The Chicago Park District has re-designed its website to REQUIRE users to establish a personal account before signing up for any programs or events. Before registering for Spring programs (Feb. 21), for instance, you should get your account set up in advance. With your account, you will no longer pay for programs via Paypal — the Park District will have its own system for processing credit cards — and you will be able to receive text and/or emails about program changes.

Starting on Feb. 6, you will also be able to search the Spring program offerings at Holstein Park more easily. The park district site is www.chicagoparkdistrict.com.

Drop-In Yoga – Saturday mornings 9:30-10:30 AM
This Saturday, and every Saturday through the middle of March, adults are invited to join Zephyr Artistic Director Michelle Kranicke for an hour of yoga in the auditorium. Each session is $12. (Bring your own mat.) Call 773-489-5069 or email zephyr@zephyrdance.com for more information.

Teen Valentine Dance – Friday, Feb. 10 4 – 7 PM
Teenagers between the ages of 12 and 15 are invited to celebrate the season with dance and refreshments in the auditorium. The rumor is DJStix will be spinning. But parental permission is required, so get your sign-up form at the fieldhouse.

Family Valentine Dance – Saturday, Feb. 11 3 – 5 PM
The decorations are still up, the dance floor is still warm, so moms and dads are invited to bring their own kids (ages 3 – to Holstein Park for a family Valentine Dance Saturday afternoon. Light refreshments, including a chocolate fountain, will be available.

Paper Crafts Workshop – Saturday, Feb. 11  10 AM – 2 PM
Sponsored by The Bucktown Arts Fest, a Paper Crafts workshop for children (ages 4-5) will be held from 10 AM to 2 PM with an advanced workshop for children ages 8-12 from 11:45 to 12:45 PM. (Younger children should be accompanied by an adult.) Learn more by calling Shannon at the fieldhouse 312-742-7554.

Jewelry Making Workshop on Saturday, March 10 from noon to 4 PM 
Sponsored by the Bucktown Arts Fest, sign up for this fun adult jewelry kaking workshop with metalworker Amanda Hogg! Learn more by calling Shannon at the fieldhouse 312-742-7554.

Friends of Holstein Park – Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 7 PM
Thanks to everyone who turned out for our annual elections in January. It was more exciting than a Florida primary. So now, without further ado, here are Your 2012 FOHP officers and directors:

Michelle Pennington, president; Lucy Jacobs, secretary; Sara Dudnik, treasurer; Jean Alan, Robert Allan, Scott Jacobs, Kathy Rice, Fred Schein and Dave Sundry, directors. Stop by and see how you can join the fun.

Online Registration – Spring Programs – Begins Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 9 AM
Holstein Park has a wide range of programs this Spring (starting April 6) that can only be signed up for online at the Park District site. Arts & Crafts, T-ball, Moms & Tots. Our programs are among the first to fill up, so it is important to search the offerings ahead of time, and be ready to make your selections when the buzzer sounds at 9 AM.

Sign up for these classes sponsored by The Bucktown Arts Fest in the Spring Session 2012!

Kid’s Afterschool Open Studio & Painting Class – Mondays 3:30-5:30 PM
Make Mondays THE time for being creative! Open to ages 8 – 13.

Open Studio & Painting Class for Adults – Mondays from 6:30-8:30 PM
Come practice and learn with artists of all ages and disciplines. Fine arts instructor Connie Hinkle is on hand to help you grow! Serving adults.

Music Lessons with Bucktown Music – Mondays from 4-5 PM, Wednesdays from 5:30-6:30 PMClasses of 3-5 members will meet with an instructor for one hour once a week for 10 weeks. Instrumentation includes guitar, bass, vocals, keyboard/piano, and percussion with music appropriate for the studentsʼ age and level. Serving children and adults from 8 years old and up.

** Please remember: Under the new park district web design, you must GET AN ACCOUNT IN ADVANCE to facilitate your sign-up. Good luck!

Special thanks to Holstein Happenings by Friends of Holstein Park for lots of the content here!

Winners will receive a $200 cash prize and complimentary admission into the 2012 festival and will have their poster displayed on Fest materials to possibly include the Bucktown Arts Fest website, 2012 festival materials (posters, t-shirts, hangtags, postcards, program), collateral, press releases and signage.

Now that’s some braggin’ rights!

The purpose of the contest is to design a poster promoting the Bucktown Arts Fest. Just create an original artwork in your media that you think best exemplifies the Bucktown Arts Fest and submit it in JPG format! The deadline for entries is midnight on March 31, 2012. There is no fee to enter.

One winner will be selected. This winner will be announced by May 31, 2012 via an email blast.  

Get all the Poster Contest Guidelines

Who runs the Bucktown Arts Fest?
The fest has no staff – and is run solely by volunteers from the community.

Where do the proceeds of the fest go?
All proceeds of the fest go to support arts and education programming at Holstein Park and the Bucktown/Wicker Park neighborhoods. Learn more about our programming efforts.

Why is it called Senior Citizens Park?
After the Board of Education closed the Logan Elementary School in 1972, the city moved quickly to develop the property as parkland. By 1977, the city was developing plans for recreational facilities – including shuffle board courts and permanent game tables – tailored to the area’s older residents. The city transferred the property, then known as Logan Elderly Park, to the Chicago Park District in 1979. The following year, the park was officially renamed Senior Citizens Memorial Park at the request of 32nd Ward alderman Terry Gabinski and the Senior Citizens of Holstein Park.

Can I share a booth with another artist?
If both artists are juried in through the Application Process, booth sharing is allowed for an additional fee.

Do I need to fill out any tax forms prior to the show?
It is important that you have a tax FEIN or ID number, which is why we ask for it in the application process. However, there are no additional forms to fill out. If the government were to check and find you selling without an ID, they could audit you for up to 5 years - and no one wants that! For more information, please go to: www.tax.illinois.gov or http://tax.illinois.gov/Individuals/SalesandRelated/fairs.htm.

Is there parking during the Fest for artists?
Artists are welcome to find parking on the street if possible, but we also offer parking at AN Pritzker Elementary School (2009 W. Schiller Street, Chicago, IL 60622). PLEASE BE AWARE THAT YOU MUST PLACE A PARKING PASS IN YOUR WINDOW TO PARK IN THE SCHOOL LOT. Passes are found in your Artist Folder provided at Load In.

Where and when do I pick up the rental tent/chairs/table ?  Or will they be in my space?
Rentals items are delivered on the Saturday morning of load in and will be available to you when you arrive for set up.

If my booth if on the street, is there room on the sidewalk behind to sit/storage/wrap etc?
There is a small amount of room behind the 10×10 tent area – but not a lot. We put up fencing behind the tents to protect the neighborhood grass, so really there is only a little “nudge” area.

Are there any hotels close to the fest grounds?

History of the Park
In 1854, real estate speculators Sherman, Clark, and Westmore reserved two acres of their subdivision as Holstein Park to enhance the area and its property values. The surrounding area was known as Holstein, an enclave of laborers and craftsmen from Schleswig – Holstein, now a region of Germany.

Although the developers expected the city to beautify Holstein Park, it remained unimproved for more than 40 years.

Finally, in 1901, the city transferred the park to the West Park System, which made initial improvements. By 1910, the West Park Commissioners had created several new neighborhood parks offering residents of the surrounding congested neighborhoods important services and programs such as public bathing, English lessons and other classes, and athletics.

In 1912, the handsome Holstein Park brick fieldhouse, designed by Illinois state architect William Carbys Zimmermann, opened to the public.

In 1917, the park commissioners enlarged Holstein Park by purchasing 16 lots north of what is now Palmer Street. Visionary designer Jens Jensen conceived a plan to combine Holstein Park with the adjacent Logan School. He hoped to build a new school, a separate gymnasium and an indoor swimming facility. He also wanted to create prairie-like playfields, council rings, an outdoor theater and school gardens. Although the commissioners began negotiating with the Board of Education, the plan was never realized. Jensen’s innovative idea was ahead of its time.

The Survey
Today, Holstein Park hosts all kinds of activities designed to serve the needs of families, teens and senior citizens.

To help us better serve the community, please take a few minutes to fill out this survey and then be sure to pass it on in your friends and neighbors.

Take the short survey!

Thank you for your feedback!

The murals will be located on the highly visible walls of restaurants, retails stores, residential buildings and various other locations within WPB’s boundaries. Whitney Tassie, a WPB Arts Committee member and the Director of Monique Meloche Gallery, says the project “will create a visual identity that unifies the neighborhood, catches the attention of residents and visitors, and inspires creative thought.” Eleanor Mayer, WPB Program Manager, adds that the mural program will provide an alternative to the hard-to-erase graffiti tagging that plagues the walls of local businesses and residences.

Murals have been completed at the intersections of Ashland and Julian, Damen and Division, Milwaukee and Concord, Milwaukee and Honore, North and Bell and soon to be completed at Damen and Pierce.

Yum! Bucktown Apple Pie Contest Wrap-Up
Let’s have a round of applause for the 2500 neighbors and friends who turned out this year for our 7th annual Bucktown Apple Pie Contest, the 142 amateur and 16 professional bakers who entered, the dozens of volunteers who made the day a success, our sponsors and park staff!

The winner, in case you are wondering, was Alison Summy, a third and fifth place winner in past contests. In the professional division, the blue ribbon went to Dinah Grossman from Cheap Tart Bakery. The four runner-ups were Adrienne Smith, Kathy Rice, Laura Kaminski and Joan Elias. Congratulations to all.

Dance at Holstein
Wed, Thurs, Fri – November 2,3,4  7:30 PM
The first of two dance performances this month in the Holstein auditorium is “Factor Ricochet”, an ensemble performance of “improvography” featuring Rachel Damon, Adriana Durant, Marc Macaranas and Ni’Ja Whitson. Tickets are $10 – $20 and can be purchased online here.

Drop-In Yoga
Wednesdays, Nov-Dec 6:30 – 7:30 
Stop in any Wednesday at 6:30 PM for an hour of “Drop In Yoga” led by Zephyr Dance artistic director Michelle Kranicke. Sessions are $12.

Friends of Holstein Park Meeting
Tues, Nov. 15 6:30 PM
Come to the monthly meeting of the Friends of Holstein Park for a report on our successful Circus in the Park and Apple Pie Contest fundraisers. Now that the money has been raised, let’s figure out how to get the field house renovation back on track!

Zephyr Dance Concert
Thurs, Fri, Sat, Nov 17-19 7:30 PM and 2 PM
“Smeared Surfaces” is the title of the fall performance series by our resident Zephyr Dance company. Performances are $15 ($10 for students and seniors) at 7:30 PM on Thursday and Friday, 2 PM Saturday. To purchase tickets in advance, click here. For more information, go to www.zephyrdance.com.

The Holiday Show
Sat-Sun, Nov. 26 and 27 11 AM to 5 PM
Skip the doorbuster sales this Thanksgiving weekend and stop by the Holstein Park field house over the weekend to buy original arts, crafts, clothing, jewelry and other holiday gifts from over 50 local artists and artisans. Think global, shop local.

AND FINALLY . . . 
We want to thank all those who contributed to the success of the Apple Pie Contest, including Tipsy Cake for delicious baked goods, Ipsento Coffee, Reza’s for the wonderful rugs that decorated the stage, and Marvelous Masks for the kids face painting. Also the Bucktown Community Organization, Alderman Scott Waguespack, and Printwell, our program sponsors.

Holstein Happenings is a monthly newsletter from Friends of Holstein Park to keep you informed of what’s happening in our park. If you would like to add more names to the Holstein Happenings mailing list, send new addresses to friendsofholsteinpark@yahoo.com.

There is just one month left to help us tell the whole country.

Please cast your vote and put us in the Top 10 from AmericanStyle Magazine!

(They already say we’re the Chicago fest not to be missed!)

The 2011 theme, Artful Networks, explores the communities that nurture and inspire Chicago artists and their work. The people with whom artists choose to work can be supportive in encouraging creative growth, experimentation, dialogue among peers and community building. Ranging from traditional residency programs to collaboratives to informal relationships, our communities impact the way we create, support and appreciate art. In celebration of the Alliance of Artists Communities’ 20th Anniversary Conference, which takes place in Chicago from October 19 to 22, Chicago Artists Month 2011 looks at the various ways artists in Chicago are influenced by their social environments.

The event highlights featured artists who embody the range of talent and diversity of the community. And lists featured events including exhibits and gallery and open studio tours where you can meet them or see their work.

The 7th annual Bucktown Apple Pie Contest – the largest apple pie contest in the country – is one big day of big fun!

LIVE MUSIC – FACE PAINTING – PONY RIDES – AND ALL THE HOMEMADE APPLE PIE YOU CAN HANDLE

Sunday, October 16, 2011
Holstein Park Fieldhouse

NEW THIS YEAR: PROFESSIONAL DIVISION

• Professional pastry chefs, local restaurants, farmers market vendors and more will compete to see who makes the best apple pie in the city.
• All professional pies will be available to purchase whole for $25.
• Take home to share with friends or hide it for yourself.

Visit www.bucktownapplepiecontest.com for all the info.

Friends of Holstein Park is also looking for bakers and volunteers to make this the best year ever for apples, sugar and flour!

Also: What Do You Want to Do at Holstein? Let Us Know!
Fill out our short survey!

Announcement: Zephyr Dance, the Artist in Residence at Holstein Park, has received national funding for the third year in a row from the MetLife Foundation for Zephyr Project M2: Math in Motion at Oscar Mayer Elementary School. Joining a roster of 12 outstanding, nationally recognized organizations bringing exemplary arts integrated programs to youth throughout the United States, Zephyr is thrilled to continue its partnership with Oscar Mayer.  (The Bucktown Arts Fest is also a proud sponsor of Zephyr Dance’s efforts at Holstein Park.)

Community Meeting with Ald. Scott Waguepack
Thursday, September 8 at 6:00 PM- 8:00 PM
Congress Theater – 2135 N Milwaukee Ave
Join us for the the first community meeting. Come learn about how the former train tracks on the northwest side will be converted to an elevated park and trail. This is the perfect time to share your ideas and help shape the future 3 mile long park and bike trail. Development of the above grade Bloomingdale Trail is moving forward at a fast pace. We have included various community members to be part of the development group on the trail project to ensure that Bucktown residents that live adjacent to, or near the Trail are well represented.

Saturday Kickers
Sat, September 10 at 10 AM 
The Little Kickers soccer league (kids ages 4 to 9) starts Saturday, September 10, and runs for the next 10 consecutive Saturdays on the Holstein Park playing field. Different age groups play at different times in the morning. Check at the fieldhouse for a full schedule.

Tour of the 32nd Ward Bike Ride
Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 9:30AM
1113 W Webster Ave (In the rear)
We will pass through the very diverse 32nd Ward by using the polling places as our guide. The pace will be 10-14 mph and the distance is unknown at this time but will probably be less than 30 miles. This tour route changes each year, so please join us for a fun, leisurely ride through the ward. For more information and to RSVP please contact Kathy Schubert, route magician, at (773) 248-5499 or via emailkangarookathy@yahoo.com.

Like Bike Ride
Sun, September 18  at 9:30 AM
Like to bike? Join your neighbors for the first annual Bucktown bike ride up Milwaukee Avenue to the Logan Square Farmers Market. The ride kicks off at the Wicker Park/Bucktown Library on Milwaukee Avenue and will be escorted by Chicago police and the Chicago Safe Bike Ambassadors.

Fall Programs Start – Mon, September 19
Fall programming at Holstein Park starts Monday, September 19. This includes After School; Moms, Pops and Tots; Art and ABC’s; Music and Movement; and Open Gym for basketball.

New this year are:
* Drawing & Painting (adults over 18) on Mondays from 6:30 – 8:30 PM (Sponsored by the Bucktown Arts Fest)
* Yoga with Zephyr Artistic Director Michelle Kranecke on Wednesdays from 6:30 – 7:30 PM. ($10 a class or 12 classes for $100.) Classes are structured around Vinyasa Yoga emphasizing proper alignment, strengthening the body and engaging the mind. (Sponsored by the Bucktown Arts Fest)
* Indoor Soccer for adults (18 and over) on Wednesdays, 6:30 – 8:30 PM.

Friends of Holstein Park Monthly Meeting – Tues, September 20 at 6:30 PM
If you have signed up as a volunteer (or want to) for the Circus in the Park or Bucktown Apple Pie Contest, we’d love to see you at the monthly Friends of Holstein meeting in the field house. Last minute details for these two great events will be worked out here.

Circus in The Park – Sat-Sun, September 24-25 (4 shows)  
The Midnight Circus brings its family-friendly collection of clowns, jugglers, high wire artists (and one trained dog) to Holstein Park – this year in a brand new little Big Top Tent.

Shows are at 2 PM and 5 PM Saturday, 1 PM and 4 PM Sunday, rain or shine. (Remember, they have a tent.) Every seat in the house is a front row seat.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased in advance. All proceeds go to benefit Holstein Park programs and facilities.

Family Sports Workshop – Sat, September 24 at 9 AM
Do you have a budding athletic star in the family? Once again, Holstein is offering a soccer sports workshop for 3-year-olds on Saturday. Parents are encouraged to join the fun of seeing their child learn the game.

AND FINALLY . . .

Bucktown Apple Pie Contest – Sun, October 16, 2-5 pm
Are you the best baker in Bucktown? 7th Annual Bucktown Apple Pie Registration is now open!

Visit www.bucktownapplepiecontest.com to register today and start your ovens!  Contest is limited to 150 contestants.

What Do You Want to Do at Holstein? Let Us Know!
Fill out our short survey!