As the school year winds down, Oak Park-River Forest High School is marking the end of its 150th anniversary celebration with a “Community Block Party” Sunday at the school in Oak Park.
“The purpose [of the block party] is twofold: celebrate the community for all its support of the high school and showcase some of our students,” Oak Park-River Forest High School District 200 spokeswoman Karin Sullivan told Pioneer Press.
OPRFHS is the lone school in the district.
The three-hour block party is set to take place at the Mall, located on the west side of the campus, and is expected to feature food trucks, inflatable bounce houses, face painting done by the school’s Cosmetology Club, and other “family-friendly activities,” according to organizers.
Sullivan said other activities include anti-slime making with Healthy Youth Peer Educators (HYPE), and writing names in Japanese and making origami with the Japanese Club, among other things to do.
Entertainment will feature The Jade 50’s, a band made up of OPRFHS alumni.
“There is MUCH excitement among alumni around the Jade 50’s performance,” said Sullivan.
She explained that the band members were OPRFHS students in the ‘70s when they were asked to perform for a ‘50s-themed week of history lessons.
“They were a huge hit, and as a result, the leader, Joe Cantafio, eventually went on to become Dick Clark’s music director. He [said] alums are actually flying in for the party just to see them perform,” she said.