Highland Around Town — Jan. 11 edition
Noon Friday, Jan. 13, 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.
Wednesday, Jan. 11
▪ Christmas Tree Recycling — Through Sunday, Jan. 29. Plant Land, Old Route 50, east of Breese; Allen Branch Boat Ramp, Carlyle; Little Prairie Nature Trail parking lot in the West Spillway at Carlyle Lake. All decorations, including garland and tinsel, must be removed. No artificial trees or wreaths. The trees are used to provide effective and economical fish habitat at Carlyle Lake. 618-594-2484 or carlylelake@usace.army.mil.
▪ National Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) Alvin G. Bohley Chapter 1019 — 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Eckert’s Belleville, 951 S. Green Mount Road, Belleville. Speaker (TBD) at noon followed by meeting. All active and retired federal employees are welcome. Speakers/meetings held the second Wednesday of each month except for May and December socials. NARFE remains the go-to resource for the federal community. For information, contact James at jbflat2021@gmail.com or call 618-795-5174.
Friday, Jan. 13
▪ Aviston Legion Fish Fry — 4:30-7 p.m. American Legion Post 1239, 601 S. Clinton, Aviston. Cod (baked or fried), catfish, shrimp, hush puppies, chicken strips, fries, baked potato, slaw, applesauce. Dine-in and carryout. 618-228-7311 or avistonlegion.com.
Saturday, Jan. 14
▪ St. Louis Symphony Orchestra: Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G — 10:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis. Guest conductor Cristian Măcelaru returns to Powell Hall to lead the SLSO in a lighthearted and dreamy program. The concerts open with the SLSO’s first performance of music from Camille Saint-Saëns’ La foi, a five-act drama set in Egypt during the Middle Kingdom. Then, multi-prize-winning pianist Alice Sara Ott makes her SLSO debut with the performance of Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G. The concert concludes with Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 1, written when the skilled composer and pianist was only 18 years old. Shostakovich’s schoolboy sense of humor and intense expression caused the composition to become widely known and performed. slso.org
Sunday, Jan. 15
▪ Germantown Fire Department Annual Breakfast — 8-11 a.m. Germantown American Legion, 1105 Sycamore St., Germantown. Serving pancakes, eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, cornbread, potatoes, juice, milk and coffee. Dine in, drive-thru and carryout available. Proceeds to benefit Germantown Fire Department Cadets and The Backstoppers.
▪ Dance, feat. The Waterloo German Band — 2-5 p.m. Highland Knights of Columbus, 12454 State Route 143, Highland. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. Admission: $10 per person. Cash bar. Kitchen open. Sponsored by the Highland Knights of Columbus.
Monday, Jan. 16
▪ The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra: Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — 7:30 p.m. Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis. The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Music Director Stéphane Denève, and St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON Chorus Director Kevin McBeth invite the St. Louis community to join the SLSO for a concert honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., on the federal holiday this month. This one-hour concert is free. Ticket reservations are required. The concert will be broadcast live on KWMU 90.7 St. Louis Public Radio. 314-534-1700 or slso.org.
Tuesday, Jan. 17
▪ MLK Bookend Event: Jessica Nordell, ‘The End of Bias: A Beginning: The Science and Practice of Overcoming Unconscious Bias’ — 7 p.m. SFC Performing Arts Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis. The End of Bias is a transformative, groundbreaking exploration into how we can eradicate unintentional bias and discrimination, the great challenge of our age. Jessica Nordell digs deep into the cognitive science, social psychology, and developmental research that underpin current efforts to eradicate unintentional bias and discrimination. Admission is free, but a ticket is required. facebook.com/events/823984012012569
▪ 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
Wednesday, Jan. 18
▪ The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra: Pulitzer Concert — 7:30 p.m. Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis. See into the future as four of America’s most talented young composers open our ears to a joyful array of sounds. Christian Quiñones digs into a bag of influences: Puerto Rican children’s games, body percussion, surrealism and reggaetón. Nicky Sohn explores the varied meanings “burning,” from the temporary sizzle of hot sauce to the searing sensation of heartache. Aiyana Braun pushes a solo violin to its virtuoso limit, finding drama and song along the way. Craziest of all, Peter Shin messes with the joyful, campy sounds of K-Pop vocals, then challenges SLSO percussionists to mimic and extend them. 314-534-1700 or slso.org.
Other area happenings
▪ 2023 Gateway Green Conference — 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 8. Gateway Convention Center, 1 Gateway Drive, Collinsville. The educational program will feature three tracks: building sustainable landscapes, conservation stewardship, and tree care. Join us for new ideas and research-based information. Registration is now open and costs $80 per person. There is a discounted rate for active Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists. To register or for more info: https://bit.ly/3YRkD4h.