The Wilmette Public Library wants cardholders to skip the beach towel and reach for a blanket this month. The library's new "Summerween" blog post, published Sunday, Aug. 9, curates five horror films set in summer heat, all streaming free on Kanopy with a Wilmette library card.
The picks span five decades and several subgenres: The Wicker Man (1973), Robin Hardy's folk-horror classic starring Christopher Lee; Sleepaway Camp (1983), a slasher set at a summer camp; Angel Heart (1987), a neo-noir mystery in 1950s New Orleans with Mickey Rourke and Robert De Niro; Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2010), a Sundance-selected horror-comedy about two cabin-dwellers mistaken for killers; and A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014), an Iranian vampire film blending spaghetti western and arthouse romance.
No registration or special app is required. Cardholders can stream the films at kanopy.com/en/wilmette through the end of summer.
The Wilmette Public Library is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.
North Shore community & culture ahead
Monday, Aug. 10 | Wilmette Village Hall (second floor) | 5–6:30 p.m. Wilmette Park District "Imagine More Space in Wilmette" public input session. Residents can weigh in on what kinds of parks, open spaces and recreational programming they want most. No property purchase has been finalized. As we reported last week, any future acquisition could depend on grant funding. Free; drop in.
Wednesday, Aug. 12 | Gillson Park (Wallace Bowl), Wilmette | 7 p.m. Evanston Symphony Orchestra sixth annual Sounds of Summer lakeside pops concert, according to the Evanston Roundtable. Free. The Wilmette Park District will also host a second "Imagine More Space" input session at the Wallace Bowl from 6:30 to 8 p.m., so residents can share ideas before the music starts.
Tuesday, Aug. 18 | Hubbard Woods Park, Winnetka | 10 a.m. Final summer session of Stories in the Park, a free all-ages outdoor storytime with singing, dancing and stories. Partnership between the Winnetka-Northfield Public Library District and the Winnetka Park District. Cancellations posted day-of at winpark.org/status-alerts.
Thursday, Aug. 20 | Dwyer Park, Winnetka | 10 a.m. Stories in the Park final session at Dwyer Park. Same format, same partnership. Free; all ages.
Saturday, Aug. 29 | Downtown Wilmette (Central and Wilmette avenues) | Noon–10 p.m. Fifth annual Wilmette Block Party. Free, all ages. Main stage: Hoopla at 3 p.m., Second Hand News at 5:30 p.m., Final Say at 8 p.m. Kids Zone Stage: Jesse White Tumblers at 2:30 p.m., Miss Make-Believe at 4 p.m. The evening closes with Wilmette's first-ever synchronized drone show, replacing the July 3 fireworks canceled by storms. JP McNamara, the Park District's marketing and communications manager, said in a July email to The Record North Shore that the block party "provided an opportunity to offer something unique" and "delivers the sky celebration residents anticipated." In 2025, the event drew 22 sponsors, 40 Kids Zone booths and raised nearly $47,000.
