Swing dance soiree set in Oak Park
Fans of swing dancing are invited to participate in the Spring Soiree Dance from 5 to 8 p.m. June 12 at Oak Park Arms Senior Living, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. in Oak Park.
Swing Set Big Band will perform music from the 1950s and 1960s. Hors d’oeuvres will be served 5 to 6 pm. And music and dancing take place from 6 to 8 p.m.
Admission is free, but registration is required to ensure space and enough refreshments. Call 708-386-4040 or visit www.oakparkarms.com.
Jazz vocalist performs at La Grange church
Jazz vocalist Alyssa Algood will headline the next performance in a community concert series hosted by First Presbyterian Church of La Grange, 150 S. Ashland Ave.
The concert is set for 7 p.m. June 16 on the church lawn, weather permitting. Attendees should bring a lawn chair or blanket and snacks. Algood, a noted vocalist and musician, will sing jazz standards and uplifting original songs, accompanied by a pianist.
The church’s concert series takes place the third Tuesday of the month. Information is at FPCLG.org.
Oak Park & River Forest Symphony performs
A piano concerto will have its premiere during a performance by the Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest at 4 p.m. June 14 at the chapel at Concordia University.
Mio Nakamura will play for the premiere of orchestra principal cellist Alexander Groesch’s “Piano Concerto No. 1.” Other selections are violinist Nikki Chooi playing Bruch’s “Violin Concerto No. 1” and Joseph Suk’s “Märchen,” which means “fairy tale.”
A free reception follows the concert, and a pre-concert conversation starts at 3 p.m. Free parking is offered at 1124 Bonnie Brae. Tickets cost $30 through June 13 and increase by $5 on the day of the concert. Students, including those in college, can attend for free.
Tickets are sold at SymphonyOPRF.org, by calling 708-218-2648 or emailing theSymphonyOPRF@gmail.com.
Elmwood Park resident earns student success award
Dylan Ramirez, of Elmwood Park, has received the 2026 Illinois Community College Trustees Association Gregg Chadwick Student Success Award, a statewide award given to students who show an extraordinary commitment to volunteer service.
Ramirez, a two-year psychology student who graduated in May from Triton College in River Grove, plans to transfer to a four-year university and to eventually work with adolescents. He received a $1,000 scholarship June 5 during the association’s awards banquet.
While on campus, Ramirez served as president of Active Minds, organizing group discussions and activities to promote mental health; president of Model Illinois Government; vice president of Model United Nations; and vice president of service for the college’s Chi Zeta chapter of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, helping plan Brew For You, an event that invited students to have cider, coffee and treats while raising awareness of resources for those who are unhoused.
He called the award “completely unexpected,” adding via a news release that he felt “very proud of myself, knowing that the work I’ve done on this campus spoke for itself.”
Elmhurst church hosts Juneteenth celebration
Worship and celebration is planned to observe Juneteenth during an event set for 9:30 to noon June 14 at St. Peter’s United Church of Christ, 125 W. Church St. in Elmhurst.
Juneteenth, a federal holiday celebrated June 19, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.
The free event – a collaboration between St. Peter’s United Church of Christ and Christfirst United Methodist Church –will feature worship, Evon Sams jazz combo, games, a bouncy house, lunch and Ida’s Artisan Ice Cream.
Attendees should plan to bring a dish to share and should register via the church’s website, stpeterselmhurst.org, or at 630-530-6000.
Teen driving ambassadors earn scholarships
The SafeLIGHT Foundation has named the latest class of its Teen Ambassador Program, which aims to promote safe driving messages to prevent crashes and save lives, with each teen receiving a $2,500 college scholarship for participating.
Nine area high schools were represented in 2025-26: Mother McAuley, Morgan Park, Lyons Township, Whitney Young, Southland College Prep and the Illinois Mathematics & Science Academy.
The 17 ambassadors were Genesis Watts, Rayten Skotmyr, Loren Rounds, Anyla Martin, Jordan Lee, Chaz Christian Knight, Kara Grant, Alayna Gilspie, Amouri Fisher, Izabell Kutyla Enriquez, Erin Eberhardt, Bisola Disu, Anna Condron, Brianna Coleman, Courtney Clemons, Alina Chavez and Leilani Barnes.
Students are expected to share information with other teens about the responsibilities and risks associated with driving via social media campaigns and town hall meetings at their schools.
Applications are being accepted for next year’s class. To sign up and learn eligibility requirements, visit safelightfoundation.com/teen-ambassador-program. The foundation has awarded $138,000 to more than 50 teens thus far, working with 21 high schools in the Chicago area.
Everyone’s Scottish at Chicago Scots fest
Celebrate Scottish culture during the 40th annual Scottish Festival and Highland Games, held 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 12 and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. June 13 at the DuPage Event Center & Fairgrounds in Wheaton.
The outdoor family-friendly event features Highland dancing, children’s activities, the largest bagpiping championship in North America, iconic caber toss, Scottish genealogy and history, classic British car show and a Scottish petting zoo. A marketplace with vendors features Scottish wars from kilts and jewelry to beer, toys and candy.
A World Cup watch party is planned for 8 p.m. June 13 when Scotland returns to the competition against Haiti.
All proceeds benefit Caledonia Senior Living & Memory Care, the main charity of Chicago Scots, the oldest not-for-profit in Illinois, according to a news release. It originally was founded in 1845 as the Illinois Saint Andrew Society.
Children 11 and younger are admitted free, and parking is free. Save money by buying tickets online. Single-day admission, weekend admission and VIP passes are sold via www.chicagoscots.org.
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