Highland Around Town - April 12 edition
Noon Friday, April 14, is the deadline to appear in next week’s “Around Town” listing. We must receive your event in writing with a contact phone number for questions. Submissions will be edited and appear in the week before the event date.
Email: lifestyle@bnd.com. Mail to: Highland Around Town, Belleville News-Democrat, P.O. Box 427, Belleville, IL 62222-0427. Questions, call Jennifer Green at 618-239-2643.
Wednesday, April 12
▪ National Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) Alvin G. Bohley Chapter 1019 — 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. O’Town Food Hall and Tap House, 1214 Central Park Drive, O’Fallon. Speaker at noon on COVID After Effects followed by meeting. All active and retired federal and postal employees are welcome. Speakers/meetings held the second Wednesday of each month except for May and December socials. NARFE remains the go-to resource for the federal community. For information, contact James at jbflat2021@outlook.com or 618-795-5174.
▪ National Alliance on Mental Illness: NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group — 6:30-8 p.m. Online via Zoom. Free peer-to-peer support group for adults with a mental health condition working towards recovery. Every Wednesday. Open the Zoom app and enter 3914844542. For information: kelly.nami.swi@gmail.com or 618-798-9788.
▪ Shoe Collection Drive Fundraiser — Through Saturday, May 6. Bulldog Barber Shop, 1008 Laurel St., Highland. Fundraising for 4 Paws for Ability Autism Assistance Dog for 22-month-old Tucker. How to help: Donate new or gently worn shoes (mens, womens, or kids—no cleats, please) at Bulldog Barber Shop. Pick up can be arranged for group donations. The goal is to collect 100 bags of shoes to raise funds to help cover fees for a service dog for Tucker. For more info: facebook.com/4paws4tucker.
Thursday, April 13
▪ Opening Reception & Awards: Schmidt Art Center High School Art Exhibition — 6-8 p.m. Schmidt Art Center, 2500 Carlyle Ave., Belleville. Featuring works by students from Althoff, Belleville East, Belleville Wet, Collinsville, Freeburg, Gibault, Highland, Mascoutah, O’Fallon and Red Bud. Awards presentation at 7 p.m. Exhibit open Monday, April 17 through Wednesday, May 10. Hours 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Wednesday. swic.edu/theschmidt
▪ McKendree presents The Guess Who — 7:30 p.m. The Hettenhausen Center for the Arts, 400 N. Alton St., Lebanon. One of the most successful Canadian rock groups of the late 1960s and ‘70s, The Guess Who charted 14 songs on the Top 40 Hit Singles chart during their career, including “American Woman,” “No Sugar Tonight,” and “These Eyes.” During their most successful period, The Guess Who released 11 studio albums, all of which reached the charts in Canada and the United States. Younger audiences may recognize “American Woman” from Lenny Kravitz’s 1999 cover, which was used on the soundtrack of the Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me motion picture. thehett.com
Friday, April 14
▪ Highland Fish Fry — 4-7 p.m. VFW Post 5694, 1900 VFW Road, Highland. Dine-in and carryout. No call-in orders. facebook.com/vfwpost5694
▪ Aviston Legion Fish Fry — 4:30-7 p.m. American Legion Post 1239, 601 S. Clinton, Aviston. Cod (baked or fried), catfish, shrimp, hush puppies, chicken strips, fries, baked potato, slaw, applesauce. Dine-in and carryout. 618-228-7311 or avistonlegion.com.
Saturday, April 15
▪ Tri Township Library Book Sale — 9 a.m. to noon. Tri Township Library, 209 S. Main St., Troy. Doors open at 9 a.m. Book donations accepted during the sale and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library.
Saturday, April 15 & Sunday, April 16
▪ St. Louis Symphony Orchestra: Elgar’s ‘Enigma Variations’ — 8 p.m. Saturday, April 15, and 3 p.m. Sunday, April 16. Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis. Conductor Stephanie Childress shares a program of heartfelt musical letters. Lise de la Salle “a pianist of steel … very fast, very accurate, dazzlingly percussive” (LA Times), makes her SLSO debut with Chopin’s Second Piano Concerto. Elgar’s “Enigma Variations” offers musical portraits of his friends and loved ones. Barber’s Essay No. 2, “written in wartime,” is expressive and confident. slso.org
Sunday, April 16
▪ Race for Love: 2023 5K Charity Run for Leaps of Love — 8 a.m. Sunday, April 16. The Hettenhausen Center for the Arts, 400 N. Alton St., Lebanon. The 5K Race for Love lets us support Leaps of Love, an organization located in Highland that embraces families that are or have been affected by childhood cancer. To register or for more info: mcksportmgmt.com.
▪ Highland Knights of Columbus Polka Dance — 2-5 p.m. Highland Knights of Columbus, 12454 Route 143, Highland. Doors open at 1 p.m. Featuring Butch’s Polka Kings. Music 2-5 p.m. Cash bar, kitchen open. Admission: $10.
▪ Madison County Historical Society Speaker Series — 2 p.m. Main Street Community Center, 1003 N. Main St., Edwardsville. Mark Pierce, author of “When the Stars Came Out: Stories of the Mississippi River Festival,” will share stories he collected when researching his book about the Mississippi River Festival. The book will be available for purchase after the presentation. Free and open to the public. 618-656-1294.
Tuesday, April 18
▪ HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital Highland Drive-Thru Health Fair — 6-10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 18 and Wednesday, April 19. Highland-Pierron Fire Department, 12611 Iberg Road, Highland. Includes comprehensive blood screenings, prostatic-specific altigen screenings, hemoglobin A1C, Vitamin D screening. The health fair is a self-pay service. No payments will be taken at the time of pre-registration; payment will be expected the day of the health fair by cash or check only. Participants are strongly encouraged to arrive with exact cash or a check written out totaling the amount of the services they are to have on the day of the health fair. Those wanting to attend must register for an appointment online at stjosephshighland.org/healthfair before Sunday, April 16. There are limited spots available and on-site registration will not be accepted. If you are unable to register online, you can call 618-651-2739 for assistance.
▪ Parents of Addicted Loved Ones — 7-8:30 p.m. Online via Zoom. The PAL group provides education, support and hope to family members and loved ones of someone who has an addiction of substance use disorder. Free and open to all. For info or to join the Zoom meeting, contact Craig at 618-567-6095. palgroup.org
▪ St. Louis Symphony Orchestra: Wild Air — 7:30 p.m. Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis. You’ve never heard wind music like it. Japanese-English composer Dai Fujikura takes each player’s instrument, then rebuilds its sound from the ground up. Making the french horn mumble, sigh, laugh out loud. Making the bassoon cry out in physical pain. Making the flute dart like a sandpiper. Then five of the SLSO’s skilled wind players unite for Australian composer Paul Dean’s evocation of a rambunctious friendship, “Jasper and Charlie.” It’s a furious showpiece of individual and collective virtuosity. slso.org
Other area happenings
▪ 15th annual Robert Classic French Film Festival — Fridays through Sundays, April 14-16, 21-23 & 28-30. Webster University, Winifred Moore Auditorium in Webster Hall, 470 E. Lockwood Ave., St. Louis. Celebrate St. Louis’ Gallic heritage and France’s cinematic legacy. This year’s featured films span the decades from the 1920s through the 1990s, offering a revealing overview of French cinema. General admission, $15; students and Cinema St. Louis members, $12. All-access passes are $120, and $95 for CSL members. 314-200-5684 or cinemastlouis.org.
▪ ‘Help On the Move’ Fundraiser — 6-11 p.m. Saturday, April 29. Bluff City Grill, 424 E. Broadway, Alton. The annual fundraiser for Catholic Charities will include a cocktail hour, dinner, music featuring Flip The Frog, a $10,000 raffle, and activities. Dinner tickets are $50 each. Raffle tickets are $25 each or buy 2 and get 1 free. All tickets are available on our website cc.dio.org or by calling 618-462-0634.
