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1. The season finale of the McHenry City Band will be held Thursday evening.
The free outdoor jazz concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26, at Veterans Memorial Park on Pearl Street, one block north of Route 120 in McHenry.
Some seating is provided, but attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chair, blanket and cooler. Food and beverages may be available to buy from local businesses.
2. Atomic Circus will be at the Volo Auto Museum this weekend, performing 1920s-inspired acts that include hand-balancing, juggling, tight wire, hula hoops and rola bola.
The one-hour shows by the Chicago-based troupe will take place at noon and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the museum, 27582 Volo Village Road. Performances will be included with regular museum admission.
“The circus originally was invited to be part of our Carousel and Music Hall grand opening in the spring of 2020,” museum director Brian Grams said in a statement. “That event was canceled due to COVID, but the troupe kept our contract in place, and we’re looking forward to sharing these exciting shows with our guests.”
Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission costs $19.95 for adults, $12.95 for children ages 5 to 12, and is free for those ages 4 and younger. Jurassic Gardens admission is $15.95 for ages 5 and up. Combo tickets also are available.
For information about the museum, go to volocars.com, find Volo Auto Museum or Jurassic Gardens on Facebook, or call 815-385-3644. For information about the Atomic Circus, go to its Facebook page at facebook.com/CircusAtomic.
3. A celebration of the return to live theater is planned with the Re-Opening Night Gala for Theater 121 this Saturday.
A fundraiser for Theatre 121, the event will take place at the historic Woodstock Opera House, 121 W. Van Buren St., and will feature food, musical selections from the upcoming season, and a gala and silent auction with items that include an American Girl doll, an Uno de 50 Beaded Necklace and season tickets to Theatre 121.
“Closing our doors due to the pandemic was not only a financial hit, but also left a big artistic hole in the lives of our members and in the community,” Theatre 121 President Travis Greuel said in a statement. “The Board and Committee members have been working hard to create this fantastic event to showcase our upcoming season. What better way to welcome folks back than by throwing a party.”
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Hors d’oeuvres will be offered throughout the evening and a cash bar will be available. The event is limited to 75 guests, ages 21 and older. Formal attire is suggested.
The cost is $30 for an individual and $50 for a couple.
4. The Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Firefighters’ Local 3985 is holding a golf fundraiser this Saturday to raise money for Northern Illinois Food Bank and firefighter Tammie Pullin, who was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that surfaced after she successfully beat her cancer diagnosis, according to the event website.
“Tammie’s love of service for the community that we serve drove her to continue that service even while battling through the multiple effects of chemotherapy and the beginning symptoms of her current disease,” the union said on the event website. “Multiple, recent surgeries have led to nearly insurmountable medical bills and transportation costs as her family travels daily to be by her side. Our goal this year is to relieve the financial burden and allow Tammie and her family to continue the fight against the devastating effects of her current condition.”
Registration starts at 10 a.m. at Golf Club of Illinois, 1575 Edgewood Drive, Algonquin, and the golf range opens at 11 a.m. Shotgun starts are planned at noon and a dinner at 5:30 p.m.
General tickets for $110 cover the golf range, including 18 holes of golf, as well as lunch and drink tickets. Dinner tickets for $50 include dinner and all activities after the golf outing.
Tickets can be bought individually or for four-person teams.
For more information, go to the event page at bit.ly/Pullin-Fundraiser.
5. Kate’s Kritters mobile petting zoo will be at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 2107 Three Oaks Road in Cary.
The event, which will run noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, is free of charge and open to the public.
The Woodstock-based mobile petting zoo includes bunnies, chickens, goats, pigs and other small animals, according to its Facebook page.