Prepare to experience a totally radical flashback: in April, the Northbrook Public Library will celebrate the iconic 1980s with a month of ‘80s-themed events.
‘80s Month is the first celebration of its kind at the Library, and with nine incredible programs in the lineup, it’s sure to be as awesome as the decade itself.
“There are so many wonderful pieces of pop culture from the 80's that are celebrating milestones right now, in particular, several John Hughes films,” said librarian Cathleen Doyle, who is leading ‘80s Month. “Plus, a lot of the staff here have fond memories of growing up in the ‘80s, so nostalgia is a factor, too.”
During ‘80s month, library visitors can enjoy plenty of entertaining events, such as trivia and costume contests, a life-sized version of Clue!, an ‘80s TED Talk discussion, a DIY friendship bracelet class, and even an ‘80s themed storytime for kids.
“We’ll also have former Daily Herald sports writer and author Kent McDill coming to speak about the '85 Chicago Bears and the Bulls-Pistons rivalry, and Laura Quinn, author of Punk Charming, who'll take us through the music, film, TV, fashion, and technology of the decade,” said Doyle. “There’s really something for everyone.”
One major ‘80s Month event is the John Hughes movie marathon on Saturday, April 16. The movie marathon lineup includes "The Breakfast Club", "Some Kind of Wonderful", "Pretty in Pink", and "Sixteen Candles". The Library will even temporarily rebrand itself as the Shermer Public Library in honor of the Hughes marathon.
“Fans of Hughes' works will recall that the fictional town of "Shermer, Illinois" often makes an appearance, with the name being based off of Northbrook's history,” said Doyle. “Given that John Hughes grew up in Northbrook and graduated from GBN, and that a number of scenes in his films were shot locally, the movie marathon just seemed like a great fit.”
Doyle believes the fun-for-all-ages style of ‘80s month will be a great way for parents to relive the best parts of the ‘80s with their children
“I'm hoping that those who remember the ‘80s will be able to relive some of the fun parts of the decade, while those who weren't around for the '80s will have a good time discovering it,” said Doyle.
A full list of ‘80s month events can be found at www.northbrook.info/80s.
