Did you know? Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo is the oldest public zoo in nation.
The zoo was established in 1868 when the Central Park’s Board of Commissioners in New York City gifted two pairs of swans to the Lincoln Park Commissioners.
The zoo is home to more than 1,000 mammals, reptiles and amphibians, along with thousands of fish and insects. Many of the 200 species of animals found in the zoo collection are rare and endangered. Fortunately, there’s an entire department full of staff and researchers dedicated to the conservation and improvement of animal management.
There are 20 exhibits to visit, all of which combine naturalistic homes for the animals and awe-inspiring encounters with visitors. A notable exhibit is the state-of-the-art Regenstein Center for African Apes. The center offers 29,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor living space, 5,000 feet of artificial vines for climbing, and dozens of trees and bamboo stands.
Chicago’s Cloud Gate more commonly known as “The Bean” has been named among the top 10 landmarks in the country by TripAdvisor.
The travel website said it compiled the ranking using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for landmarks worldwide.
First unveiled to the public on May 15, 2006, the elliptical sculpture is British artist Anish Kapoor’s first public outdoor work installed in the United States.
What better way to celebrate Memorial Day than spending time with your family and honoring all the brave men and women who gave their lives to make this country what it is? Below are some Memorial Day parades and ceremonies in the Chicagoland area over the weekend.
Chicago
Chicago is starting Memorial Day Weekend with a wreath laying ceremony and parade at 11a.m. on Saturday, May 26 at the Eternal Flame on Daley Plaza. Following the ceremony, there will be a parade promptly at noon that will go south on State Street from Lake Street to Van Buren.
The Norwood Park Memorial Day parade will begin at 11 a.m. on Monday and end with a ceremony at approximately 12:15 p.m. The parade will begin at Onahan School and travel west toward Northwest Highway, ending at Taft High School where the ceremony will take place.
North/Northwest Suburbs
Lincolnshire Memorial Day Ceremony
At Lincolnshire’s ceremony, Captain Raymond C. Leung of the U.S. Navy will speak at 10 a.m. on Monday at Spring Lake Park. The Daniel Wright Middle School band and color guard will perform at the event. After the ceremony, the Sea Cadets Division 911 will retire a worn American flag. Those who plan on attending may also bring flags to retire.
Lincolnwood Memorial Day Parade
The parade will begin at 10:20 a.m. on Monday at Madeleine’s Garden. The parade will start at the corner of Cicero and Pratt Avenues and will end in Proesel Park at Madeleine’s Garden, where a ceremony will be held at 11 a.m.
Lincolnwood’s parade allows children ages eight and under to participate by riding bikes, scooters and wagons decorated in a patriotic theme. Children participating must be accompanied by an adult and all riders must wear helmets.
West Suburbs
Battle of Cantigny 100th Anniversary
In Wheaton, there will be a 100th anniversary celebration of the famous World War I battle where the U.S. Army liberated the French village of Cantigny from German occupation. The celebration will include a wreath-laying ceremony, a poppy display, World War I themed family activities, military vehicles and a World War I themed photo booth. To end the celebration, the Illinois Brass Band will perform at 3 p.m.
Naperville Memorial Day Parade
The Naperville Memorial Day Parade will include 17 different marching bands and will begin at roughly 10:30 a.m. at Jackson and West Street. It will end at the Saints Peter and Paul church parking lot.
South Suburbs
Beverly Area Memorial Day Parade
Before the parade kicks off, the Beverly Area Planning Association’s 41st annual Ridge Run will take place where more than 3,000 athletes will gather to compete. There will be entertainment, food, children’s activities and special guests at Ridge Park following the race.
The parade will begin from 110th Street and Longwood Drive at about 10 a.m., and march north to Ridge Park. After the parade, the BAPA will have a wreath-laying ceremony along with a color guard at Ridge Park.
The Homewood Memorial Day Parade will start at 10:30 a.m. and travel south on Dixie Highway before ending at Veterans Park for a Memorial Day ceremony. The ceremony is to remember, reflect and honor those who have served, are serving and those who have given their lives for this country.
According to the latest ranking by U.S. News and World Report, 13 Illinois High Schools have been named among the best in the nation.
The rankings analyzed more than 20,500 public high schools across the country and 13 of Illinois’ public high schools received gold medal ratings. Gold medals were awarded to the top 500 schools, silver medals were given to the schools ranked between no. 501 and no. 2,711 and bronze medals were given to an additional 3,237 schools.