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Pumping it up at Highwood’s Pumpkin Festival

• Families
• Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival
• Great Pumpkin Wall

This past weekend was the annual Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival in downtown Highwood, and it was as exciting as usual.

This year was the 17th iteration of the free festival, which is the largest outdoor fall celebration on Chicago’s North Shore. The festival typically opens with a carnival on Thursday night and runs through Sunday, but this year’s rain pushed the festival opening to Friday.

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Pete Crow-Armstrong joins baseball’s most exclusive cub

Chicago Cubs fans have had plenty to celebrate this season, but few moments have been bigger than Pete Crow-Armstrong joining one of baseball’s most exclusive clubs.

On Sept. 24, the 24-year-old Chicago center fielder stole second base to record his 40^th stolen base of the season. Combined with his 45 home runs, the milestone made Crow-Armstrong just the seventh player in MLB history to record a 40 homer, 40 stolen base season.

The accomplishment puts Crow-Armstrong alongside some of the greatest players in major league history, including Jose Canseco, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Alfonso Soriano, Ronald Acuna Jr. and Shohei Ohtani.

But PCA, as he is known to Cubs fans, has done more than just put up impressive offensive numbers. He has emerged as one of the most complete players in all of baseball, combining power at the plate with speed on the bases and elite defense in center field.

Entering the game Sept. 24, PCA led the national league in home runs, on base plus slugging (OPS), and on base plus slugging plus (OPS+). He also had 107 runs batted in and 119 runs scored. His 45 home runs are the most ever hit by a lefty in Cubs history, surpassing Billy Williams who launched 42 in 1970.

This historic season has also made PCA the presumptive, and in all likelihood, unanimous MVP. This will be the first time in six years an Illinois athlete has won MVP. The feat was last accomplished by Jose Abreu who took home AL MVP in the COVID-shortened 2020 season for the White Sox.

PCA’s remarkable 2026 campaign adds yet another chapter to the long history of great Baseball in Illinois. And with the Cubs headed back to the postseason, there is still plenty of baseball left for PCA to dominate.

Apple watch: Illinois orchards and their origin

• Apple Orchards
• Johnny Appleseed
• John Chapman

Illinois is preparing to head into autumn, which is the busiest time of the year for apple orchards. This month, many different types of apples are in season, from Gala to Fuji to Empire. It is also the time of year when many fall festivals take place, usually featuring apple cider, hayrides and other fall-related activities.

Across Illinois, there are 102 apple orchards in 80 cities – everywhere from Papa’s Sweet Corn & Honeycrisp Apples in Northern Illinois to the Ryder Family Farm in Southern Illinois.

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Exploring Illinois State Symbols

While many Illinoisans know the red crest of the Northern Cardinal as the state bird, there are a variety of unique symbols that tell the story of our state. The tradition of state symbols began over two centuries ago after the state was admitted to the Union in 1818, and the collection of symbols have continued to evolve throughout history. 

A road trip through the state reveals endless cornfields, so it’s no surprise the state snack is popcorn. It became the state snack as a result of a student-led civic project at Cunningham Elementary School in Joliet. The students wanted to learn how a bill became a law, so they researched Illinois agriculture and chose popcorn due to the economic importance of popcorn in Illinois. It caught the attention of Illinois legislators, which resulted in the passage of Senate Bill 1051 in 2003.

A second niche state symbol is the state pie. While pumpkin pie is commonly associated with Thanksgiving, pumpkin has a rich history in Illinois as well. Illinois produces about 85% of processed pumpkins used nationwide. Similar to corn, pumpkins are central to the agricultural identity of the state. A bill was signed into law in 2015 officially recognizing pumpkin pie as a state symbol.

Just as important as fueling the body, cycling was named the state exercise on Jan. 1, 2018 to reflect the state’s commitment to public health and the safety of cyclists. Illinois already had a strong reputation for bike-friendly policies. In 2017, the League of American Bicyclists ranked Illinois as the top state in “Legislation and Enforcement” in cycling policy. To further back up the legitimacy of cycling being named the state exercise, there were three bicycle laws that went into effect on Jan. 1 to further promote bicycle safety.

Whether you’re savoring a bite, enjoying a treat, or breaking a sweat, these state symbols celebrate the unique spirit that keeps our community moving.