Above / At 160 feet tall, Moser Tower with its 72-bell carillon is pictured in this springtime view from Centennial Park near the Naperville Riverwalk. (PN Photo, March 27, 2024)
Friday, March 29
Good Friday begins Easter Weekend / Good Friday is the day Christian and Catholic churches throughout the world commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus. This day falls on the Friday before Easter Sunday. Easter commemorates the Resurrection of Jesus. Good Friday means “holy Friday.”
Good Friday is not a federally observed holiday / Most places and banks will be open for business. USPS will deliver mail.
Aluminum Can Collection hosted by Knights of Columbus / 6AM / Drop off aluminum cans in the parking lot for recycling to help the Knights of Columbus raise funds to support local Knights of Columbus charities. Drop off between 6AM and 6PM Fri., March 29, through Sun., March 31. Knights of Columbus Hall is located at 615 E. Ogden Avenue. (Note: 3-day event)
Brats at Kreger’s / 10AM to 3PM Fridays and Saturdays at Kreger’s Brat and Sausage Haus – 606 N. Ellsworth Naperville, IL 60563 / Stop by for lunch, conversation and camaraderie. Bill Kreger is back! Be sure to ask Bill about his ice fishing excursion and let him know that you know his wurst is the best. (Note: 2-days this weekend)
Updated Post, 4:37PM March 29 / “Don O’Reilly is at peace. Our comrade, friend, and role model passed away this morning around 7AM. He was 102. He has been a member of both the VFW and the Legion as well as a member of the honor Guard for a very, very long time. We will miss his ‘living history’ Don shared with us through the years,” noted Dennis Lukavsky for the American Legion and the VFW. Arrangements are pending.
National Vietnam War Veterans Day Observance / 10:30AM / The United States Armed Forces officially left Vietnam on March 29, 1973. Members of the American Legion Post 43 and the Judd Kendall VFW Post 3873 again have organized a remembrance in Veterans Park to include several reflections by Veterans, a DAR tribute, music, poetry, the Naperville Honor Guard and a wreath laying at the Gold Star Family Memorial Monument. Veterans Park is located at 303 Gartner Road. The community is welcome. Parking is available across Gartner Road at Grace United Methodist Church. (Click here for notes and photos from 2023)
NOTE… FREE CHOW for Vietnam Veterans! / Following the ceremony, Vietnam Veterans are invited to Mission BBQ for a FREE sandwich with gratitude for their service. In Naperville, Mission BBQ is located in Westridge Court at 376 Route 59.
Enjoy Every Day at Quigley’s Irish Pub / 11AM / Quigley’s Irish Pub is located at 43 E. Jefferson Ave in downtown Naperville / Quigley’s Irish Pub features live music Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays as well as a good place for special events. Meanwhile, stop by for a cool pint and honest pub fare EDAQ, Every Day at Quigley’s. This week, EDAQ regulars note: Thurs., Thirsty Boots Trio at 7PM; Fri., Forget Hannah at 8:30PM; Sat., Off the Charts at 8:30PM; and Sun., March 31 – Happy Easter – Closed all day. Sláinte! (Note: 2 days this weekend)
Judd Kendall VFW Fish Fry / 4:30PM to 7:30PM at Judd Kendall VFW – 908 West Jackson Ave. Naperville, IL 60540 / The tradition continues! The Naperville VFW Friday Fish Fry has been held every Friday during Lent. The cost is $15 per plate of fish and fries. Add $5 for pizza or shrimp. Cash bar available. Final Fish Fry this season.
2024 March Madness: Men’s NCAA tournament presents Sweet Sixteen Thursday and Friday / Elite Eight Saturday and Sunday / 7:09PM / For details of game play this weekend click here.
Saturday, March 30
Celebrate National Pencil Day! / All Day / Ever use a pencil or wonder about its history? Though pencils date way back to 1560, a pencil with an attached eraser was patented by Hymen Limpan on March 30, 1858. The anniversary of this patent is now unofficially recognized as National Pencil Day, March 30. Search this website for a story called “I, Pencil” by Leonard Read that tells the amazing history of this writing instrument while providing a lesson in fair and free markets and how they activate successful economies. We hope you’ll get the point every day!
Jaycees present The Great Egg Hunt 2024 / 9AM start / Frontier Park Sports Complex, 3380 Cedar Glade Dr. / EGGstra! EGGstra! Read all about the FREE family fun event for kids 8 and under. Arrive early. 14,000 eggs “hidden” among the 4 ball fields, divided by age groups, await for kids to put eggs in a basket or bag. BYO Easter basket or bag. A horn blasts promptly at 9AM to set off the kids-only scramble. Only children under age 2 can have help from a parent. Special prizes are available, as well as a visit from the Easter Bunny for photos you take. It’s recommended to arrive 30 minutes or so early. Parking is limited. Non-perishable food items, boxed or canned, and shelf-stable microwavable meals will be collected to benefit DuPage Pads.
Naperville Astronomical Association Solar Saturday / 9AM / View the Sun via (safely filtered!) telescopes along the Riverwalk at Jackson & Webster (across from the Library) from 9AM to noon every Saturday thru the end of March, weather permitting and canceled if clouds get in the way. Eclipse glasses will be available at Solar Saturdays and all NAA meetings and events prior to the eclipse so individuals can safely view the deep partial eclipse in Naperville on April 8, when over 90% of the Sun’s disk will be covered by the silhouette of the Moon.
Day Two of Three-Day Community Ramadan Event & Eid Bazaar / Noon to Midnight / Grand Community Ramadan event and Eid Bazaar is set for Embassy Suites on March 29, 30, and 31. Billed as a fun-filled multicultural family event, booths hosted by dozens of vendors will feature Eid clothing, food bazaar, Iftar, charity, jewelry, Abhaya, mehndi, spices, Islamic arts, paintings, wall decor, rugs, toys, face painting, and household goods. Eid al-Fitr, also known as the Festival of Fast-breaking, is a joyous occasion for Muslims around the world, marking the end of Ramadan. Admission is free. Embassy Suites is located at 1823 Abriter Court, just off Diehl Road. (Note: 3-day event)
March Madness Continues on CBS – NCAABB / 2024 NCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball Championship / Which teams will advance to Final Four? Click here for a listing of Naperville sports bars where live action is on big screens.
‘Dune: Part Two’ / Check out the movie now playing at a theater near you. “Dune: Part Two” is receiving rave reviews! / Click here for the thrilling trailer featured with the review “Movies with Tarik: Dune: Part Two.” Movie goers who went to see “Dune: Part Two” helped the science fiction achieve top box office success around the world. (“Bob Marley: One Love” reviewed in “Movies with Tarik” in print on page 14 in PN for March 2024 achieved high box office results, too.)
Sunday / March 31
Easter Brunch or Dinner in Naperville / All Day / Consider the choices and specials available at www.dinenaperville.com.
Easter in downtown Naperville / For Easter brunches, lunches or dinners and other choices featured at Catch 35 as well as other downtown Naperville eateries, click here.
Reserve a Table at Mesón Sabika / 11:30AM to 9PM / Find a choice in dining rooms and private spaces at Mesón Sabika to sample Spanish tapas and delicious sangria for lunch and dinner. Located just west of downtown Naperville at 1025 Aurora Avenue, Mesón Sabika has been serving the community since 1990. Built in 1847, the historic mansion with eight air-conditioned dining rooms is set in a beautifully landscaped four-acre estate, providing a welcoming sight with plenty of parking for lunch, dinner, special events, benefits, weddings, meetings and family gatherings throughout the year. For reservations or information about its Easter Extravaganza, call (630) 983-3000 x 2 or click here.
Every day… Dine Naperville!
Every day… Visit Naperville!
Help keep your surroundings safe. If you see something suspicious, call 9-1-1.
Thanks for reading! Stay safe. Have a good weekend.
