5 things to do in McHenry County: PrideFest in Woodstock, yoga and family kayak trips

1. PrideFest in Woodstock kicks off Friday evening with ribbon cutting for a new permanent art installation just off the historic Woodstock Square followed by drag variety shows at 7 and 9 p.m. at Mixin Mingle, 124 Cass St.

The weekend of festivities will culminate with an expanded parade route through the city Sunday, which will step off at 11 a.m. Sunday at the Dean Street Elementary School.

For a full lineup of activities, check out our article about the festival at bit.ly/WoodstockILPride.

2. Paddle seven miles of Nippersink Creek through Glacial Park this Saturday.

The McHenry County Conservation District is offering family kayak trips this Saturday, in solo kayaks for anyone 8 and older and in tandem kayaks for anyone 5 and older. There currently is a waiting list for tandem kayaks.

The trips will start at 9 a.m. at Keystone Landing, 6500 Keystone Road outside Richmond, where the basic paddling techniques, kayak safety and river kayaking will be covered. The trip includes a stop for a picnic, so bring a sack lunch and plenty of water to drink.

No restroom facilities will be available along the creek, and due to social distancing guidelines, the McHenry County Conservation District will not be able to providing a shuttle between the landings. Attendees will need two vehicles or someone to pick them up.

Registration is required for all adults and children and can be completed online at MCCDistrict.org. The deadline to register online is Thursday.

The cost is $15 for McHenry County residents and $20 for non-residents.

3. Looking to start your Saturday morning a little slower? Longtime Sangha member and registered yoga teacher Jayson Warn will lead a gentle yoga session 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. Saturday at the Blue Lotus Buddhist Temple and Meditation Center, 221 Dean St. in Woodstock

The cost is $12 and all levels are welcome. For information, go to to the Northwest Herald’s community calendar at shawlocal.com/northwest-herald/local-events/.

4. On Angels’ Wings Pet Rescue is holding an outdoor bingo fundraiser at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Jaycee Pavilion at Veteran Acres Park, 431 Walkup Road in Crystal Lake.

Packages can be purchased in advance: A basic game package, which includes seven games and nine tries for each game, costs $25. Additional games can also be bought for $5 for two games.

Cash prizes of up to $1000 will be offered, as well a 50/50 raffle, music, and food and drinks to buy. The event is open to those 18 and older.

For information, go to to the Northwest Herald’s community calendar.

5. Cary Cruise Nights continue in downtown Cary this coming Wednesday, and while all cars are always welcome, this Wednesday highlights Pontiacs, Buicks, GTOs and Oldsmobiles.

The events, which are held by the Cary-Grove Area Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the village of Cary, take place 6 to 8:30 p.m every Wednesday, June 2 through Aug. 25, on Main Street in downtown Cary. Aug. 18 and 25 will end early at 8 p.m.

To see the complete summer schedule or for information, go to the Cary-Grove Area Chamber of Commerce’s website at carygrovechamber.com or call its office at 847-639-2800.

Would you like your event featured in this weekly feature? The first step is submitting your events to the Northwest Herald’s community calendar at shawlocal.com/northwest-herald/local-events/ where they are then considered for inclusion in this feature.