5 things to do in McHenry County: ‘Singo’, Gardenfest, Kite Fly, 5K and folk music

1. Singo: Try out bingo but with songs at a fundraising event benefiting CASA of McHenry County.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the event runs from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Lou’s Lounge at the Dole, 401 Country Club Road, Crystal Lake.

The cost is $30 and includes four rounds of “singo” and popcorn. Prizes are available for the winner of each round. There will be a cash bar and candy to purchase.

For information, go to thedole.org/all-dole-events/singo.

2. Gardenfest at McHenry County College: The latest gardening trends, tools and techniques will be explored at this daylong series of seminars and workshops for gardeners of every skill level.

The event runs 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at McHenry County College, 8900 Route 14 in Crystal Lake.

Attendees can choose from more than 15 breakout sessions presented by industry experts covering topics such as native plants, tree and shrub selection, garden design, vegetable gardening, pollinators, growing and caring for grapes, weed management and more.

The morning keynote, “Adding Color with Annuals,” will be presented by Kim Hartmann, a landscape designer and professional horticulturalist with more than 35 years of experience, according to a news release. The session will teach attendees how to create beautiful combinations of color, texture and form to establish a long season of bloom and keep outdoor spaces fresh and fun.

The deadline to register in advanced has passed, but tickets still can be bought on a first-come, first-served basis the day of the event for $50 as long as seats are available. Fee includes lunch.

For information, go to mchenry.edu/gardenfest.

3. Cary Kite Fly: Celebrate National Kite Flying month at this kite flying event – on your own or in a contest.

The free event will take place from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Lions Park, 1200 Silver Lake Road in Cary.

Contest categories may include biggest and smallest kites, highest flying kite, most unusual kite and others.

Register on-site for the contest. For information, go to carypark.com.

4. Run Thru the Hills: The village of Lake in the Hills will host the Run Thru the Hills 5K Run/Walk, Bark in the Hills 2-mile dog walk and Hop ‘n Trot Kids’ 100-Yard Dash on Saturday.

The event kicks off at 10 a.m. at The Place for Children with Autism, 15 Crystal Lake Road in Lake in the Hills.

The race will take participants along one of the McHenry County scenic roads and through challenging hills surrounded by forested neighborhoods with views of the lakes and parks such as Turtle Island and Indian Trail Beach.

Online registration closes at noon Friday or when race registration has reached a total of 400 5K Run/Walk entries, 30 Kids’ Dash entries or 30 2-Mile dog walk entries. The cost is $40 online and $45 in person for either the 5K or the dog walk and $20 online and $25 in person for the Kids’ Dash.

Registration the day of the event will be accepted from 9 to 9:45 a.m. at race headquarters at The Place for Children with Autism.

For information, go to lith.org.

5. Woodstock Folk Festival Spring Concert: Grace Morrison will perform at 2 p.m. Sunday at Stage Left Cafe, 125 W. Van Buren St. in Woodstock.

Morrison will be accompanied by Radoslav Lorkovic, uniting “one of the folk world’s most popular emerging artists with one of the most revered performers and collaborators in the music community,” organizers said.

Local artists Cheryl Niemo & the Down Home Boys will open the concert.

Tickets bought in advance through the Woodstock Opera House cost $20 per person plus a $2 handling fee. Any remaining tickets will be sold at the door on the day of the concert for $25 per person.

For information, go to bit.ly/WoodstockFolkSpring.

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