Highland Around Town — Aug. 31 edition
Noon Friday, Sept. 2, is the deadline to appear in next week’s “Around Town” listing. We must receive your event in writing with a contact phone number for questions. Due to the number of submissions, events may run only one time in print, will be edited and appear in the week before the event date.
Email: lifestyle@bnd.com. Mail to: Highland News Leader Around Town, Belleville News-Democrat, P.O. Box 427, Belleville, IL 62222-0427. Questions, call Jennifer Green at 618-239-2643.
Thursday, Sept. 1
▪ Diabetes Support Group — 4 p.m. Frisse Conference Room, HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital Highland, 12866 Troxler Ave., Highland. Open to those with diabetes and their family members and/or caregivers. The group meets on the first Thursday of each month. Participants will be required to wear non-cloth, medical-grade masks, as masks are still required in health care facilities per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. Registration is required. 618-526-5743 or lisa.ketchem@hshs.org to register or for more information.
▪ Highland Thursday Night Live Concert Series: Rachel Deschaine — 7 p.m. Downtown Square, Highland. Enjoy live entertainment on Thursday evenings. Feel free to bring your own lawn chair(s), blanket, cooler, etc., and enjoy the show. The Lions Club will be selling brats, pork burgers and chicken sandwiches. highlandil.gov
Friday, Sept. 2
▪ Book Sale — 9 a.m. to noon. Tri Township Library, 209 S. Main St., Troy. Book donations accepted during the book sale and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays. Masks required at the book sale. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library. 618-667-2133.
▪ Aviston Legion Fish Fry — 4:30-7 p.m. American Legion Post 1239, 601 S. Clinton, Aviston. Cod (baked or fried), catfish, shrimp, chicken strips, fries, baked potato, slaw, applesauce. Dine-in and carryout. 618-228-7311 or avistonlegion.com.
Saturday, Sept. 3, through Monday, Sept. 5
▪ Japanese Festival — 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3; and Sunday, Sept. 4; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 5. Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis. Celebrating the history, culture, and people of Japan, the Japanese Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden is one of the largest and oldest festivals of its kind in the United States. Since 1977 the Garden has proudly hosted this unique event at one of the largest Japanese gardens in North America. A fruitful collaboration with several local Japanese-American organizations provides authentic Japanese music, art, dance, food, and entertainment for thousands of visitors each year. For tickets and info: mobot.org.
Tuesday, Sept. 6
▪ Parents of Addicted Loved Ones — 7-8:30 p.m. Online via Zoom. The PAL group provides education, support and hope to family members and loved ones of someone who has an addiction of substance use disorder. Free and open to all. For info or to join the Zoom meeting, contact Craig at 618-567-6095. palgroup.org
Other area happenings
▪ Brave Like Ben Fundraiser — 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8. Bennie’s Pizza Pub, 113 E. Main St., Belleville. Ten percent of all dine-in and carryout sales will go to the Hay family as their infant son, Ben, waits for a heart transplant. T-shirts will be available for purchase. Follow Ben’s story at facebook.com/BraveLikeBen.
▪ Fourth annual Gateway Paralyzed Veterans of America 5K/1 Mile Run - Walk - Roll — 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 10. Tower Grove Park, Sons of Rest Shelter, St. Louis. Check in at 7:30 a.m. This event is a fun way to help provide support for paralyzed veterans in the Gateway area. Register online at: runsignup.com/Race/Events/MO/StLouis/GatewayPVA5k1mileRunWalkandRoll
▪ Dr. Sandra Magnus Day — 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10. Belleville. Join Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois for a presentation from Dr. Sandra Magnus, Girl Scout alum and recent United States Astronaut Hall of Fame inductee, and other activities. For more info or to register, gsofsi.org.
▪ Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois United We Lead Gala — 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10. The Regency Conference Center, 400 Regency Park, O’Fallon. Doors open at 4:45 p.m. A fun night full of food, drink, silent and live auctions, girl testimonials, a special keynote speaker, live entertainment, and much more. Keynote Speaker: Dr. Sandra Magnus, former NASA astronaut and Girl Scout alum. Entertainment features Erin Bode. For tickets and information: gsofsi.org.
▪ HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital Highland Auxiliary Book Donation Drive — Used book donations are currently being accepted. Donations can be delivered to St. Joseph’s Hospital Gift Shop 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday-Friday. Accepting nice, clean books of fiction, nonfiction, children’s and cookbooks, hardbacks and paperbacks, puzzles, CDs, DVDs. The Auxiliary requests no self-care, religious or DIY books, encyclopedias, dictionaries, etc. Masks (non-cloth) must be worn in the hospital at all times.