Our cover story · HalloweenGrave Expectations
Guided by its ghosts, Lake Bluff keeps raising the bar on Halloween
Page 2 · Around the villageA Village in Full Costume
Before Dark
Page 3 · PeopleThe Serious Business of Being Funny
Alison Hartline on the commitment to laughing through all of it
Books, family & village voices
Page 4 · BooksBooked
Lake Forest Book Store’s event team connects readers with the writers they love
Page 5 · People & BooksOpen Book
Lake Bluff native Meghan (Rees) Ganzer finds a creative outlet and community through @booktalkwithmeghan
Page 6 · Family traditionsA Sweet Inheritance
Carrie Spezzano honors her Bluffer baking roots and shares a beloved family recipe
Page 7 · (Little) Village Voices(Little) Village Voices: Halloween
What are you going to be for Halloween?
Letter from the Editor: Leaving the Porch Light On
Page 8 · A little humorScorpio Season
October 23–November 21
The village notebook
Page 8 · Sponsored by Pasquesi Home & GardensVillage Almanac: October 26, 2026
Sponsored by Pasquesi Home & Gardens
More from the Chat · Haunted ForestA Decade in the Dark
After nearly ten years of building Lake Bluff’s Haunted Forest, Mark Rickmeier is turning in his mask.
The Chat comes to life
Hot off the press at Blue Island Newspaper Printing.
History · Our cover storyHard Times, Lake Bluff Style
A century later, Lake Bluff still knows how to throw a party. Adrienne Fawcett of the Lake Bluff History Museum looks back at the village’s 1914 Hard Times Party.
Issue 7 · Week of October 5, 2026
Conservation · The beach prairieThe Way Back Down
It took six years to restore a small path to one of Lake Bluff’s most extraordinary places. Janet Murphy Ryan kept going.
Sports · Growing togetherThe Long Game
Six years together, and North Shore FC’s U14 Elite girls are hitting their stride—with a special bond beyond the trophy case.
Around the village · In Issue 7
Neighbors · Block partiesAround the Block: Feel Like a Party?
Sunset Place, Scranton Avenue and North Avenue show how Lake Bluff neighbors turn an ordinary street into a gathering place.
Community · Lake Bluff ElementaryStarting Friday with a High Five
Music, familiar faces and plenty of high fives give Lake Bluff Elementary students an upbeat start to Friday.
Business · Bluff’s PubComing Soon on Scranton
A neighborhood sports pub is taking shape at 16 E. Scranton Avenue, from a team that knows the village well.
People, history & everyday life
People · Breast Cancer Awareness MonthThe Oncologist Next Door
For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Dr. Liz Chung Knight talks screening, genetics, wine, HRT, risk—and reasons for hope.
History · October 22The Promise, On Paper
A chance to see rare early printings and replicas of America’s founding documents on October 22 at Lake Forest High School.
Dear Chat: The Home Repair List
A neglected Lake Bluff home asks for help with its repair list. Niki Walsh of Honey Homes answers in this sponsored Dear Chat column.
The regular columns
A little humor · September 23–October 22Libra Season
The Chat’s forecast for Libra: balance, beautiful things, both sides of an argument—and a group text requiring consensus.
Sponsored by Pasquesi Home & GardensVillage Almanac: October 5, 2026
The Village Almanac for the week of October 5, 2026, sponsored by Pasquesi Home & Gardens.
Previously in the Chat
People · Issue 6Seeing Ryan
The O’Connor family on joy, exhaustion, progress—and why awareness begins with seeing the boy before the diagnosis.
Issue 6 · September 14, 2026
People · The Browne familyThe Year After
A year after losing Jeff, the Browne family finds ways to carry his love forward.
HistoryThe Many, for the Few
How the Lake Bluff Children’s Home grew from a small act of care into a home for thousands.
Around the village · In this issue
TraditionsRibfest Marks 25 Years in Lake Bluff
A beloved village tradition celebrates 25 years of barbecue, friendly rivalry and giving back.
On the waterFrom Lake Bluff to Curacao
Lake Bluff Yacht Club sailors take their pursuit of excellence beyond the shores of Lake Michigan.
MusicTurning It Up
Jude Weinstein creates a stage for young musicians at Porchlight Fest.
Weddings · Holiday cards · Stationery
Carmela Heintzelman
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More from Issue 6
Reasons to Walk. Reasons to Hope
Neighbors join the effort to end Alzheimer’s, one walk at a time.
The Case for Coming Home
Michael W. Kopsick on building a law practice with a human approach.
Call 847-807-8695A little local humor.
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From previous issues
Everyday magicThe Morning Wave
A grandparents’ simple wave to the school bus becomes a cherished Lake Bluff family tradition.
Neighbors helping neighborsAnswering a Special Call
The Lake Bluff Fire Department helps make a wish come true for six-year-old Peter O’Rourke.
Self startersMade by Margaux
Meet 12-year-old Margaux Maga, whose custom crochet creations turned a creative hobby into a joyful young business.
Will Lake Bluff Ever Have Electricity Again?
A village has questions. Dear Chat has a column.
Send a question ↗The Dairy Queen
Playing for Purpose
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Lake Bluff Beach, 1969
Revived from 1909, The Lake Bluff Chat celebrates the history, humor, traditions and everyday magic of a village worth documenting. Part community paper and part village scrapbook, its mission to share the stories that connect us.
While we hope you’ll explore information and archived issues here, we also hope you pick up a printed copy around town, pass it along to a neighbor and become part of the conversation yourself.
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