours, and community organizations will be on hand to offer free giveaways and information on local resources. Food trucks and vendors will be on-site, with beer and wine available from Bonnie Brook Golf Course.

The following local artists are scheduled to perform at the event: Jessica Brown, Jeff “Jazzman” Justman, Brame Brothers Jazz Quintet, William Tom, Sarah Graham and Clave 3.

Ray Bradbury was born in Waukegan on Aug. 22, 1920, meaning that this year’s festival takes place on what would be his 106th birthday. Considered one of the most significant authors of the 20th century, Bradbury wrote in a variety of genres but is most often associated with science fiction and renowned for works like “Fahrenheit 451,” “Something Wicked This Way Comes” and “The Martian Chronicles.” The festival takes its name from Bradbury’s novel “Dandelion Wine,” a semi-autobiographical work set in Green Town, Bradbury’s fictionalized version of Waukegan.

The event is free and family-friendly. For information, visit waukeganparks.org/dandelion.

New Ray Bradbury Library exhibit

The same weekend as the Dandelion Wine festival, the Waukegan Historical Society will host the grand opening of a new permanent Ray Bradbury Library Exhibit at the Waukegan History Museum at the Carnegie, 1 N. Sheridan Road.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at noon Friday, Aug. 21, with free admission to the museum until 6 p.m. There will also be free admission Saturday, Aug. 22, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in honor of Bradbury’s birthday.

According to the Waukegan Historical Society, the immersive exhibit honors Bradbury’s roots in Waukegan, exploring his childhood library and offering a look into the author’s creative mind.

The exhibit also features exclusive artifacts, including Bradbury’s typewriter, original manuscripts and cherished personal items. There’s also a new animated short film showcasing Bradbury's vivid imagination and the role the Carnegie Library played in his life.

“Additionally, visitors can discover Bradbury through his books by exploring unique selections from his expansive personal library, shedding light on the lifelong curiosity that inspired his storytelling,” the historical society said in a statement.

The exhibit is offered in both English and Spanish.

For information, visit waukeganhistorical.org. Free parking is available in Municipal Lot F, at the southwest corner of Sheridan Road and Washington Street.