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Lake Forest Love
Telling the Stories About the Community We Love
Lake Forest, Illinois
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Welcome to lakeforestlove.com, a blog destination where we curate the amazing stories of our community, shine a light on them and share them back with you.
We believe there are so many ways to fall in love with Lake Forest—the open spaces, schools, extraordinary organizations, community spirit, lakefront, retail and dining offerings, and its kind and generous heart.
We also feel there are stories about people who live and work here that you might like to know. There is so much to love and we’re just getting started. So welcome. You’re going to love it here!
Egg-citement, Smiles and Fun at Deerpath!
By Kristin Elliott (Photos by Thais O'Malley) Families gathered at Deerpath Community Park on Saturday for Lake Forest Parks &...
2 days ago
A Fairytale Come to Life: LFHS Cinderella Production Set to Spark Magic
By Cara Goldstone From storybooks read aloud to classic Hollywood productions, there are countless ways to tell a fairytale—but perhaps...
5 days ago
Georgian-Style Estate to Be Featured During Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens
By a Lake Forest Love Writer The Lake Forest Chapter of the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago will transform a limestone Georgian-style...
Apr 17
Magdalena European Med Spa Helps Clients Achieve Skin Goals
By David A. F. Sweet Magdalena Wesolowski  runs Magdalena European Med Spa at 272 E. Deerpath Rd. After studying in Europe, she worked...
Apr 14
Scout Driver Encourages Teen Safety on the Road
By Cara Goldstone A Lake Forest resident for 24 years, teacher, and father of four children, Dave Balmelli understands the importance of...
Apr 7
Fitzgerald Exhibit Explores Lake Forest's Influence on His Books
By the History Center of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff It’s been 100 years since The Great Gatsby was published on April 10, 1925, but the work...
Apr 3
Lake Forest Dance Academy: Passion, Performance and Community
By Kristin Elliott The energy, talent, and artistry of Lake Forest Dance Academy (LFDA) were on full display at Passion to Dance 2025, a...
Mar 31
Rolek, LF/LB Chamber Highlight the Arts in Lake County
By Cara Goldstone Passionate local business and arts advocate Joanna Rolek has served as the executive director of the Lake Forest/Lake...
Mar 24
Silence Is Golden: LFHS New Media Program Honored for Film
By Cara Goldstone A little boy scrawls cartoon characters on his homework; he skips recess to doodle indoors. As he ages, he makes a...
Mar 20
The Hole Story: New Bagel Shop Draws a Crowd
By David A. F. Sweet Once Adam Dlatt and his brother-in-law bought Once Upon a Bagel in Highland Park in 2022, they started to receive...
Mar 17
Breakfast of Champions: Boys Enjoy Pancakes with Police
By Kristin Elliott During the Lake Forest Parks & Recreation's Pancakes with the Police on Saturday, a great time was had by all. Moms,...
Mar 10
Dickinson Hall Gives Seniors 'A Place to Go and Feel Comfortable'
By David A. F. Sweet In Lake Forest, a century-old Georgian brick building is dedicated to helping seniors with the challenges of aging,...
Mar 6
ARCC Helps Businesses Thrive by Navigating Complex Rules, Regulations
By David A. F. Sweet ARCC Consulting began to help businesses navigate launching and then establishing a strong financial background by...
Mar 3
New Women’s Clothing Store Offers High-Quality Athleisure, Styling Advice
By David A. F. Sweet Lindsay Signa is the manager of Lux Lane Boutique, which opened on Feb. 6 this year. Situated on Deerpath Road, the...
Feb 24
GLASA Gives Young Woman Chance to Play Hockey Despite Rare Genetic Condition
By Cara Goldstone Chicago native Ashley Phillips was not always an athlete; growing up, she preferred nature walks to high-intensity...
Feb 20
Remembering African American Roots in Lake Forest Neighborhoods
By the History Center of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff  Several neighborhoods in Lake Forest have long roots in the community’s African...
Feb 17
Lake Bluff Native Poised to Make Major-League Effort to Join Brewers
By David A. F. Sweet In his brief career in pro baseball, Lake Forest High School alumnus Caleb Durbin has played for a few little-known...
Feb 10
Celebrating Weirdness: LFC Professor’s Poetry Book Poised to Be Published
By Cara Goldstone Next year will mark Dr. Benjamin Goluboff’s 40th teaching English at Lake Forest College; this year will see the...
Feb 6
‘Always Game for It’: Amy Budde, LFC ’19, Back at the Rink
By Cara Goldstone Amy Budde’s hockey career has been global; the former Lake Forest College’s women’s player traveled to play...
Feb 3
Curiosity and Creativity Thrive at Kinderhaven Preschool Academy
By Kristin Elliott Kinderhaven Preschool Academy, a beloved part of Lake Forest Parks & Recreation, offers children a warm and nurturing...
Jan 27
Expanded Baseball, Softball Programs Bring New Opportunity to Lake Forest Youth
By Cara Goldstone With a window overlooking 10 acres of synthetic turf and a stunningly organized desk, the office of Lake Forest...
Jan 23
'We Do It Because We Love the Job:' Rick Discusses New Role as Fire Chief
By David A. F. Sweet A Mundelein native, Lake Forest Fire Department Fire Chief Andy Rick graduated from the University of Iowa in 2006...
Jan 20
Steep Toboggan Run at Winter Club Thrilled Many
By the History Center of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff The Winter Club began in the early 20th century amid a flurry of new clubs, institutions...
Jan 13
New Senior Advocate at Dickinson Hall Helps Explain the Complexities of Aging
By Ana Jaramillo Britney Marsh, Dickinson Hall's new Senior Advocate, is excited to work with the community and reconnect with former...
Jan 9
LFC Professor Teaches Valuable Lessons to Communication Students
By Ana Jaramillo As an intern at The City of Lake Forest and a communication major at Lake Forest College, I wanted to interview the head...
Jan 6
When Local War Veterans Needed to Heal
By the History Center of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff  Nestled between Naval Station Great Lakes and Fort Sheridan, Lake Forest and Lake Bluff...
Dec 23, 2024
Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus Entertain Youngsters at Dickinson Hall
By Ashley Love Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus shared cocoa and cookies with youngsters at Dickinson Hall in Lake Forest recently. Children...
Dec 19, 2024
Deerpath’s New Chapter: Improved Safety, Infrastructure and Beauty for Lake Forest
By David A. F.  Sweet  Given Lake Forest was incorporated more than 160 years ago, improvement projects are an important way to...
Dec 16, 2024
‘The Department Has Made a Huge Impact on My Life’: Retiring Fire Chief Shares Insights
By David A. F. Sweet After a nearly 30-year run, Lake Forest Fire Department Chief Pete Siebert will retire on Jan. 3. Deputy Chief Andy...
Dec 9, 2024
College Students Become Real-World Reporters with Help of Lake Forest Police
By Ana Jaramillo A female resident of Lake Forest was thought to be a homicide victim. The aggressor and the victim were believed to be...
Dec 5, 2024
New Director Helps Students Find, Develop Their Musical Voices
By Ana Jaramillo From playing the trumpet in a fifth-grade band to being the campus director for the Music Institute of Chicago's Lake...
Dec 2, 2024
Towering Above: New Deerpath Golf Clock Honors Legendary Starter
By David A. F. Sweet Starters at golf courses may not play the game themselves, but they must always be aware of the time for those who...
Nov 25, 2024
New Playground Design Chosen for Beach
By a Lake Forest Love Writer Built in 2004, the Forest Park Beach playground is nearing the end of its 15-20 year lifespan, which is...
Nov 21, 2024
Lake Forest's Tree Lighting Celebration Poised to Turn 40
By Ana Jaramillo  In 1984, the Lake Forest Tree Lighting Holiday Celebration began in Market Square. The welcome sounds of Jingle Bells,...
Nov 18, 2024
Isabella Kranz Captures Jr. Miss Lake County Title
By a Lake Forest Love Writer During the 20th Lake County Community Pageant at the College of Lake County last week, Isabella Kranz,...
Nov 14, 2024
‘A Lot of Work but a Lot of Fun’: LF Scouts Hockey Annual Tree Fundraiser Supports GLASA, Club Programming
By Ana Jaramillo Aidan Carruthers, a sophomore on the Lake Forest J unior V arsity G old H ockey team, is involved in the 45th annual...
Nov 12, 2024
Saluting Lake Forest’s Captain Ehret as Veterans Day Nears
By David A. F. Sweet Often it’s not easy to spot heroes. They’re humble about their exploits, and it’s difficult to persuade them to...
Nov 7, 2024
Junior Garden Club of Lake Forest Joins Esteemed Garden Club of America
By Kim Piekos Lake Forest’s remarkable gardens have added color to the town over the years, as has the work of its many dedicated garden...
Oct 31, 2024
New Website, Newsletter Share History and Beauty of City’s First Park
By Kim Piekos As you walk along the gravel path in Lake Forest’s 168-year-old Forest Park, absorbing the beauty of Lake Michigan and the...
Oct 28, 2024
When Lake Forest Home Design Was Transformed
By the History Center of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff The 1950s were a boom era for the United States. Growth in personal income created the...
Oct 21, 2024
Café Encourages Those with Memory Loss to Talk About the Past, Connect
By David A. F. Sweet Memory loss among older Americans is a significant issue. According to a recent report released by the U.S. Centers...
Oct 17, 2024
Elawa Farm Capital Campaign Poised to Fund Many Improvements
By David A. F. Sweet The Elawa Farm Foundation recently kicked off the public part of its Keep Elawa Growing capital campaign. The farm...
Oct 14, 2024
‘Tap Dancing Holds a Very Special Place in My Heart’
By Ana Jaramillo Lake Forest High School senior Chloe Fournier performed Rhythms of Passion: A Tap Dance Experience at Gorton Center on...
Oct 9, 2024
Disc Golf Course, Handball Courts Among Improvements Coming to Northcroft Park
By David A. F. Sweet Significant upgrades are planned for Northcroft Park. One of six neighborhood parks in the City of Lake Forest,...
Oct 3, 2024
Pathway Project at Beach Nears Completion
By Thais O'Malley Soon, Lake Forest residents can head to Forest Park Beach courtesy of a new boardwalk which is ADA-compliant and...
Sep 30, 2024
Dance Academy Student’s Production to Be Presented at Gorton
By Ana Jaramillo Chloe Fournier, a senior at Lake Forest High School, has been dancing with Lake Forest Dance Academy for more than a...
Sep 23, 2024
What’s in a Name? Early Area Monikers Might Surprise You
By the History Center of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff In the earliest days, the current West Lake Forest area was known as Meehan’s Settlement,...
Sep 20, 2024
Citadel Theatre Celebrates Jeff Award Nominations, Kicks Off New Season with ‘Levity’
By Kim Piekos Entering its 23rd season, Lake Forest’s Citadel Theatre has plenty to celebrate. Two of its shows from last season, Silent...
Sep 16, 2024
‘Parks & Recreation Truly Does It All’: A Look at the Department’s Robust Offerings
By Cameron Wacker For Fred Jackson, working at Lake Forest Parks & Recreation was more than a job; it was his lifelong passion. Jackson...
Sep 9, 2024
‘Gorton Will Always Be a Place for Connection’: Venerable Nonprofit Set to Celebrate 50 Years
By Cameron Wacker  “Gorton is a place where everyone belongs – no matter what school or neighborhood you might live in, what other...
Sep 6, 2024
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