Participants can recycle pumpkins for free at Geneva’s Pumpkin Smash set for Saturday, Nov. 8, event organizers said.

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at the Community Gardens at Prairie Green, at Peck and Bricher roads in Geneva.

The Pumpkin Smash, sponsored by the city of Geneva’s Natural Resources Committee and the Geneva Park District, is designed to reduce the number of pumpkins ending up in landfills, according to organizers. Geneva Park District crews will till the smashed pumpkins into the garden plots at the site to provide nutrients to the soil.

All pumpkin decorations, such as candles, yarn, stickers and plastic accessories, should be removed before recycling.

Food and warm drinks will be available for purchase from local vendors during the event, organizers said.

The Community Gardens at Prairie Green, the site of the Pumpkin Smash, is a cooperative partnership between the Geneva Park District, the city of Geneva and the Forest Preserve District of Kane County. The Park District offers 131 rental plots and gardening classes to the community at the site.

‘Nurtured by Nature’ hikes set in Kane County

The Forest Preserve District of Kane County will offer a series called “Nurtured by Nature” beginning Nov. 2 that incorporates gentle stretching, deep breathing and a focus on awareness during hikes designed to nurture the mind, body and spirit, district officials said in a press release.

All programs in the series will run from 10 to 11 a.m. Upcoming programs include Sunday, Nov. 2, at Oakhurst Forest Preserve, 1680 Fifth Ave. in Aurora; Sunday, Nov. 30, at Raceway Woods Forest Preserve, 17N702 Western Ave. in Carpentersville; and Sunday, Dec. 28, at Hannaford Woods Forest Preserve, 5S002 Merrill Road in Sugar Grove.

The free programs are for ages 18 and above, according to the release.

Advance registration is required for the sessions. To register, go to www.kaneforest.com/register, call 630-444-3190 or email programs@kaneforest.com.

For more information on the Forest Preserve District of Kane County, go to www.kaneforest.com or find the district on social media by searching @forestpreserve.

The Rink at Block 59 planning themed skate events

This winter, families can ice skate with Santa or their favorite princesses during specially-themed skating events to be held at The Rink at Block 59 on the border of Aurora and Naperville.

The outdoor ice skating rink will be open Nov. 20 through Jan. 18 at Block 59, located at the corner of Aurora Avenue and Route 59 in Naperville.

The Skate with Santa events will be held Dec. 4, 14 and 21. Princess Skate, where children can dress up and meet their favorite princesses, will be held Jan. 10.

Reservations are available at www.theblock59.com/therink.

The Rink offers onsite rentals, timed reservations and flexible rescheduling up to two hours before a session, a news release said. Its hours will be 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays between Nov. 20 and Jan. 4.

Starting Jan. 5, hours will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays.

Admission is $14 for adults, $12 for children and $12 for seniors, nurses, teachers and members of the military. Skate rentals are available for $5.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/24/pumpkin-smash-planned-in-geneva/