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1. The inaugural Taste of McHenry on Main will bring at least nine food vendors, three live bands and kids activities to downtown Main Street in McHenry.
The event will run 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Among the restaurants serving up food will be Plum Garden, Miller’s Diner, Main Street Station, Stix and Noodles, Da Local Boy, Sweet Reds Patisserie, the Gut Truck and Louisiana Snow Balls.
For information, go to bit.ly/TasteofMcHenryonMain22.
2. A chance to bid on the 6-inch-by-6-inch pieces of art made as part of the Raue Center for the Arts’ 6×6 Project concludes with a reception planned for this weekend.
The reception, which is free and open to the public, will take place 5:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Raue Center, 26 N. Williams St. in Crystal Lake.
The 175 pieces of art in the auction have been donated by more than 120 artists, both professionals and amateurs.
Funds raised go toward the Raue’s educational programs, including Mission Imagination and the Raue School for the Arts. Since its inception in 2019, the project has raised more than $45,000 for the two programs.
Bids also can be made online at Auctria.com. For more information, go to rauecenter.org.
3. Marengo is holding its Independence Day fireworks show this Saturday.
Gates open at Marengo Community High School, 110 Franks Road, at 7 p.m. with the show to start at dusk. Parking is available at both the high school and Marengo Middle School.
Concessions will be available and donations are appreciated.
A live broadcast will be held on WXMR 94.3 Marengo Community Radio.
4. The annual McHenry County Patriot Run supporting the Veterans Assistance Commission and Veterans Path to Hope is set for Sunday morning at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake.
The event includes a 5-mile run and 5K, which start at 7:30 a.m., and a 1-mile walk or run, which follows 10 minutes later.
Online registration is available at raceroster.com/events/2022/57781/mchenry-county-patriot-run through Saturday. The cost is $38 for the 5K, $42 for the 5-mile run and $28 for the 1-mile option.
Day-of registration will begin at 6:30 a.m. Sunday. The cost day of will be $43 for the 5K, $47 for the 5-mile run and $28 for the 1-mile option.
5. The first of the Sundays On The Square series will take place this Sunday afternoon in Woodstock.
The free concerts, held by OffSquare Music and Woodstock Opera House, will take place 5 to 7 p.m. every Sunday through Sept. 4 on the historic Woodstock Square.
The first Sunday coincides with Woodstock’s Summer in the Park, which includes live music starting at noon at the Square. Lara Bell will kick off the afternoon with Mark Hobbs to follow at 1:15 p.m., Guyz with Bad Eyez at 2:30 p.m., Tricia Alexander and Alpha Stewart Jr. at 3:45 p.m. and the Joel Paterson Trio at 5 p.m.
The Summer in the Park festivities on Sunday also include food, kids games, prizes, petting zoo, pony rides, bounce house, balloon creations, bingo, a Theatre 121 children’s show and Woodstock area nonprofit booths.
Leading up to the festival Sunday, there will be a vendor fair, balloon creations and a showing of “The Mitchells vs. The Machines” from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday at the Square and the Aqua Fiesta Party featuring a DJ, bags tournament and beer garden from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Woodstock Water Works, 1313 Kishwaukee Valley Road.
For more information about the concerts, go to offsquaremusic.org/2022/05/sundays-on-the-square-2022. For a full lineup of Summer in the Park activities, go to facebook.com/summerintheparkwoodstockil.
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