Brainerd Festival Just the Beginning of Community Events in Libertyville

The popular Wine, Beer, Cigar and Food Festival is coming Aug. 25 to the historic Brianerd Building. This festival is the major fundraiser for the effort to turn the Brainerd building into a community center which would hold more events and festivals.

The Wine, Beer, Cigar and Food Festival has proven to be a successful fundraiser for the Brainerd Community Center Foundation. The funds raised at past events have been re-invested in the Brainerd building, repairing the roof, windows, heating, and for general maintenance. Now it is the time for the community to invest in the Brainerd Community Center concept and save the building from demolition. The Wine, Beer, Cigar and Food Festival is potentially just the beginning of special events to be held at the historic building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The auditorium stage could be home to the many theater groups based in Libertyville who search for venues to present their productions. The building, which …

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Ana Draa

7:58 am on Thursday, August 23, 2012

Besides the field, Brainard serves another very valuable service to the students of D128. The parking lot is the only place for non-seniors to park. Take that away, there is literally no place for those kids to park. This is a great festival, good cause, wonderful community event. Best wishes for great weather!   more ›

Peter Smith: Perfect Place to Come of Age

This is the fourth of five short stories by Peter Smith, who recently published his memoir, "A Cavalcade of Lesser Horrors."

Writer and Minnesota Public Radio essayist Peter Smith, who moved to Libertyville when he was four from Chicago’s south side, recently released his new book A Cavalcade of Lesser Horrors, where he depicts his life’s “hiccups” including glimpses of Libertyville’s mid-twentieth century mainstreet. To learn more about Smith, read Libertyville Provides Backdrop for Writer's Memoir This is the fourth of five short stories Patch will feature. The perfect place to come of age If ever there were a perfect place for a Midwestern Baby Boomer to come of age, it was the old high school—the Brainerd Building—in Libertyville, Illinois. I was incarcerated there myself freshman year. Even now, the place still exudes a certain happy, sad, confused, …

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Viewfinder

Viewfinder: Brainerd Fundraiser A Delight

Brainerd's North Shore Wine, Beer, Cigar and Food Festival had something for everyone to savor from fine spirits, live music to beautiful weather.

With people lined up at the gate waiting for 3 p.m. to arrive, signs are good that the festival will bring in much-needed revenue for the Brainerd Community Center while providing a delightful day for the festival attendants. It was a win-win situation, thanks to excellent planning, generous volunteers and picture-perfect weather.

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Tour the Brainerd Building During Festival on Aug. 27

The historic Brainerd Building will be open for tours during the North Shore Wine, Beer, Cigar and Food Festival.

The public is invited to join guided tours of the Brainerd Building on Aug. 27 as part of the North Shore Wine, Beer, Cigar and Food Festival to be held on the grounds at 416 W. Park Ave. in Libertyville. Tours will be available between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. to demonstrate how the building can be converted into a community center. The public will be able to see what improvements are necessary as well as what inherent strengths are present in the building. The Brainerd Community Center group would like to educate residents about the sustainability and stability of the structure. The Former Libertyville High School is on the National Register of Historic Places and has been identified on the watch list by Landmarks Illinois as a property still …

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Fundraising A Priority For Brainerd Community Center

With another three years on the calender, the Save Brainerd Foundation to start fundraising and renovation efforts.

After securing a three-year lease extension for the Brainerd building in March, Brainerd Community Center Inc. is working to raise funds for renovation. The group hopes to raise $2 million and complete a partial renovation before opening it as a community center, according to John Snow, treasurer for the Brainerd Community Center Inc. The group hopes to renovate for heating and fire safety so the building can be open year-round.  “This way we can get more of the community into Brainerd and more people interested in the project,” Snow said. Covering Maintenances Costs As of June 19, the group has raised $50,000. Most of it already has been spent on day-to-day maintenance, such as roof repairs over former classroom areas, insurance, and …

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Get Out

Get Out: Libertyville Days, Photo Exhibit, Father's Day

Let Patch help you make plans for something fun to do this weekend.

Looking for something to do this weekend? We've got the best bets for your done-with-work-outta-here time. Check out our picks for activities to hit and new places to explore this weekend. 1. Libertyville Days 2011 -  Peace, Love & Libertyville Where/When: Downtown Libertyville; 10 a.m. - 11 p.m., Friday, June 17; 7 a.m. - 11 p.m., Saturday, June 18; 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sunday, June 19. Why Go?: Carnival for all ages, children's rides, live music, a Taste of Libertyville on Church Street, a beer garden in the Civic Center parking lot, a parade, talent show, watermelon eating contest, arts and craft fair and much more. The Libertyville Days Parade is Saturday at 10 a.m. It starts at the train station, travels down Milwaukee and ends at …

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Viewfinder: Spring Cleaning at Brainerd

Volunteers pitch in to ready the Brainerd Building for visitors

Spring cleaning has begun at the Brainerd Building as volunteers gathered to ready the site for activity during the Libertyville Days Festival. The Jackson Gym will be home to the new photo exhibition celebrating community during the festival weekend. The Brainerd Building has a long and interesting history as the alma mater of actor Marlon Brando, the location for the movie Newport South High, and the backdrop for Ike Reilly’s music video “Good Work (If You Can Get It)” Another clean up is scheduled for June 4th at 9 a.m. Volunteers are welcome. Many hands make light work and a little elbow grease goes a long way. The building is located at 416 W. Park Ave., Libertyville. To volunteer for the next spring cleaning work day visit www.…

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Standing The Test of Time

A history of the Brainerd Building.

Prior to 1916, students from around Lake County crammed into the classrooms of Central School. To alleviate the space issue, construction began on central Lake County's first high school, the eight-classroom Brainerd Building. Located on Brainerd Avenue, both the street and the structure bore the middle name of local builder Ansel B. Cook. When it opened the following year, 138 students and seven teachers filled its hallways. With the population continuing to grow in the 1920s, the Jackson Gym, featuring a stage and elevated track, was added onto the existing structure. As Sandy Wilson recollected, "I will always remember what we called the 'tunnel,' which of course, was not underground but connected the two buildings together." John …

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Chi-an Chang

2:12 pm on Monday, December 20, 2010

Sue, Thank you for sharing your memory. It's so fun to read about your expereince, especially how you had to type with gloves on.   more ›

Voice of Libertyville High School Students

Opinion: Tear Down the Brainerd Building

Libertyville High School student offers his take on Brainerd.

Seriously, Brainerd has got to go. Before Vernon Hills High School was built, all freshmen in the district had classes at Brainerd unless they were enrolled in upper level classes at the Butler Lake Campus. However, once VHHS was built in 1999, there wasn't a need to use Brainerd anymore. The building has sat dormant since. A local group, called Brainerd Community Center, has sub-leased the old building from the Village of Libertyville, which is currently leasing the building from District 128 with the intent to rehabilitate it into a community center. The proposed community center would focus on educational enrichment, but would also provide music programs and a teen center. However, the group has fallen way short in its quest to raise …

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