Larson to leave post as EYSO’s executive director in June
K. Eric Larson has announced he will step down after eight years as executive director of the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra executive director effective June 30.
“I am truly honored to have been able to contribute to EYSO as a unique and valuable resource for our youth and for our community,” Larson said in a news release.
A search committee to find his replacement has been formed, and members will work with the board of directors and staff to find Larson’s successor, the release said.
“This period of change presents an invaluable opportunity for EYSO to reflect on its structure and reaffirm its dedication to its mission,” board President Anthony Riani said in a statement. “The organization looks forward to embracing the exciting potential that change brings and refining its focus on the core objectives that have always propelled EYSO forward.”
No information on the reason for Larson’s departure was provided.
Sip & Shop Spring Fling Market being held Sunday in East Dundee
A Sip & Shop Spring Fling Market will be held from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, April 14, at Black & Gray Brewing in East Dundee.
The event is being held in collaboration with Streetz Artz Alliance at the 311 Barrington Ave. brewery, and will feature a selection of handmade items and unique services from more than 20 local artisans, a news release said.
Alissa Harris, a new curator and organizer of the Streetz Artz Alliance, is spearheading the market, which will be the second since December. Handmade jewelry, woodwork, pottery, food and other products will be for sale and Ten Cups Tarot will be doing readings, the release said.
The free event is family-friendly. For more information, go to www.facebook.com/events/355072420685733.
Gail Borden Public Library awarded Latino poetry grant
The Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin is the recipient of a Library of America Latino Poetry Initiative grant to be used for programs that celebrate and explore Latino poetry.
Gail Borden Library is one of 75 cultural organizations to receive the $1,200 stipend that will be used for a poetry reading, discussion and workshop later this year, a news release said. It is the only public library in Illinois to receive the grant.
The grant program, “Latino Poetry: Places We Call Home,” invites communities to start conversations about the rhythms, myths and stories about Latino poetry.
The initiative is presented with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and Emerson Collective, the release said.
Literacy Connection to hold April 27 spelling bee fundraiser
The Literacy Connection’s spelling bee fundraiser will start at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 27, in the dining room of Building E at Elgin Community College.
The event will start with a team spelling competition, with teams consisting of three or four people, followed by a competition for individuals, according to the Literacy Connection website.
Tickets are $50 for participants and $20 for audience members.
For more information, go to www.elginliteracy.org/# or call 847-742-6565.
Elgin Parks and Recreation planning Spring Wine & Spirits Fest
Elgin Parks and Recreation and Otter Creek Wine & Spirits are hosting a Spring Wine & Spirits Fest from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 27, in the Heritage Ballroom at the Edward Schock Centre of Elgin, 100 Symphony Way.
A variety of wines, spirits, cocktails, small bites and desserts will be served at the event, which is a fundraiser for the department’s youth scholarship fund, according to the event website.
Tickets to the adults-only event are $50. For more information, go to www.ottercreekwineandspirits.com or call 847-931-2950.
Submissions being accepted for this year’s Elgin Short Film Festival
Entries can be submitted through August for this year’s Elgin Short Film Festival, which is set for Saturday, Oct. 5, at The Hemmens Cultural Center in downtown Elgin.
Films in every genre and subject matter will be accepted as long as they are within the scope of the official rules, according to a festival news release. The entry fee for films submitted by Friday, Aug. 2, is $40. After that date and through Friday, Aug. 30, the fee is $50.
For a list of rules and information on how to submit a film, go to filmfreeway.com/ElginShortFilmFestival.
Geneva’s Earth Day celebration to be held at Peck Farm Park
The Geneva Earth Day Celebration, sponsored by the city’s Natural Resources Committee and the Geneva Park District, will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 20, at Peck Farm Park, 4038 Kaneville Road in Geneva.
At the free event, the public can recycle shoes, clothes, small electronics and holiday lights for free, officials said. Televisions and computer monitors can be recycled for a $25 to $35 fee determined by screen size, event organizers said.
Paper shredding also will be offered for free. Other activities will include a scavenger hunt, games, a chalk art Earth mural, a rain barrel sale, tree whip and tomato plant giveaways, a self-guided prairie tour and more.
Food and nature-related booths also will be available.
Anyone interested in helping plant native prairie plants from 10 to 11 a.m. at Peck Farm Park should register in advance.
For more information about the event, call 630-232-4542 or go to www.genevaparks.org.
Elgin Symphony Orchestra string quartet to perform in St. Charles
St. Charles Public Library has announced a new community partnership with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, with the collaboration’s first performance planned for Sunday, April 28.
The 2 p.m. program will be held in the Carnegie Community Room at the library, 1 S. Sixth Ave. A string quartet will perform Joseph Haydn’s String Quartet Op. 33, No. 2 “Joke,” and Antonín Dvorak’s String Quartet No. 12, Op. 96 “American.”
The free, public event is part of the library’s Sunday Concert Series, which features a variety of musical performances. This performance is funded through donations to the St. Charles Public Library Foundation.
