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Sunday, April 26, 2015, is going to be a community-wide celebration of Barrington's 150 years, with plenty of opportunities to make new memories to cherish for years to come.
First, experience an exciting day in Barrington, circa 1865! Please note that due to weather, this event has been rescheduled from Saturday, April 25, to Sunday, April 26. To celebrate 150 years, the Village will feature an 1865 Street Festival in downtown Barrington at Cook and Station Streets from 2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. The event will transform the area into a historically themed extravaganza replete with old-time fanfare. There will be an extensive selection of small-plated fare, served by numerous local restaurants. This will include a pig roast, as well as other tasty treats of the era. In addition, Egg Harbor will be extending their hours for the day.
Music will be plentiful with performances by the Ragged Rascals, the BHS Jazz Band, and the Barrington Children’s Choir, as well as other groups. You can also enjoy an exciting array of street performers complete with a penny farthing cyclist, a juggler, barbershop quartets, and more. There will even be a chance to kick up your heels for the Virginia Reel.
Free pony rides, a photo booth, and a special Vintage Carnival planned by the Barrington Junior Women’s Club will provide fun for the whole family. In keeping with the era, special thematic souvenirs will also be available for purchase. In addition, the public can purchase the special Sesquicentennial Edition of Quintessential Barrington magazine, which includes dozens of never-before published photographs of Barrington area history, as well as numerous articles about Barrington’s storied past.
Into the evening, enjoy beer and wine bars and music by Pat McKillen and the Knapik Brothers. Share a memory or two with your neighbor as you sit around the fire and raise a cup of cheer as Barrington salutes the past, celebrates the present, and looks toward the future. Barrington’s 1865 Street Festival – it’s THE PLACE to be on April 25th!
Generous premier sponsors for all Sesquicentennial events are Charles Schwab, Wickstrom Auto Group, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, BMO Harris Bank, Barrington Area Community Foundation, Barrington Bank and Trust, Refined Construction Services, and Town & Country Painting of Barrington. More details and a schedule of events on the Village of Barrington website.
Also Sunday, April 26, the Barrington Area Library warmly welcomes you to Socialize, Share, and Celebrate Barrington History!
Stop in between 2-5 PM and enjoy a good, old-fashioned history fair, all about Barrington!
You'll meet and learn from Barrington architects, artists, authors, and organizations. Learn about Barrington's most historic churches, longtime businesses, well-known residents, and Barrington's role in the American Civil War. Enjoy artists' renderings and photographs of beautiful Barrington scenes, while sharing light refreshments and good conversation with your friends and neighbors. Check out the vintage 1928 Pirsch fire truck on our plaza, too!
At 2:30 PM, the Garden Club of Barrington will officially dedicate the Ruth and Robert Work Memorial Garden, on the east side of the library, next to the meeting rooms.
A special thank you to the Girl Scouts of Barrington and their leaders for assistance at this event.
Sesquicentennial Committee members (Jane Christino, Bonnie Gordon, Kay Griffith, Linda Kemper, Bev Kramer, Evie Stachura) wish to express their gratitude to Flo Bash, an early supporter of the arts and culture in Barrington. Flo spearheaded the Barrington Area Arts Council and “nurtured excellence in every kind of cultural endeavor – artistic and intellectual.”
Barrington and the surrounding area are full of amazing authors and storytellers: meet them at the Barrington Area Library's first annual Local Author Fair on Saturday, April 18, from 2-4 PM.
More than 25 authors have signed up to participate in what we hope will become a Barrington Area Library tradition. Enjoy author readings, panel discussions, book signings, and keynote speaker Sonali Dev, whose debut novel, A Bollywood Affair, has won honors from NPR, ALA, and more! You'll meet and hear from poets, illustrators, and memoirists, chroniclers of Barrington history, and creators of fiction both historical and futuristic. It's the perfect afternoon for every book lover! Books available for purchase and signing (hint: signed books make wonderful gifts!). Light refreshments will be served. Free and open to the public, but please register in advance, if possible.
Other authors scheduled to appear:
Mike Bavier | Bani Bhattacharyya | Dyllis Braithwaite | Orlando Ceaser | Toni Diol | Lance Erlick | Theodore Grippo | Buddy Gunn | Bev Halvorsen | JUST ADDED: Elizabeth Harmon | Frank Heiberger | Diane P. Kostick | Claudia Marie Lenart | Terry Loncaric | John Monek | Mitsuo "Duke" Ogata | Michael J. Pearson | Charles Peraino | Georgann Prochaska | Jim Proebstle | Laura Quinn | Shakuntala Rajagopal | Susan Marie Schulhof | David C. Smith | Eleanor Anne Sweet | Todd Tarbox | Donn Ziebell
We regret that author Sharon Shea Bossard has had to cancel her appearance.
The TARDIS – legendary icon of the worldwide phenomenon known as Doctor Who – is landing at the Barrington Area Library on Sunday, March 8! Doctor Who debuted on British TV screens in 1963 and has been building a seemingly infinite fan base ever since. The Barrington Area Library is hosting an afternoon of celebration, the Dr. Who-Palooza, for Who fans young and old.
The TARDIS will be landing inside the newly-renovated library between 1:30-3:30 p.m., so bring your camera for a photo op alongside a life-size version of the Doctor’s very own TARDIS. Don’t know what a TARDIS is? It’s a large, blue, British police call box that allows the Doctor to travel through space and time. The library’s TARDIS won’t allow you to escape from your overdue library books, but it will make an amazing photo for your Facebook page!
The photo ops don't stop there. Visit the library’s Studio 1 and the staff will help you add yourself to some Doctor Who images using green screen technology. Visit the library’s own Lady Cassandra, who is always ready for her close up!
Along with photography fun, stay awhile and work on some family-friendly crafts. Always wanted to make your own Siege Mode TARDIS? Now you can! Need a new coaster? Create one with Doctor Who decals created in the library’s state-of-the-art MakerLab! Fancy a new bow tie? Library staff will demonstrate how to create a unique bow tie out of duct tape.
Cosplay is the theme of the day, so attendees are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite Doctor Who characters. All who come dressed in their Whovian finery will receive a fantastic souvenir made in the library MakerLab. Light refreshments will be served to keep the party going. The library is open from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. on Sundays, and the Dr. Who-Palooza will begin at 1:30 p.m.
This event is free and open to everyone with a love for Doctor Who. Registration via the library website – balibrary.org – is recommended, or register by phone at 847-382-1300. Tell ‘em the Doctor sent you! The Barrington Area Library is located at 505 N. Northwest Highway, Barrington, Il. 60010. See the library events calendar at balibrary.org – library events for more details, or call 847-382-1300.
February 1, 2015: The Barrington Area Library will be closed today due to severe winter weather. No deliveries will be made to the pick-up lockers and materials will not be picked up at the return boxes. If you have recently returned items to one of those boxes, you will not be charged for the extra day.
Planning a wedding or wedding shower this year? Is your Pinterest board full of wedding craft ideas but you could use a little extra help? Sign up for one or all of our crafty wedding workshops! You can also stop by anytime during January 2015 to see examples of these projects in our MakerLab.
DIY Your Wedding
Tuesday, Jan 13, 7 PM
Just got engaged? You need this class on how to DIY all things wedding! We’ll share lots of great ideas to get you thinking, and give you a quick course on many projects you can do easily with our MakerLab equipment. Register. Takes place in the first floor conference room.
3D Printed Cake Toppers and Laser Cut Gifts
Thursday, Jan 15, 7 PM
Learn how to make a unique wedding cake topper of the bride and groom. Then, watch as we demonstrate how to make gifts for your guests using our Laser Cutter. Register. Takes place in the first floor conference room.
Wedding Invitations and Decorations on the Silhouette Cameo Cutter
Monday, Jan 19, 7 PM
Why settle for generic wedding invitations when you can design something truly unique? Learn how to download and customize patterns from the web to cut on our Silhouette Cameo. Register. Takes place in the first floor conference room.
Photo Scanning and Wedding Slideshows
Saturday, Jan 24, 10 AM - 4 PM
Learn how to scan your photos, negatives and slides, and then learn how to create a professional quality slideshow to impress your guests. Great for wedding anniversaries, too! Drop into Studio 1 or the first floor conference room.