Out to Lunch - Villa Verone

Monday, June 30, 12 Noon
Villa Verone, 13 Douglas Avenue

Out to Lunch with an Italian buffet(Caprese and Penne Primavera). The dessert is Lemon Ice and non-alcoholic beverages are included, all for the cost of $8.50, DNA board member Karin Jones is the guest speaker. To RSVP call 847.488.1456 or e-mail jbenson@elginil.org

Fourth of July Parade and Concert

Friday, July 4th at 9 am
Starting at the corner of Douglas and Slade and ending at Douglas and Highland. Click here for a map.

We're celebrating the "Red, White and BLUES" Abraham Lincoln style for this year's 4th of July Parade through Downtown Elgin.

The parade is quickly becoming one of the best in the 'burbs! More than 15,000 spectators come out to see the variety of entertainment and decorated floats and to show their community pride!

The parade will feature our Grand Marshall, Tammy Duckworth, Director of the Illinois Department of Veteran Affairs, plus a special tribute to our veterans, and much more.

Honest Abe's Rockin' Blues Concert
Elgin's July 4th celebration doesn't end when the last float passes the finish line - it's just getting started! Join us for a free, family-friendly Blues concert in the Civic Center Parking Lot featuring The Blooze Brothers, AC Rock and the Midway Ramblers Cajun Band from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Downtown Elgin will be open for business
Plan to get a bite to eat and check out some of our new shops.

Ravenheart Coffee - Try a Boilermaker
176 E. Chicago St.

Elgin Public House - Burgers Mmmm
219 E. Chicago St.

Quizno's Subs - Toasty
59 Douglas Ave.

Villa Verone - That's Italian
13 Douglas Ave.

Al's Cafe & Creamery - Chocolate Malt
43 DuPage Ct.

El Faro - Burrito
9 N. State St.

Camaroncito Loco - Seafood
21 N. State St.

Spanky's Gyros - Cheeseburger Cheeseburger
51 Clock Tower Plaza

Razor's Edge - Social Center
55 Douglas Ave.

Lily Falls Gift Boutique - Perfect Petzzz
10 Douglas Ave.

Use the interactive map to plan your day.

Downtown Elgin Top 10 List - June 27 - July 6, 2008

Downtown Elgin Top 10 List - June 27 - July 6, 2008

1 - Free Ice Cream
2 - Harvest Market
3 - Summer Workshop
4 - Out to Lunch
5 - WANTED: Artists
6 - Opportunities
7 - Yoga Discounts
8 - "Eroica"
9 - 4th of July Events
10 - Construction
Click to view details.

Downtown Elgin Streetscape Phase 2

We are in year two of a six year City of Elgin program to replace the water mains, separate sanitary and storm sewers and install new sidewalks, curbs and street resurfacing throughout downtown Elgin.

Phase 2 consists of the following areas:
Chicago St. from Riverside Drive to Villa St.
Grove from Highland to just south of Chicago St.
Spring St. from Chicago to Highland
and Douglas from Chicago St. to the alley north of Chicago.
Construction will be completed in 7 stages starting June 23rd, each lasting approximately 3 weeks, with final completion scheduled for Thanksgiving of 2008.

Stages
1. South side of Chicago Street - Riverside Drive to S. Grove Ave.; west side of S. Grove around Fountain Square Plaza.
2. East side of S. Grove Avenue (from alleyway); south side of Chicago Street – S. Grove to Spring Street; west side of Spring Street.
3. East side of Spring Street; south side of Chicago Street - Spring Street to Villa Court.
4. North side of Chicago Street – Riverside Drive to north Grove; west side of north Grove Avenue.
5. East side of north Grove Avenue; north side of Chicago – south Grove to Douglas Avenue; west side of Douglas Avenue.
6. East side of Douglas; north side of Chicago – Douglas Avenue to Spring Street; west side of Spring Street.
7. East side of Spring Street; north side of Chicago – Spring Street to Villa Court (Center Street).

This is the result from Phase 1
Please visit downtownelgin.info for project details. Click here to view the blog posts related to the project.

Fox River Festival of Balloons

Here is a video and article from the Courier News.
It was a great evening at Festival Park benefiting the Community Crisis Center. The families and kids enjoyed the train, fountain, fire truck and balloons. I sat back and enjoyed the food, beer, steel drum band, hot air balloons and conversations with friends. We arrived too late to see the bed races and the other entertainment. Article from the Daily Herald.