Cantigny celebrates 60th anniversary with family events

Natural beauty, local history and family fun all come together at Cantigny in Wheaton. This is an even bigger summer than most as the park celebrates its 60th anniversary.

As always, the schedule at Cantigny is packed with activities and special events geared to all ages. Some of the most popular are McCormick Day Thursday, July 30; Dog Days Saturday, Aug. 1; and French Connection Day Sunday, Aug. 9. Another fan favorite is the two-day Revolutionary War Re-enactment Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 12 and 13.

Music is a huge part of the Cantigny schedule, anchored by Sunday afternoon concerts beginning at 3 p.m. at the red band shell featuring a variety of performers. See the lineup at Cantigny.org or pick up a Summer Events Guide at the park. As with nearly all events at Cantigny, the concerts are free with paid parking of $5 per car.

The park also offers concerts just for kids at noon Sundays, July 5, July 26 and Aug. 16.

Cantigny takes on a Ravinia-like feel when the symphonies come to play under the stars. The West Suburban Symphony visits Saturday, July 11.

The Chicago Sinfonietta performance Thursday, July 30, is the official celebration of Cantigny's 60-year milestone. The dynamic sinfonietta will be the icing on the cake after a full day of special McCormick Day activities, including two other concerts: Jamie and the Farmhands will entertain kids at 2 p.m., and the spectacle known as Barefoot Hawaiian plays at 4 p.m. This is sure to be Cantigny's biggest and best McCormick Day ever and it's all free, even parking.

If classic rock is more your style, don't miss And Beyond Saturday, July 25, under the oaks outside the First Division Museum. Tickets are $10 in advance. Concert tickets are available online or by calling (630) 260-8162. The Cantigny Shop handles ticket sales, too. No tickets are needed for the July 30 concerts or the free Sunday concerts.

For economical family entertainment, it's hard to beat free Movies in the Park. Parking is $2 on movie nights and snacks are welcome. As with the concerts, seating is on the lawn, so chairs or blankets are recommended.

Cantigny will host the Northern Illinois Vintage Base Ball Festival Saturday, July 25 - your chance to see how our national pastime looked in the late 1800s. Pull up a hay bale, bring a picnic and enjoy a game or two. Several other Vintage Base Ball events are on the summer schedule as well.

One of Cantigny's regular attractions, the Robert R. McCormick Museum, has a new Second Saturdays program with hands-on activities geared to families. The park's First Division Museum recently unveiled a must-see exhibit about Vietnam running through Nov. 1.

Be sure to stroll through the gardens during your Cantigny visit, too. More than 30 acres of plantings await your senses and a number of organized garden tours are offered, some with wine.

Admission to the museums and gardens is free with paid parking. The gardens, "tank park" and picnic grounds offer plenty of shade during days when Mother Nature turns up the heat. For details about the programs, festivals and concerts - and many more upcoming events - visit Cantigny.org.