Latest news with #IllinoisArtsCouncil
Chicago Tribune
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Skokie Festival of Cultures to showcase ethnic groups May 17-18
Skokie, home to great ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity, will showcase 28 cultures at the 33rd annual Festival of Cultures to be held May 17 and 18 at Oakton Park. Individuals and families will get to meet people representing those cultures at various booths, some of which feature interesting objects, dancing, or interactive activities. In the past, those have included henna tattoos or the chance to write your name in a different alphabet, such as Chinese characters. 'Not only will visitors to the festival experience a huge cultural pavilion,' said festival chairperson Aryn Fletcher, 'attendees will also enjoy two days of ethnic folk music and dance, a wide range of food and merchandise vendors.' The opening ceremonies will be held Saturday at 1 p.m., featuring a parade of delegations in costumes from their homelands. The Sunday finale at 5:45 p.m. will feature a Festival of Colors, with music and dance. The 28 cultures represented will range from Assyrian to Tibetan, German to Kurdish, Polish to Pakistani, Cameroonian to Chinese, and many more. A full entertainment schedule is available at The festival will also offer something for the younger set, with a $5 children's area featuring play and activities. Food vendors will offer meals and snacks for purchase, and merchandise vendors, some of whom will offer ethnic merchandise, will also be onsite. The festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Oakton Park is located at the southeast corner of Oakton Street and Skokie Boulevard in Skokie, at 4701 Oakton Street. A parking lot is available but when it fills, attendees can find parking on nearby side streets. The park is a short walk from the CTA Yellow Line's Oakton stop. The festival is largely made possible by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council and is presented by the Skokie Park District, the Village of Skokie and the Skokie Public Library. Find more information at
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
A ten-foot corn statue set to go in downtown Bloomington
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) — After a much-needed refurbishment, which included a complete rebuild in places, a familiar statue is set to return to downtown Bloomington. The McLean County Museum of History will unveil a refurbished corn statue that was first introduced 25 years ago. The 10-foot-tall corn statue is being placed in downtown Bloomington and will be unveiled at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 2, according to the museum. The sculpture, which is made of wood, stainless steel, fiberglass, hemp, canvas, and acrylic paint, had to be restored and parts completely rebuilt after being displayed outside for more than two decades, they said. It was originally created as part of Bloomington's sesquicentennial — or 150th anniversary — and was created by Herb Eaton, who will beat the ceremony, they said. The sculpture is part of the city's Sculpture on the Square initiative, in which the city looks to bring more sculptures to the area in the future, said the Museum Executive Director Julie Emig. 'This new public art initiative is an interdisciplinary approach to storytelling and place-making,' Emig said. 'We're excited to preserve and share this piece of history with our community and look forward to bringing more locally significant sculptures to the square in the future.' Thanks to a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, the museum was able to make the much-needed repairs, it said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
