The South Elgin Public Works Department will host an open house from 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 24, at its 1000 Bowes Road facility to celebrate its fifth anniversary.

The family-friendly event will include village trucks that children can explore, giveaways and treats, and new information about the village’s new smart meter program. Dairy Queen of South Elgin and the Gail Borden Public Library Bookmobile also will be on hand.

The 50,000-square-foot building cost $7.2 million to build and includes a salt dome, training room, water department testing lab and garage bays for department vehicles to be store and repaired.

For more information, call 847-695-2742.

Fall Fest scheduled for Sept. 25

The village of Carpentersville will be holding a free fall fest from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25, in Carpenter Park.

An array of family fun, music, food, libations and even lumberjacks is planned, with the day getting underway with a crafts show, open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. A lumberjack show featuring log rolling, pole climbing and wood splitting competitions takes place at noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Music starts on the park’s stage at 12:30 p.m. with Sixes & Sevens, followed by Chicago Loud at 2:30 p.m., Libido Funk Circus at 5 p.m. and Hi Infidelity playing at 7:30 p.m.

Food vendors will include Dukes Blues & BBQ, Ruthella’s New Orleans cuisine, No Manches Mexican food and La Illusion selling tacos and street corn. The Northern Kane County Chamber of Commerce will be sponsoring a beer tent.

Children’s and family activities are planned throughout the day, including a birds of prey demonstration, a touch-a-truck display, a magic act, costumed characters, pumpkin decorating, hay rides, train rides and face painting.

For more information, go to carpentersvilletoday.com/carpentersville-fall-fest/.

Kane County holding COVID-19 vaccine clinic at ECC Friday

The Kane County Health Department will hold a COVID-19 vaccine clinic from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, at Elgin Community College’s Fiesta en la Yarda, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, at the campus’ Green Space.

There will also be a clinic in Aurora from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, at Two Rivers Head Start, 1661 Landmark Road.

The Kane Vax Hub is open Wednesdays and Fridays at 501 N. Randall St. in Batavia. Hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesday and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. Schedule an appointment at KaneVax.org or just walk in.

United Way grant funding more COVID relief in Elgin

A $25,000 grant from United Way of Chicago is allowing the Elgin Covid Relief Fund to accept applications from nonprofits that provide mental health services in the city given the increased need because of the pandemic.

Programs that assist Elgin residents ages 19 or younger will be given priority because that community is being disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 right now and face barriers to mental health services, a news release said.

The funding can be used for mental health awareness, outreach and services or to help people with urgent financial needs stemming from the pandemic. Those needs can include medical bills related to COVID-19; food and grocery support; housing or rental assistance; utility bills; personal protective equipment; childcare; transportation and education-related expenses.

Nonprofit organizations can apply for the grant at www.cffrv.gives/elgin-apply by Sept. 27. Grant recipients will be announced the week of Oct. 4.

For more information, go to www.cffrv.org/elgin- covid.

—Mike Danahey