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Easy Being Green Fest | Photos
Wicker Park hands-on cooking school the Kids' Table was behind this family-focused fest celebrating green living Sunday, May 20 in Kilbourn Park. Local businesses such as One Strange Bird, Tula Yoga and Truck Farm held workshops that ranged from nature-based crafts (we love the bell pepper update on the potato stamp of yore) to farm-to-table cooking and worm composting. All proceeds benefit the construction of a new playground—called Nature's Playgournd—at the park's organic greenhouse. It looks like fun time was had by all! Take a peek at highlights by clicking through the slideshow above.
14th Annual Kids and Kites Festival | Photos
Saturday, May 19, a multitude of flight enthusiasts gathered at Cricket Hill near Montrose Harbor for a celebration of all things kite. This year, the annual Kids and Kites Festival partnered with NATO—which provided 5,000 free flyers to kid participants—to become one of the Summit's featured public events. The sunny, 80-degree weather provided the perfect backdrop for the festivities, which also included face painting, a stilt walker, snacks provided by Whole Foods and a traveling portion of Brookfield Zoo's new "Xtreme BUGS" exhibit. Be sure to check out the photo highlights from our shutterbug who was on hand to capture the fun.
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Xtreme BUGS at Brookfield Zoo | Exhibit review
No doubt the big draw to Brookfield Zoo's world-premiere "Xtreme BUGS" exhibit—a winner, despite the questionable spelling and capitalization—are the enormous animatronic insects on display. Created exclusively for the zoo, these 20 gargantuan moving statues might be creepy, but they're cool. Crawly? No way. They're much too large to be described that way—starting with the 16' X 33' Japanese hornet displayed near the zoo's fountain, which entices you toward the rest of the exhibit, situated in its own area near the children's zoo.
The Chatterbox | April 16
File under: "Hot off the press"
- A 16-year-old Fenwick High School student paralyzed from the waist down is fighting for the right to compete as a swimmer in the state championship, says the Chicago Tribune. The LaGrange girl, Mary Kate Callahan, is backed by the attorney general and disability rights group Equip for Equality, who are expected to file a federal case against the Illinois High School Association for discrimination. The IHSA says their regulations don't currently have a scoring system that could allow disabled students to compete.
CircEsteem 11th Annual Spring Circus | Photos
The circus was in town over the weekend, and we're not talking Barnum & Bailey.
Nonprofit CircEsteem, which unites kids from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds in the teaching of circus arts, held its annual spring circus featuring astounding stunts in trapeze, tightwire, Gym Wheel and other acts. This year's show also included a performance by students from Connect Force, a local org that promotes positive living through hip-hop, deejaying and break dancing. Students from Envision Unlimited, which provides services to people with special needs, also performed. Check out highlights in the slideshow above.
National Train Day 2012 | Photos
When you think about, given how much people of all ages love trains, it's a wonder that National Train Day wasn't created a century ago. The informal holiday to celebrate all things locomotive only began in 2008, but we still found plenty of railfans at Union Station who came to play engineer. (It didn't hurt that this year's observance fell on the weekend; National Train Day, May 12, marks the date that a ceremonial golden spike was driven into the ground in Utah, connecting two railroad lines to create the first transcontinental railroad in the U.S.)
In addition to endless fun checking out model trains, event organizers at Amtrak brought in fun guests, such as CSI: NY actor Hill Harper, celebrity chef Tom Douglas and a team of hip teens from Radio Disney. Enjoy our slideshow of the action below.
Biceps, Babies & Buggies stroller-fitness class | Review
Biceps, Babies & Buggies stroller-fitness class for new moms in Oz Park, May 1, 2012.
When I signed up for the Biceps, Babies & Buggies stroller-fitness class for new moms, I thought it'd be a walk in the park. And part of it was—it took place in Oz Park (2021 N Burling St). But considering my thighs and backside were screaming for three full days after the class, I can safely say I was wrong about it being easy.
National Train Day 2012 | Preview
National Train Day, which features a plethora of kid-friendly activities, was started by Amtrak in 2008 to honor the ceremonial opening of the transcontinental railroad.
All aboard! Train enthusiasts can rejoice during Amtrak’s National Train Day this Saturday at Union Station. The free event celebrates the history of trains and train travel with live entertainment, model trains and interactive exhibits.
The selection of this particular date was not random: On May 12 in Utah, 143 years ago, a ceremonial golden spike was driven into the ground, connecting two railroad lines to create the first transcontinental railroad. Inaugurated in 2008, National Train Day celebrates this historic event with festivities at iconic train stations in four major cities (the others are New York, Philadelphia and Los Angeles), as well as with hundreds of grassroots events across the country.
Here in Chicago, you can take the whole family on a walk through luxury railcars, or let the kids investigate displays of train equipment and model-train masterpieces. Check out the freight-equipment displays to see how railroads are moving toward a greener future by adding electric trains and using innovative new braking systems. Or ride Amtrak's "special excursion train," a bi-level locomotive (adults $5, kids 12 and under free), on a 40-minute jaunt (departure times are 11:30am, 1:30pm and 3:30pm). Stop by the “All Aboard Explorer’s” Kid’s Depot for arts-and-crafts activities and chances to win surprise giveaways. Besides painting and Play-Doh-ing, kids can hit up the Wii for aerobic dancing and fitness games.
If you want to go off the beaten track into celebrity land, chef Tom Douglas will conduct cooking demos and share recipes with attendees, while CSI: NY actor Hill Harper talks about his Amtrak travel experiences. The performer Miss Lori, who frequently teams up with PBS to create informative live events for kids, will also be on-site to provide entertainment for families. And teen pop music comes courtesy of Radio Disney.
We all went through that locomotive-lover phase as children. After celebrating National Train Day, it’ll be your kid’s turn to model a conductor’s hat around the neighborhood.
Have a kid who can't get enough of the choo-choo? Check out our guide for a fun, train-themed outing.
National Train Day is this Saturday, May 12, at Chicago Union Station (500 W Jackson Blvd) from 11am–4pm. For more event information, go to NationalTrainDay.com. If you can’t make it to Union Station, you can still participate by uploading your train-travel stories, photos and videos for a chance to win prizes.
Six Flags Great America unveils new X Flight coaster
Ever wonder what it would feel like to dangle from the wing of an airplane? Six Flags Great America's new X Flight wing coaster is your chance to channel your inner daredevil and live to tell about it.
The park's newest coaster suspends riders mid-air with no track above or below. Instead, pairs of seats are attached on either side of the track (the reason it's called a "wing" coaster and not a "roller" one), so your arms and legs are free to dangle as you climb 12 stories for a 55 mph ride through 3,000 feet of track. Along the way, you're treated to tight turns, plunges, five inversions (read: you're fully upside down), water misting and one seemingly last-minute, skin-tight sideways twist through a keyhole cut-out of a mock air-traffic control tower.
The state-of-the art ride, made by the same designers who created Raging Bull, Batman: the Ride and Superman: Ultimate Flight, is smooth and bump-free–this ain't no rickety American Eagle. It's a thrill ride for sure, but what may be missing for coaster fanatics is that flutter-in-your-stomach sensation you feel when classic rides like the Eagle feel like they're going just a little too fast or turning and dropping more than they should be, even though you know (hope?) they're not. For all it's bells and whistles–the X Flight is supposed to give riders a feeling of weightlessness–this coaster feels safe, almost too safe, slowing down for the super-twisty parts.
Still, we'll be lining up with the rest of the crowds for another crack at it–and the park's other 13 coasters this summer.
For Six Flags Great America ticket and calendar info, click here.
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