Community Highlights

Never a bad show at Cary-Grove. But if you typically only drop in for the big spring musicals, the Drama department’s funny, intimate “Harvey” might surprise you in a number of ways. Mary Chase’s Pulitzer Prize winning play follows the people who interact with Elwood Dowd the unflappable friend to everyone he meets who claims to know a man-sized white rabbit, the titular Harvey. Alternatively farcical and contemplative, the play pokes at our social performances and explores

Nearly all fields and corners of Lions Park buzzed with activity on Thursday, August 6. Music, championship softball, friends, and neighbors mingled together for general Cary camaraderie at our biggest park on a not-so-hot summer night.

As Cary and Fox River Grove continue to grow, first responders remain an essential part of our communities. We don’t often see these individuals outside their official roles, but both towns have gone out of their way to change that.

“That's a rare one!” someone enthused at the sight of a century-old Harley. The antique bike had an original instructional plaque reading, “Fill every week with distilled water only. Never Use Acid.” A few spots behind it, a family ate pizza at a folding table in front of a sleek black 70s muscle car. These were just two of a record 190 vehicles proudly displayed at the final Cary Cruise Night of 2026.

Jared Olson is an accomplished musician, singer, and songwriter, but his most meaningful role is helping students in Cary, IL develop their own musical voice and become performers in their own right.

Pastor Norval gave his last service on June 21 and is now serving quarter time in Lansing, IL after leading the Cary and Fox River Grove churches for six joyful years with his wife, Andrea.

Cary-Grove Free Press has created a LOCAL SCHOOLS page to help parents easily find links to important information. We'll also share any updates from state and local governments that affect students in the future.

NeedleDrop record shop opened on Saturday, July 11th, to a line of customers down the strip. Since its opening, Turzynski has welcomed Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, even kids from Gen Z.

Mayor, Mark Kownick, and members of the Gliniecki family cut the ribbon and officially opened the Gliniecki Community Plaza on July 8, 2026. The new plaza, located at the former Cary Metra Depot site, includes an open-air shelter, gas fireplace, bike racks, and landscaped seating areas.

It was a community effort to put on the annual United Women in Faith Rummage Sale.

Members of Cary's Police and Fire Department spent time with our town's youngest members and handed out free icecream cones at Community Safety Day at McDonalds on Rt. 14.

After 33 years, Mr. B has left Cary-Grove. Over 300 of choir director and English teacher Rob Boncosky’s former students spent May 23-24 steeped in musical nostalgia as part of “Bravo, Mr B” a three plus hour variety show and benefit concert that featured 23 individual acts and four choral numbers. Why such a big alumni chorus and so many individual acts? For one, that's how many of us were excited to come back to our alma mater and pay tribute. For his part, Boncosky adm

Tami Moore-Kedzie invited me to Cary Apothecary on a Friday, which she claimed was her slow day. The minute I stepped into the store, the soothing aromas, sounds, and shelves of enticing goodies, beckoned me to stay. Sitting in the reading nook, surrounded by books and candles, I looked forward to a relaxing conversation. It didn’t take long for me to realize that Tami’s idea of “slow” was different from mine. Busy Woman in a Calming Shop During the short time I was there,

Since 2005, Patrick Whalen, Cary-Grove Band Director, has led twenty-four groups of music students to national recognition with DownBeat magazine. This year, the 2024-2025 Cary Grove High School Jazz Combo was named winner of the High School Division Blues/Pop/Rock Group category in DownBeat's Student Music Awards. DownBeat is a premier American music magazine headquartered in Chicago. Its Student Music Awards are considered the most prestigious awards in jazz education.

The Cary Farmers Market runs from May 31st to September 27th on Sundays at 9am to 1pm. Cary-Grove Free Press attended opening day and was pleasantly surprised that the Rotary Club of Cary Grove has improved vendor and visitors' safety by shutting down Main Street from Spring Street to High Road. We had a wonderful time visiting with neighbors and exploring what our local stores residents had to offer, and can't wait to see what's added throughout the summer.

In March 2026, students and parents heard the news that Principal Kyle Block and Vice Principal Rosalba Conde were resigning from Three Oaks Elementary School. Block became principal in the Fall of 2023. Even though his tenure was brief, he leaves behind a community that loved his energy and the improvements he made to the school. As a parent, I watched students connect with Block in ways that few school leaders achieve. When told he was a natural for the job, he joked b