News

Press Release – November 27, 2023 AURORA – The sights, sounds and spirit of the season return to festively garnished Blackberry Farm, where Holiday Express revs to welcome all aboard another magical experience highlighted by a train ride to the virtual North Pole. Trimmed with accents of the treasured 2004 movie The Polar Express, the… Read More

Welcome to the Holiday Edition of What’s Happening Around the Fox Valley Park District! If you’re looking to unwind during the hustle ‘n bustle of the season, consider these family-focused events – each trimmed with a generous dash of holiday spirit – and be sure to peep the Events Calendar for a sleigh-full of holiday-themed… Read More

Put the finishing touches on fall with a colorful lineup of October activities around the Fox Valley Park District. From costume contests to craft shows here are a few activities to consider this month, but be sure to check out the Events Calendar for a full lineup of October adventures! Fall Craft Fair Calling all… Read More

The end result unknown, as always is the case with first-of-a-kind events, two likeminded organizations used a shared passion of supporting local youth to drive the energy when developing, promoting and organizing a charity pickleball tournament. Advantage: Kids. The summer collab between the Fox Valley Park Foundation and Kiwanis Club of Aurora delivered the 2023… Read More

The Fox Valley Park District’s annual celebration of everything October, Pumpkin Weekends officially begins Sunday, October 1, at charming Blackberry Farm – the district's 54-year-old living history museum at 100 S. Barnes Rd. in Aurora. The popular monthlong event runs 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays throughout October, along with Indigenous Peoples’/Columbus… Read More

Throw up a hand if you’ve ever attempted the dink fake or backhand punch. How ‘bout the centerline ace or overhead smash? Oh, yeah, we see all you picklers out there. The fastest-growing sport in the U.S. three years running, pickleball fever rages here in the Fox Valley, where it’s common to see weekend wait… Read More

The legend lives among the shadows and shrills in the woods of Red Oak Nature Center, where soon (with a lil’ imagination) the rumored sightings and foggy footage will be replaced by real encounters. “So run!” says Renee Oakley, facility manager at Red Oak. “You’re about to take a turn into the woods and enter… Read More

Summer’s swoon steps aside for September when it’s time to treat yourself to some fun escapes after busy weeks of school or work. From an afternoon tea with the grandkids to a 5K through nature’s canopy in the woods, here are five activities to consider this month, but be sure to check out the Events… Read More

The week’s been circled in the Stuart Sports Complex logbook for a solid year. Not because of the rubber-sole-melting heatwave, but for the 336-team soccer tournament set to play out this weekend at one of the Midwest’s most coveted outdoor athletic playgrounds. Naperville-based Evolution Soccer Club’s Chicago Development Showcase represents the largest soccer tournament ever… Read More

If you grew up on Aurora’s west side and pedaled a Schwinn, Sting-Ray or Huffy, chances are the Virgil L. Gilman Trail – or “nature trail” to ‘60s-through-80s kids – served as a trusty thoroughfare through childhood.  And on a certain section of that trail, then blanketed with crushed limestone, stood iconic flagstone walls, each… Read More