Santa’s Village holding Polar Dome open houses this week
Santa’s Village in East Dundee will be holding free open houses at its Polar Dome ice arena from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5, and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, in advance of opening for its full season Monday, Sept. 8.
At the open house, guests can tour the facility, meet coaches, learn about programs and get a chance to try out the ice, according to a news release. Programs include hockey, figure skating, public skating, lessons, birthday parties and other activities.
The Polar Dome first opened in 1963, four years after Santa’s Village’s first season. It closed in 2005 and was later leased to a company for use as an indoor paintball and laser tag. In January, the seasonal rink was reopened after a venue renovation.
The Polar Dome is at 601 Dundee Ave. For more information, go to www.polardomedundee.com.
Elgin Public Museum to host exhibit opening, plant sale
Elgin Public Museum is hosting an exhibit opening for local artist Glenna Preradovic from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6, and a pop-up native plant sale from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7.
Preradovic’s exhibit will be on display through the end of the year, according to a social media post.
As for the plant sale, it’s being organized by land management company Green Guerrilla, which will have representatives on hand to answer questions about sustainable landscaping goals and how planting native plants can promote biodiversity and mitigate stormwater runoff, the post said.
Both events are free. The Elgin Public Museum is at 225 Grand Blvd. in Lords Park.
For more information, email [email protected] or call 847-741-6655.
Elgin Fringe Fest visual arts opening reception set for Friday
Elgin Fringe Festival’s reception for the opening of its visual arts exhibit will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, at the Side Street Studio Arts Gallery, 15 Ziegler Court.
An uncurated exhibition, it will feature a variety of paintings, photography, sculpture and mixed-media works from several artists, according to the event’s website. The reception ushers in a month-long slate of Fringe Festival activities, including free outdoor performances, more than 90 ticketed shows and events throughout downtown Elgin, the site said.
Admission to the reception is $4 and includes a festival entry button that provides access to the exhibition all month and to tickets for Fringe performances.
The bulk of the Fringe Festival will take place at venues in downtown Elgin from Thursday, Sept. 25, through Sunday, Sept. 28. For more information, go to www.elginfringefestival.com.
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Elgin’s annual Patriot Day ceremony being held Saturday
Elgin will hold its annual Patriot Day remembrance ceremony at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, on the west side steps of City Hall, 150 Dexter Court.
The ceremony will honor the lives lost during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Stoystown, Pennsylvania. Speakers will include Elgin Mayor David Kaptain, Elgin Fire Chief Robert Cagann, Elgin police Cmdr. Heather Lencioni and American Legion Post 57 Cmdr. Dennis Beach, according to a news release.
Police Chaplain Al Keating will deliver the opening prayer, and Fire Chaplain Ed Hunter will offer the closing prayer. Elgin fire and police department honor guards will post and retire the colors during the ceremony. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will move to The Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way.
It will also be livestreamed on the city’s YouTube channel and Facebook page.