Is Highland Park better than University Park? The issue will be settled on April 18, at least when it comes to the game of mahjong.
Players from the town and city plan to battle it out during the first-ever mahjong tournament hosted by the Highland Park Library and University Park Public Library. The winner will receive a trophy that will reside in their home library and the right to call themselves the Park Cities’ top-ranked mahjong player.
The play action began on March 7 with a tournament at the University Park Public Library to determine who would represent the city and town in April. The stakes were high, but the atmosphere was friendly.
“Everybody has a kind attitude,” said Highland Park resident Bonnie Chadwick. “I loved it. And that the two libraries did it together is fabulous.”
Players didn’t need to win to be a winner. The libraries gave away raffle prizes donated by the event’s sponsors. Drinks and treats were available, including a fruit tray and cookies from real estate agent Holly Davis and chocolate mahjong tiles made by Highland Park adult services librarian Pamela Skjolsvik.
Skjolsvik was inspired to hold a mahjong tournament after seeing how popular the game is at the Highland Park Library, which hosts open play twice a month.
“It’s an opportunity for people to socialize, and make new friends, and compete,” she said. “They like to compete.”
The mahjong tournament is one of several friendly competitions for adults that have been organized by the libraries. The Highland Park Library holds a semiannual jigsaw puzzle competition, and the libraries hosted a city vs. town spelling bee in 2025.
(This reporter’s team finished runner-up in the University Park spelling bee. She has no comment on the number of participating teams. The new mahjong tournament was much more popular, attracting about 30 participants from the city and town.)
While the spelling bee is unlikely to return, the libraries plan to make the mahjong tournament an annual event. Players at the March competition said that they’ll be back, and that they expect the tournament to grow.
“Mahjong is so popular right now,” Highland Park resident Linda Gardner said. “If more people knew about it, there’d be tons more people here. It would be great.”
Although Skjolsvik has learned to play mahjong, she called in an expert to help with the tournament’s logistics and coordination — Mary Sutherland, co-owner of All Things Mahj.
“I am huge on connection,” said Sutherland, who volunteered her services for the event. “I hope that these people are able to connect outside, whether it is through mahjong or through reading, and develop friendships.”
After two hours of play on March 7, Betsy Rosen and Crystal Johnson were crowned Highland Park champions. They’ll take on Tracy Venable and Suzanne Duda from University Park in April.
Highland Park’s champs already play mahjong together once a month. They attributed their success to excellent instruction from Rosen’s mother, Saranee Newman, along with the friendship and experience they’ve gained in their regular mahjong group.
Their tournament strategy involved staying calm during play and focusing on the fun of the experience. After the Highland Park tournament ended, the pair greeted University Park players as they arrived at the library.
“They look like they could be some formidable competition for us,” the HP team said with a laugh. “We’ve got to go home and practice.”
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