Picnics & Rentals, Oklahoma!, Parks, Earth Day +

April 16, 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. 

Plan a summer picnic! Grab the kids, a few friends or a date and head out to one of 11 Skokie parks for a summer picnic! Reservations are taken on a first-come, first-served basis.  Available time blocks May 1 – September 30 5 hour (10A–3P) or (4–9P) 8 hour (10A–9P)

Reserve a picnic in the park here

Plan your next meeting or party The Skokie Park District offers a variety of rooms suitable for meetings, parties, showers or receptions, including district pools, the Skatium Ice Arena and more.

Reserve a room here

Recycle Fair: Skokie's Spring Greening Electronics recycling & document shredding only in 2021 Join us for our annual community reuse and recycle drive-in and drop-off event! The event this year will include ONLY electronics recycling and document shredding. Click here for the list of acceptable items. Westfield Old Orchard West parking lot off Lavergne Avenue. Sunday, April 18, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Presented by: The Skokie Park District, School District 219, the Skokie Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the Skokie Public Library, & the Village of Skokie 

Buy 'Oklahoma!' tickets today Outdoor performances this weekend! An outdoor youth performance that is safely distanced for in-person audiences plus live streaming, "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 / Streaming $20 Purchase tickets here

Celebrate Earth Day at Emily Oaks Nature Center Visit our "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. Reserve a free space This event is free with timed entry. Call (847) 674-1500, ext. 2500 to reserve your time slot or for more information. 

Park playground renovation update The Skokie Park District has embarked on the renovation of nine park playgrounds this spring and summer. Progress so far: The Gross Point Park playground is complete with only a few finishing touches to the boundary area still in progress. The play equipment at Carol Park is in the process of being installed and will open soon. The final seven park playgrounds are set to be installed this summer. See a list of new features at all nine parks here. 

Join Skokie's mixed-doubles tennis league The Skokie Tennis Association, a mixed-doubles social league (co-rec teams), begins the 2021 season on May 22. The league is open to players age 18 and over with a 3.0 or better USTA rating. Matches are played on Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons at the Skokie Park Tennis Center. Teams play as their schedule allows (twice a week, weekly, twice a month, etc.) through the end of September. Season Fee $45 per player for Skokie residents $55 per player for non-Skokie residents. Registration priority given to Skokie residents.

Email here for more information or to register

The Skokie Tennis Association is a non-profit organization and an affiliate of the Skokie Park District.

District wins state photo award The Skokie Park District recently won third place in the Illinois Association of Park District's "Give Us Your Best Shot" photo contest, with Megan Keating's photo entitled “Paralympian Travis Dodson” winning the prize in the contest's sports category. Keating snapped the photo while Dodson put on a para hockey clinic at the Skatium Ice Arena in July 2020. The para version of ice hockey, invented in the 1960s, follows hockey rules with modifications. Instead of skates, players use double-blade sledges that allow the puck to pass beneath. Players use two sticks, which have a spike-end for pushing and a blade-end for shooting. This year's photos contest submissions included 368 entries. The district's marketing department has won 19 state design, publication and photo awards since 2004. 

April Happenings! The following super-fun special events and one day workshops offer Skokie residents plenty to do before the month of April ends. Click on the titles below for more information and to register! April 17, 18, 24 & 25 Oklahoma! Devonshire Playhouse April 18 Skokie’s Spring Greening Westfield Old Orchard April 22 Script Reading Happy Hour Devonshire Cultural Center April 23 Cia Bella Sewing Workshop Devonshire Cultural Center April 24 Spring Baking Devonshire Cultural Center April 25 Earth Day Celebration Emily Oaks Nature Center April 30 Teen Open Gym Night Weber Leisure Center Gym 

Reminder: Masks in the parks Please be respectful when visiting Skokie parks by wearing a mask, especially in and around playgrounds. This practice will keep everyone safer during the pandemic, especially young children, who often are unable to judge 6-feet of distance or simply forget about distancing.