Block Party and Taste of Batavia set for Sept. 3

The Batavia MainStreet group has announced it will host Block Party and Taste of Batavia from 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 3, at the Peg Bond Center, 151 N. Island Ave.

The event will include a car show on North River Street until 8 p.m., organizers said.

Downtown Batavia restaurants will be at the Peg Bond Center offering $3 food tastings and drinks. In addition, there will be a performance from Batavia Dance Academy, David Fracarro singing the songs of Elvis, live music from ORD Rocks and a family zone sponsored by the Congregational Church of Batavia with a bounce house and more, according to event organizers.

The event will include a Pie Bake Off, hosted by the Batavia Mothers Club.

For more information, go to https://downtownbatavia.com/event/batavia-block-party/.

Stargazing event planned in Sugar Grove

Northern Illinois University on Aug. 10 will host an evening of stargazing, talks about space exploration and cosmic phenomena and viewing of the annual Perseid meteor shower in Sugar Grove.

The event, beginning at 6:30 p.m., will take place rain or shine at Open Range Southwest Grill, 1 Golfview Lane in Sugar Grove. The event is free and open to the public, with food and drink available for purchase from Open Range Southwest Grill.

A panel of experts will discuss space-related subjects, officials said. Then the audience will head outside to observe the night sky with telescopes or the naked eye.

The event is part of the NIU Stem Cafe series, officials said.

For registration and more information about the event, go to go.niu.edu/stemcafe.

Exhibitors sought for Heirloom Garden Show

Exhibitors are being recruited for the Aug. 27 Heirloom Garden Show at Garfield Farm Museum in Kane County.

Heirloom gardeners who would like to display, offer for tasting, sell produce or flowers or offer seeds can have complimentary table space at the event, organizers said.

The show is an educational effort to make the public more aware of the genetic diversity of plants that are not seen in the mass marketplace, according to officials at the farm, located on Garfield Road in La Fox.

There is a registration deadline of Aug. 15 to take part in the show, which will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Volunteers are also welcome to help out at the show.

An $8 donation for adults and $3 donation for children under 13 years old is recommended for those attending the event.

For information on registering for a table or volunteering, email info@garfieldfarm.org or call 630 584-8485.

Sale offers trees, prairie plants

The Kane-DuPage Soil and Water Conservation District’s fall plant sale is offering a variety of container grown trees and single prairie plants that will add diversity to a yard, district officials said.

Orders are being taken now through Sept. 15 for trees and prairie plants. Pick-up for trees and prairie plants is set for 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 22 at the district’s office, 2315 Dean St., Suite 100, in St. Charles.

For information on the sale, call 630-584-7960, Ext. 3, or go to https://kanedupageswcd.org/kd/tree-plant-sale.

Third Eye Blind to headline Ribfest’s opening night

Alternative rock band Third Eye Blind, best known for its hit “Semi-Charmed Life,” will headline the Sept. 15 opening night of Exchange Club of Naperville’s Ribfest.

“Third Eye Blind is the perfect band to kick off Ribfest 2023,” event Chair Jerry Kochurka said in a news release. “We are very excited that they are going to be with us and light up the evening.”

General admission fees include access to the concert stage shows during the Sept. 15-17 festival at the DuPage Event Center and Fairgrounds in Wheaton but options to buy VIP, Skybox, front-of-stage and gold tickets and parking access will be available.

Ribfest is the major fundraiser for the Exchange Club of Naperville, which raises money for efforts that fight child abuse and domestic violence. In its 32-year history, it’s raised more than $18 million for charity.

For more information on the event and tickets, go to www.ribfest.net.