Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: Why did Des Plaines’ new dance manager quit after just one week?
Happening soon: This week, food events delivered to you from Quartino, Urbanbelly, Smoque BBQ, & more! on the Des Plaines Patch calendar
Cheers Des Plaines! We’re back, helping you stay up to date with what’s happening. Let's take on the day together! ☀️
In today's newsletter:
- Why did Des Plaines’ new dance manager quit after just one week?
Also on today's calendar: This week, food events delivered to you from Quartino, Urbanbelly, Smoque BBQ, & more! and 4 more events.
Find out what's happening in Des Plainesfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Find out what's happening in Des Plainesfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Thursday: Some sun, then clouds; colder, with a high of 24 and low of 16 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!
- Friday: Mostly sunny and not as cold, temps: high: 31, low: 18.
- Saturday: Partial sunshine, with a high of 28 and low of 18 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
• Des Plaines Park Dance Manager Resigns After One Week (journal-topics.com) — Parents in Des Plaines are grappling with sudden changes in the Park District’s dance programs after newly hired cultural arts manager Brady VanPatten resigned within a week, citing parent behavior and safety concerns. Families upset over the earlier dismissal of longtime manager Nancy Suwalski are also questioning the district’s transparency, as some instructors depart and a new commissioner, Alan Osinski, quietly joins the park board. 
📸 Around Des Plaines
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Des Plaines
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- This week, food events delivered to you from Quartino, Urbanbelly, Smoque BBQ, & more!
3:00 pm - Willow Hill Lights - Open nightly thru Jan 4
Willow Hill Golf Course, 1350 Willow Rd, Northbrook
5:00 pm - Everyone's favorite Chicago-style pizza from Pequod's is headed to you! Order by noon.
5:45 pm
Friday January 2
Saturday January 3
Tuesday January 6
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Healing Meditation Tues. January 6, 2026 7 pm
Unity Des Plaines, 259 E Central Rd, Des Plaines, IL, 60016
7:00 pm - Des Plaines Garden Club January meeting
Des Plaines Public Library , 1501 Ellinwood St , Des Plaines
9:30 am - Master Bespoke Tailor Launches Hands-On Fashion Classes at E.W.S. Fashion Academy, est. 1995
137 N Oak Park Ave , Oak Park
9:00 am - Illinois Secretary of State Mobile DMV
500 W Irving Park Rd , Itasca
10:00 am
Tuesday January 6
Thursday January 8
Saturday January 10
Monday January 12
📣 Des Plaines Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
🗓 Events Nearby
- Film Screening: Same Kind of Different as Me (2017)
Back of the Yards Branch Library , 4650 South Damen Avenue , Chicago
10:00 am - New Year's Story Time
McKinley Park Branch Library , 1915 West 35th Street , Chicago
10:30 am - Film Screening: Dog Man (2025)
McKinley Park Branch Library , 1915 West 35th Street , Chicago
12:00 pm - Drop-In Gaming Hours
Chicago Bee Branch Library , 3647 South State Street , Chicago
2:00 pm - Hot Chocolate and Chill
Chicago Bee Branch Library , 3647 South State Street , Chicago
2:00 pm - Color and Conversation
Sherman Park Branch Library , 5440 South Racine Avenue , Chicago
2:00 pm - Family Nintendo Switch
McKinley Park Branch Library , 1915 West 35th Street , Chicago
1:00 pm - Sensory Friendly Film Screening: Bad Guys 2 (2025)
Archer Heights Branch Library , 5055 South Archer Avenue , Chicago
2:00 pm
Friday January 2
Saturday January 3
Sunday January 4
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Des Plaines PatchAM possible:
- Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible! - Appliance Repair Park Ridge — (847) 449-5310
Local Same Day Appliance Repair in Park Ridge
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Ground stop at airport in Chicago, Illinois.
8:56PM on Dec 30: Inbound aircraft to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) are being held at their origin, and a ground stop has been issued… (Nextdoor )
- Mariano's Fresh Market posted a job opening for Grocery Clerk in Des Plaines. Apply here.
- Casey's General Store, Inc. posted a job opening for Team Member in Des Plaines. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Des Plaines here.
🗞 Nearby News
Mount Prospect
- Choice Is Clear: ‘People's Choice' Award Winner Puts Engineering Skills To Test In Village Decorating Contest (journal-topics.com)
Park Ridge
- Park Ridge's Top Stories of 2025 (journal-topics.com)
- Park Ridge Park District Adopts Immigration Enforcement Related Ordinances (journal-topics.com)
- A teardown-proof Zook in Chicagovland gets a $1.5M makeover (therealdeal.com)
Rosemont
Ok Des Plaines! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I just heard a golfer say he had four strokes on the first hole!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!
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