May is National Bike Safety Month, and there’s no better time to dust off your bike, strap on your helmet, and hit the road safely. Whether you’re riding for fun, commuting to work, or just cruising through your neighborhood, practicing good bike safety is key to making every ride a great one.

Why Bike Safety Matters

Biking is a fun, healthy, and eco-friendly way to get around but it’s important to remember that cyclists are more vulnerable on the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), most bike-related injuries can be prevented with just a few simple precautions.

Top Tips for a Safer Ride

1. Wear Your Helmet. Every Time.
   • A helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by up to 85%. Make sure it fits snugly and sits level on your head
2. Be Seen and Be Predictable
   • Wear bright or reflective clothing and use bike lights, especially if riding at dusk or dawn. Always signal your turns and ride in a straight line.
3. Obey the Rules of the Road
   • Bikes are considered vehicles so stop at stop signs, obey traffic signals, and ride in the same direction as traffic.
4. Stay Alert
   • Keep an eye out for potholes, parked car doors, pedestrians, and turning vehicles. Avoid headphones so you can hear what’s going on around you.
5. Check Your Gear
   • Before every ride, do a quick safety check: tires inflated, brakes working, chain moving smoothly.

Spring is the time of year you may notice dandelions popping up in our parks.  You might wonder why the Park District doesn’t do something about all those yellow flowers.  Letting them bloom is one way we keep our parks at their healthiest. Though not a complete source of nutrition for bee pollinators, dandelions also fill in early spring food source gaps.

As part of our best management practices, we aim to avoid spraying lawn chemicals to eliminate what some might deem an unsightly nuisance.   Instead, the yellow blooms can open to their glory across our parks.  Once the grass is long enough, crews will mow the dandelions giving our parks a more uniform “green grass” appearance.  

The Park District of Highland Park was one of the first Park Districts in Illinois to adopt an Environmental Policy which includes maintaining our parks, facilities and natural areas in a manner that enhances and protects the environment by minimizing the adverse impact on air and water quality. This includes “Integrated Pest Management” practices that minimize chemical use in favor of other management efforts such as careful mowing, aeration and–in the case of dandelions–working with nature to provide healthy places to play.

This summer, travel the globe without leaving your neighborhood! Pop Up in the Park is a free, vibrant series that brings the world to your local park, celebrating the beauty of diverse cultures through music, dance, crafts, and hands-on activities. Each event offers a unique experience, inviting you to explore different traditions and creative expressions from around the world. Whether you’re swaying to international rhythms, creating global-inspired art, or learning new dances, there’s something for everyone. Gather with friends and family for a series of fun, multicultural adventures that celebrate the spirit of community, creativity, and connection!

Poland

Tuesday, June 10 • 4-5pm

Explore Poland: Music, crafting and history with more

All Ages

Location: Lincoln Park (1280 Green Bay Road)

Learn More

Brazil

Friday, June 10 • 6-7pm

Explore Brazil: Interactive demonstration by Axe Capoeira and crafts

All Ages

Location: Danny Cunniff Park (2700 Trail Way)

NYC Broadway

Thursday, July 10 • 4-10pm

Explore NYC Broadway: Ravinia district food truck Thursday, showing off Hairspray

All Ages

Location: Jens Jensen Park (486 Roger Williams Ave)

Learn More

New Orleans

Sunday, July 27 • 2-3:30pm

Explore New Orleans: New Orleans-style jazz band

All Ages

Location: Larry Fink Memorial Park (1377 Clavey Road)

Learn More

Native American

Wednesday, August 6 • 4-5pm

Explore Native American Culture: Music, crafting and history with Le’Ana Asher

All Ages

Location: Moraine Park (2501 Sheridan Road)

Nordic

Saturday, August 16 • 11-12pm

Explore Nordic Culture: Music, crafts, face painting and a visit with Elsa and Anna from Frozen

All Ages

Location: The Preserve of Highland Park (1207 Park Ave West)

Polynesian

Friday, September 5 • 6:30-10pm

Explore Polynesian Culture : Performance by Barefoot Hawaiians, Da Local Boy Food Truck, showing of Lilo and Stitch

All Ages

Location: Sunset Woods Park (1801 Sunset Road)

Turn off your screen and turn on LIFE! Screen Break Week is celebrated every year in the first week of May. This week, celebrated all over the world, is an invitation for everyone — children, adults, and entire communities — to switch off completely from staring at screens and take a well-deserved break. We are offering a variety of events this week.

All events are free but registration is required.

The Empire Bikes Back

Sunday, May 4 • 9:30-11am

Celebrate May the Fourth with a Star Wars-themed family bike event! Bring and decorate your bikes, strollers, scooters, wheelchairs-some supplies will be provided, but participants are also encouraged to bring their own. While you are decorating, visit with the Highland Park Police Department and local bike shops for safety and tune up tips. Prizes will be awarded for the most out of this world decoration! After decorating, take part in a fun, family-friendly ride along our designated route. Perfect for kids ages 3+ and their families!

Ages 3+ with an adult

Location: Wayne Thomas Elementary School (2939 Summit Drive)

PROGRAM IS FULL

Mini Golf

Monday. May 5 • 4-5pm

Mini golf at Highland Park’s Rivers Edge for ages 5+ (must be accompanied by an adult): Bring your enthusiasm and join us for a memorable day of laughter, camaraderie, and a “hole” lot of fun!

Location: River’s Edge Mini Golf (2205 Skokie Valley Road)

Sip, Stroll and Stride

Tuesday, May 6 • 9-10am

Perfect for parents, grandparents, and caregivers, this community event invites you to take a leisurely stroll through the beautiful Preserve of Highland Park with your little ones in strollers.

All Ages

Location: The Preserve of Highland Park (1207 Park Ave West)

Hike with a Naturalist

Tuesday, May 6 • 4-5pm

Hike with a Naturalist at Heller Nature Center for all ages. Find the beauty in spring with a guided hike from a Heller Naturalist. Discover spring ephemerals, bird calls, and more as the forest re-awakens during spring.

Location: Heller Nature Center (2821 Ridge Road)

Chalk-a-Palooza

Wednesday, May 7 • 10-11am

Chalk-a-Palooza at West Ridge Park for all ages: Unleash your colorful creativity on a sidewalk canvas!

All Ages (ages 2-8 must be accompanied by an adult)

Location: West Ridge Center (636 Ridge Road)

PROGRAM IS FULL

Open Swim

Thursday, May 8 • 4-6pm

Open Swim at the Recreation Center for all ages: Put on your swimsuits, and dive into some Aquatic fun!

All Ages (ages 2-12 with an adult)

Location: Recreation Center of Highland Park (1207 Park Avenue West)

Open Gym

Friday, May 9 • 3:15-7:45pm

Shoot some hoops at the Recreation Center of Highland Park!

All Ages: (Ages 10 and under must be accompanied by an adult)

Location: Recreation Center of Highland Park (1207 Park Avenue West)

Before heading out to your favorite Park District of Highland Park facility on Easter Sunday, check out our hours!

The new dome structure has been installed and inflated. Crews will now focus on installing insulation and lights inside the dome. Work will also begin soon on construction of the clubhouse structure.

Virtually every community has a leash law. In Highland Park, the law requires that dogs be kept on a leash on public property, including our parks. The law intends to protect the health and safety of the public and to protect your pet. A leash is commonly referred to as “Your Pet’s Lifeline” and protects your pet from harm and potentially harming other people or animals in the area. While you can train certain dogs to avoid the busy roads, stop and wait for their owner at corners, and even return to their side at command, there is always the chance that a dog could act impulsively. The safest way and legal way to walk your dog is on a leash.

Other Reasons to Always Use a Dog Leash

• It is courteous to your neighbors and strangers, especially if they do not know your dog’s level of obedience or have a fear of dogs.
• Off-leash, your dog could stray and get lost. 
• Dogs can frequently ignore their owner’s commands and get into harm’s way. 
• Most canines don’t mind dog leashes or collars; in fact, most like them.
• A leash allows you to pull your dog back, should there be something dangerous in the environment.
• Some dogs like to sniff or eat other animals’ droppings, and those can carry disease. If your pet is leashed, this is less likely to happen.

Become a Dog Park Member!

Dog Park Membership offers countless benefits for your dog. One of the most important benefits a dog park provides a dog is to exercise both his body and mind. In an open off-leash space, your dog has the chance to run around freely, chasing after balls and other dogs as much as his heart desires. He can socialize with humans and other dogs, which helps maintain healthy social skills. Like people, dogs are social creatures, and they enjoy being around their own kind. Your dog can practice his communication skills with other dogs and gives him practice reading other dogs. Practicing and mastering these skills helps your dog from developing fear or aggression problems around other dogs. This is especially true if you have a young dog that is eager to learn. And, not only is it fun for your four-legged friend, but it’s also fun for you! You can run around and exercise with your dog, practice off-leash training, talk to and bond with other dog owners, and enjoy the time watching your dog have the time of his life.

The Park District of Highland Park has three dog parks available to registered members:

Debbie Gottlieb Beitler Dog Park at Larry Fink Memorial Park – open year-round (701 Deer Creek Parkway)
A relaxed park-like atmosphere with two off-leash exercise areas, depending on the size of your dog.

Highland Park Golf Learning Center – open mid-December through mid-March* (2205 Skokie Valley Highway)
A large outdoor venue for your dog to run off some of that cabin fever energy.

Moraine Dog Beach – open mid-April through mid-November* (2501 Sheridan Road)
Moraine Dog Beach is scheduled to reopen this year with a new boardwalk and path leading down to the beach. Your dogs will soon be able to run in the sand and dip in the lake on those hot, sunny days.

March 12: Workshop Meeting of the Park Board

The Lakota Group, aQity Research and Insights, and BerryDunn held a kickoff meeting for the Greenprint Master Plan Update on February 24, 2025 with staff and the Park Board Master Planning Project liaisons. Staff provided a progress update on the Master Plan progress.

Staff provided construction updates for the development of Club Pickle and Padel, the New Facility and Site Improvements at West Ridge Park, Park Avenue Boating Facility North Beach Improvements, and Sunset Woods Park Improvements. 

March 18: Finance Committee Meeting

Staff reviewed the request for proposals for the 2025 Hidden Creek AquaPark and Rosewood Beach Concessions License.  

Staff reviewed the bids via NIMEC (Northern Illinois Municipal Electric Collaborative) and Satori Energy for electricity rates for the entire District.

Staff would like to enter into a reciprocal agreement with the Glencoe Park District. Staff reviewed the proposed terms.

Staff reviewed and provided contractor recommendations for the Centennial Ice Arena Roof Top Unit Bid, the Centennial Ice Arena Dehumidification Unit Installation Bid, the Hidden Creek AquaPark Fence Improvements Project Bid, the Recreation Center of Highland Park Pool Filter Change, Pool Deck Renovation, and Pool Grate Replacement Bids.

Several maintenance vehicles and equipment have met their useful lives and need to be replaced. Staff reviewed the recommended vehicle and equipment purchases.

March 19: Regular Meeting of the Park Board

The Park Board of Commissioners approved the Rejection of the 2025 Centennial Ice Arena Roof Top Unit Replacement Bids, the Purchase of 2025 Capital Replacement Tractor, the 2025 Centennial Ice Arena Dehumidification Unit Installation, the 2025 Renewal of the 2023 Weeding & Landscape Services Bid, the 2025 Hidden Creek AquaPark Fence Improvements Project Bid, the 2025 Renewal of the 2023 Routine Grounds Maintenance – South Route Bid, the 2025 Renewal of the 2023 Routine Grounds Maintenance – North Route Bid, the 2025 Recreation Center of Highland Park Pool Filter Change, Pool Deck Renovation, and Pool Grate Replacement, the Dynegy Energy Services, LLC Electric Service Agreement bid via Northern Illinois Municipal Electric Collaborative (NIMEC), the 2025 Hidden Creek AquaPark and Rosewood Beach Concessions License Agreement with Judy’s Pizzeria, the Purchase of an Electric Transit Van, and Ordinance 2025-04: Authorizing and Providing for the Conveyance or Sale of Surplus Personal Property.

Staff evaluated the 2025 capital plan vehicle replacement list and determined that three 4×4 pick-up trucks have met their useful life and need to be replaced. Staff recommended purchasing three gas-powered trucks through the Suburban Purchasing Cooperative. While the purchases were under budget, the Park Board of Commissioners requested staff explore electric vehicle options.

Staff provided an annual report for the Recreation Center of Highland Park comparing budgeted vs actual programming revenues, expenses, and membership utilization.

The Park Board of Commissioners went into closed session pursuant to Section 2(c)1: The employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees, specific individuals who serve as independent contractors in a park, recreational, or educational setting, or specific volunteers of the public body or legal counsel for the public body. The Park Board of Commissioners reconvened into open session and approved a six-month contract extension to the Employment Agreement for the Executive Director and a new Employment Agreement for the Executive Director.

For kids, some of summer’s most wonderful adventures happen outdoors. In the woods. On a trail. At the beach. Around a campfire. At your Park District, all of those sights, sounds, and experiences are possible at our popular Nature Camps. Registration is in full swing, and these camps fill fast. (Girl’s Outdoor Challenge already has a waitlist!)

If you’re new to camp registrations, check out Allie’s Crash Course in Camp Registration, and you’ll be an expert in no time.

There’s plenty of information about these exciting Nature Camps, but we also get requests to put it all in one place. So, here we go. (No sunscreen required).

If playing with friends on the beach along the shore of Lake Michigan, swimming almost every day, building towering sandcastles, seeing how the tides change the landscape, and finding newly uncovered treasures sounds like your kind of summer, then this is your camp.

Each week has a different theme that includes a local field trip, swimming lessons at Hidden Creek AquaPark, and fun activities like meeting live animals, creating one-of-a-kind artwork, fishing, scavenger hunts at The Preserve and so much more of what the Park District has to offer.

“One of the very special things that these campers get to experience at Rosewood Beach is seeing bullfrogs in the ravine… and hearing them sing!,” said Meghan Meredith, Program Manager at Heller Nature Center. Now there’s a memory that will last a lifetime!

High Tide, Low Tide is for rising 1^st and 2^nd graders. New this year, you can register for one week at a time, to fit your family’s vacation schedule. Register for four weeks or more and you’ll get a discount. But as you know, “Time and Tide Wait For No Man,” so sign up soon!

Eight great weeks await, each with its own nature-focused theme! And yes, this year you can pick the weeks that fit your schedule.

Designed for all kids ages 8–11, this camp is chock full of all the exciting activities that make summer camp so memorable. Encouraged by our experienced, caring counselors, every camper enjoys the healthy physical and mental play that inspires creativity every day. Outdoor fun includes wandering through the woods at Heller Nature Center and finding wildlife large and very small. Geocaching—those mini treasure hunts using GPS—is always a camp favorite. There’s lots of exploring at The Preserve and Danny Cunniff Park, learning about nature close up with unique and fascinating activities like pond dipping (don’t knock it ’til you’ve dipped!), fishing, and canoeing. We travel to some of the best indoor adventure sites for rock climbing and more on weekly field trips.

If being outdoors in summer means nature-based activities with a team of like-minded adventurers (rather than a team of sports enthusiasts), check out the wide world of nature that comes your way in this special camp. As Meghan says, “You never know what wonders you’ll find when you turn over that next log!”

Take your summer camp experience to the next level as you take on the challenges that come with the team building, fire building, life-skills building, and confidence building activities at the core of this 3-week camp for ages 11–14. Mark Bryant, Heller’s Naturalist and host of our popular video series  “Wild Insights with Mark Bryant” leads campers as they boldly go into the woods, tackle the Teams Course, climb the crates, discover their hidden strengths—leadership, communication, empathy, ziplining, axe throwing(!)—and prepare for the overnight camping trips in weeks 2 and 3.

Every exciting week also includes paddle sports at the Skokie Lagoons, tips and tricks of successful outdoor cooking—including those new fire-building skills—learning to connect with the great outdoors in real-time, and gaining a whole new perspective on the world.

The featured events are, of course, the overnight camping trips. This year, in week 2, we’re off to Pratt Wayne Woods, the largest Forest Preserve in DuPage County for outdoor exploring, bonding with new friends, and a fun night of live-fire cooking—and s’mores!

During Week 3 our overnight is at the beautiful Chain O’ Lakes State Park, with exceptional hiking trails, abundant fishing, and wildlife at every turn. Outdoor cooking, campfire fun, and creating lasting friendships are the hallmarks of why kids come back year after year.

Don’t wait. Sign up for these adventures before they’re gone!

You can find out about these camps, and dozens more, 24/7 on our website. Summer’s coming and our counselors are ready. All we need is you!

Until next time… See you around the parks!