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ANDERSONVILLE — If you’re stuck inside because of the pandemic and the bitter cold temperatures, you might as well do it in comfort and style.
Hygge Fest can help. The Andersonville festival has been extended from one weekend to the entire month of February for its third year. It will include pandemic-friendly events that celebrate living through a brisk winter.
“Hygge” (pronounced hue-gah) is a northern European wintertime ritual of celebrating life’s simple pleasures, like being warm and near family during colder months.
Gathering with friends and family isn’t so feasible this year, so Hygge Fest has been reimagined to help residents stay entertained and comfortable while in quarantine. Previous events, like a pajama “fun run,” will not be held this year.
New to this year’s fest is the Great Andersonville Puzzle Exchange. The puzzle swap will take place 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 27 at the parking lot behind Women & Children First, 5253 N. Clark St.
Puzzles will be dropped off at the site 11-11:30 a.m. Feb. 27, and those interested in picking up a puzzle should sign up for a slot to view them by clicking here. Organizers will accept gently used, 500-plus piece adult puzzles that are inside a sealed bag in their original box and have no missing pieces. Kids puzzles will also be accepted.
Women & Children First will host a pop-up during the puzzle exchange, offering cards and books.
Last year’s Hygge Fest included a coffee and hot cocoa crawl of Andersonville, where participants learned about the brewing process and like shops and sampled drinks.
This year’s event is being turned into the “coffee and cocoa crossover” and is being held in conjunction with the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce.
The chambers have prepared gift packages from local shops to help people stay indoors. Gift packages are priced at $25-$100. Participating Andersonville businesses include Enjoy, Lost Larson and First Slice Pie Cafe; Lincoln Square and Ravenswood businesses include Cafe Selmarie, Merz Apothecary and Lincoln Ice Cream Company.
Gift packages will be available on the Lincoln Square Ravenswood chamber’s online market.
Andersonville businesses will run Hygge Fest promotions throughout February.
Defloured: A Gluten Free Bakery will have vegan pot pies for hearty wintertime eating, and Scout & Cellar will offer lessons on how to make glögg, Scandinavian mulled wine.
Rattleback Records has also curated a Hygge-appropriate playlist, which is available on Spotify or by clicking here.
For more information on Hygge Fest, check out the Andersonville chamber’s event page.
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