On Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m., families are invited to the historic Ellwood House Museum campus to enjoy a fun-filled day of art, music, history, and activities at the Ellwood Summer Festival.
Children can enjoy a variety of free programs throughout the day, including hands-on art activities presented by Kishwaukee Valley Art League members. The art activities, featuring a "Summer Fun" theme, will include magic scratch boards, fun masks, superhero masks and freehand drawing. Several KVAL members also will be painting in the gardens and on the grounds throughout the event.
As part of the museum's "Ellwood Explorers" monthly youth program series, the festival also will include activities from several of the series' community partners, as well as a collaborative art project at the 1893 Little House. The six-hole miniature golf course featured in the July "Golfing with the Ellwoods" program will be open for play near the Little House throughout the event.
First-floor tours of the Ellwood mansion will run every 30 minutes from 12:30 to 3 p.m. Tour admission is $5 for adults, $3 for youth and free for children younger than 6. All mansion tours start inside the Visitor Center. Exhibits by the DeKalb Area Garden Club and KVAL will be on display inside the Visitor Center.
From 12:30 to 2 p.m., Projeto Arcomusical will present a unique hands-on music workshop and concert featuring the berimbau, an Afro-Brazilian bow instrument. In addition to performing solo, duo, trio and quartet works from the Arcomusical repertoire, Gregory Beyer, Ethan Martin, Daniel Eastwood and Tony Cable will present interactive audience activities for all ages.
The DeKalb Municipal Band, under the direction of Kirk Lundbeck, will present its annual Ellwood House concert on the mansion terrace at 2:30 p.m. Jill McCormick, the featured vocalist, will perform "Ain't Misbehavin" and "I Dreamed a Dream."
Other selections on the program include, "The Nutmeggers March," "Festive Overture," "Washington Post," "La La Land," "In a Miller Mood," "Rolling Thunder," "Sinatra!," "Themes Like Old Times 2," "Amparito Roca," "Belle of the Ball" and "His Honor."
Visitors are welcome to bring lawn chairs or blankets to enjoy the performances. Live music at the Ellwood Summer Festival is supported by the Farny R. Wurlitzer Foundation Fund. Food will be for sale by Boy Scout Troop 33 throughout the event.
Onsite parking at the Ellwood House Museum is limited. Visitors should use legal street parking near the museum and public parking lots. Parking also is available in the lot at First United Congregational Church, 615 N. First St. Follow the limestone path through the woods to the Ellwood House or walk along the sidewalk on First Street.
The Ellwood House is located at 509 N. First St. in DeKalb. For information, visit www.ellwoodhouse.org or call 815-756-4609.
