In the Loop: Kenosha Kindness Week kicks off MLK Day holiday weekend

Top 5 things to do in Kenosha this weekend:

“Kindness Begins will Me” will be the theme for the 27th Annual Kenosha Kindness Week, which will run from Jan. 13-21 with a variety of events throughout Kenosha, including some exhibits that extend through the end of the month.

27th Annual Kenosha Kindness Week

Kindness Week Community Art Project and Art Show

Daily through Jan. 31

Northside Library 1500 27th Ave. and Southwest Library, 7979 38th Ave.

More information

Annual Community Unity Breakfast & Awards Recognition Ceremony

8:30 a.m. Saturday (Jan. 14)

Indian Trail HS cafeteria, 6800 60th St.

Free and open to the public

More information

Workshop: “It’s Our Duty: Being Just in Troubling Times”

10 a.m.-4 p.m.  Saturday (Jan. 14)

First United Methodist Church, 919 60th St.

Guest Speaker: Rev. F. Willis Johnson, Author “Holding Up Your Corner,” and lunch will be served. Cost: $5 per person, $20 for 5.

 More information

Family Activity Days – Kindness Week Community Quilt

Noon-5 p.m., Sunday (Jan.15)

Civil War Museum, 5400 1st Ave.

Throughout Kindness Week visitors are invited to stop by The Civil War Museum Resource Center to decorate a fabric square depicting how you practice kindness every day. Share a kindness quote, send someone a helpful message, or share your artistic talents with a drawing. Through Jan. 21.

More information

29th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration

Sponsored by Gateway Technical College

Noon, Monday (Jan. 16)

Haribo Hall at the Madrigrano Auditorium, Gateway Technical College Campus, 3520 30th Ave. The theme of the celebration is Recapturing the Dream to Make it a Reality and the guest speaker will be Elizabeth Rosiles-Zavala, director, Hispanic Student Programming at Gateway. Free and open to the public.

More information 

THE LINEUP

THURSDAY, Jan. 12 

Music 

Rhythm Dogs Blues Jam, 8 p.m., Union Park Tavern, 4520 8th Ave. 

Art 

Anderson Arts Center Annual Winter Juried Exhibition, 1-4 p.m., Anderson Arts Center, 6603 3rd Ave. Gallery hours Tuesday-Sunday 1-4 p.m. 

Movement in the Markings / Movimiento en las Marcas, Roberto Torres Mata, Foundation Gallery, The Rita, UW-Parkside, 900 Wood Rd. Through Friday (Jan. 13). 

Art Party, featuring the artwork of area 9th through 12th grade students and their teachers, The Rita, Foundation Gallery, UW-Parkside, 900 Wood Rd. Through Sunday (Jan. 15). 

“Timed Perspectives” student photography exhibit, Ehrler Hospitality Center (located in A. F. Siebert Chapel), Carthage College, 2001 Alford Drive. Free. 

“I and You” at Indian Trail

Theater 

KUSD Theatre Arts presents: “I and You” by Lauren Gunderson, 7:30 p.m., Indian Trail High School Auditorium, 6800 60th St. Tickets $6-13. 

Potpourri 

Second Friday Lecture – The Last Depot: A Civil War Sketch with presenter Mark Gormican, noon, Civil War Museum, 5400 1st Ave. The Last Depot is a 90-minute dramatization concerning a Union Civil War veteran, L.J. Nelson, 21st Wisconsin, and his return to Andersonville Prison thirty-one years after the death of his messmate, Sgt. James Torbert of the 6th Wisconsin. Though a monologue, the script implies a dialogue between the two mirroring their different personalities and dispositions.

Pollination Investigation, 10-5 p.m., Kenosha Public Museum, 5500 1st Ave. Explore the essential role that pollinators play in the natural world.  Nearly 90% of flowering plants rely on about 200,000 species of animal pollinators for fertilization. Through pollinator profiles, learn about different pollinators – from butterflies and hummingbirds to bats and the wind – and their favorite flowers based on floral characteristics like flower shape, color, scent and more. Through March 5. 

Wild Ones – Native Plants and Natural Landscapes, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Kenosha Public Museum, 5500 1st Ave. Photos by youth, adults, and professionals from around the country show Native species in their natural environments, from urban backyards to the American wilderness. 

Loyal to the Union, Ohio in the Civil War. Explore the people and events that made the Buckeye state unique and so important to the Union cause. Civil War Museum, 5400 1st Ave. Daily hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday.

Ice Skating, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. (weather permitting), Veterans Memorial Park, 5220 6th Ave., adjacent to City Hall. Free. Bring your own skates or check out free ice skates sponsored by the Mayor’s Youth Commission during posted rental hours. Ice skates are available on a first-come-first-served basis at the Skate Hut outside the ice rink during rental hours. Regular rental hours are: 4 to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. Hours may be different on holiday weekends. Child and adult sizes are available for check-out with a photo ID, such as a valid driver’s license or a valid school-issued ID.

Family 

Groovy Lava Lamps, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Uptown Neighborhood Library, 2419 63rd St. Learn about density as you create your own lava lamp to take home. Registration required. 

FRIDAY, Jan. 13 

Music 

Solo Artist LaVonne McRoberts-Pauley (Singer/songwriter), 9 p.m., Union Park Tavern, 4520 8th Ave. 

Art 

Anderson Arts Center Annual Winter Juried Exhibition, 1-4 p.m., Anderson Arts Center, 6603 3rd Ave. Gallery hours Tuesday-Sunday 1-4 p.m. 

Movement in the Markings / Movimiento en las Marcas, Roberto Torres Mata, Foundation Gallery, The Rita, UW-Parkside, 900 Wood Rd. (Final day) 

Art Party, featuring the artwork of area 9th through 12th grade students and their teachers, The Rita, Foundation Gallery, UW-Parkside, 900 Wood Rd. Through Sunday (Jan. 15) 

“Timed Perspectives” student photography exhibit, Ehrler Hospitality Center (located in A. F. Siebert Chapel), Carthage College, 2001 Alford Drive. Free. Through April 23. 

Dwayne Kennedy

Theater 

KUSD Theatre Arts presents: “I and You” by Lauren Gunderson, 7:30 p.m., Indian Trail High School Auditorium, 6800 60th St. Tickets $6-13. 

Potpourri 

Comedian Dwayne Kennedy, 7 p.m. Kenosha Comedy Club, Wyndham Garden Hotel, 5125 6th Ave. Kennedy is an Emmy-winning producer and critically acclaimed stand-up comic. Tickets $14 plus fees.

Ice Skating, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. (weather permitting), Veterans Memorial Park, 5220 6th Ave., adjacent to City Hall. Free. Bring your own skates or check out free ice skates sponsored by the Mayor’s Youth Commission during posted rental hours. Ice skates are available on a first-come-first-served basis at the Skate Hut outside the ice rink during rental hours. Regular rental hours are: 4 to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. Hours may be different on holiday weekends. Child and adult sizes are available for check-out with a photo ID, such as a valid driver’s license or a valid school-issued ID.

Loyal to the Union, Ohio in the Civil War. Explore the people and events that made the Buckeye state unique and so important to the Union cause. Civil War Museum, 5400 1st Ave. Daily hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday. 

Family 

Leave No Child Inside: Snow Day, 9-4 p.m., Pringle Nature Center at Bristol Woods, 9800 160th St. Learn about winter animal tracks, help us locate a certain famous snowman’s missing items on a scavenger hunt, and more. Activities are free, self-guided, and will be posted at the front door of Pringle Nature Center throughout the weekend. will take place regardless of weather, though the activities may change depending on the amount of snow in the park. Don’t forget to bring gloves and sled! No registration required. Through Monday (Jan. 16). 

Kindness Week Community Art Project and Art Show, Northside Library 1500 27th Ave. and Southwest Library, 7979 38th Ave., through Jan. 31.

Heart of Black with special guests Husher and Imperial Fall at The Brat Stop
Terry James & The Blue Flames at Union Park Tavern

SATURDAY, Jan. 14 

Music 

Georgia Rae Family Band (Americana, contemporary folk, roots) 8 p.m., Kenosha Fusion, 5014 7th Ave. With Georgia Rae on fiddle, mandolin and banjo, Kelly Jo on lead vocals and ukulele, Mykal Baas on guitar, and Trevor Mooney on bass. $15 donation suggested. 

Lost in a Name, 7 p.m., Public Craft Brewing, 628 58th St. 

Heart of Black with special guests Husher and Imperial Fall, 8 p.m.-1 a.m., The Brat Stop, 12304 75th St. 

Terry James & The Blue Flames, 8 p.m., Union Park Tavern, 4520 8th Ave. 

Art 

Anderson Arts Center Annual Winter Juried Exhibition, 1-4 p.m., Anderson Arts Center, 6603 3rd Ave. Gallery hours Tuesday-Sunday 1-4 p.m. 

Art Party, featuring the artwork of area 9th through 12th grade students and their teachers, The Rita, Foundation Gallery, UW-Parkside, 900 Wood Rd. Through Sunday (Jan. 15) 

“Timed Perspectives” student photography exhibit, Ehrler Hospitality Center (located in A. F. Siebert Chapel), Carthage College, 2001 Alford Drive. Free. Through April 23. 

Theater 

KUSD Theatre Arts presents: “I and You” by Lauren Gunderson, 7:30 p.m., Indian Trail High School Auditorium, 6800 60th St. Tickets $6-13. 

Meet & Greet with author Wendy Wimmer at Blue House Books

Potpourri 

Meet & Greet with Wendy Wimmer, noon to 3 p.m., Blue House Books, 5935 6th Ave. A. Wisconsin author Wendy Wimmer will meet with readers and sign books. Wendy’s book “”Entry Level” includes tales of characters trying to find their way through the struggles of underemployment.

Winter Chess Tournament, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Southwest Library 7979 38th Ave. All ages. Register HERE

Behind the Scenes tour of Simmons Library, 2:30-3:30 p.m., 711 59th Pl. Enjoy a peek behind the scenes of our local historic treasure: Simmons Library. Learn about Zalmon Simmons, Daniel H. Burnham, and the history of this beautiful building. Please note this tour involves significant stair climbing. Registration required. 

Kenosha HarborMarket, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Kenosha Union Club, 3030 39th Ave. Local vendors include produce, eggs, meat and poultry, prepared foods, soaps, arts and crafts, dog treats. Indoor Market through April 29. 

Kenosha Public Market, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Kemper Center, 6501 3rd Ave. (new location). Vendors, food trucks, full bar and SNAP market match. Food Drive featured Saturdays in January. (Indoor market through April 29). 

Annual Community Unity Breakfast & Awards Recognition Ceremony, 8:30 a.m., Indian Trail HS cafeteria, 6800 60th St. Free and open to the public. 

Kindred Kitties Pajama Brunch

Kindred Kitties Pajama Brunch, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., The Apis Hotel & Restaurant, 614 56th St. Ten percent of the profits go to Kindred Kitties. More information.

Workshop: “It’s Our Duty: Being Just in Troubling Times,” 10 a.m.-4 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 919 60th St. Guest Speaker: Rev. F. Willis Johnson, Author “Holding Up Your Corner,” and lunch will be served. Cost: $5 per person, $20 for 5. 

Pollination Investigation, 10-5 p.m., Kenosha Public Museum, 5500 1st Ave. Explore the essential role that pollinators play in the natural world.  Nearly 90% of flowering plants rely on about 200,000 species of animal pollinators for fertilization. Through pollinator profiles, learn about different pollinators – from butterflies and hummingbirds to bats and the wind – and their favorite flowers based on floral characteristics like flower shape, color, scent and more. Through March 5. 

Wild Ones – Native Plants and Natural Landscapes, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Kenosha Public Museum, 5500 1st Ave. Photos by youth, adults, and professionals from around the country show Native species in their natural environments, from urban backyards to the American wilderness. 

Loyal to the Union, Ohio in the Civil War. Explore the people and events that made the Buckeye state unique and so important to the Union cause. Civil War Museum, 5400 1st Ave. Daily hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday.

Comedian Dwayne Kennedy, 10 p.m. Kenosha Comedy Club, Wyndham Garden Hotel, 5125 6th Ave. Kennedy is an Emmy-winning producer and critically acclaimed stand-up comic. Tickets $14 plus fees. 

Ice Skating, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. (weather permitting), Veterans Memorial Park, 5220 6th Ave., adjacent to City Hall. Free. Bring your own skates or check out free ice skates sponsored by the Mayor’s Youth Commission during posted rental hours. Ice skates are available on a first-come-first-served basis at the Skate Hut outside the ice rink during rental hours. Regular rental hours are: 4 to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. Hours may be different on holiday weekends. Child and adult sizes are available for check-out with a photo ID, such as a valid driver’s license or a valid school-issued ID.

Durkee Mansion Historic Holiday, 6501 3rd Ave., This year’s theme is “Victorian Winter Elegance.” 1:30-4:30 p.m. through Sunday (final day).

Family 

Leave No Child Inside: Snow Day, 9-4 p.m., Pringle Nature Center at Bristol Woods, 9800 160th St. Learn about winter animal tracks, help us locate a certain famous snowman’s missing items on a scavenger hunt, and more. Activities are free, self-guided, and will be posted at the front door of Pringle Nature Center throughout the weekend. will take place regardless of weather, though the activities may change depending on the amount of snow in the park. Don’t forget to bring gloves and sled! No registration required. Through Monday (Jan. 16). 

Sensory Friendly Day, 9-10 a.m., Kenosha Dinosaur Museum, 5608 10th Ave. This event offers visitors of all ages with complex developmental disabilities, sensory sensitivities, or on the autism spectrum a safe, comfortable environment to explore the museum exhibits during special hours before the museum opens to the general public. Where possible, lights will be dimmed and the sound turned off. Signage will be posted for those areas with sound or there other sensory triggers. Trained staff will be available to help visitors navigate the museum and offer supportive resources (noise-cancelling headphones, fidgets, weighted blankets, quiet spaces), as well as opportunities for sensory engagement during exploration of the museum. Free. 

SUNDAY, Jan. 15

Art 

Anderson Arts Center Annual Winter Juried Exhibition, 1-4 p.m., Anderson Arts Center, 6603 3rd Ave. Gallery hours Tuesday-Sunday 1-4 p.m. 

Art Party, featuring the artwork of area 9th through 12th grade students and their teachers, The Rita, Foundation Gallery, UW-Parkside, 900 Wood Rd. (Final day). 

Potpourri 

Pollination Investigation, 10-5 p.m., Kenosha Public Museum, 5500 1st Ave. Explore the essential role that pollinators play in the natural world.  Nearly 90% of flowering plants rely on about 200,000 species of animal pollinators for fertilization. Through pollinator profiles, learn about different pollinators – from butterflies and hummingbirds to bats and the wind – and their favorite flowers based on floral characteristics like flower shape, color, scent and more. Through March 5. 

Wild Ones – Native Plants and Natural Landscapes, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Kenosha Public Museum, 5500 1st Ave. Photos by youth, adults, and professionals from around the country show Native species in their natural environments, from urban backyards to the American wilderness. 

Loyal to the Union, Ohio in the Civil War. Explore the people and events that made the Buckeye state unique and so important to the Union cause. Civil War Museum, 5400 1st Ave. Daily hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday.

Ice Skating, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. (weather permitting), Veterans Memorial Park, 5220 6th Ave., adjacent to City Hall. Free. Bring your own skates or check out free ice skates sponsored by the Mayor’s Youth Commission during posted rental hours. Ice skates are available on a first-come-first-served basis at the Skate Hut outside the ice rink during rental hours. Regular rental hours are: 4 to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. Hours may be different on holiday weekends. Child and adult sizes are available for check-out with a photo ID, such as a valid driver’s license or a valid school-issued ID.

Durkee Mansion Historic Holiday, 6501 3rd Ave., This year’s theme is “Victorian Winter Elegance.” 1:30-4:30 p.m. through Sunday (final day).

Sunday Storytime at Blue House Books

Family 

Leave No Child Inside: Snow Day, 9-4 p.m., Pringle Nature Center at Bristol Woods, 9800 160th St. Learn about winter animal tracks, help us locate a certain famous snowman’s missing items on a scavenger hunt, and more. Activities are free, self-guided, and will be posted at the front door of Pringle Nature Center throughout the weekend. will take place regardless of weather, though the activities may change depending on the amount of snow in the park. Don’t forget to bring gloves and sled! No registration required. Through Monday (Jan. 16). 

Family Activity Days – Kindness Week Community Quilt, Noon-5 p.m., Civil War Museum, 5400 1st Ave. Throughout Kindness Week visitors are invited to stop by The Civil War Museum Resource Center to decorate a fabric square depicting how you practice kindness every day. Share a kindness quote, send someone a helpful message, or share your artistic talents with a drawing. Through Jan. 21. 

Sunday Storytime, 2-3 p.m., Blue House Books, 5935 6th Ave. A. A read-aloud and related activity designed for ages 2-8 happens every Sunday, including special guest storytellers. 

Rasheed Bello and UW-Parkside will take on Cardinal Stritch Monday afternoon.

MONDAY, Jan. 16 

29th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, sponsored by Gateway Technical College, Noon, Haribo Hall at the Madrigrano Auditorium, Gateway Technical College Campus, 3520 30th Ave.The theme of the celebration is Recapturing the Dream to Make it a Reality and the guest speaker will be Elizabeth Rosiles-Zavala, director, Hispanic Student Programming at Gateway. Free and open to the public. 

Ice Skating, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. (weather permitting), Veterans Memorial Park, 5220 6th Ave., adjacent to City Hall. Free. Bring your own skates or check out free ice skates sponsored by the Mayor’s Youth Commission during posted rental hours. Ice skates are available on a first-come-first-served basis at the Skate Hut outside the ice rink during rental hours (extended Mon. Jan. 16  10 a.m. to 9 p.m. for the MLK holiday). Regular rental hours are: 4 to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. Hours may be different on holiday weekends. Child and adult sizes are available for check-out with a photo ID, such as a valid driver’s license or a valid school-issued ID.

Sports

Cardinal Stritch at UW-Parkside basketball, 3 p.m. men’s game, 5 p.m. women’s game, DeSimone Arena.

To submit an event for our “In the Loop” weekend listings, email Laura@Kenosha.com. Please include event details and contact information. 

Laura Marran

After two decades in journalism, Marran earned her Master’s degree in Exceptional Education from UW-Milwaukee and has served as a special education teacher with Kenosha Unified School District since 2006. A Marquette University School of Journalism alum, Marran has lived in Kenosha since 1987.

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