Topping the holiday list for many parents of school-aged children is finding the perfect gift for their child’s teacher. The idea behind this generous gesture is to express appreciation for a job well done. A carefully selected gift that is meaningful, practical and heartfelt will send the m…
Blessings in a Backpack is a non-profit organization that brings communities, individuals and resources together to provide food for school aged children who might otherwise go hungry on weekends.
Children can be taught to appreciate life’s little things
Pre or post game, tailgating is a great way to show off your team spirit by packing the parking lot with fellow sports fans in the shadow of the stadium. Just like on the field, tailgating requires plenty of planning and strategy, from gathering game day essentials to setting up your spread …
Ask a second-grader to tell you their favorite things about school and chances are they’ll say their friends, of course. When students go back to school this fall, they’ll crave a classroom reminiscent of pre-pandemic times. Most of all, they will want to see friends, sit next to friends and…
Lollapalooza, the Windy City's popular four-day musical festival, kicked off Thursday in downtown Chicago. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to pass through Grant Park over the next few days to get their fill of music, food, fun and entertainment.
Spring has sprung and with it comes bunny photos, big family brunches and colorful, entertaining egg hunts.
Chicago’s sacred holiday is set to make its triumphant return to the city this month.
Few Chicagoans claim February as their favorite month, yet, these four weeks can be filled with fun for the whole family if you just know where to look.
The Ryerson family of Chicago had their four young children enrolled in Chicago Public Schools when the pandemic hit nearly two years ago. They had to abruptly adapt to remote learning while parents Mark and Rebecca tried to keep up with their full-time work schedules.
’Tis the season to volunteer. Giving back spreads goodwill and cheer and can be a fun and meaningful way to spend your time this holiday season. In Chicago, there is no shortage of opportunities to lend a helping hand.
Once a teacher, always a teacher. Years ago, I landed my dream job in education, where I enjoyed a solid decade as an elementary school teacher before leaving the workforce to raise a family. During that time out of the classroom, I joined Chicago Star, back when it was a small, local public…
Several days before she was set to board a plane for the U.K. to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime study abroad opportunity through Oxbridge Academic Programs, Alessandra Zurini learned her program had been cancelled. Pandemic travel restrictions were to blame for the sudden cancellation at the…
Nightclubs have long provided a place for people to come together and celebrate music, dance, fashion, art and culture. Following the long dry spell of nightclub closures, identical twins Jonathan and Andrew Landan, regulars on the party scene, have kept a close eye on Chicago’s big reopenin…
Thousands of giddy festival goers flocked to Grant Park Thursday for Lollapalooza’s opening day. The four-day long music festival, now in its 30th year, is back at full capacity after its cancellation last year.
Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) has provided high quality service dogs to children and veterans with disabilities free of charge since 1975, thanks to generous donors.
Chicago runners are eager to toe the starting line and douse the competition after a year of solo running and virtual racing.
After a dark year void of celebration, things look a bit brighter.
The social media influencers of Chicago are complex and perpetually evolving. Their desire to connect, inspire and engage with others is a common thread—especially when making waves in the local food scene, fashion or hot hangouts in the city.
Chicago’s popular Restaurant Week will run March 19 to April 4, offering diners a chance to sample prix fixe tasting menus showcasing the highlights of hundreds of area restaurants.
Ask any Chicagoan if spring in Chicago actually exists, and you’ll get a range of responses.
Eleni and Ava Tsatsos started gymnastics in their preschool years.
As Chicago slides into the winter months, the cold, gray weather and the ongoing pandemic can make for a particularly hazardous duo. It’s more important than ever to prioritize health and wellness.
Darida Fine Art Gallery, on the promenade along the Ogden Slip at 465 N. McClurg Court, showcases the work of Alexandru Darida, an award-winning artist who can often be found in his studio painting, creating and absorbing life around him.
“We have so many needs right now,” said Jacqueline Hayes, founder and president of The Chicago Help Initiative (CHI), a local organization whose mission it is to provide food and social services to homeless and underprivileged Chicagoans. “Many are suffering every which way right now. Some m…
