Events @ a Glance: Mind and Spirit Calendar

There’s so much to do in our region! Here’s a look at upcoming lectures and educational enrichment.

Learn about aviator Amelia Earhart on March 22 at Prairie Center for the Arts, in Schaumburg.

March

Beer and Bread
March 1, 3-4:30 p.m. Surprisingly, beer and bread constituted the staples of the ancient Babylonians’ diet, along with cucumbers, garlic and onions; occasionally a locust for a delicacy. Susanne Paulus, of the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago, provides a peek into their diets and eating habits; recipes included. Barrington’s White House, 145 W. Main St., Barrington, (224) 512-4115, barringtonswhitehouse.com.

Women in Astronomy
March 2, 7 p.m. Michelle Nichols-Yehling, of Adler Planetarium in Chicago, highlights the roles women have played in the world’s great astronomical discoveries. McHenry Public Library, 809 Front St., McHenry, (815) 385-0036, mchenrylibrary.org.

March into Health
March 7, 1-4 p.m. Celebrate health fun for the whole family at this wellness fair, with cooking demonstrations and tastings, crafts and activities. Kicking off Elgin March into Health 2020; featuring FIFA Chicago Red Stars Women’s Soccer players. Gail Borden Library, Main Brranch, 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin, (847) 742-2411, gailborden.info.

Daily Life in Pharaonic and Greco-Roman Egypt
March 8, 3-4:30 p.m. Did you know that under ancient Egyptian law, women had the same rights as men? Brian Muhs of the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago, talks about daily life in this culture, illustrated with passages from ancient texts and archaeological explorations of ancient settlements. Barrington’s White House, Barrington, (224) 512-4115, barringtonswhitehouse.com.

Challenging Separation
March 11, 7 p.m. This month’s Courageous Conversation looks at how we sort ourselves geographically and socially based on race and class, and how we can become more proximate to people with different lived experiences. Barrington’s White House, Barrington, (224) 512-4115, barringtonswhitehouse.com.

Fabrics: The New Software
March 13, 8 p.m. This lecture by Dr. Yoel Fink, of MIT, explores breakthroughs in fiber material and fabric processing that allow the production of fibers and fabrics that see, hear, sense, communicate, store and convert energy, regulate temperature, monitor health and change color. Fermilab, Ramsey Auditorium, Batavia, (630) 840-2787, fnal.gov/culture.

Bird Walks
March 14 & April 11, 8:30-11 a.m. Birders of all levels, and kids 8 and up, join a naturalist for a morning of discovery. Bring binoculars if you have them; limited number available to borrow. Cantigny Park, 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton, (630) 668-5161, cantigny.org.

Chicago Renaissance
March 19, 10 a.m. Liesl Olson, director of Chicago Studies at the Newberry Library, speaks about art and literature in Chicago through the stories of Carl Sandburg, Harriet Monroe, Ernest Hemingway, Gwendolyn Brooks and Richard Wright, among others who participated in the modernist movement. Woodstock Opera House, Woodstock, (815) 338-5300, woodstockoperahouse.com.

HealthyMe Family Festival
March 21, 2-4 p.m. Interactive games, dance, crafts and healthy snacks, as well as health and financial tips for families. With Hoffman Estates Chapter of The Links Inc. and Hamilton Wings. Gail Borden Library, Main Branch, Elgin, (847) 742-2411, gailborden.info.

Kickin’ Asthma
March 21, 2-4 p.m. Learn about the causes of youth asthma, its symptoms and triggers, proper use of medications and where to receive asthma support. Refreshments and prizes. Christopher D. Redding Youth Asthma Foundation, Gail Borden Library, Main Branch, Elgin, (847) 742-2411, gailborden.info.

Amelia Earhart
March 22, 1 p.m. In this living history program, Leslie Goddard portrays Amelia Earhart. Discover how Earhart learned to fly, learn about her experiences as the first woman to cross the Atlantic by airplane and fly solo across the ocean, as well as what inspired her around-the-world flight in 1937. Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg, (847) 895-3600, prairiecenter.org.

Research Your World War II Ancestry
March 29, 1 p.m. Learn how to use service records, pensions, draft registrations and other genealogical materials to explore your family members’ history. McHenry Public Library, McHenry, (815) 385-0036, mchenrylibrary.org.