Friday, September 1 | View in browser
Good morning,
Check out this week's Parks & Recreation e-News featuring information about the Fall Program Guide, End of Summer Luau, Zombie volunteers, and more!
Come join the fun with Parks and Recreation
The Fall Program Guide is now available online! Browse through hundreds of recreation programs, special events, and ways to keep you and your family healthy and active this season. Register for programs online.
End-of-Season Beach Hours
As seasonal lifeguards and beach staff return to school each year, the City adjusts beach operations to ensure that select locations have adequate staff to maintain public safety, manage admissions, and support daily operations. View beach hours.
End of Summer Luau Tonight!
Wrap up the summer with a celebration at Clark Street Beach. Enjoy music, games, swimming, and food from La Cocinita from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. tonight, Fri., Sept. 1.
Astronomy at the Beach
Join our last Canoe the Canal programs of the summer on the North Shore Channel next Saturday & Sunday! Canoes, paddles, PFDs, and paddling instruction will be provided. Each boat will also have a river scavenger hunt, as we will work together to look for signs of wildlife.No canoeing experience is necessary. Children need to be accompanied by an enrolled adult. To register for this program, please call the Ecology Center at 847-448-8256 or register online.
Calling all Zombies!
We’re looking for zombie volunteers on Sat., Oct. 21 from 3 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. to chase zombie apocalypse survivors during the 8th annual Zombie Scramble. Sign up here or scan the QR code! As a thank you, we will provide free Candelite pizza, a Zombie Scramble T-Shirt, snacks and water during the event, and a $25 stipend for a completed shift at the end of the night.
To be part of the Zombie swarm, please come with your fleshing-eating fashions and makeup and meet at the Evanston Ecology Center at 3 p.m. If you don’t have makeup, there will be some to use before heading out. We will explain all the ghoulish rules and goals, and hobble over to stage you in place for the Zombie Scramble.
Contact zombie@cityofevanston.org if you have any questions about volunteering.
Move and Grow Infant & Toddler Classes
Your infant or toddler will gain independence and social skills as they explore activities in the Blue Room. With Ms. Katie’s guidance, your child will engage in fine and gross motor development, sensory play and group circle/song time. We provide just the right amount of structure and flexibility to help your little one Move and Grow right in front of your eyes. Register today.

Afterschool Programs at James Park
Enjoy new programs at the James Park Field House beginning September 12 and 13! Register for Flight & Aviation or Survival Science after school, led by Nexplore USA. Ages 7-12.
Saplings & Oaks
Are you looking for a fun, outdoor nature class for your 2-4 year olds? Join Saplings & Oaks, an 8-week class where children and caregivers learn about the natural world together! Through exploring the Lighthouse Beach habitats, reading nature-themed stories, making art, and imaginative play, children and caregivers will learn about the end of summer and the wonders of fall. For more information or to enroll in this program, please call the Ecology Center at 847-448-8256 or register online.
Comprovisation at Noyes Cultural Arts
Noyes hosts a Multi-Disciplinary Artist in Residence. Local visual artists, musicians and dancers are invited to come "play" and improvise throughout the week leading up to the opening. Call 847-448-8263 to schedule.
Community Campfires-Nature at Night
Spend your evenings building community with your friends, family, and neighbors around a cozy campfire that will move from park to park! Enjoy exploring our parks at night, as we learn about nature in the neighborhood and make s'mores. Children must to be accompanied by an adult. To register for this free program, please call the Ecology Center at 847-448-8256 or register online.
Engineering Robot Planes
Let’s take to the skies! In this RoboThink robotics program, students will be building a variety of planes, helicopters and other flying machines. They’ll learn basic robotics and engineering concepts and some interesting facts about the history of flight. Register today.
Canoe the Canal
Join our last Canoe the Canal programs of the summer on the North Shore Channel next Saturday & Sunday! Canoes, paddles, PFDs, and paddling instruction will be provided. Each boat will also have a river scavenger hunt, as we will work together to look for signs of wildlife.No canoeing experience is necessary. Children need to be accompanied by an enrolled adult. To register for this program, please call the Ecology Center at 847-448-8256 or register online.
Youth Boxing
If you missed the pilot session at Fleetwood Jourdain Community Center, you will not want to miss this! Sign up for Youth Boxing, teaching discipline and building character! Classes begin September 13 and take place on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings. Register today
Garden Club
After a summer full of gardening, the Ecology Center’s Farmette is full of vegetables, herbs, fruits, and greens! Throughout the September month, we will host an after school Garden Club for 6-10 year olds to learn how to grow, harvest, prepare, and taste a variety of produce fresh from the Farmette. Participants will also help to water, weed, and plant some late summer additions to the garden and will take a variety of fresh produce home. Space is limited, sign up today! To register, please call the Ecology Center at 847-448-8256 or register online.
Disco in the Park - September 8
Put on your boogie shoes and hustle on over to the Levy Senior Center on Fri., Sept. 8 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., for a night you won’t forget. Take a walk down memory lane and enjoy the best of 70’s music from our local DJ.
Pond Lab (Fishing + Pond Science)
Blend science and recreation at the Lovelace Park pond as we learn about the aquatic web of life! Participants will learn to fish and use a variety of tools for pond dipping, including macroinvertebrate nets, pipettes, and magnifying glasses to learn about the variety of animals that live in aquatic environments. To register, call the Ecology Center at 847-448-8256 or register online.
Hispanic Heritage Month Kick Off Celebration
Join us as we kick off Hispanic Heritage Month! Bring your friends and family to this free event at the Fleetwood Jourdain Community Center on Fri., Sept. 15 at 5 p.m.
Trunk or Treat
Firetrucks, police cars, construction vehicles, and other unique modes of transportation will take part in Trunk or Treat. Held in the Robert Crown Community Center Parking lot off Main Street, young trick-or-treaters can see how vehicles dress up for Halloween! This free event, for children of all ages and their families, will take place Fri., Oct. 27 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. While this event is free, registration is required. Please register at cityofevanston.org/register.
Engineering Battle Robots
Do you think you can build the strongest and most agile robot? Can your robot win a head-to-head combat mission? Learn engineering strategies for building sturdy structures using unique RoboThink bricks, then apply that knowledge to build multiple robots for friendly competitions. Register now!
Chandler-Newberger Sports Parties
Included in this package is 2-hours of simultaneous use of one of our multi-purpose rooms, half-gym and sports equipment. The birthday child can pick 3 out of these 5 sports equipment: basketball and hoops, soccer balls and nets, floor hockey sticks and nets, dodgeballs, or the batting cage.
Jamming Jean Free Outdoor Concert
Close out the summer on Fri. September 22 at 5 p.m. with Suite Mollie playing a variety of funk, rock, soul, R&B, and maybe a little Jazz outside the Levy Senior Center. With the horns, a slammin’ rhythm section, and powerful vocals, they know how to rock the crowd! Food from The Fat Shallot will be available for purchase. Read more.
2023 Starlight Movies in the Park Series
 Our Starlight Movies in the Park series will feature a variety of films for the entire family. All movies will begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted below. Movies will be canceled in the event of inclement weather. Bring your own lawn chairs, blankets and snacks.
2023 Starlight Movies in the Park Schedule
Saturday, September 9 - The Little Mermaid Leahy Park, 1000 Lincoln St.
Saturday, September 16 - A Man Named Otto Kamen Park, South Boulevard and Barton Avenue
Saturday, September 23 - TBD Elks Park, Mulford Street and Callan Avenue
Saturday, September 30 - Fast X Lovelace Park, Gross Point Road and Thayer Street
Saturday, October 7 - Minions: The Rise of Gru Ingraham Park, Leonard Place and Asbury Avenue
Movies titles are subject to change based on licensure dates. Please visit cityofevanston.org/starlight for updated information as it becomes available.
Virtual Levy Lecture
The Levy Lecture Series is a free program featuring top lecturers, authors and entertainers for residents 55 and over, who are passionate about learning. Lectures are bi-monthly via Zoom on Tues. Sept. 19 at 1:30 p.m. Register and you will receive an email with easy-to-follow steps. Sponsored by the Levy Senior Center Foundation.
Facility Locations and Phone Numbers
Chandler-Newberger Community Center: 847-448-8252 Levy Senior Center: 847-448-8250 Robert Crown Community Center: 847-448-8258 Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center: 847-448-8254 Ecology Center: 847-448-8256
Thanks for reading.
Have a great weekend,
The City of Evanston’s Parks and Recreation Team
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