November Arrives With Art, Stories, and a Last Call to Vote: McKinley Park's Month Starts Strong
By Socialhood News · Mckinley Park ·
Election Day is tomorrow — but for McKinley Park residents who haven't yet cast their ballot, today is not too late. The McKinley Park branch of the Chicago Public Library, 1915 W. 35th St., is open for early voting today, Monday, November 2, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. It's the final early voting window before polls open Tuesday morning, and the 35th Street branch — which has served as an in-neighborhood early voting site throughout this cycle — is the most accessible option for residents who want to avoid the Election Day rush. Whether your ballot includes races for mayor, school board, or the 9th District Police Council, the window is open today.
But even after you've voted, November's calendar at the library is worth a close look — because the month's programming lineup at 1915 W. 35th St. is one of the more varied the branch has assembled this fall. On Thursday, November 5, LEGO Club runs from 3:30 to 5 p.m. — a perennial hit for the elementary-school crowd. The following day, Friday, November 6, Little Learners Story Time occupies the 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. slot, and Saturday, November 7 brings the ESL Conversation Café with Aquinas Literacy Center, running from 9 a.m. to noon — a bilingual programming partnership between the library and the neighborhood's beloved adult literacy organization at 1751 W. 35th St. that has become one of the branch's most consistent offerings for immigrant residents building English skills.
The library's November calendar keeps building from there. On Monday, November 10, Family Fun: Color a Turkey Mask runs from 3 to 5 p.m., shifting the creative energy toward Thanksgiving. Tuesday, November 11, brings two back-to-back draws: Teen Gamer's Choice from 3 to 5 p.m. for the high-school crowd, and the Adult Book Club from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., this month reading *The Berry Pickers* — a novel that has drawn wide readership for its exploration of identity, memory, and belonging, themes that resonate deeply in a neighborhood shaped by generations of immigrant and working-class families. On Thursday, November 12, STEAM Day runs from 4:15 to 5:30 p.m. for young learners who want hands-on science and technology programming.
The most distinctive new entry on the library's November calendar is the Creative Sculpting Workshop on Monday, November 16, from 5:45 to 7:15 p.m. Listed on the Chicago Local Events calendar under the name "Sculpt Like Hunt and Perkins," the workshop takes its inspiration from two sculptors — likely a nod to the kind of artist-focused programming the McKinley Park branch has been quietly developing alongside its more traditional offerings. On Saturday, November 15, the Adult Craft Club: Wood Block Turkey runs from 2 to 3 p.m., adding a hands-on craft session for adults to a month that is otherwise heavy on youth and teen programming. The Teen Movie Club convenes Saturday, November 14, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. for a screening of *The Outsiders* — a film whose themes of class division and loyalty in a working-class neighborhood carry more than a little resonance on the Southwest Side.
While the library anchors much of the month's cultural programming, the McKinley Park Field House at 2210 W. Pershing Rd. continues its fall slate without interruption. Junior Brick Builders meets Tuesdays — including November 3 and November 10 — from 5 to 5:45 p.m. for younger builders, while the Brick Builders Club runs Saturdays from 11 a.m. to noon through November. Arts & Crafts at McKinley continues its Thursday sessions — 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. for ages 6–11, and 4:15 to 5 p.m. for ages 8–12 — at $12 and $10 respectively, through December 10. Badminton Open at McKinley runs Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. for adults 18 and up, through December 17. And Bingo at McKinley, the Friday morning social program for residents 60 and up, holds its final session of the current series on Friday, November 13, from 11 a.m. to noon.
Civically, the week of November 3 opens with one more anchor. The McKinley Park Civic Association holds its November monthly meeting on Wednesday, November 5, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the McKinley Park Public Library, 1915 W. 35th St. The MPCA — founded in 1970 and the neighborhood's longest-serving community group — convenes on the first Wednesday of most months to connect residents to the issues and decisions shaping the Southwest Side. After an October that brought mayoral, school board, and police council candidates to the same room, the November 5 gathering is the natural next step for neighbors who want to stay engaged in what comes after the ballot.
November in McKinley Park, in other words, is not a cooldown month. It opens with a final voting push, pivots into a library calendar dense with art, books, and STEAM, and keeps the Field House humming through Thanksgiving. If you're looking for a place to plug in — whether through a ballot, a book club, a LEGO session, or a civic association meeting — the neighborhood has a seat waiting for you this week.
Sources:
1. https://www.chipublib.org/locations/50/
2. https://mckinleypark.news/user/483-mckinley-park-library
3. https://chicagolocalevents.com/venues/mckinley-park
4. https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/mckinley-william-park
5. https://mckinleypark.news/events/crafting-creating-events
6. https://mckinleypark.news/user/650-mckinley-park-civic-association