Events

Calendar of Events
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4 events,
OLD CAPITOL FARMERS MARKET
SPRINGFIELD - Final day of the season is Saturday 10-31-2020! The award-winning Old Capitol Farmers Market has been overseen by Downtown Springfield Inc. (DSI) since 1999, with support from premier sponsor HSHS St. John’s Hospital. The most popular Market in Central Illinois has been voted Best Reason to Go Downtown, Best Farmers Market, Best Public…
SPI 7 in 7 Competition
A program intended to inspire both local residents and visitors to our city, to get out and get active! Experience every angle that Springfield has to offer. Fall in Springfield has never been so fun! With 7 categories, 7 activities per category and 7 weeks to compete, this is sure to be a win-win for everyone. Including sites & restaurants, shops & the outdoors, there is something for all in this SPI 7 in 7 Competition! Be sure to use #SPI7in7.
‘Masquerade’ October Gallery Show through Nov 4th
The Greater Livingston County Arts Council October 2020 Gallery Show ’Masquerade’. Just in time for Halloween, the October 2020 Gallery Show at the Art Center will open in the NEW Joe Bailey Gallery on Friday, October 2 and will continue through Wednesday, November 4. The show is titled ’Masquerade’, and its ‘timely’ theme opens itself…
Deconstructing Stereotypes: Top Ten Truths About Native Peoples
Many of us face stereotypes and misconceptions about our heritage and culture. But what stereotypes impact the lives of Native peoples the most? The Mitchell Museum of the American Indian surveyed Native American and Indigenous Canadian peoples to find out. The results identified the top ten stereotypes and misconceptions that Native peoples face today. They…
4 events,
Virtual Evergreen Cemetery Walk through December 1
Join us for the 2020 Virtual Evergreen Cemetery Walk! The video production of the Virtual Walk will be viewable through the online platform Teachable. Teachable will allow the Museum to present this year’s production in a way that is accessible to both the general public and the many student groups who annually participate. Ticket holders will have the…
4 events,
Dia De Los Muertos/Day Of The Dead
Dia De Los Muertos/Day Of The Dead
Enjoy FREE music, food, art displays and walking art gallery! Event is outdoors 5:00 – 9:00 pm. Bathroom and some displays are indoors. Masks and social distancing are required. This event is brought to you by the City of Joliet, Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park & Theatre and The Art Movement, Inc. of Joliet. Thank you…
3 events,
Tales from the Vault: Discovering the Odd, Unusual, Creepy and Bizarre!
Tales from the Vault: Discovering the Odd, Unusual, Creepy and Bizarre!
Join Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum Chief of Acquisitions Ian Hunt for the latest installment in our “Tales from the Vault” series during our next Facebook LIVE! event on Thursday, November 5, 2020 at 7pm CT. On the heels of Halloween, Ian will share some of the odd, unusual, creepy, and downright bizarre items…
4 events,
Jolly Trolley Retail Event
Pontiac downtown retail's kick off to the holiday season, the Jolly Trolley event is the perfect way to embrace the holiday spirit. Walk from shop to shop as you find the perfect gifts for everyone on your list (or just for yourself, we won't tell!). Not in the walking mood? Jump on the Trolley as…
3rd Annual Holiday Market
The Promenade Bolingbrook is very excited to be having their 3rd Annual Holiday Market again this year. Things will be different this year. We will have both inside and outside vendors set up on Row Street. We will be using the Corner Store (currently New York & Company) for our inside vendors. We will have…
7 events,
Uptown Normal Holiday Open House
Holiday Open House will be on November 7 to November 13. This kicks off holiday shopping and lasts all week! Holiday elves are working with your favorite merchants to offer deals and discounts and ensure a safe shopping experience in compliance with IDPH and CDC guidelines. Participating Merchants: Apricot Lane Beyond Normal Children’s Discovery Museum…
Great War Encampment 2020
Great War Encampment 2020
Join us at the Illinois State Military Museum and learn about the history of the First World War! This event will feature members of the Living History Detachment displaying their WWI equipment which will present a unique opportunity to learn how the soldiers of the First World War lived. Due to the on-going risk of…
Discovery Isle: Bison
Discovery Isle: Bison
Drop by Isle a la Cache Museum to Celebrate National Bison Day! Explore bison artifacts – fur, skulls and horns. Learn how Potawatomi and other Native peoples, who made Illinois…
4 events,
Space Food: Past, Present and Future
Space Food: Past, Present and Future
Michelle Nichols, Director of Public Observing at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, will highlight the development of space eats from the earliest days of space travel, show how food is eaten on the International Space Station today and what food might look like for future long-term missions to asteroids and Mars. Registration required @ https://jolietlibrary.libcal.com/event/6586248
4 events,
A Christmas Carol Holiday Story Trail
From the curators of Life in the Forties, Life on the Titanic, Music of the Civil War, Nine Days in April, and many other exhibits throughout Central Illinois comes Costumes and Characters of A Christmas Carol – a window exhibit at the Pontiac Oakland Automobile Museum located at 205 N. Mill Street. Ron Selle and Darlene Agner have…
4 events,
Old Capitol Holiday Walks
Save The Date! Old Capitol Holiday Walks is starting 2 weeks earlier then previous years - November 14, 2020 - December 19, 2020. It’s a tradition of the season that all of Springfield looks forward to…The Old Capitol Holiday Walks will run every Saturday afternoon 11/14 to 12/19 from noon to five pm and every…
7 events,
Lincoln Presidential Library to display handwritten Gettysburg Address
SPRINGFIELD – The Gettysburg Address is Abraham Lincoln’s most famous speech. It helped changed the way America looked at the Civil War and at itself. And now the address will be on display at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum for two weeks. The handwritten copy will be displayed in the museum Nov. 18-30.…
Illinois Virtual Monarch Summit – Route 66 Monarch Flyway
Illinois Virtual Monarch Summit – Route 66 Monarch Flyway
The Illinois Virtual Monarch Summit continues November 18th from 1-3 PM and will focus on habitat creation along the historic Route 66 corridor. Stretching across the state, this byway also lines up with the monarch’s migratory path up and down our state. Find out more about the Route 66 Monarch Flyway here: http://illinoismonarchproject.org/#event This is the…
Pontiac, Illinois – Abraham Lincoln in Song
Pontiac, Illinois – Abraham Lincoln in Song
Award-winning folk musician and folklorist Chris Vallillo presents Abraham Lincoln in Song on Wednesday, November 18, 2020 at 7 pm on The Eagle Performing Arts & Conference Center Facebook, in partnership with Pontiac Tourism and Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition. Vallillo uses Lincoln’s own words, stories, and period folk songs to illuminate the life and…
6 events,
Capital City Takeout Challenge – Support Local Restaurants & Enter for Chance to Win $1,000
Hello Springfield! Purchase takeout from 5 different independent locally-owned restaurants. 1 of the 5 restaurants must be minority owned. *Minority includes: African American, Asian American or Asian Islander, Latin American or Hispanic American and Indigenous American. When: Takeout purchases must be between November 19, 2020 and December 18, 2020. *All receipts must be submitted by…
6 events,
7 events,
Village of Elkhart Kick Off Christmas!
Village of Elkhart Kick Off Christmas!
It is almost time to welcome the wonderful Christmas season with the annual Christmas Open Houses in the quaint village of Elkhart! Three shops, The Country Bumpkin, Birdsong Books and Vintage, and Horsefeathers Antiques and Gifts will be decked out for the holidays in their own unique styles. There will be complimentary hot beverages available…
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9 events,
Springfield Ballet Company Announces “Through Clara’s Eyes”
SPRINGFIELD - Generations of central Illinois families celebrate the holiday season with a memorable trip to the Springfield Ballet Company's annual production of The Nutcracker. In a typical year, the Springfield Ballet Company would be diligently working behind the scenes planning and rehearsing for this year's The Nutcracker. The Springfield Ballet Company Dancers and Trainees are rehearsing…
Christmas Open House: Clover Lawn Gift Shop
Christmas Open House: Clover Lawn Gift Shop
Skip the crowded stores on Black Friday and shop local! Be the first to see the Clover Lawn Gift Shop at the David Davis Mansion all decorated for the holidays, bursting with Christmas merchandise and great presents for your friends and family! Enjoy special discounts throughout the store! Listen to some festive Christmas music while…
Christmas Light Up Parade (Drive Through Edition!)
Christmas Light Up Parade (Drive Through Edition!)
An annual tradition and the favorite of many, but to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved, this year's event will look a little different. All of the floats will be positioned throughout Chautauqua Park and participants will drive through the park to view the lighted displays. The park will be open from 6:00…
7 events,
7 events,
7 events,
6 events,
6 events,
Christmas Cruise 2020 in Lincoln
Christmas Cruise 2020 in Lincoln
Come kick off the holidays this year in historic downtown Lincoln, IL with the “Christmas Cruise 2020”, a drive-thru only parade experience! This year’s theme will be “Brighten Up the Streets”. The event is December 3rd from 7-8:30pm. The “parade” will remain stationary on the East side of Kickapoo St. Cruisers (spectators) will travel down…
8 events,
Christmas in Carlinville
Small Town Holiday Magic! Shopping on the historic Carlinville square, a large heated building with Vendors, Arts, Crafts, FREE sleigh rides, Visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, Street Performers, Carolers, Demonstrations, FREE parking, FREE Shuttle Bus. Two days of Family Holiday Fun! Friday Dec 4th - * Christmas Market doors open at 3 pm *…
Wild Lights at the Zoo!
See the Zoo at Night… Wild Lights will be Two weekends this year - Dec., 4th & 5th – 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM & Dec., 11th & 12th – 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM. Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington is believed to be the only zoo still remaining on Route 66. This year Wild…
Downtown Bloomington First Fridays
Downtown Bloomington First Fridays
Top among DBA’s events is First Friday! Held on the first Friday of each month, this recurring local cultural and social event showcases the visual arts and artists for the purpose of art education, visibility and the opportunity to purchase and collect art. The self-guided event also features promotions at individual businesses who extend their…
9 events,
Lexington’s Christmas on the Prairie
Experience Christmas on the Prairie in Lexington on Saturday, December 5th and also Sunday, December 6th!! This year's entire event will be held on Main Street in beautiful downtown Lexington. The vendor event, a visit with Santa's reindeer and a Santa Parade are just some of the events that are in the works! Stay tuned…
6th Annual Ugliest Sweater Run
6th Annual Ugliest Sweater Run
Put on your best holiday cheer and come out to Miller Park for the 6th annual Ugliest Sweater Run with Bloomington Parks Rec, and Fleet Feet Bloomington. For all ages – Saturday, Dec. 5 – 1:00 pm (first wave). There will be a 3 Mile non-competitive run or walk, with prizes awarded for special categories.…
7 events,
MAJOR EVENTS ON ILLINOIS ROUTE 66

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Event postings are limited to events held in Route 66 communities in Illinois, and are a benefit to members of the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway.