The Knife Experience, a culinary and specialty knife store, is expected to open this fall at 230 W. Virginia St.

McHenry County

MCC continues Second Sunday Concert Series

McHenry County College (MCC), 8900 Highway 14, Crystal Lake, will present the next session of its Second Sunday Concert Series from 3-4 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Luecht Conference Center (Room B170). The concert, starring classical guitarist Brian Torosian, is free and open to the public. The Second Sunday Concert Series features a variety of classical, jazz and folk musicians from the greater Chicago area, along with semi-annual concerts featuring MCC’s chorus, concert band, jazz ensemble and chamber groups. Upcoming sessions include the MCC Concert Band and Chorus Concert on Nov. 19, and the MCC Jazz Concert on Nov. 29. For more information, call (815) 479-7814 or visit www.mchenry.edu/music.

Crystal Lake

Culinary and specialty knife store to open soon

The Knife Experience, a culinary and specialty knife store, is expected to open this fall at 230 W. Virginia St. The space is located near Petco in the Country Corners Shopping Center. Knife Experience specializes in fine kitchen cutlery, Boy Scout pocket knives, collectible knives and outdoor tools. The store’s inventory includes culinary cutlery from Sweden, Switzerland and the United States, as well as collectible knives from South Africa. Knives made by Victorinox, a brand used in professional kitchens worldwide, also will be available. For more information, call (815) 459-2020 or visit www.crystallake.org.

Park Dist. offers holiday cooking program

The Crystal Lake Park District is offering Holiday Cooking with Chef Dave Esau, a special program for adults (ages 18 and up), from 7-8:30 p.m. Nov. 16 at the Woodscreek Activity Building, 850 Willow Tree Drive. Esau, an award-winning chef and owner of Dave’s Specialty Foods, in Mount Prospect, will demonstrate how to prepare stress-free holiday appetizers, side dishes and main course recipes. The program fee is $42. Advance registration is required. The registration deadline is Nov. 13. Registration is available online at www.crystallakeparks.org or in person at the Crystal Lake Park District Administration Office, 1 E. Crystal Lake Ave. For more information, call Jennifer Peterson at (815) 459-0680, Ext. 1219 or visit www.crystallakeparks.org.

Johnsburg

Village announces special Christmas tree sale

The village, the Community Affairs Committee and the Johnsburg Lions Club are conducting a special Christmas tree sale. Limited quantities of 7-foot-tall Frasier fir trees are available for $50 each. The trees will be delivered and distributed at the Holiday Magic event, beginning at 6 p.m. Dec. 1 at the Johnsburg Community Club, 2315 W. Church St. Payment is due at the time of pick-up. To reserve a tree, call Village Hall at (815) 385-6023. For more information, visit www.johnsburg.org.

St. John’s Holiday Bazaar & Craft Show on tap

The St. John’s BVM Sodality Holiday Bazaar & Craft Show will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 11 and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 12 in the gym (also known as Holdren Hall) at St. John the Baptist Catholic School, 2304 W. Church St. The event features holiday crafters, religious articles and other items for sale, as well as a bake sale, a “lite lunch” cafe and raffle prizes. For more information, call (815) 385-1477 or visit www.johnsburg.org.

Woodstock

Pair of Woodstock High seniors named Commended Students

Woodstock Community Unit School District 200 announced that two Woodstock High School seniors — Alexander Almeida and Anthony Thomas — have been named Commended Students in the prestigious 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program. Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 scorers in a pool of more than 1.6 million students who entered the 2018 competition by taking the 2016 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Almeida and Thomas were honored by the District 200 Board of Education at its meeting on Oct. 10. For more information, call (815) 338-8200 or visit www.woodstockschools.org.

Lake in the Hills

Veterans Memorial focus of Veterans Day Ceremony

The village announced that the Lake in the Hills Veterans Memorial Committee will host a Veterans Day Ceremony from 9:15-10 a.m. Nov. 10 at the Veterans Memorial, located at Village Hall, 600 Harvest Gate. Colors will be presented by Lake in the Hills American Legion Post 1231, and students from Lincoln Prairie Elementary School will be in attendance to sing patriotic songs and read poems. In addition, the Veterans Memorial Committee is currently raising funds to continue to build the Veterans Memorial. The village has committed $40,000 to the project, and the remainder of the funding is needed through private donations, grants and trade labor. Donations are being accepted at Village Hall and at both Lake in the Hills First National Bank locations: 2100 W. Algonquin Road and 4520 W. Algonquin Road. For more information, call (847) 960-7400 or visit www.lith.org.

Cary

Library to host special program with author Lukasik

The Cary Area Public Library, 1606 Three Oaks Road, will host a special program for adults, featuring author Gail Lukasik, from 2-3:30 p.m. Nov. 19. Lukasik will discuss her book, “White Like Her: My Family’s Story of Race and Racial Passing,” as well as her two appearances on PBS’ “Genealogy Roadshow,” during which she revealed a long-kept family secret about her late mother’s hidden racial identity as a person of color passing for white. During the program, Lukasik will share how her personal and genealogical journey to uncover the truth about her mother’s racial heritage led her to deeper understanding of race and racial identity. Signed copies of Lukasik’s book will be available for purchase. To register, and for more information, call (847) 639-4210 or visit www.caryarealibrary.org.    

–McHenry County News Briefs–