More than two dozen regional vendors will offer a variety of fresh produce, meats, cheese, eggs, baked goods, breads, flowers, honey and grains during the Oak Park Farmers’ Market's 49th season, which kicks off this Saturday, May 18. The Market takes place rain or shine from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday through October at 460 Lake St. The first two weeks of the Market feature Go Green Days with a dozen sustainability-focused organizations sharing information about ways to protect the environment. More information about the 2024 Farmers’ Market season is at www.oak-park.us/opfm2024.

The Village's Move with the Mayor event, which was postponed earlier this week, has been rescheduled to take place in conjunction with the Collaboration for Early Childhood’s Blast Off to Kindergarten event. Village President Vicki Scaman will join Kuumba Kids Dance for an interactive family dance activity from 11:30 a.m. to noon on Sunday, May 19 at Rehm Park. The Oak Park Department of Public Health is working to coordinate a separate bike safety event featuring a bike rodeo and free bike helmet giveaway. More information will be shared as it becomes available. The Blast Off to Kindergarten event runs from 10 a.m. to noon this Sunday at Rehm Park and is for children and families who will be starting kindergarten at any school in Oak Park.

The Village has completed its spring parkway tree planting. The Public Works Department’s Forestry Division continues to focus on increasing parkway tree diversity. This year’s spring tree planting included 25 different genera and 32 different species of trees. A database with information about the more than 18,000 trees in an Oak Park parkway or public property is available at www.oak-park.us/treeinventory.

Members of the Police Department joined law enforcement agencies across the state in taking part in the annual Cop on a Rooftop fundraiser to benefit the athletes of Special Olympics Illinois. Off-duty personnel collected over $1,800 in donations from 5 a.m. to noon the morning of Friday, May 17at the Dunkin' Donuts at 6820 Roosevelt Rd. 

This week, Chief Building Official Steve Cutaia paid a visit to the Park District of Oak Park’s pre-k class to teach 20 children about building safety. The children learned about what building inspectors do, how to identify exits in case of an emergency, how fire alarms work, and the importance of smoke detectors in the home. Each child received a plastic hard hat, safety vest, junior inspector badge, and a coloring book. This presentation falls in line with the Development Services Department’s efforts in promoting Building Safety Month. Director Emily Egan worked with Steve to reach out to local child care facilities and offer these educational and fun classes. Anyone interested in scheduling a presentation should reach out to Steve at scutaia@oak-park.us.

The Village’s Adjudication Department is sponsoring a free Summer Martial Arts Camp for kids ages 6 through 14 who live or attend school in Oak Park. The camp will be held July 10-12 in the Julian Middle School gymnasium. The sessions will be conducted by experienced instructors with years of experience teaching martial arts who will focus on physical fitness and discipline. Space is limited and registration is required. For more information and to access a registration packet, visit www.oak-park.us/MAcamp, call 708.358.5630 or email youth@oak-park.us.

Village staff will be on hand to join in the fun as Oak Park and River Forest High School celebrates its 150th anniversary with a community block party set for 1 to 4 p.m. this Sunday, May 19. The event will feature the legendary alumni band The Jade 50’s, a variety of food trucks, face painting, bounce houses and numerous other family-friendly activities. The fun will take place on the west side of the OPRF building, 201 N. Scoville Ave., where attendees will have a chance to take a lap on the school’s new track. Click here for a promotional flier for the event.

The Oak Park Film Festival, set for Sept. 12 and 14, is now accepting submissions. The festival is open to movies of a variety of genres and lengths, each with a local connection, including cast or crew members from Oak Park or a setting or shooting location within the Village. Awards will be distributed across multiple categories, as well. The entry deadline is July 31. There is a discount offered for early bird entries submitted by Sun., June 30. Additional information about the Oak Park Film Festival is available at www.opilff.org.

Sidewalks – All sidewalk and landscaping work is complete. Punch list items will be addressed within the next few weeks. The second sidewalk project, focusing on north-south streets, south of South Blvd and west of East Ave, is expected to begin at the end of May.

Alley project – Earth excavation and pavement removal is complete in six alleys under the first alley contract. Concrete pavement has been placed in all six of these alleys. Excavation is on hold until June for the remaining three alleys under the first contract. For the second contract, the first two alleys have been fully reopened. Work for the third alley between the 1000 block of Humphrey Ave and Austin Blvd will start on June 18.

Lot 10 – The contractor began saw cutting sidewalks for removal this week at Lot 10. Concrete removals will start on the east end of the parking lot and progress west. The contractor anticipates pouring back the sidewalk by the end of this week.

Austin sewer improvements – The contractor poured new curbs and sidewalks along Austin Blvd between Garfield St and Roosevelt Rd. All roadway patches were covered with steel plates to allow the concrete to cure and reopen the road to traffic. Once the work between Harvard St and Garfield St is complete, the contractor will reduce the work zone and shift to the spot repairs north of I-290.

Euclid Water improvements – The contractor jetted the stone trench on Euclid Ave this week to complete the water main installation. Throughout this week, the contractor removed and replaced concrete curbs and sidewalks along the roadway. Steel plates were placed over driveways to allow the new pavement cure and provide access to residents. The contractor is scheduled to place asphalt within the project limits early next week.

2023 resurfacing – The contractor finished placing asphalt surface and roadway striping on Marion St and Pleasant Place. Parking on Marion St will be resume normal configuration later this week.

Madison Street improvements – Last week, the contractor finished the installation of storm sewer and continued patching the water main trench. The contractor will start curb and sidewalk removals next week along the north side of Madison St, weather permitting.

Forest & Ontario – Crosswalk removals and pours are in progress. This week, the contractor also began monument pillar installations. This work will continue into next week. The detour remains in place around the site.