Rockin’ in the Park concerts return to Rosemont’s Parkway Bank Park on Thursdays this summer

Rosemont’s Parkway Bank Park entertainment district kicks off its summer season with the return of the “Rockin’ in the Park” free summer concert series. Free concerts run every Thursday and select Friday evenings through August 30, featuring music by classic cover bands (think Queen, Lady Gaga, Neil Diamond, The Who, boy bands, Tom Petty, Bruno Mars, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, Elton John, Bon Jovi and more) alongside food and beverage tents on the park’s lawn. Thursday night concerts will culminate with a musical fireworks display. A great place to grab dinner and a spot on the patio is Crust Brewing.

All “Rockin’ in the Park” concerts run from 7-10 p.m. Admission to “Rockin’ in the Park” is free. Outside food and coolers are prohibited. Parking is available at the Parkway Bank Park parking garage and is free with validation from any of the park’s venues.

For a full schedule, visit Rosemont.com/thepark/calendar/

The all new Market After Dark from the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce kicks of June 22

As if the popular Park Ridge Farmers Market wasn’t fun enough, there’s more to look forward to this summer if you come back a few hours later. The Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce is launching the city’s newest community event — Market after Dark.

Featuring a variety of food and art vendors, mixed with live entertainment and showcasing a large, handpicked rotation of local guest breweries, wineries and distilleries, this event figures to be the street party we all needed to make the fun last just a little longer this summer.

Market After Dark will take place from 4:30-9:30 p.m. one Saturday per month — June 22, July 27, Aug. 31 and Sept 28 — at the same location as the Farmers’ Market. For more information and updates, visit MarketAfterDark.com

The Farmers’ Market, meanwhile, remains the perfect way to start every weekend. Take time to peruse a wonderful selection of fruits, vegetables and an array of other products from more than 40 vendors from 7 a.m.-1 p.m. rain or shine every Saturday through the end of October.

Located at 15 Prairie Avenue between Main and Garden. ParkRidgeFarmersMarket.com

Featuring a variety of food and art vendors, mixed with live entertainment and showcasing a large, handpicked rotation of local guest breweries, wineries and distilleries, Market After Dark will take place from 4:30-9:30 p.m. on June 22, July 27, Aug. 31 and Sept 28.

Concerts in the Park kick off with a Taylor swift tribute June 21

Paying tribute to one of the most iconic pop stars of the decade, “Are You Ready For It? A Taylor Experience,” will captivate Swifties of all ages with a live band show on June 21 (7-10 p.m.) that recreates Taylor’s historic Eras Tour. Featuring a dynamic performance complete with costume changes and an all-star lineup, this event will kick off the annual Friday Concerts in the Park from the Park Ridge Park District and Park Ridge Historical Society.

Arrive early at Hodges Park, as they’re expecting a big crowd for this one. At 7 p.m., you can enjoy a free dance fitness session led by the Centennial Fitness Center staff.

One June 28, Todd and The Ten Pins will be playing multi-generational music including rock, country, pop, funk, new wave and more. Other concerts, which run through Aug. 16, will showcase the Brian Patti Big Band, Park Ridge Fine Arts Symphony, Illinois Brass Band and more. Visit PRParks.org/events for a full calendar.

Inaugural Pride in Park Ridge celebration June 20

On June 20, the inaugural Pride in Park Ridge celebration will take place from 6-9 p.m. on the lawn at the northeast corner of Prospect and Crescent Avenues in Park Ridge near the Park Ridge Community Church. The community-led LGBTQIA+ and youth-initiated event, which is organized by local inclusive congregations, community organizations and other volunteers, is for all ages and will be a lively gathering featuring a range of activities including music, food, an inflatable obstacle course and bungee run, face painting, balloon animals, crafts, guest speakers and information from local organizations. For more information, check out the event page on Facebook or @PrideinParkRidge on Instagram.

Taste of Park Ridge returns July 18-20

This annual celebration of fabulous food, music, kids activities, business networking and much more will take place once again in Uptown Park Ridge on Summit Avenue.

Musical entertainment includes The Noize, Anthem and Hello Weekend on Thursday, Serendipity, Ginger Road and Kashmir on Friday and Low Expectations Band, Stonedrifts, Heart to Heartbreaker and The Lounge Puppets on Saturday.

Hours of the festival: Thursday, July 18: 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 19-20: 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

For more information as the event nears, visit TasteOfParkRidge.com

Goldfish Swim School will host its community block party Aug. 18

Goldfish Swim School in Park Ridge is hosting its third annual family-friendly community block party on Sunday, Aug. 18, from 3-5 p.m.

This fun event includes live music, food trucks, water slides, dunk tanks, bounce houses, local vendors with activities and giveaways, and much more. This is a non-profit event, so all ticket sale revenue will be donated to Compass to Care Childhood Cancer Foundation. 678 N. Northwest Highway. GoldfishSwimSchool.com/Park-Ridge

Amina Grace Memorial Fund awards five $1,000 scholarships at Maine South

Five $1,000 Amina Grace Memorial Fund scholarships were awarded in partnership with the Maine South Parents’ Scholarship Club during Senior Night at Maine South High School in May. This award was started in memory of Maura Cullen and Munawar Ali’s daughter, Amina Grace Cullen Ali, a child with Down Syndrome who was lost at the age of 5 in 2014.

The Amina Grace scholarships were awarded to the applicants who demonstrated the highest level of leadership and involvement in advocating for and championing inclusion, acceptance and awareness efforts for those with differing abilities.

The mission of the fund is to honor Amina Grace’s life and change the way the world sees people with Down Syndrome and other differing abilities. The vision of the fund is to see the value in every person and accept them for who they are, and the process of recognizing and embracing diversity creates an environment of inclusion. It also allows opportunities for everyone to feel respected and contribute to society. Inclusion isn’t just inviting someone to sit at your table, it’s believing they belong there. The scholarships were awarded to the applicants who demonstrated the highest level of leadership and involvement in advocating for and championing inclusion, acceptance and awareness efforts for those with differing abilities. Congratulations to the winners: Kara Chaplin, Lily Heneghan, Ava Jurek, Caitlin Vengazo and Andrew Zimmerman! To learn more, visit AminaGrace.org

Chicago Ramen is open in Park Ridge

Chicago Ramen opened this spring in Park Ridge, located at 1056 Busse Highway. It’s worth noting that Chef Kenta Ikehata was trained at Tsujita in Tokyo, which happens to be a beloved artisan ramen brand. His restaurants — totaling 12 now and growing — specialize in tsukemen, better known as Japanese dipping noodles, while also serving classic Japanese comfort food.
Visit Chicago-Ramen.us to check out the menu.