walkingwithnature: March 2011

Friday, March 25, 2011

video-2011-03-24-13-01-37.mp4

"Free-For-All" Festivals Return To The Lakefront
2011 Dates Announced For Special Events And Festivals

Summer will be here before you know it and The City of Chicago is proud to present three of summer's marquee events as free admission festivals, once again. Returning to the summer schedule is the 28th Annual Chicago Blues Festival, June 10-12; the 53rd Annual Chicago Air and Water Show, August 20-21 and the 33rd Annual Chicago Jazz Festival, September 1-4.

The 28th Annual Chicago Blues Festival kicks off the lakefront festival season June 10-12 in Grant Park. For three days blues artists from Chicago and around the country will celebrate a blues legend with music rooted in this year's theme, Sweet Home Chicago: A Centennial Celebration of Robert Johnson. The full line-up will be announced soon. For more information on the Chicago Blues Festival and updates on the schedule please visit www.chicagobluesfestival.us.

A longstanding summer tradition, the 53rd Annual Chicago Air and Water Show, will rock the lakefront August 20 & 21, 2011 for the largest FREE show of its kind in the United States. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights will headline the show along the lakefront from Fullerton to Oak Street, with North Avenue Beach as the focal point. The show runs from 11 am until at 4 pm both days.

In early April nominations will begin for the USAF Thunderbirds Hometown Hero program. The Chicago Air and Water Show and the Thunderbirds are seeking a "Hometown Hero" from the Chicago area who has displayed the same effort and sacrifice put forth by American's Airmen every day. The nominees will be considered for a ride with the famed jet team in one of their F-16 during the week of the show in August. In 2009, Brian Otto, a member of the Chicago Fire Department's dive team was selected as Chicago's Hometown Hero.

The Air and Water show is presented by Shell Oil Products U.S. For updates and show information visit www.chicagoairandwatershow.us

The 33rd Annual Chicago Jazz Festival will once again be free admission, produced by the City of Chicago and programmed with the Chicago Jazz Institute. This year's event will be held in three locations: Chicago Cultural Center, Thursday, Sept. 1 and an evening at Millennium Park's Jay Pritzker Pavilion on Friday, Sept. 2 before the festival returns to its home base with four stages in Grant Park, 11am - 9:30pm, Sept. 3-4.

The complete line-up for the festival will be announced in mid-May and for updates, visit the festival website at www.chicagojazzfestival.us.

The Mayor's Office of Special Events has merged with the Department of Cultural Affairs and now is a division of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Look for our new look in the April newsletter.

After 20 years the Office of Special Events will not produce the Taste of Chicago this summer. We are taking a new approach to Lakefront Festivals by turning over the operations of the Taste of Chicago to the Chicago Park District. By making the best use of resources the four smaller music festivals (Gospel, Celtic, Viva and Country) will be incorporated into the Taste. The Taste of Chicago will be held June 24 - July 3 and will remain free.

The Chicago Blues Festival and the Chicago Jazz Festival will include food and beverage booths. Restaurants interested in participating can apply on the festival websites.

See the schedule below for a complete listing of all the free events the City of Chicago will present in 2011. To stay updated on all programming visit www.explorechicago.org/specialevents

2011 Chicago Events Schedule

Chicago Farmers Markets - May-October / Various Locations
Chicago Neighborhood Festivals - May-September / Various Locations
Bike Chicago - Year-Round / Various Locations
Kids & Kites Festival - May 7 / Lincoln Park
Chicago Memorial Day Parade - May 28 / State Street
Chicago Blues Festival - June 10-13 / Grant Park
Bike to Work Rally - June 17 / Daley Plaza
Chicago Air and Water Show - August 20 & 21 / North Avenue Beach
Chicago Jazz Festival - September 3 & 4 / Grant Park
Halloween Franken Plaza - October - TBA / Daley Plaza
Santa House - Nov. 24-Dec. 23 / Daley Plaza
Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony - November - TBA / Daley Plaza
Maxwell Street Market - Sunday's Year-Round / Desplaines & Roosevelt
Snow Days Chicago - January 2012

Bio

Gardenia C. Hung has been writing prose, poetry, fiction, and non-fiction topics for the last forty-two (42) years in English, Spanish, French, and sometimes into Portuguese translation. She has written poetry for Scholastic Magazine in Spanish encouraged by her lyrical expression and descriptive style. Ms. Hung completed Elementary and Middle School in Santiago de Cuba with a diploma and certification in Spanish. Then, Gardenia C. Hung continued studies in the United States of America for Middle School, grades 6th with Miss Honeywood, 7th, and 8th at Avondale Elementary School where she graduated with High Honors in Mr. Herbert Hebel's 8th grade homeroom, in Chicago, Illinois. For Middle School English. Ms. Hung wrote original stories which received praise for writing style and authentic narrative topics, encouraged to continue studying English by Miss Kardos, her ESL teacher at Avondale Grammar School and other mentors, family, and friends. Later at Madonna High School received, Ms. Hung received a High School Diploma with High Honors for graduation in the top ten percent of the Class of 1977 with majors in English, French, Art, History, and the Humanities in Chicago, Illinois. Gardenia C. Hung was admitted at Northeastern Illinois University with Advanced Placement in English, French, and Spanish where she majored in Education, English, French, Spanish, Linguistics and minors in Music, Dance, and Physical Education to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree for the Class of 1982. At NEIU, she received a summer scholarship from Laval University in Ville de Québec, Canada to major in French Linguistics, Syntax, and Phonetics. The following year, in 1983, Ms. Hung continued graduate studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago for a Master of Arts in Communications & Theatre, which included majors in Rhetoric, Ethnography, and Theatre. Gardenia C. Hung has written publications for professional associations and community groups. In addition, Ms. Hung writes for online media CNN iReport, Triblocal, Blogger, Facebook, WordPress, Typepad, and other social media groups on the world wide web.

Willowbrook Nature Trail

The autumn leaves are turning to rusty, earth colors, golden, and bright auburn at the Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Even the Great Horned Owl Tanka is ready for the fall after twenty years recovery of its broken wing as an in-patient at the Willowbrook Animal Hospital. Otis the Screech Owl is growing new autumn feathers for the season under the care of Heidi and the other veterinarians. Both owls are showing off special care given, after they have been found injured and transferred to the Willowbrook Wildlife Center for "wild species native to DuPage County that have permanent disabilities". Neither one of the owls, Tanka nor Otis, can fly again in the silent nocturnal flight accustomed to their species. After one hour of wildlife discovery at the Willowbrook Discovery Center, one is ready to explore at close range the other native species in residence outdoors walking along the Nature Trail during the fall season.

Graue Mill and Museum in Oak Brook, Illinois USA

Civil War Encampment
Sep. 4, 2010 - Sep. 5, 2010
Members of the 10th Illinois Regiment, along with their families, will depict what life was like in a Union military camp in 1863. Complete with authentic clothing, weapons and tools, this event will truly take you back in time. There is excitement for all ages, including black powder firing demonstrations and drills, cooking and crafts. The members of the regiment are excellent performers who pay attention to accuracy and who are extremely dedicated to creating a unique and unforgettable experience. Free
3800 York Road Oak Brook, Illinois 60523
Telephone
Museum (630) 655-2090
Office (630) 920-9720
Call for information and group reservations.
Fax
Office (630) 920-9721
E.mail
info@grauemill.org

walkingwithnature

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Thursday, March 31, 2011

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Friday, March 25, 2011

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Sunday, March 13, 2011

Project of Sun 13 Mar 2011 06:49:20 AM PDT

TripAdvisor: Cities I've Visited

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