Hemingway Birthday Weekend!
Friday July 18 - Sunday July 20
Join the Hemingway District for a weekend of live music, games, music, and history!
Enjoy literary performances, the Running of the Bulls Kids Fun Run, and a Concert on the Porch. Wrap up with a birthday party in Scoville Park, featuring a prize wheel, games, and live music. Plus, great sales at local shops!
Don’t miss this fun-filled celebration of Hemingway’s legacy!
Are you a business in the district and want to participate?
Fill out the participation form HERE by Monday July 7.
Weekend Event Schedule
Friday, July 18
Hemingway Readings @ Various Locations
On Friday, we take a casual tour of the Hemingway Business District as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of a strikingly original collection of short stories and accompanying vignettes that marked Ernest Hemingway's American debut in 1925, called In Our Time. So take the time to read and reflect upon this classic collection of stories and join us for refreshments and engaging discussions at each location.
When: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Where: Hemingway Business District, Various Locations (see schedule below)
Cost: FREE!
6:00 PM Reading 1: Indian Camp at Yoga Loft, 115 N Oak Park Ave
An interpretative discussion on "Indian Camp" in which Hemingway examines themes of birth, death, cultural and gender dynamics, and the loss of innocence through the perspective of a young boy named Nick Adams.
Renee Malknecht, a former literature teacher and current volunteer at the Hemingway Foundation, taught In Our Time and A Farewell to Arms at Aviano Air Base in Italy, near where Hemingway was wounded in WWI. Malknecht believes Hemingway’s ambiguity in these interconnected short stories allows for multiple interpretations. She has a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Minnesota.
7:00 pm Reading 2: Soldiers Home - Dandelion Bookstore 139 S Oak Park Ave
An interpretative discussion of "Soldier's Home," where Hemingway examines the theme of a returning veteran's readjustment to civilian life after experiencing the trauma of war. The story addresses isolation, disconnection, and the challenges of reintegrating into a society that may not fully understand the psychological effects of combat.
Nancy W. Sindelar, PhD, has over 30 years of experience in education. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the Hemingway Foundation and has authored three books on education and two Hemingway biographies. Nancy has presented at various international conferences and keynoted the Hemingway Festivals. Learn more at nancysindelar.com.
8:00 PM Reading 3: Big Two-Hearted River - Scoville Building 137 N Oak Park Ave
An interpretative discussion of "Big Two-Hearted River" and the deleted ending, "On Writing."
J. Gerald Kennedy, Boyd Professor of English Emeritus, is a former chair of the Department of English. His Hemingway related books are Imagining Paris (Yale 1993), French Connections (St Martins 1998) co-edited with Jackson Bryer, and the Norton Critical Edition of In Our Time (2022). I was advisory editor for Vols 1-3 of the Cambridge Letters of Ernest Hemingway, and a co-editor of the final volumes of the letters, 1957-59, and 1959-61.
*A copy of In Our Time is available for purchase at the Hemingway Birthplace Museum.
Saturday, July 19
Running with the Bulls in Scoville Park
When: Saturday, July 20 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Where: Scoville Park 800 Lake Street Oak Park, IL, 60301 United States (map)
Cost: FREE!
The Hemingway Foundation in collaboration with the Hemingway Business District and the Collaboration for Early Childhood (CEC) will hold a kids running the bulls event, children (3+) decorate their own bull and parade them around Scoville Park. Please meet at the War Memorial in Scoville Park at 10:00am.
Hemingway District Sidewalk Sale
When: Saturday July 19 & Sunday July 20 | 11 AM - 5 PM (each day)
Where: Hemingway District; Various Participating Businesses
This collaborative event, co-hosted by the Downtown Oak Park Business Alliance, the Oak Park Arts District, and the Hemingway District, features a diverse range of items, including apparel, accessories, home goods, and art. Shoppers can enjoy browsing through unique finds while soaking in the charming atmosphere of Oak Park.
Hemingway Birthday Lecture-Prof. J Gerald Kennedy
When: Saturday, July 19, 2025 | 3:00 PM 4:30 PM
Where: Oak Park Main Public Library 834 Lake Street Oak Park, IL, 60301 United States (map)
(OPPL, Veterans Room, Second Floor)
This year is the 100th anniversary of a strikingly original collection of short stories and accompanying vignettes that marked Ernest Hemingway's American debut, called In Our Time. It is fitting that we welcome the editor of Norton Critical Edition of In Our Time, Professor J. Gerald Kennedy for this year’s Hemingway Birthday Lecture titled, The Rough Edges of In Our Time.
“This concise yet comprehensive edition of Hemingway’s first major work, In Our Time (1925), offers an accessible introduction, an authoritative text, and a valuable selection of contextualizing materials. In a single volume, it brings together a relevant sample of Hemingway’s early journalism, correspondence, initial reviews of the book, and an indispensable selection of recent criticism.” —Zena Meadowsong, Rowan University
Hemingway Birthday Porch Concert with Local Memory & Lydia Cash
When: Saturday, July 19, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM 9:00 PM
Where: Ernest Hemingway Birthplace Museum 339 North Oak Park Avenue Oak Park, IL, 60302 United States (map)
On Saturday night, as part of our F@H series we present a porch concert featuring a co-billing with local talents Local Memory and Lydia Cash. We will also acknowledge our student scholarship recipients while celebrating what would be Hemingway’s 125th birthday as capstone to the 100th year anniversary of the American debut of his strikingly original collection of short stories and accompanying vignettes.
General lawn seating will be available and feel free to bring your own lawn chair. Refreshments will also be available.
Sunday, July 20
PDOP Summer Concert Series in Scoville Park
When: Sunday, July 20 6-7:30 PM*
Where: Scoville Park
Cost: Free
Featuring Reverie Stone, an American roots and country band.
*In the event of bad weather, please check the Park District website and social media for up-to-date information.
Hemingway District Sidewalk Sale
When: Saturday July 19 & Sunday July 20 | 11 AM - 5 PM (each day)
Where: Hemingway District; Various Participating Businesses
This collaborative event between the Downtown Oak Park Business Alliance and Hemingway District businesses offers a wide variety of items, from apparel and accessories to home goods and art. Shoppers can enjoy browsing through unique finds while soaking in the charming atmosphere of Oak Park.