Highland Around Town — Feb. 15 edition
Noon Friday, Feb. 17, 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, Feb. 15
▪ McKendree University annual Career Fair — 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Hettenhausen Center for the Arts, 400 N. Alton St., Lebanon. Students, alumni and job seekers alike are welcome to attend this free event. Registration is not required but is encouraged and can be done through Handshake. Attendees may also get their photo taken for free if they wish to update their LinkedIn profile with a professional photo. Photos are taken by the University and will be provided to attendees. Job seekers should also dress professionally and bring plenty of résumés on the day of the Career Fair. For more information, please email McKendree’s Career Services at careerservices@mckendree.edu.
▪ Butterfly House’s Morpho Mardi Gras — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays through Feb. 21. The Butterfly House, 15050 Faust Park, Chesterfield, Missouri. Escape the cold by visiting Morpho Mardi Gras: Bugs, Butterflies and Beads! Bring your Krewe to the carnival during the month of February. Join the party at our Bugs on Parade, make a masquerade mask, and immerse yourself in a sea of blue as the Butterfly House floods the tropical conservatory with thousands of Blue Morpho butterflies. With the sounds of jazz in the air, inaugurate the season with these and other majestic creatures. Included with admission. For additional information about or purchase tickets, visit butterflyhouse.org.
▪ Black History Month Celebration — Through February. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, 212 N. Sixth St., Springfield. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum will celebrate Lincoln’s birthday and Black History Month with activities that include a read-a-thon, two days of free admission and a play about a daring escape from slavery. For more information, visit presidentlincoln.illinois.gov.
Thursday, Feb. 16
▪ Botanical Resonance Virtual Talk Series: Annika Kapper, ‘Liquid Landscapes’ — 12:30-1 p.m. Online via Zoom. Join the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Stephen and Peter Sachs Museum to learn more from artists who created artworks for the “Botanical Resonance” exhibition in a special virtual speaker series. The exhibition showcases different plants used to create musical instruments in cultures around the world, as well as some plants make unique sounds throughout their life cycles in nature and in the Garden. For the species used to make instruments, many are threatened in their native environments due to the increasing production and demand for the desirable plant material. Register: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WeWbmwO1RzqYBF6HWYT6vA
Friday, Feb. 17
▪ 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.
▪ St. Louis Symphony Orchestra presents Crafted: Debussy and Ravel — 6:30 p.m. Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. In this happy hour concert, Stéphane Denève invites us to travel with him through music. Debussy’s “Ibéria” transports us to coastal Spain and Ravel transforms a Viennese waltz into a spinning top. Enjoy drink samples and complimentary snacks from local vendors including Doggie Mac’s, New York Tom’s, Perennial Artisan Ales and more for only $30. Mingle with SLSO musicians after the concert. slso.org
Friday, Feb. 17 through Sunday, Feb. 19
▪ St. Louis Working Women’s Show — 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 19. St. Charles Convention Center, 1 Convention Center Plaza, St. Charles, Missouri. The show returns for its 36th year with a focus on food, fashion, fitness and fun. Fun and informative presentations take place all weekend on the Main Stage, the Inspired Cooking Stage and the Fitness Stage. For tickets and info: wwssonline.com
Saturday, Feb. 18
▪ Tri Township Library Book Sale — 9 a.m. to noon. Tri Township Library, 209 S. Main St., Troy. Book donations accepted during the sale and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library. 618-667-2133.
▪ Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents ‘Songs We Love’ — 8 p.m. The Sheldon, 3648 Washington Blvd., St. Louis. “Songs We Love” takes the listener on a journey through the first 50 years of jazz! Under the musical direction of Riley Mulherkar, three guest vocalists join an all-star band made up of New York’s rising stars to sing their way through four decades of music, beginning with the early blues and jazz of the 1920s and ending in the early 1950s. Part of The Sheldon’s Rhythm & Jazz series. thesheldon.org
Saturday, Feb. 18 & Sunday, Feb. 19
▪ St. Louis Symphony Orchestra: Debussy and Ravel — 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 19. Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis. Grab your passport for a program with Stéphane Denève that crosses borders and travels to new places, thanks to a trio of French composers. Debussy looks to coastal Scotland and Spain, while Ravel transforms a Viennese waltz into a spinning top. Grammy Award-nominated violinist Tessa Lark makes her SLSO debut on works by Chausson and Ravel. slso.org
Sunday, Feb. 19
▪ Saint Louis Chamber Chorus: ‘Depth to Height’ — 3 p.m. Third Baptist Church, 620 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis. A new song cycle from Kerensa Briggs introduces a program of extremes, from the depth of despondency evoked by Carl Rütti to the highest praise aroused by Magnus Williamson. Much of this music is dedicated to the late Sarah Bryan Miller, music critic and friend. chamberchorus.org
Monday, Feb. 20
▪ Chamber Music Society of St. Louis: ‘Guess Who? The Return’ — 7:30 p.m. 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity Ave., University City, St. Louis. Bringing back our musical game show “Guess Who - The Return” where the audience vies for prizes by guessing the composers. chambermusicstl.org
Tuesday, Feb. 21
▪ Marine Unit of Home and Community Education — 7 p.m. Marine Activity Center, 101 W. Silver St., Marine. The Lesson for Living entitled “Lesson from Cereal Boxes” will be given by Maxine Hurst and Shirley Dietz. Visitors are welcome.
▪ 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
▪ St. Louis Speakers Series: Scott Kelly — 8 p.m. Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis. Kelly made history as the first American astronaut to complete a record-breaking year-long mission aboard the International Space Station. slso.org
Wednesday, Feb. 22
▪ ImpactLife Blood Drive — 1-5 p.m. Deien Chevrolet, 555 N. Madison St., Trenton. ImpactLife is calling on blood donors to step forward in support of the local blood supply. The winter weather has caused the cancellation of some blood drives in the service area, and several blood types are now critically low. There are also appointments open for double red donations. All donors are required to schedule an appointment for donations; face masks are optional. All presenting donors will receive an electronic gift card or T-shirt. To schedule an appointment, call ImpactLife at 800-747-5401 or visit BloodCenter.org and use sponsor code 10856.
Other area happenings
▪ Aviston American Legion Rummage Sale — 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, and Friday, Feb. 24; and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 25. Aviston American Legion, 601 S. Clinton St., Aviston. Includes bake sales on Thursday and Friday. Brown bag sale Saturday. Quilt raffle, attendance prizes. Dates to bring donations: 4-7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17; 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 18; noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 19; and noon to 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 20. Please no mattresses or televisions. 618-228-7311.
▪ Nine-Pin No Tap Bowling Tournament — 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25. Hi-Top Bowl, 212 Walnut St., Highland. Adults invited to participate in this bowling fundraiser. Event includes silent auction, 50/50 drawing, strike pot, door prizes, a raffle drawing for a cooler of adult beverages and a full cash bar. Tickets are $30 and include three games, shoes, all-you-can-eat food. Sixteen lanes with five bowlers per lane. Teams of five recommended, singles welcome. Proceeds will be split between the local 9U Illinois Gators and the 12U Mallards baseball teams for their upcoming seasons. To register or for more info, call Alicia 618-792-0004.
▪ 7th annual Prairie State of the Heart: Care Across the Heartland — 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, 212 N. Sixth St., Springfield. This evening will celebrate innovation and advancement at Prairie, as well as honor the 2022 Prairie Heart of the Community Award and Prairie Heart of Innovation Award recipients. The keynote speaker will be “The Healthy Humorist” Dr. Brad Nieder. Hors d’oeuvres and cocktails will be provided by Cured Catering. Music will be provided by Square of the Roots, the father and son duo, Mike (The Rev.) and Brian Steinhauer. Tickets are $150 each and can be purchased online at prairieheart.org/events.
▪ Damiansville PTO Trivia Night — 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25. Damiansville Elementary School, 101 E. Main St., Damiansville. Doors open at 6 p.m. Grab some friends and get ready for this holiday-themed event. The best decorated table will have a chance to win a cash prize. BYO snacks and drinks. Silent auction and 50/50 drawing. Cost: $100 per table, 8-10 players. To reserve a table: pto@dville62.com or text 618-314-3352.
▪ Heartland Community Chorus St. Paddy Party Fundraiser — 5:30 p.m. Saturday, March 4. Highland Knights of Columbus, 12454 US-143, Highland. This year’s theme is “Kissin’ the Blarney Stone,” and there will be plenty of blarney to go around! Featuring the Irish Aires and the Chorus and dancers from the O’Faolain Academy of Irish Dance. Reservations: $35 per person, includes appetizer buffet, entertainment. Reservations can be made online at heartlandcommunitychorus.org or with a chorus member and must be made no later than Feb. 28. Tickets not sold at the door. 618-409-0374.
