logo
Elgin News Digest: Gail Borden Public Library holding comic book panel discussion; Elgin author to discuss Agatha Christie lingo, references

Elgin News Digest: Gail Borden Public Library holding comic book panel discussion; Elgin author to discuss Agatha Christie lingo, references

Chicago Tribune4 days ago
'Sound + Vision,' a rock 'n' roll comic panel discussion, will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 23, at the Gail Borden Public Library in downtown Elgin in advance of its 16th annual Comic Book Mania event on Saturday, Aug. 2.
During the program, graphic novelists Steve Horton and Russell Lissau will talk about the relationship between musical artists and comic books and sign copies of their books, according to the library's website.
The Comic Book Mania Convention in August, scheduled for noon to 4 p.m., will feature comic artists and vendors, photo ops with superheroes and comic book characters, a comic book costume contest and a drawing class.
For more information, go to attend.gailborden.info/event/13626169 and gailborden.info/comicbookmania.
Elgin-based author and historian Kate Gingold and her husband, Don, a publisher at Gnu Ventures Co., will present a program on 'The Long Lost Lingo of Agatha Christie' from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 24, at Oak Crest Residence in Elgin.
Kate Gingold's book, 'Agatha Annotated' offers a glossary database of obscure terms and historical references found in the works of Agatha Christie, according to a news release. She was invited to speak on the subject at the International Agatha Christie Festival in Torquay, England, in September 2024.
Since then, Gingold has added to the talk with memories of the festival and the experts she met while researching the terms. Don Gingold, a voice and community theater performer, will be reading passages from the novels that include the obscure terms his wife will define.
Complimentary refreshments and hors d'oeuvres will be served. The event is free but freewill donations will be accepted. The center is at 204 S. State St.
To make a reservation to attend, call 847-742-2255. For more information, go to www.club120elgin.org.
A tropical island event featuring live music and dance performances will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 25, at Wing Park Family Aquatic Center, 1030 Wing St., Elgin.
Evening admission to the family event is $5 for Elgin residents and $6 for nonresidents, according to a social media post for the event.
For more information, call 847-289-2542.
Elgin History Museum will be hosting the Elgin Arts Happy Hour from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, July 28, at the Nancy Kimball Cobblestone House, 302 W. Chicago St., Elgin.
The free event is designed to bring area creative and arts supporters together for a casual, welcoming gathering, according to a social media post.
'No agenda, no sales pitch, just snacking, sipping and being in the same room with our creative community,' the post says.
The event is open to anyone age 21 or older. Alcohol will be available. Future happy hours are being planned for the last Monday of each month.
For more information, call 847-742-4248.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

POP MART Takes Over Comic Con With Exclusive Drops and Debuts
POP MART Takes Over Comic Con With Exclusive Drops and Debuts

Newsweek

time2 hours ago

  • Newsweek

POP MART Takes Over Comic Con With Exclusive Drops and Debuts

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. For 15 years, Beijing-based POP MART has been leading the blind box craze with its popular array of characters. From the first-party creations, such as the Monsters Series featuring the world-famous LABUBU, to collaborations with major brands, POP MART has its hands in all realms of fandom and collectibles. Those realms also include a major presence at San Diego Comic-Con. "We're thrilled to be back at San Diego Comic-Con for the third year in a row. This year, we created the ultimate Play Stop for fans to fuel up on joy with their favorite POP MART IP. Attendees are getting access to global first releases, first looks at upcoming products, and an opportunity to meet one of our most beloved artists," said Emily Brough, POP MART's head of IP and Licensing, The Americas. More Than Just One Monster While LABUBU has been all the rage recently, POP MART's influence extends far beyond that singular monster. As the brand celebrates its 15th anniversary, POP MART's collection of cute characters has taken over the globe, including DUCKOO, Nyota Love, and more. "The passion of the POP MART collector community is on full display here in San Diego. It's incredible to see the energy around so many of our artists. From Nyota to Duckoo, the community continues to embrace all of these unique characters and the stories they tell," Brandi Hammons, POP MART's head of marketing, The Americas, told Newsweek. POP MART's selection at SDCC 2025 POP MART's selection at SDCC 2025 That roster is apparent in California. For the third consecutive year, POP MART pulled out all the stops at San Diego Comic-Con, offering fans an exclusive look at upcoming collections and introducing a few surprise releases featuring new collaborations with Star Wars and Hot Wheels. Not only were there hot new releases on the floor, but POP MART revealed what's to come with exclusive previews of the upcoming scream-inducing Chucky blind box set. Nyota artist KaKu also made an appearance at the booth to sign the new Nyota collectibles released at San Diego Comic-Con. Amid the LABUBU boom, POP MART offered con attendees the chance to get their hands on the accessory of 2025, despite the fanged friend's scarcity. POP MART's expansion went beyond the SDCC stage. The trendy toy retailer joined forces with the candy store IT'SUGAR for a special POP MART-themed weekend where convention goers could create their own custom candies inspired by POP MART's biggest characters, as well as buy new blind boxes. The brand also teased more to come for POP MART as the love for LABUBU and The Monsters continues to spread far and wide. The fanged friend has been a major driver of POP MART's growth stateside, with the brand expanding across North America through 43 brick-and-mortar locations and 65 Robo Shops.

Famed Wanamaker Organ will again be heard by the public in fall art series in Philadelphia
Famed Wanamaker Organ will again be heard by the public in fall art series in Philadelphia

San Francisco Chronicle​

time3 hours ago

  • San Francisco Chronicle​

Famed Wanamaker Organ will again be heard by the public in fall art series in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — One of the most famous organs in the world, which graces one of Philadelphia's favorite public spaces, was at risk of going quiet this spring when Macy's closed up shop in the city's storied Wanamaker Building. But countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo, the avant-garde opera star hired last year to run Opera Philadelphia, is leading an effort to let the public again enjoy the Wanamaker Organ, a National Historic Landmark-designated treasure. The organ boasts more than 28,000 wood and metal pipes hidden behind a soaring wall of gold-leaf pipes that frame the building's seven-story marble atrium. Costanzo, with $1 million in philanthropic funding, is organizing a series of public performances this fall — including opera, ballet, theater and drag — before renovations begin next year on the building's conversion to a retail and residential hub. The first event is set for Sunday, Sept. 7. 'John Wanamaker, when he built this Grand Court, said he wanted it to be the intersection of arts and commerce, and that's why he put the world's largest pipe organ into it,' Costanzo told The Associated Press in an onsite interview Thursday evening. 'This space is operatic,' he said. 'So I thought it was a perfect umbrella to bring in every arts organization I could, and all these different collaborators.' The organ was made for the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. Wanamaker, a successful merchant and civic leader, had it moved to his new emporium next to City Hall in 1909 and then hired a crew of 40 pipe makers to enlarge it so the sound filled the vast space. A decade later, famed conductor Leopold Anthony Stokowski performed there with the Philadelphia Orchestra as 15,000 people crowded into the great hall and mezzanines. With the merchandise now gone, the acoustics rival those of the great cathedrals, Costanzo said. 'The organ for the first time is in perfect cathedral acoustic condition, so it will be the best way to hear this instrument in the history of the space, because there's actually nothing in there,' he said. The building's new owner hopes to continue to incorporate art and culture into their plans, which include retail on the lower floors and office and residential space above. The organ adds unique challenges. 'You've got this organ music going in the grand atrium, but meanwhile you've got other uses on these upper floors looking into that space, so you have to figure out how to make that work for everybody,' said Jon McMillan, a senior vice president of TF Cornerstone, the New York-based development firm. Local civic groups, in an announcement Friday, said they hope to raise funds to bring back one of the city's most beloved annual events, a holiday light show that drew generations of families to the store. Costanzo, who continues to perform around the world, believes he can build enthusiasm for the arts by bringing it to the places where people gather, including the Wanamaker Building. And he hopes that, in turn, will help people find a way to connect with each other. 'This space is so deeply embedded in the emotion of Philadelphia,' Costanzo said. "I want them to come to Wanamaker and discover something they've never seen before.'

Famed Wanamaker Organ will again be heard by the public in fall art series in Philadelphia

time3 hours ago

Famed Wanamaker Organ will again be heard by the public in fall art series in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA -- One of the most famous organs in the world, which graces one of Philadelphia's favorite public spaces, was at risk of going quiet this spring when Macy's closed up shop in the city's storied Wanamaker Building. But countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo, the avant-garde opera star hired last year to run Opera Philadelphia, is leading an effort to let the public again enjoy the Wanamaker Organ, a National Historic Landmark-designated treasure. The organ boasts more than 28,000 wood and metal pipes hidden behind a soaring wall of gold-leaf pipes that frame the building's seven-story marble atrium. Costanzo, with $1 million in philanthropic funding, is organizing a series of public performances this fall — including opera, ballet, theater and drag — before renovations begin next year on the building's conversion to a retail and residential hub. The first event is set for Sunday, Sept. 7. 'John Wanamaker, when he built this Grand Court, said he wanted it to be the intersection of arts and commerce, and that's why he put the world's largest pipe organ into it,' Costanzo told The Associated Press in an onsite interview Thursday evening. 'This space is operatic,' he said. 'So I thought it was a perfect umbrella to bring in every arts organization I could, and all these different collaborators.' The organ was made for the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. Wanamaker, a successful merchant and civic leader, had it moved to his new emporium next to City Hall in 1909 and then hired a crew of 40 pipe makers to enlarge it so the sound filled the vast space. A decade later, famed conductor Leopold Anthony Stokowski performed there with the Philadelphia Orchestra as 15,000 people crowded into the great hall and mezzanines. With the merchandise now gone, the acoustics rival those of the great cathedrals, Costanzo said. 'The organ for the first time is in perfect cathedral acoustic condition, so it will be the best way to hear this instrument in the history of the space, because there's actually nothing in there,' he said. The building's new owner hopes to continue to incorporate art and culture into their plans, which include retail on the lower floors and office and residential space above. The organ adds unique challenges. 'You've got this organ music going in the grand atrium, but meanwhile you've got other uses on these upper floors looking into that space, so you have to figure out how to make that work for everybody,' said Jon McMillan, a senior vice president of TF Cornerstone, the New York-based development firm. Local civic groups, in an announcement Friday, said they hope to raise funds to bring back one of the city's most beloved annual events, a holiday light show that drew generations of families to the store. Costanzo, who continues to perform around the world, believes he can build enthusiasm for the arts by bringing it to the places where people gather, including the Wanamaker Building. And he hopes that, in turn, will help people find a way to connect with each other. 'This space is so deeply embedded in the emotion of Philadelphia,' Costanzo said. "I want them to come to Wanamaker and discover something they've never seen before.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store