Festival of Cultures in May, Stand Against Racism +
April 23, 2021

As the Skokie Park District operates in Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan,
the following are reminders and news updates for this week.


Featuring Mini-Events in May
The Skokie Festival of Cultures is on for 2021!
In lieu of the Festival's usual two-day event, the 2021 Skokie Festival of Cultures will feature mini-events throughout the month of May, including music, dance, film, art, a take-home festival of colors, pop-up park events, and more.

Bring the entire family and enjoy the fun! Click on the button below for a full schedule of events.

Skokie Park District
Stand Against Racism statement
Stand Against Racism is an event that takes place annually in April and is a signature campaign of the YWCA USA to raise awareness about the negative impact of institutional and structural racism in our communities and to build community among those who work for racial justice. The Skokie Park District has partnered with the local driver of the campaign, the Evanston YWCA, for several years now.

This year, in lieu of holding signs on the street corner, district staff have made the following statement:

"The Skokie Park District understands that meaningful change is an ongoing process and that work needs to be done at all levels for organizational change to happen. Surface solutions are not sufficient to integrate anti-racism as part of an agency's organizational culture or values. That is why the Skokie Park District has put anti-racism and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) related inequalities in the forefront of its operation.

Accomplishments & Commitments:
  • The district has hired an outside DEI consulting firm to review and ensure that our policies they are free of bias, language that is uneven, unbalanced, or not a fair representation. More specifically, "biased language," which refers to words and phrases that are considered discriminatory, offensive, hurtful, or an impediment to an inclusive community, should be edited, removed, and approved. Biased language includes expressions that demean or exclude people because of age, sex, race, ethnicity, social class, sexual orientation, physical, mental traits, and other personal characteristics.
  • The district's internal Staff Diversity Team will be enhanced as a new Diversity Advocacy Team comprising a diverse group of staff and administrators committed to organizing and implementing institutional transformation for the benefit of all members of the community. 
  • The district is providing ongoing DEI training to all full- and part-time staff to help eliminate inequality and bias in the workplace as well as in our community.
  • The district regularly meets and works with community leaders and social justice groups to insure the district is meeting the needs of our diverse community and to ensure the voices of those most impacted by racism are prioritized first.
  • The district will provide resources based on the equity lens to ensure that all families have the right to attend all programs and events.
  • The district will continue to provide special events focused on the diverse communities of Skokie. This has been and will continue to be a great way to open people’s minds to people of different cultures and backgrounds.
  • Employees are encouraged to come forward if they confront racist, unsafe, or illegal practices in the workplace."

Sunday: Earth Day at Emily Oaks Nature Center
Visit our Earth Day celebration "Block Party" and meet the plant and animal neighbors of Emily Oaks Nature Center. You'll discover fascinating facts about the critters that live on the block and you might even be introduced to some of the neighbors in person!

Also visit our Annual Native Plant Sale to purchase native wildflowers and grasses ready for planting.

Emily Oaks Nature Center
4650 Brummel Street
Sunday, April 25, 12–4 p.m.

This event is free with timed entry.
Call (847) 674-1500, ext. 2500 to reserve your time slot or for more information.



Buy 'Oklahoma!' tickets today

Outdoor performances this weekend!
An outdoor youth performance that is safely distanced for in-person audiences, "Getting to Know Oklahoma!” is an abbreviated version of the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic with all the familiar songs such as "Oh What A Beautiful Morning," "Surrey With the Fringe on Top" and "Oklahoma." The story won a Pulitzer; the stage show won Tony Awards and the classic film won two Oscars.

Four Performances
Saturdays: April 17 and 24 at 2 p.m.
Sundays: April 18 and 25 at 2 p.m.

Rain cancellations
Ticket holders may attend rain date performances on either May 1 or 2 at 2 p.m. Cancellation decisions will be made by noon on the performance day with announcements posted on the Devonshire Playhouse facebook page.

Devonshire Park – 4400 Greenwood St.

Tickets: In-person $10
Join the Weber Table Tennis Club!
Grab a paddle and join us at the Weber Leisure Center. Newcomers welcome!

The Weber Table Tennis Club club meets Sunday evenings and Wednesday mornings. Call (847) 674-1500, ext. 3500 for details.

Skokie Residents: $32 / Non-Residents: $40

Sunday Afternoon Sessions
April 18 – June 6 / 2–5 p.m.
June 13 – August 8 / 2–5 p.m.

Wednesday Morning Sessions
April 21 – June 9 / 9 a.m.–12 p.m.
June 16 – August 4 / 9 a.m.–12 p.m.

Registration
In-person at the Weber Leisure Center. You will also need to have your photo taken for the club membership I.D.

May 2021 tickets now available
The Exploritorium re-opened in April with limited hours; now tickets are on sale for the month of May! Click below to plan a visit to Chicagoland's "top rainy-day destination” as named by the Chicago Tribune.

Hours
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday / 9–11 a.m.

Road Trip! Wartburg students to volunteer in Skokie
Eighteen students from Wartburg College will be traveling from Waverly, Iowa to volunteer with the Skokie Park District at the end of April.

Every year, the college's 'Students UKnight' group travels to a location in the U.S. to serve the community and foster relationships with alumni in the area. This year, they will be helping us with the preparation of one of our newly renovated playgrounds.

During their short stay, the students will also volunteer with the Chicago Food Depository, Cradles to Crayons, and a local community garden. We thank them for choosing the Skokie Park District as one of their destinations to provide their community services!