Today is International Children’s Book Day!  Children’s literature is a vital part of a child’s well-rounded development.  It provides a young child with an opportunity to engage with written word and artistic illustrations, builds empathy and emotional intelligence, expands their horizons for multicultural and multiethnic experiences, and helps foster creativity and imagination!  Picture books help increase reading comprehension, improve language and communication skills, and engage with life lessons in an accessible way.

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April is National Poetry Month, so we thought we would start off by highlighting some wonderful poetry collections you can pack for your next vacation for some creative reading!  We’ve also rounded up our picks for some of the fantastic local events in the area for Poetry Readings and Open Mic Nights to keep you inspired.

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Today is National Crayon Day, so why not check out these colourful facts about one of the world’s greatest and most accessible art supplies, plus today is also the birthday of the Crayola brand!

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National Take a Walk in the Park day comes around every year on March 30th!  Celebrated a week after the Spring Equinox, it’s a great opportunity to explore local parks and trails and experience the great outdoors.  After spending a few months indoors hiding from the snow, sleet, and ice, this is the perfect time to reconnect with nature!  Did you know that there are dozens of parks, trails, and preserves right in your own neighbourhood?  We’ve got a great list of suggested destinations to explore with your friends and family, and many of them are even pet friendly!  So grab your hiking boots, your water bottles, and your cameras and let’s enjoy a walk in the park together.

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Since March is Women’s History Month, we thought it would be fun to share our choices for awesome women in the automotive industry on YouTube!  These leading ladies are winning on and off the road thanks to their love of all things cars, expert racing skills, and genuine gearhead chops.

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“All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts […]”
William Shakespeare’s As You Like It

Today is World Theatre Day!  Today we’re highlighting our picks for best places you can visit to support the arts, catch some local theatre, take a class to boost your confidence, or become a patron of the arts with a donation.

Supporting the arts by way of membership or volunteering at your local theatre or performing arts venue is a great way to give back to the area, support youth education, improve the local economy, and create a vibrant arts community.  Check out our suggestions and feel free to let us know your personal faves in a comment on our social media!  We’d love to hear from you and include your suggestions in a future post.

Local Theatre Arts Classes and Workshops

The Jack Benny Center is right here in Waukegan and has lots of creative ways for you to express yourself and enjoy the dramatic arts.  They function as a social hub for social gatherings, private parties, and meetings, as well as offering a host of creative lessons in music, art, dance, drama, crafting and so much more.  Hone your acting chops with one of their workshops, or stop by a local art show and get to know local creatives.  The possibilities are endless!

Improv Playhouse Theater in Libertyville has excellent classes for all ages, but they especially shine with their youth workshops.  It’s great for individual classes or even camp sessions for kids during spring and summer break!

Standing Ovation Theatre Academy is a nonprofit venue in Gurnee specializing in musical theatre, vocal techniques, and performance arts.  It’s the perfect place for children and teens looking for their moment in the spotlight!

Rootz Dance and Theatre School in Northbrook offers a wide variety of creative programming including Yoga, Dance, Theatre, Music, Art and so much more.  If your child is interested in pursuing a creative pastime, this is the place for it!  They’ll have plenty of fun activities to choose from, and can even dabble in fitness classes and the sciences.  When coupled with art and music, children’s knowledge of math and science is said to improve immensely!

Local Performing Arts Venues

If you’re looking to support local community theatre and professionally organized plays, musicals, foreign and independent cinema, and stand up comedy then you can book a ticket or two, or even a group visit, to one of these wonderful venues:

• Genesee Theatre in Waukegan
• The Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire
• Catlow Arts Center in Barrington
• James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts in Grayslake
• Groton Communtiy Center in Lake Forest
• CenterStage in Lake Forest in Gorton Community Center
• Raue Center for the Arts in Crystal Lake
• Adler Arts Center in Libertyville
• Lake County Symphony Orchestra in Zion
• The Lake County Folk Club in Grayslake
• Three Brothers Theatre in Waukegan
• North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie

Did you know that our great state of Illinoois was and still is home to many great Playwrights in America?  With your support of the local performing arts centers, patronage at dramatic arts and music classes, and The Arts in our local schools, you may even be fostering the creative minds of our future who one day may top this list!  Check out some of these notable names of local arts fame:

• Sam Shepard was from Fort Sheridan
• Lorraine Hansberry is from Chicago
• David Alan Mamet is from Chicago
• Adam Rapp is from Chicago

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All of the lovely sunshine and incoming warmer weather are sure to put a little spring in your step!  So why not harness that energy and head out on an adventure with a unique spin on walking tours and sightseeing.  Today we’re highlighting great year-round ghost tours you can enjoy in the great state of Illinois!

These tours include a little bit of local lore and legend, a crash course in regional history, plenty of fun walking to get you moving and exercising in a fun way, and they’ll even keep your mind busy as you unravel the mystery and myths of each location.  If you’ve got a spooky tour experience of your own, feel free to leave it in the comments on our social media. We may just feature it in a future update!

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Road Trip season is upon us and we’re ready for long days on the open road and long nights by the open fire kicking back and relaxing with friends.  Grab your best buddies and let’s hit the trails for some daytime hiking and bonfire socials over a fire grilled dinner, and wake up refreshed and rejuvenated with campfire brunch!

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Later this year, Toyota Motor North America is launching its all-new 2023 bZ4X Battery Electric SUV! If that wasn’t exciting enough, the ChargePoint, Inc company, a leading EV charging network in the US, is partnering with Toyota to create a network of public and home use charging options for vehicle owners.  Check out our post to learn more about it!

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We’ve recommended lists of books for women about the automotive industry.  We’ve recommended books by women to listen to on your next car trip via audiobook.  We’ve shared our picks for top tier reads by women in all sorts of genres that you can download to your e-readers.  And now we’re sharing books right from the source written by incredible women who have pioneered automotive history.  That’s right, these are the leading ladies with race track legacies from around the globe, and you can read all about their personal experiences on and off the track.

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