The crowd of more than 100 filled the Batavia City Council Chambers Saturday, March 10 to watch a movie, “Wasted”, about food we throw away or do not find a better use for the extras.
It was the Batavia Environmental Commission Green Night at the Movies, an annual presentation which helps us think more clearly and act more beneficially. It is a step in the right direction. The evening is the second Saturday in March.
Annually, Batavia two weeks later has celebrated Earth Hour. Several years ago the crowds were so large it was difficult to move at times at the Eastside Community Center without bumping into those participating in activities and moving from one display to another display. Last year the crowd was a little light.
This year, Earth Hour in Batavia March 24 will be dark all evening, not just at the prescribed time, 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., a world-wide reminder to turn off the lights and save energy and money.
Earth Hour in Batavia will be on hiatus with an eye to next year. There are some family health issues involved with those in charge and there was not time to keep the momentum alive. Wait until next year for looking through telescopes, singing in the dark, and participating in drum circles, among other activities.
In Aurora, the 10th annual Earth Hour will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., however, moved from the Culture Stock book store downtown to several blocks away at the SciTech Hands on Museum, 18 W. Benton Street.
Aurora GreenFest and SciTech Hands On Museum will include yoga, clapping, meditation, and crafts. SciTech will have a traveling exhibit on climate change and ocean life. There will be more family fun and healthy snacks.
The Aurora GreenFest, the second week in June in the past, has been moved this year to September 22, coincidentally the first day of Autumn.
The popular Magic Festival, known as Harry Potter Festival, will be held in Aurora the second weekend in June Saturday, June 9 and Sunday, June 10. It drew a huge crowd last year for the one-day, second Sunday in June inaugural celebration. The festival will join with Aurora Downtown, a non-profit organization to be strengthened this year.
Naperville was host to a Harry Potter festival the second Saturday in June last year. This year it will be held Saturday, June 23. It is the best of both worlds for those seeking Summer Magic. Such festivals are held throughout the Midwest. Warner Bros., however, extracted the name Harry Potter because of name infringement. Warner holds the legal rights to the name and threatened legal action against those festivals which kept the name. Thus, it is Magic Festival in Aurora. Enjoy!