Naperville Art League annual ‘Gallery of Gifts’ on exhibit & for sale

Now thru Dec. 11 / Write a wish list to Santa. place it in an envelop with name and return address, then drop in the Mail Box along Main Street, just north of Jefferson Ave., so it can be sent express mail to the North Pole. Then experience the heart of the central business district featuring 150-plus shops, 50-plus eateries and plenty of places for seasonal treats amid the recently completed new streetscape that provides easier accessibility along the sidewalks. All the downtown Naperville merchants welcome shoppers and diners every day, and especially during the ho-ho-holiday season.

And if you’re in a toy store or toy department, consider purchasing a brand new unwrapped toy for a youngster to receive, thanks to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves. Toys are just what Toys for Tots is collecting before Dec. 10. Look for the Toys for Tots logo on collection boxes at Naperville Park District facilities, Beidelman Kunsch Funeral Homes and Rosie’s Home Cookin’, to name a few of many locations around town.

Dec. 5 / Naperville Community Unit School District 203 will hold a meeting beginning at 7PM Mon., Dec. 5, 2022, in the District Administration Building, 203 W. Hillside. (Closed session at 6:30PM) For the agenda, visit go.boarddocs.com/il/naperville203/Board.nsf/vpublic?open.

Update! Dec. 6 / Lottery for Ballot Order begins at noon Tues., Dec. 6, for the nonpartisan Naperville City Council Election on April 4, 2023. Drawing will take place in Council Chambers at the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle Street. Note: The public is welcome. Candidates are not required to attend. Posted 12:30PM, Dec. 6 / Approximately 30 individuals were in attendance to observe the lottery for ballot order organized by Naperville City Manager Doug Krieger with assistance by City Service Director Pam Gallahue. First listed in alphabetical order (see screen image above) and included in the hopper with a corresponding numbered ball, the 11 candidates eligible for the lottery were either first to submit petition packets at 8AM Nov. 21 or last to submit between 4 and 5PM Nov. 28. Krieger drew the numbers one by one. Thanks for taking an interest in the nonpartisan Consolidated Election and getting to know all candidates during upcoming meet & greet events.

Dec. 6 / City Council meeting begins at 7PM. Recommended at $603,462,981, the FY2023 Budget is expected to be approved during the meeting. (Note the proposed budget reflects an increase of 11.6% from the FY2022 Budget.) Find the council agenda and other posted meetings and workshops at naperville.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2.

Dec. 6 / West Suburban Irish Quiz Night is set for 7PM Tues., Dec. 6., at Quigley’s Irish Pub. Trivia game play begins for teams of eight or less at 7PM. For more information about all programs and events hosted by the West Suburban Irish, visit www.wsirish.org.

Click here to PN’s Community Events Calendar / Submit events here.

Dec. 7 / National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day / In peaceful observance, pause and reflect on Wed., Dec. 7, 2022, at one of Naperville’s many Veterans Memorials such as Veterans Valor to remember the 81st anniversary of the surprise strike on Pearl Harbor by the Imperial Japanese Navy, a time when President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Dec. 7, 1941, to be a “date which will live in infamy.” Veterans Valor honors five WWII Veterans from Naperville— Army 1st Lt. Al Rubin, Platoon Commander; Army Staff Sgt. Leo Kuefler, Tank Commander; Army Air Corps Cpt. Vinnie Mazza, B-24 Pilot; Navy Lt. Bob Wehrli, Pt. Boat Commander; and Marine Corps 1st Lt. Don Darfler, Fighter Pilot—all of whom returned home to represent patriotism and sacrifices of individuals who have served and fought for freedom around the globe. 

Dec. 8 / Friends of Scott Wehrli for Naperville Mayor will host a meet and greet event beginning at 6PM Thurs., Dec. 8. The evening is planned with an opportunity to meet the mayoral candidate running in the nonpartisan Consolidated Election on April 4, 2023. The meet & greet will be held at South Naperville Aurelio’s, located at 1975 Springbrook Square. Appetizers will be served. Cash bar will be available. Kindly RSVP at scott@scottwehrli.com. 

(Please note Candidate Meet & Greet Opportunities Welcome: PN has a long tradition of featuring “meet & greet” events for candidates in the City’s nonpartisan elections. Candidates with websites are welcome to simply send who, what, when, where and cost, and the event will be included in a calendar of free-to-attend candidate events coming soon to this website. Thank you.) 

Dec. 9 / Mayor’s Interfaith Community Breakfast hosted by Fry Family YMCA begins at 7:30AM Fri., Dec. 9. An inspirational morning will celebrate the promise of hope, featuring keynote speaker Tom Beerntsen, former CEO of the Heritage YMCA and beloved member of the Naperville community.  All proceeds from the event provide financial assistance to children, adults, and families to enjoy the many benefits of YMCA membership regardless of their ability to pay. Program begins at 8AM at Fry Family YMCA, 2120 95th St. TKTs are $30 each. For info, click here.

Dec. 9 / WVHS Planetarium Holiday Family Night runs 5-7PM Fri., Dec. 9. Join the WVHS Planetarium and the WVHS Early Childhood Learning Lab for a night of holiday fun! Santa is lost and forgot his star map at home. A snowman named Oatmeal and a planetarium wizard named George travel around the world looking for Santa. Along the way, they learn about cultural constellations and celestial navigation. This cute planetarium program called ‘George & Oatmeal Save Santa’ will be showing at 5:30, 6, 6:30, or 7PM. In addition to the planetarium show, make ornaments and holiday crafts in the preschool classroom (located next to the planetarium). Tickets are $4 per person and include crafts with one planetarium show (*select time when purchasing). Purchase online at planetarium.ipsd.org. Enter the event at building door #11. WVHS is located at 2590 Ogden Avenue in Aurora.

Tuba Christmas returns with comfort & joy for the holidays

Dec. 10 / TubaChristmas returns to the front yard of US Bank, Jefferson at Washington streets, beginning at 11AM Sat., Dec. 10. Bundle up to enjoy the sounds of tubas and euphoniums performing traditional holiday music and Christmas carols during the one-hour outdoor concert. FREE.

Dec. 10 / North Central College will make history on Dec. 10. For the first time ever the Cardinals will welcome spectators when they host the national semifinals for the NCAA Division III at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium. That playoff game will be broadcast at 2:30PM CST on ESPN-Plus. The national semifinals will match the undefeated North Central College Cardinals (13-0) against the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders (12-1). Other final details of the semifinal playoffs TBA soon.

Pictures with Santa & the Leprechaun at Quigley’s on Dec. 11

Now / Every Day at Quigley’s… Last month marked 24 years for Quigley’s Irish Pub, 43 E. Jefferson Avenue. This month find what all the regulars call “EDAQ” camaraderie with classic Irish fare, bar bites, cold beverages, World Cup Soccer play on TV and a visit from that Jolly Old Elf in the red suit. Enjoy live music every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. And if you wish to check availability to book a holiday party, special event, fundraiser or meeting at Quigley’s, just call General Manager Andy Nosek at (630) 428-4774. Andy!

NMB Holiday Concert is set for 3PM Sun., Dec. 11

Dec. 11 / The Naperville Municipal Band will host its annual Holiday Concert featuring traditional songs of the season and Christmas carols at 3PM Sun., Dec. 11. The song fest will appear on stage at Wentz Concert Hall in the North Central College Fine Arts Center. The concert is free of admission charge with open seating. For more information about the Naperville Municipal Band, visit www.napervilleband.org. FREE.

Dec. 12-19 / Petition packets must be filed for candidates running to serve on the Naperville Park District Board of Commissioners as well as boards of education for School District 203 and School District 204. Candidates for both boards of education file via DuPage County, the location of their administration buildings.

Dec.  12, 13, 14 / In the event of petition challenges for candidates running to serve City Council in the 2023 Consolidated Election, hearings must be conducted by 5PM on Wed., Dec. 14, 2022. Update! During the ballot placement proceedings, City Manager Doug Krieger noted objections had been filed by three Naperville residents regarding City Council nomination petitions of Nag Jaiswal and Derek McDaniel and the Mayoral nomination petition of Tiffany Stephens. The three-member electoral board of Mayor Steve Chirico, Councilman Paul Hinterlong and Community Service Director Pam Gallahue will evaluate the objections to determine their merits. The hearings are slated to begin at 9AM Mon., Dec. 12, in Council Chambers. The public is welcome to attend. 

Dec. 16 / North Central College football Cardinals head to 2023 NCAA Division III Finals, aka “Stagg Bowl,” in Annapolis, Maryland. North Central College topped defending National Champion Mary Hardin-Baylor by a 49-14 score during the semi-finals at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium on Dec. 3. Departing on Dec. 15, North Central football heads to face Mount Union Raiders from Alliance, Ohio, in the Stagg Bowl which will be played at 6PM Fri., Dec. 16, in Annapolis, Maryland. 

Dec. 17 / Claus for a cause! From noon to 3PM Sat., Dec. 17, capture the magic at a “Picture with Santa” event for Naperville Tornado Relief at BaseCamp Pub located at 5750 Lakeside Drive in Lisle. Kids can color, and will leave with a candy cane and holiday pencil. The event is free, but donations will be accepted. Naperville Tornado Relief partnered with the nonprofit M.P. Foundation on a one-year initiative to clean up glass and debris still embedded in yards following the 2021 EF3 tornado that struck Southeast Naperville. Click here to see how tax deductible donations will make yards safe for children to use. Children deserve to walk on grass not glass!

Dec. 18 / Public Lighting of the Giant Menorah is set for 4PM Sun., Dec. 18, at the Riverwalk Amphitheater (corner of Jackson Ave & Eagle St) and will be accompanied by Chanukah songs, donuts, hot latkes, drinks, Gelt and more. Chanukah, a celebration for all time, is highlighted by the kindling of the Menorah each night of the holiday. Chanukah also propagates the universal message that ultimately good will prevail over evil, freedom over oppression and light over darkness. Chanukah (Hanukkah) 2022 starts at nightfall on Dec. 18, 2022, and ends with nightfall on Dec. 26, 2022. 

In the spirit of the season, thanks for reminding family, friends and neighbors about these holiday happenings set to music during this most wonderful time of the year. Celebrate safely.

Dec. 19 / The next regular Board of Education meeting is at 7PM on Mon., Dec. 19, 2022, at the Crouse Education Center, 780 Shoreline Drive, Aurora. Meeting agendas and documents will be available online prior to the meeting. Video of the regular meeting can be streamed live or viewed the following day at the District’s YouTube channel.

Dec. 25 / Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night. Peace.

Dec. 29 / Singer Joe Cantafio is set to return at 7PM Thurs., Dec. 29, to Quigley’s Irish Pub, 43 E. Jefferson Ave. Cantafio will entertain with an encore performance on his guitar, taking the audience down Memory Lane, recounting his Naperville experiences that started back in the late 1980s at Exchange Club’s Ribfest. Cantafio also welcomes his audiences to sing along to his favorite songs as he celebrates “50 Years in Rock ‘n Roll.” 

Receive warm welcomes every day & New Year’s Eve at Meson Sabika

Now / Enjoy lunch or dinner in the historic mansion at Meson Sabika any wintry day. For information about the annual New Year’s Eve festivities at the popular tapas restaurant, click here. To place advance reservations for lunch or dinner, fundraisers, weddings, holiday private parties or other special occasions now and throughout 2023, visit www.mesonsabika.com. And consider that Meson Sabika Gift Certificates make perfect gifts!