What’s recently happened?
Bearski’s Pub and Eatery in Lowell recently hosted Stonewave on Saturday, July 15.
Stonewave is an American rock band formed in 2011 in the Northwest Indiana and Chicago area. This band has accomplished two original full-length releases: its self-titled debut album in 2012 and its follow-up "Here We Go!" in 2016.
The band describes its music as retro rock with a modern pop twist.
When not playing original music, the band covers artists like David Bowie, Rival Sons, Stevie Wonder, Van Halen, Foo Fighters, and much more.
Along with this, Sher Bear’s Craft Mall recently hosted Art in the Park on Friday, July 14.
Sher Bear’s partnered with the Lowell Parks Department to bring this event where children could craft while at Evergreen Park.
The cost was $12 for one ticket, and the craft completed was a windchime. That being said, this will be a recurring event, and the next Art in the Park will be on July 28, where people will have the opportunity to paint cartoon fish.
What’s coming up?
The Lake County Fair is quickly approaching on August 4-13. While this event is not in Lowell, it still holds a great deal of significance and high attendance from the community.
The people of Lowell look forward to this fair all year round because of all the festivities and sense of community that it provides. All types of people attend, and the different events cater to a wide range of people.
The county fair holds monster truck shows, 4-H activities, flower shows, and, of course, a variety of foods and rides.
That said, with July almost over, summer is quickly coming to a close which means that the back-to-school season is upcoming.
In less than a month, on August 16, school will be in full swing for the kids of Lowell.
This is a bittersweet time because many are excited about the start of a new school year, but will still miss summer break and all the free time they had.
Further, Lowell High School (LHS) is providing the opportunities to ease kids back into school as they do every year.
The freshmen orientation will take place on Tuesday, August 8, and LHS always highly encourages incoming freshmen to attend. The event provides them with the chance to be shown around the school by the older student mentors in the Red Devil Mentor Program (RDMP) and get useful information. In attending the orientation, the freshmen will learn a bit more about the layout of the school and how everything works so that they’re not blindsided on the first day.
Somewhat similarly, there is also set to be the LHS Open Building Night on Monday, August 14. This day is centered around allowing students to look for their classes after schedules are released on August 11.
Community member spotlight:
Astral Auras is a spiritual establishment where all are welcome and are provided with somewhere to explore a new and inclusive environment.
Chrissie Moore and Bee Buttons opened Astral Auras in historical Lowell two years ago.
Moore grew up in Illinois but graduated from LHS while Buttons graduated from Calumet High School (now Calumet New Tech High School). It wasn’t until college that they met. Later, during the pandemic, they realized they wanted to be business partners. Both Moore and Buttons knew they wanted to own a business when they sought higher education and obtained their bachelor's business degrees and master's in technology.
“We wanted to start an ethical business that is also a safe space for LGBTQ+ members. We both live near Lowell and are passionate about the community,” said Moore.
The decision to open this business in Lowell was centered around both their connections to the community and the want to bring about more opportunities.
“We know this community is expanding, and we wanted to plant our roots and help it grow,” said Moore.
Moore is on the board of directors for the Lowell Chamber of Commerce and helps organize events such as the Sweet Stroll, Pumpkinfest, and Winterfest. She has many ideas and is planning to bring more fun events to Lowell.
Buttons and Moore have been spiritual for over a decade and wanted to bring an establishment to Lowell that wasn’t already there. With this, they wanted a business that allowed them to have autonomy and gave them the freedom to do what they wanted with the products they sell.
Astral Auras does a wide range of spiritual things. It sells books, crystals and stones, herbs, flowers, teas, jewelry, tarot decks, incense, tapestries, and more. It also provides some spiritual services like tarot card readings and build-your-own spell jars. Classes and events are also often held.
Astral Auras has faced some pushback because of its open-mindedness in such a small community, but most truly feel safe in this business. Moore and Buttons were the first to fly a pride flag in the Lowell Labor Day parade after almost 100 years of parade tradition.
“We want to offer a place where people can look into alternative ways of thinking to help them live more peaceful lives and bring more love into this world,” said Buttons and Moore.
Buttons and Moore feel that the business and community make up one big family. They strive to see everyone succeed and want nothing more than to bring more love to the community. Overall Astral Auras and its business owners are here to put smiles on people’s faces and love in their hearts.Like this commentReply