Downtown Elgin Top 10 List - July 4, 2008

Downtown Elgin Top 10 List - July 4, 2008

1 - 4th of July Parade
2 - 4th of July Fireworks
3 - "Eroica"
4 - Harvest Market
5 - Elgin Opera
6 - Hemmens Tickets
7 - Library Events
8 - Open Mike Night
9 - Opportunities
10 - Construction
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Elgin Fourth of July Parade

The parade is over but you can read about it, watch a video and see last years photos below.

UPDATE

City of Elgin video

Courier News video

Courier News article

Daily Hearld article

Flickr photos from 2007

2007 vs. 2008 Stats for DNA Website

This is great!!

Just think what the summer months probably had for hits with all of the events going on in Downtown Elgin!

Slow Global Warming Heads to the Market

This coming week Slow Global Warming-Elgin group will be joining the Harvest Market on Thursday, July 3rd, 10am – 2pm, giving away CFL light bulbs from Com Ed and other freebies. This group formed two years ago as a small group of Elginites, which met after seeing Al Gore’s "An Inconvenient Truth". They voiced their concerns about the drastic climate change shifts happening everywhere in the world, including here in the Fox Valley. While the problem seemed overwhelming- they realized that change could be made - one person at a time. That core group has now expanded to over 100 & partnered with the City of Elgin, Elgin Community Network, Gail Borden Library & the Grand Victoria Foundation over the past year on various events. Their motto is THINK GLOBAL - ACT LOCAL. Many helpful tips are found in their "Elgin Greensheet" which has been requested as a model for other communities. Monthly happenings can be viewed on their website at www.slowglobalwarming-elgin.com.

Highlighted Harvest Market Vendor of the Week: Breadsmith
Guy Grenfeld bought Breadsmith in Geneva two years ago. The past owners had already been going to farmer’s markets so Guy kept the tradition going to 6 markets a week. His staff brings muffins, scones, honey white breads, wheat breads, sweet breads, Italian breads, and more to the hungry passer bys and employees of Downtown Elgin. They even do custom breads around the holidays like turkey shaped bread for Thanksgiving and Christmas tree shaped bread around Christmas. They even do custom orders. When asked his favorite kind of bread, Guy answered the Maple Walnut and the English muffins. Guy’s background was a pastry chef, having been trained & receiving his degree at Elgin Community College and before that grew up in Tel Aviv, Israel. When asked if he will open a Breadsmith in Downtown Elgin, Guy just smiled his easy smile and said he “Doesn’t know yet”. So for now take advantage of his local location at the Elgin Harvest Market.

The Downtown Elgin Harvest Market is held every Thursday, now through September 25, featuring everything from fruits, vegetables, bunch flowers, delicious jams, healthy gourmet dog treats, bread, pies, muffins and scones, to free range meats and eggs, cheese, pickles, and olive oil all displayed in an open-air market like venue. Later in the summer be prepared for spices, seafood, Asian produce, more plants and that market favorite Mirai corn! The market is held at the Civic Center parking lot at the corner of E. Highland and Douglas Avenue, near the Post office and City Hall, and is open 10am - 6pm.

The public is invited to enjoy a great season right in the heart of our community. All merchants interested in an application for the 2008 season or to be there on a weekly basis can call the Downtown Neighborhood Association at 847.488.1456, go to www.downtownelgin.org, or stop by the office on the first floor of the Elgin Tower Building, at 2 Douglas Avenue in Downtown Elgin.