5 Things to Do: New playgrounds, green thumbs and pickleball in DeKalb County

This weekend

1. Hopkins Park playground and racquet courts dedication: The grand opening of a new playground and racquet courts will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday in Hopkins Park, 1403 Sycamore Road, DeKalb. The event will feature a bike parade from the Hopkins Park shelter to the new play space before a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new equipment. The free celebration will include food trucks, a DJ, child-friendly games and activities, pickleball and tennis competitions, and a public showing of Disney’s 2022 family fantasy “Encanto.” For information, visit dekalbparkdistrict.com.

2. Exercise your green thumb at DeKalb County Community Gardens: From 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, the public is welcome to tour, taste veggies and herbs, and volunteer at a 1.5-acre growing space managed by DeKalb County Community Gardens at 2475 Bethany Road in Sycamore. All ages are welcome to volunteer, and no registration is required. For information, visit dekalbgardens.org/volunteer.

This month

3. Sign up for the inaugural Sycamore Parks Foundation pickleball tournament: From 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 29, men’s, women’s and mixed-doubles pickleball competitors will have the chance to win the first-ever Sycamore Parks Foundation pickleball tournament at the Sycamore Park District Community Center, 480 Airport Road in Sycamore. Registration costs $60 per person and must be completed by Sunday. For information, visit sycparks.org/spf-engage/#Event-1.

4. Appreciate engineering ingenuity at the 53rd Sandwich Early Day Engine Show: Set from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 28 and 29 at the Sandwich Fairgrounds, 1401 Suydam Road, visitors will be able to admire oddball tractors between perusing a flea market and watching a century-old corn-shelling demonstration. Admission is $7, and children younger than 12 are free. For information, visit sandwichengineclub.com.

This summer

5. Prepare your car for the 23rd annual Fizz Ehrler Memorial Turning Back Time Car Show: From 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 28 across downtown Sycamore, the yearly automobile festival shows car culture still is alive in northern Illinois. The event is free for spectators, and those who want to display their vehicles are welcome to register online. For information, visit turningbacktimecarshow.org.

Would you like your event highlighted in this weekly feature? The first step is submitting your events to the Daily Chronicle’s community calendar at shawlocal.com/daily-chronicle/local-events, where they are then considered for inclusion in this feature.