The Local Scene: Flea Market and maple sugaring in Kane County this weekend

1. Flea Market: The Kane County Flea Market will return to the Kane County fairgrounds in St. Charles this weekend for the first market of 2024, kicking off the 57th season. It runs from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, held on the first Sunday of every month and the preceding day from March through December at the fairgrounds located at 525 S. Randall Road. More than 600 dealers sell antiques, refurbished furniture, collectibles and more. Admission is $6, and children younger than age 12 enter for free. Parking is also free. For more information on vendors and events, visit the Kane County Flea Market website, call 630-377-2252 or email KaneCountyFleaMarket@gmail.com.

2. Beer Walk: Bar Evolution in Batavia will host the 36th annual Batavia Beer Walk on March 2, featuring stops at a variety of downtown locations and live music from the band Interstate Nineties. Participants will travel by foot to and from six Batavia bars and restaurants. The walk will begin at Windmill Grille from 1:30-3 p.m., followed by Pal Joey’s from 3-4:30 p.m., Bar Evolution from 4:30-6 p.m., Wilson Street Tavern from 6-7:30 p.m., and Bulldog’s Cellar from 7:30-9 p.m., ending the night at JT’s Tavern & Tap starting at 9 p.m. Bar Evolution is located at 27 N. River St. in Batavia. For more information, call Bar Evolution at 630-454-4315 or email barevolutionbatavia@gmail.com.

3. Brass Band: The Fox Valley Music Consortium will present the Fox Valley Brass Band’s “The Unconquerable Soul” concert at 3 p.m. March 3, in Wesley United Methodist Church at 14 N. May St. in Aurora. The performance will feature music from Bizet, Verdi, Fucik, Sousa and Wagner, and showcase William Himes’ “Invictus March.” Tickets cost $15 per adult and $12 per child or senior when ordered online at foxvalleybrassband.org by March 2, or $20 and $15, respectively, at the door.

4. Bowling for Veterans: Save-A-Joe Veteran Charities will hold the 12th annual Bowling for Veterans Charity Fundraiser at St. Charles Bowl on March 3. The event will begin at 11:30 a.m. at the bowling alley at 2520 W. Main St. in St. Charles. There will be basket raffles, a 50/50 raffle and more games for charity. In addition, 10% of bar sales during the event will be donated back to Save-A-Joe. The event began in 2013 as a fun fundraiser with local friends and businesses to raise money for the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans in Wheaton, which has been the beneficiary ever since. Tickets cost $30 per adult and $20 for children age 12 and younger. Tickets can be purchased online. For more information, call Save-A-Joe at 630-584-9400 or email info@saveajoe.org.

5. Maple Sugaring: Creek Bend Nature Center in St. Charles will kick off maple sugaring season with free, educational, family-and-nature-friendly events from noon to 3 p.m. March 2 and 3. Guests will explore the art, science and folklore of the “sugar bush” or maple grove, and learn how to identify and tap a maple tree in LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve at 37W700 Dean St., home to Creek Bend Nature Center. After tapping the maples, attendees will simmer the sap over an open fire and watch as it thickens to syrup. Hot cocoa and ice cream with a drizzle of syrup will be available in the Maple Café. Guests can purchase locally sourced maple syrup to take home while supplies last. For more information, call 630-444-3064 or email events@kaneforest.com. Registration is not required.

Would you like your event highlighted in this weekly feature? The first step is submitting your events to Shaw Local’s community calendar at shawlocal.com/kane-county-chronicle/local-events.