Highland Around Town - April 26 edition

Noon Friday, April 28, 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. Submissions will be edited and appear in the week before the event date.

Email: lifestyle@bnd.com. Mail to: Highland Around Town, Belleville News-Democrat, P.O. Box 427, Belleville, IL 62222-0427. Questions, call Jennifer Green at 618-239-2643.

Wednesday, April 26

▪ National Alliance on Mental Illness: NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group — 6:30-8 p.m. Online via Zoom. Free peer-to-peer support group for adults with a mental health condition working towards recovery. Every Wednesday. Open the Zoom app and enter 3914844542. For information: kelly.nami.swi@gmail.com or 618-798-9788.

▪ Shoe Collection Drive Fundraiser — Through Saturday, May 6. Bulldog Barber Shop, 1008 Laurel St., Highland. Fundraising for 4 Paws for Ability Autism Assistance Dog for 22-month-old Tucker. How to help: Donate new or gently worn shoes (men’s, women’s, or kids—no cleats, please) at Bulldog Barber Shop. Pick up can be arranged for group donations. The goal is to collect 100 bags of shoes to raise funds to help cover fees for a service dog for Tucker. For more info: facebook.com/4paws4tucker.

Thursday, April 27

▪ National Alliance on Mental Illness: Family Support Group — 7-8:30 p.m. Online via Zoom. The Family Support Meetings are for family members, significant others, and/or friends of persons with a mental health condition. Fourth Thursday of every month. Facilitators: Pat Rudloff and Beverly Churchill. For information: kelly.nami.swi@gmail.com or 618-798-9788.

Friday, April 28

▪ Highland Fish Fry — 4-7 p.m. VFW Post 5694, 1900 VFW Road, Highland. Dine-in and carryout. No call-in orders. facebook.com/vfwpost5694

▪ 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.

Friday, April 28 thru Friday, July 21

▪ ‘The Life & Art of Charles M. Schulz’ — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays through July 21. Field House Museum, 634 S. Broadway, St. Louis. Join Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the Peanuts Gang at the Field House Museum in the traveling exhibit, “Life & Art of Charles M. Schulz.” Explore Schulz’s personal history and his role as the sole inspiration and artistic talent behind Peanuts and its unique cast of characters. Follow Schulz from his Minnesota roots to his life in California and tracks the development of the characters that make up the unique world of Peanuts from comic strips and Schulz quotes to photographs that illuminate the story behind the creation of this most popular and influential cartoon strip. fieldhousemuseum.org

Saturday, April 29

▪ ‘Help On the Move’ Fundraiser — 6-11 p.m. Saturday, April 29. Bluff City Grill, 424 E. Broadway, Alton. The annual fundraiser for Catholic Charities will include a cocktail hour, dinner, music featuring Flip The Frog, a $10,000 raffle, and activities. Dinner tickets are $50 each. Raffle tickets are $25 each or buy 2 and get 1 free. All tickets are available online at cc.dio.org or by calling 618-462-0634.

Saturday, April 29 & Sunday, April 30

▪ St. Louis Symphony Orchestra: ‘The Rite of Spring’ — 8 p.m. Saturday, April 29, and 3 p.m. Sunday, April 30. Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis. Stéphane Denève explores the crossroads of human, spirit and nature. Gabriela Lena Frank’s “Apu” recounts mischievous spirits from Andean Perú and Stravinsky’s primally rhythmic “Rite” ends with a sacrifice. Pianist Piotr Anderszewski, known for adding “infectious, rhythmic vitality to his playing” (The New York Times), returns for Bartók’s Third Piano Concerto. slso.org

Monday, May 1 thru Monday, May 15

▪ Empty the Shelters Adoption Event — May 1-15 at multiple area shelters. BISSELL Pet Foundation is helping homeless pets go from shelter kennels to the couches of loving homes by sponsoring reduced adoption fees of $50 or less during its Spring National “Empty the Shelters” adoption event. From May 1-15, BISSELL Pet Foundation is teaming up with Dogtopia to host our largest “Empty the Shelters” event yet, with more than 350 participating shelters in 45 states, including Partners For Pets in Troy and Metro East Humane Society in Edwardsville. To see the full list of participating locations, visit bissellpetfoundation.org.

Tuesday, May 2

▪ 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

▪ 16th annual QFest St. Louis — May 4-10. Hi-Pointe Theatre, 1005 McCausland Ave., St. Louis. QFest St. Louis uses the art of contemporary gay cinema to spotlight the lives of LGBTQ people and to celebrate queer culture. The event will excite, entertain, and enlighten audiences of all identities. This year marks the 16th anniversary of QFest. The fest, which largely features films that would not otherwise screen in St. Louis, is presented by Cinema St. Louis (CSL), organizers of the St. Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF). This year’s QFest features 26 films from 9 countries (Brazil, Canada, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Morocco, Spain, U.K., and U.S.), including eight narrative features, two documentary features, 15 narrative shorts, and one documentary short. For more info and the full schedule, visit cinemastlouis.org/qfest.

▪ 32nd Women of Distinction Celebration — 6 p.m. Thursday, May 4. Julia’s Banquet Center, 101 Eastgate Plaza, East Alton. Doors open at 5 p.m. The event will feature Rachelle Aud Crowe, US Attorney as the Emcee and Keynote speaker. The 2023 Honorees include Felicia Alexander, Erin Bickle, Lisa Brown, Creola Davis, Christine M. Favilla, Bonnie Hindelang, Dr. Dorothy Mosby, Dr. Ameera Nauman, Stephanie Schrage and Maura Wuellner. Tickets are $65 per person or $520 per table of eight. Reservations can be made online at altonywca.com or by calling 618-465-7774. Reservation deadline is Thursday, April 27. All proceeds from the celebration support YWCA mission related programs including Child Enrichment, Girls Circle, Boys Council, Riverbend Reading Club, Community Tutoring, Racial/Social Justice, and women’s economic advancement and empowerment.

▪ Party on the Patio —6-9 p.m. Saturday, June 3. Schlafly Highland Square, 907 Main St., Highland. This event raises funds to support health care initiatives at St. Joseph’s Hospital Highland. The casual garden party style event will feature a full menu of appetizers, drinks and live music by the band, Phoenix. Tickets are $150 for attendees and are available now at stjosephshighland.org/foundation.