Community Calendar

Join author and librarian Amy Alessio for a fun and flavorful look at the food trends of the 1970s and the surprising number that never really went away. From the creamy, herb-packed Green Goddess dressing to the infamous Watergate cake and salad — still very much alive, just under different names — this program digs into the cultural moments and culinary curiosities that defined a decade. Along the way, you'll discover how politics, pop culture, and a fondness for Jell-O molds shaped what Americans were putting on the table, and why so many of those dishes are making a comeback today.

Amy Alessio is an award-winning librarian; author of the Amazon bestselling Alana O'Neill mystery series featuring vintage recipes and has given over 300 presentations to libraries and groups on vintage cooking and crafts. This free program is available in-person at the Granville Branch and virtually via Zoom. To register for virtual attendance, visit: t.ly/7R9R3.

In Iconic America, David Rubenstein examines the history of America through its most celebrated symbols and places on location and in conversation with historians, community members, and experts, exploring how their meanings have shifted over time and what they reveal about who we are as a nation. This episode turns to baseball, America's enduring pastime, and no ballpark is more storied than Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. Through the loyalty of a city to its team and its beloved ballpark, the episode traces the deeper threads of community, identity, and resilience that run through America's favorite game. This free program runs approximately 55 minutes, not rated, and is made possible through PBS.

Illinois is home to a remarkable variety of moths — and there is far more to these nocturnal neighbors than meets the eye. This engaging program presented by the University of Illinois Extension Office explores the biology, behaviors, and ecological importance of Illinois' moths, and shows you how to get involved through simple citizen science activities in honor of National Moth Week. This free program is open to the public.

Calling all educators! The Lizzadro Museum’s Education Department invites educators to an engaging after-hours event designed to bring the fascinating world of rocks and minerals into the classroom! Enjoy light refreshments while exploring the Museum and discovering a variety of educational resources including:
Classroom-ready teaching materials
Field trip and workshop opportunities
Information about the Museum’s Field Trip Assistance Grant
The evening will also feature the unveiling of a brand-new teaching aid box: “Hidden Gems in Cellphones” an exciting new resource, sponsored by the Smithsonian Institute, connecting earth science and everyday technology! This is a great opportunity to connect with fellow educators, gather fresh ideas, and explore hands-on learning experiences for students.
Educators must provide current employee ID from an education-focused organization.

CASA's signature fundraising event, 50 Men Who Cook, showcases 50 men from across our community as they showcase their best dishes for guests to taste and vote for their favorite in each category. Beyond the competition, the evening features live music, raffles for attendees, and a cash bar! Enjoy an exquisite night of great food, friendly competition, and community spirit. All for a good cause!

More than fifty years later, Woodstock still resonates. Its singular mix of music, culture, and idealism gave youth a voice and permanently changed both the music industry and the social movements that followed. This documentary goes inside the story with host Mark Goodman alongside performers Ritchie Havens and Arlo Guthrie, singer-songwriter John Sebastian, festival organizer Michael Lang, and Woodstock historian Wade Lawrence. This free program runs approximately 53 minutes, rated PG-13, and is made possible through Kanopy.

From Chicago's Haymarket Square to southern Illinois coal mines, Illinois workers fought to build unions, create safe workplaces, and find their collective voice — and their struggles shaped the nation.
In this presentation, historian Mike Matejka traces those stories: the Ottawa Radium Girls, who pursued justice after occupational exposure doomed them; Pullman workers, who launched the country's largest industrial strike; women workers who built cross-class alliances to secure their rights; and the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, who waged a 12-year fight to win representation. Again and again, workers organized across ethnic, racial, and gender lines, often against state repression, to claim their place in American democracy. Because democracy isn't just elections. It's "small d" democracy too: workers finding their voice, becoming advocates, and shaping their communities.

Mike Matejka is a historian, writer, and community organizer specializing in Illinois labor history. He is a member of LIUNA Local 362, President of the Illinois Labor History Society, and a board member of Friends of Pullman National Historical Park.

This program is free and open to the public and is generously sponsored by Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA). This program will be offered in-person at the Granville Branch or virtual through Zoom. To register virtually, visit: t.ly/cVX9k.

Preserving Illinois Prairies takes viewers on a geological journey beginning more than 8,000 years ago, when shifting weather patterns and glacial forces shaped a magnificent rolling landscape that thrived for millennia. When European settlers arrived, more than 22 million acres of prairie stretched across the region, yet by 1900, all but a few thousand acres had been drained, cultivated, or urbanized. This documentary examines what was lost, what remains, and what is being done to preserve it. This free program runs approximately 28 minutes, rated G, and is made possible through PBS.

When the American Revolution ended, the hard work was just beginning. A More Perfect Union explores the extraordinary challenges facing a fragile new nation and the remarkable group of men who gathered in Philadelphia in 1787 to forge a solution. Led by George Washington, the founding fathers debated, disagreed, and ultimately compromised their way to one of the most consequential documents in human history — the United States Constitution. Born of negotiation and shaped by competing visions for what America could become, this founding document laid the groundwork for a government that has endured for nearly 250 years. This program is free and open to the public. The film is approximately 22 minutes, not rated, and made possible through PBS.

What stories might never have been told had their tellers never looked up at the stars? Join us for The Stars at Night, which explores the connection between astronomy, mythology, and the art of storytelling. Through expert interviews and an expedition to one of North America's last truly dark skies, the film examines the growing impact of light pollution on our culture — and what we stand to lose when the night sky disappears. This free program runs approximately 56 minutes, not rated, and is made possible through PBS.