Welcome to Tri-Cities Central, a twice-weekly newsletter highlighting local happenings in Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles and surrounding communities.
Get yours: subscribe here. Refer a friend: share this link.
Interested in advertising? Let’s talk.
Coming soon: June Dinner Club
Photos from past Dinner Club outings
With new people moving to the Tri-Cities area every day, Dinner Club is helping newcomers make friends and longtime residents expand their social circles — all over dinner at our amazing local restaurants.
For those who haven’t joined yet, here’s how it works:
Meet your table: Attendees are paired with five people based on a personality test, meeting up for dinner at a local restaurant before joining the full group for an after-dinner mixer at a surprise establishment nearby (this is optional).
What to expect: The April and May Dinner Club events welcomed a combined 120 participants and earned a 4.5 out of 5-star rating. Several folks said they’ve continued meeting up with the friends they made at the events, which is awesome to hear.
This month’s Dinner Club on May 18 will be a little different, and here’s why: since we started preparing for the event in downtown Batavia, Pal Joey’s has closed and we have discovered that a few of the restaurants we were hoping to incorporate do not take reservations.
So, due to a limited number of dinner locations, we’ve capped Batavia at 30 participants and added downtown St. Charles as another option for the same evening. The Batavia participants can all meet up at an afterparty location in downtown Batavia, while the St. Charles folks will have an afterparty spot in downtown St. Charles.
In the future we’ll likely stick to a single area, but we’ll make this work for June! There are only a handful of spots left for Batavia, so don’t put off registering for that one.
One other note: If the restaurant you get placed at has a BYOB policy, we’ll indicate that in the pre-dinner messages so you can prepare accordingly.
SPONSORED CONTENT
🍔 An inside look at a new hot spot in St. Charles
If you haven't made it out to Fox Haven Square yet, Simple EJ's is a great reason to make it a priority.
Local real estate expert Chris Wallace stopped by recently to chat with owner Erik Baylis about a restaurant that's been in the works for longer than you might have expected.
Baylis describes it as their "go all out" moment: a space built around great food, real relationships, and a 22-foot LED screen that's going to make it a destination for big sporting events.
☑️ Sweets on State: Geneva officials are expected to vote on a grant that would help bring Astoria Bakery and Café, a Balkan and Eastern European sweets shop currently operating out of a ghost kitchen, to a vacant space on State Street downtown.
☑️ Gaming limits: Batavia officials are considering new restrictions on video gaming (including limits on new licenses and potential distance requirements) after years of discussion over how gaming affects the city's downtown area.
☑️ Crash investigation: Police are investigating after a 47-year-old Geneva man died late last week after his Jeep veered off Crissey Avenue and struck a tree.
☑️ Filling a gap: Batavia School District 101 is accepting applications through June 12 to fill two Board of Education seats vacated when members Katy Swiecicki and Danielle Sligar recently resigned on the same day.
☑️ Detours ahead: Keslinger Road closes June 1 near La Fox for a new roundabout the same week as Kane County's annual resurfacing program kicks off across eight local road segments. Get closure and detour details.
☑️ News notes:
Geneva’s Pride flag raising accompanying its Pride Month proclamation will be taking place on June 2 at 6PM at City Hall.
Batavia Public School District 101 hired two new administrators: Lissette Jacobson as the District’s next Director of Curriculum & Multilingual Learning and Joshua Louis as the next Principal of Rotolo Middle School.
St. Charles North business teacher Andrew Bernard has been appointed to fill a vacancy on the Indian Prairie D204 board.
Geneva’s 2026 sidewalk and curb maintenance program will begin this week, with 32 projects on this year's docket.
☑️ New concert series: Elburn's new Concert in the Park series is underway at Prairie Park, with shows on the third Friday of every month through August — and as a result, the village is considering a no-BYOB policy at public events.
☑️ Swede sounds of summer: The Geneva Chamber released the full entertainment lineup for the 76th annual Swedish Days festival on June 24–28, with nightly headliners, a talent competition, and daily performances in the Craft Beer Tent.
☑️ Art + nature: Mt. St. Mary Park in St. Charles is known for the unique, creative sculptures dotting its grounds, and park district construction crews have just finished getting the last pieces installed. See a video of the final touches.
☑️ Rewarding reading: The Geneva Public Library's Summer Reading Challenge runs June 1 through July 31 with prizes, a redesigned tracker, and a free magician kick-off event on June 6.
☑️ Affordable fun: River View Mini Golf at Pottawatomie Park in St. Charles is running daily summer specials all season, including $2 second rounds on Mondays, free grandparent play on Thursdays, and a $10 couples rate on Saturday evenings.
☑️ Energizing activities: Power Moves Yoga still has a few slots left in its Kids Summer Yoga Camp, a four-week Thursday program for kids age 5–9 that blends movement, mindfulness, and creative arts (with a $25 discount for TCC readers).
PRESENTED BY PRESERVATION
Starting Wednesday (6/3), STC Live is coming back — a series of free live music performances every Wednesday and Friday from 6-7:30PM at 1st Street Plaza and various local establishments around St. Charles.
SPONSORED CONTENT
✨ There's always a reason to visit The Little Traveler (including an incredible brunch deal for $13)
Sunday brunch at The Little Traveler's Atrium Café has been a Tri-Cities tradition for decades — and for good reason. For just $13, you get a full spread of house-made favorites: fluffy omelets, crispy bacon, Swedish pancakes, Crab Cakes Benedict.
Plus, it’s routinely named Best Brunch in West Suburban Living's Best of the West awards (trust me, it’s well-deserved).
💥 Your guide to summer discovery: Browse the 2026 Summer Almanack for upcoming events and fresh new products — there's always something new to discover beyond the cafe at The Little Traveler.
The ✳️ symbol indicates sponsored content.
☑️ Outdoor upgrades: Pollyanna Brewing in St. Charles has completed phase one of its patio project — with plans to replace an exterior wall with garage doors and an outdoor bar in phase two. See for yourself in this video.
☑️ Dental debut: Biological Dentistry of Kane County, a new dental practice that just opened in St. Charles, takes a wellness-focused approach to oral health with an emphasis on root causes, not just treating symptoms. Learn more and see photos.
☑️ Pet supply spot: A new Two Bostons pet boutique location opened this weekend at 518 N. Kirk Road in St. Charles as the latest addition to the Fox Haven Square development.
✳️ Dad-worthy finds: Urban Artisan in downtown Geneva has a whole Father’s Day collection ready to go — clever cards, beer-scented candles, funny sports shirts, golf gear, and all kinds of stuff that will absolutely make his day. Browse the selection.
The ✳️ symbol indicates sponsored content.
☑️ Local home sales: See recent property sales for the Tri-Cities area — including this $1.4M mansion in the Prairie Lakes neighborhood of Campton Hills.
✳️ Need a trustworthy local Realtor? Get in touch with Tri-Cities expert Chris Wallace at [email protected] or chriswallacere.com.
☑️ Local obits: Recent obituaries posted by Tri-Cities funeral homes.
☑️ Police reports: View police reports and arrest logs for Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles and Campton Hills.
The 🎟️ symbol indicates an admission fee.
☑️ Windmill Sundays: The historic Fabyan Windmill will be open to the public on Sundays (from 12-3PM) from June 7 through September 27. Visitors can learn about the restored Dutch windmill’s history, engineering, and local heritage.
☑️ Property Tax Seminar | Tue 6/2, 6:30–7:30PM | Sen. DeWitte & Rep. Ugaste District Office, STC | An expert explains how to appeal your property tax bill.
☑️ Cycle into Summer at STC Live | Wed 6/3, 6–7:30PM | 1st Street Plaza, STC | Free live music with Leslie Hunt, bike-themed freebies, and World Bicycle Day giveaways.
🎟️ Free Retirement Class | Thu 6/4, 6–8PM | Batavia Public Library | Free retirement class covering investment strategies, market timing, and portfolio management.
🎟️ Mid-American Canoe & Kayak Race | Sat 6/6, 8:30AM–1:30PM | Fox River, STC to Aurora | Register for a 6- or 10-mile paddle down the Fox River, boat rentals available.
☑️ Fox River Arts Ramble 2026 | Sat 6/6, 10AM–4PM | Various Locations, Geneva & STC | Experience artist studios, art demonstrations, and an outdoor artisan market at Fine Line.
Looking ahead:
🎟️ Pig Gig Farm Dinner | Thu 6/11, 6PM–9PM | Heritage Prairie Farm, Elburn | Seven-course farm-to-table dinner with Penrose Brewing beer and live music.
Thanks for reading
Enjoy Tri-Cities Central? Support local journalism and spread the word!*
*Scroll back to the top of this newsletter for a special referral link — you can get gift cards to local restaurants for referring friends.
