July 2018 Community Calendar (2024)

If you would like your event considered for the Calendar, please email your request as early as possible to Events@wics.com.
Please include the date of the event in the e-mail subject line and the following details within the body of the email, (not as an attachment).

• event date
• event time
• event location (street address and city)
• event cost (if applicable) and who benefits from the fees/donations
• a brief description
• public contact information if our community has further questions (phone number, website, email address, Facebook page)

Tip: How to search this calendar of events: Use 'Ctrl + F' and type a key word or date (i.e. "fireworks" or "July 4") into the search box. This function should find and highlight corresponding events in your browser.

June, 29, 30 & July 1
Sparks in the Park (ROCHESTER) Food vendors, marketplace, arts & crafts, Farmer's Market, Fishing Derby, Beer Tent, Blood Drive, Carnival, Kids Games, Parade, Fireworks Sunday and 9:30pm. Click here for a full schedule.

June 15 – August 15
ART + BOOKS (9:00am - 5:00pm M-F; The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Ellen and Nirmal Chatterjee Exhibition Gallery, The Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Room 346, Main Library / 1408 W. Gregory Dr., URBANA) This exhibition highlights creations by selected book artists and presses from the Rare Book & Manuscript Library collections: Loujon Press, Bea Nettles, Flying Fish Press, Amos Paul Kennedy Jr, Rusell Maret, and Jana Sim. The works on display range from the 1960s to the present, and feature many variations on alphabets, typeface and calligraphy, colors and photography, and structures, from seemingly simple business cards, tarot cards, posters and broadsides, to complex codex, accordions, Möbius strips and Jacob’s ladders. https://www.library.illinois.edu/rbx/exhibitions-events/current/

June 27 - July 15
Baby Lemur Naming Contest (Henson Robinson Zoo, SPRINGFIELD) The Henson Robinson Zoo announced the birth of two Red Ruffed Lemurs, Varecia rubra, early this year. Now we are asking to community to come and vote for their favorite name. Zoo Guests, during their regular visit can come and see the little ones on exhibit, then before leaving they can vote on one of four names for both the male and female lemurs.

The Zoo asks that you provide a small donation with your vote to fund lemur conservation. The Zoo will match donations up to $1000 that will go to Association Mitsinjo based in Madagascar. Association Mitsinjo funds and manages community education, habitat preservation, a research in the home ranges of red ruffed and other lemur species.

Guests can visit the Zoo to vote starting June 27th and continue through July 15th where the Zoo will announce the selected names on its Facebook page. Voting participants will also receive a coupon for one free child visit for the remaining of the summer, so that they can watch the little ones grow. The Zoo will also select two voters for a special prize.

For more information on how you can get involved with our fundraising conservation efforts and helping to name our new baby lemurs! Feel free to call the Zoo at 217-585-1821 or email our Zoo Director, John Wright at jwright@springfieldparks.org

July 1
First Sunday Midwest Bazaar (8:00am - 4:00pm; Menard Co. Fairgrounds) There will be 6 shows in Menard County, each first Sunday May through October. Once again, a primary goal of bazaar organizers is to increase shopping traffic into Petersburg businesses every month, bringing patrons back into the county for repeat business, not just on bazaar weekend but every weekend. County sales tax revenue receives a boost as well, as vendors submit a tax payment at the close of each show. Several new vendors near and far have heard about the show, and will be attending, bringing an even greater variety of food and shopping, snacks, produce, and a large variety of old treasures and brand new custom and unique handmade goods.
Community Support activities at the event include:

• APL Adoption Mobile will be in attendance.
• patrons can bring food pantry donations to the information table to be entered into a drawing for a free tshirt each month.
  
• the group HONVEE will be selling a cookbook that helps female veterans enduring hardship.

We will have music playing at every show, continuing the festive mood all year!! We also have a wine/craft beer patio in the grandstands. More show information can be found on our First Sunday Midwest Bazaar facebook page, along with our event calendar, special monthly events, vendor lists, and vendor inquiry information. Heather Piepenburg along with FSMB partners Greg and Rita Noll & Shawn Stillman

July 1
Time Machine: Sun, Moon, Stars, and Planets (1:00 - 3:30pm; Spurlock Museum, 600 S Gregory St, URBANA) This family-friendly event explores the many ways that we bring celestial objects into our daily lives. Activities include a gallery treasure hunt, an exploration of touchable objects, and a concert of sky-related folktales. Admission is free.The Time Machine touches down on the first Sunday of every month from June through August. Look for different types of programs on every Sunday of each month. Free general admission | www.spurlock.illinois.edu | (217) 333-2360

July 1
Pet Adoption (12:00pm - 4:00pm; PetSmart, 1570 W US Highway 50, O'FALLON) Benld Adopt-A-Pet, a non-profit, no-kill animal shelter, will hold a Pet Adoption. All of our pets are spayed/neutered, micro-chipped and up to date on shots. For more information call 217.835.2538 or visit our website at www.benldadoptapet.org.

July 2
MMC Rehab Grad Support Group (4:00 - 6:00pm; Memorial Center, SPRINGFIELD) For more information call 217 788-3461 or Memorial Rehab Services at 217 788-3300.

July 2
Emotional Support Group (6:00 - 7:00pm; Memorial's Center for Learning and Innovation, 228 W Miller, SPRINGFIELD) Meets every other Monday. burstingbubbles.org | 335-2961

July 2
Reading Takes You Everywhere (10:00am; 125 West Editor, ASHLAND) Repeated at 1 PM at 555 Buckeye Road Pleasant Plains, IL 62677 | No Cost | All welcome
With the help of the Challenger Learning Center from Heartland Community College learn how asttronauts travel in space. Hear about some of the most interesting places in our Solar System. Come travel the universe with us! Please contact either location: Ashland 217-476-3417 or Pleasant Plains 217-626-1553 checkout our website www.pspld.com or email prairie.skies.library@gmail.com for summer reading or pskiesld@gmail.com or facebook Prairie Skies Public Library District @pskiesld | Questions please call Liz Heady youth programmer at 217-626-155

July 3
Gravity: Bob Steffan Summer Film Fest (10:00am & 2:00pm; Illinois State Museum Auditorium, 502 S. Spring Street, SPRINGFIELD) Museum Admission: $5 for adults ages 19-64; free admission for Members, youth, seniors, military, and veterans. In this school bus series film, the students are sent into space and the school bus is turned into a planet for a lesson on gravity. Bob Steffan Summer Film Fest films are shown on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in June and July at 10 am and 2 pm. This program is recommended for children ages 3-8 and is great for day care classes, summer camp groups, and families. Each program lasts approximately 30 minutes. For more information, or to schedule a group of 10 or more, contact Sarah Davis at Sarah.E.Davis@illinois.gov or (217) 782-6044.

July 3
Adult Children of Alcoholics (5:15pm; Discovery Club, 313 W Cook St., SPRINGFIELD) Weekly meetings every Tuesday. New attendees welcome. wisetruth@yahoo.com | 544-9049

July 3
Pack the Park Fireworks (5:00 - 11:00pm; DAWSON) Music & Dancing at 7pm. Fireworks at dusk. Clowns, face-painting, balloons, glow sticks. Tasty food selections available from Vose Corndogs and The Dawson Fire Department. Please bring a blanket or lawn chairs. Rain date July 6.

July 4
Fireworks and Baseball! (6:35pm, Robin Roberts Stadium, 1415 N. Grand Ave., SPRINGFIELD) Watch the Springfield Sliders play the Terre Haute Rex and stay after the game for Independence Day Fireworks. Free admission for all service members. Email: slidersfun@springfieldsliders.com | PHONE: (217) 679-3511

July 4
July 4th Celebration (9:00am, Municipal Building, 2901 Leonard St., JEROME) Parade. Candy may be passed out, but not thrown.

July 4
Pleasant Plains 4th of July Celebration (4:00pm, PLEASANT PLAINS) Once again, the Pleasant Plains Community Club (PPCC) will be sponsoring the 4th of July Fireworks Show on July 4th. The PPCC will be hosting the display at Pleasant Plains High School beginning at dusk. Come out to support the annual community event. The Pleasant Plains Fire Department will also be serving food and refreshments before the show starting at 4:00 p.m.
Donation locations will be available for those of you interested in making a donation to help sponsor next year’s event.
You can also send your donation for the fireworks to PPCC, P.O.Box 385, Pleasant Plains, IL 62677.
Come enjoy the fireworks and help support the Pleasant Plains Community Club!

July 4
Fourth of July Celebration (Nichols Park, 319 Holken Brink Drive, JACKSONVILLE) This celebration features a parade, live entertainment, kids’ activities, live entertainment, and more. Fireworks. FREE. For more information, call 243-5678.

July 4
Fireworks at Dusk (LINCOLN)

July 4
Franklin 4th Celebration (6:00 - 9:00pm; FRANKLIN) Live Concert on the square with fireworks immediately afterwards. Bring your own cooler of your favorite adult beverages!

July 4
Independence Day Events (2:00 - 9:30pm, Lake Lou Yaeger, Marina 1: 4313 Beach House Trail, LITCHFIELD) 2:00PM: Fourth of July Boat Regatta, At the lake in front of Beach House. Dress up you and your boat in patriotic attire as you join the Friends of Lake Lou Yaeger (F.O.L.L.Y) for their annual boat parade around the lake. For more information contact andylfurman@yahoo.com
B & B Strings 6:30 PM – 9:20 PM, Firework display 9:30 PM. For more information call 866-533-5833 or e-mail: tourism@cityoflitchfieldil.com.

July 4
Staley Firecracker Road Run/Walk (6:30am - 10:00am; Nelson Park, DECATUR) Compete in a 1/2 mile kids run, 4-mile or 8-mile run, or join in the 2 mile fun run/walk. Register by June 22 to guarantee a dri-fit shirt or tank. A minimum of three awards in the 4 mile and 8 mile will be given to runners. Register at Active.com, pick up an entry form at the DISC, or call 429-7750.
Time: Kids’ Run at 7:30 a.m. and Race at 8 a.m.
Check-in: 6:30 – 7:15 a.m.
Location: Nelson Park Rock Garden Parking Lot
Fee: Kids Run: $16 ($21 on race day)
All Races/Walk: $26 ($31 on race day)
Early Packet Pick-up: July 3 at the Snack Shack

July 4
Shake the Lake Concert (Nelson Park, “Horseshoe” parking lot west of Beach House, DECATUR) Celebrate summer with live concerts in the park, presented by Dansig and held in conjunction with Neuhoff Media! Check the Decatur Park District Facebook page for updates and weather alerts. Concessions and beverages will be available for sale. No personal coolers, please.
Performance/Time: 5 p.m. - B.O.S.S. Jr. & Sr. performances | 6 p.m. - FUN DMC | Dusk - fireworks over Lake Decatur.

July 4
Fireworks at Dusk (Community Park, CHATHAM)

July 4
Clara Irwin's Strawberry PArty (5:00 - 8:00pm; Elijah Iles House, 628 S 7th St., SPRINGFIELD) Featuring entertainment, fresh strawberry confections, live music, games, and a group reading of the Declaration of Independence. ileshouse.org | 492-5929

July 4
Family 4th of July Celebration (5:30 - 10:00pm; Trade Winds Pub & Eatery, 1700 Recreation Dr., SPRINGFIELD) Gates open at 4:30. Live music with Take 10 from 5:30-9:30pm, then fireworks extravaganza at 9:30 pm. Plenty of seating, but feel free to bring a lawn chair.

July 4
Enos Park Community Garden Night (6:00 - 8:00pm; Enos Park Community Garden, 1022 N. Fifth St., SPRINGFIELD) Every Wednesday, help garden and share the vegetable harvest. Free. 847-341-0591

July 4
Pickleball for Beginners (5:30-10:00pm; Iles Park, 6th & Ash St., SPRINGFIELD) Learn the basics of pickleball from the Springfield Pickleball Club. Paddles and balls provided. For ages 12+, Free event. springfieldparks.org

July 6
Walk and Talk: Bicentennial and Beyond (2:00 - 2:30pm; Illinois State Museum, 502 S. Spring Street, SPRINGFIELD) Museum admission: $5 for adults ages 19-64; free admission for Members, youth, seniors, military, and veterans. Take a journey through 200 years of Illinois history on this curator-led gallery walk through "Bicentennial and Beyond: The Illinois Legacy Collection" exhibition. Free with museum admission. Appropriate for all ages and hands-on opportunities for children! For additional information, please contact events@illinoisstatemuseum.org or (217) 558-6696.

July 6&7
Anybody's Story: 200 Years of Illinoisians and Their Stuff (7:30pm; Edwards Place, 700 N 4th St., SPRINGFIELD) When a lost tourist stumbles into the back room of an Illinois history museum, she discovers that there's a story behind even the smallest of artifacts. Anybody's Story: 200 Years of Illinoisans and Their Stuff is a series of vignettes inspired by the objects in the "Bicentennial & Beyond" exhibit at the Illinois State Museum - watching the play will literally be like watching these objects' stories come to life. This bicentennial themed play will be performed in Edwards Place on July 6th and 7th, along with a third performance on the 8th at the Illinois State Museum at 2 PM. $20 for Non-Members/$15 for ISM & SAA Members | 217-523-2631 | https://www.edwardsplace.org/upcoming-events

July 6-8, 11
Mamma Mia! (7:00pm W&Th, 8:00pm F&Sat, 2:00pm Sun; The Legacy Theatre, 101 E Lawrence, SPRINGFIELD) A young woman's quest to discover her father's identity brings her back to the Greek island paradise they visited 20 years ago. $20 advance, $30 day of, $22 seniors and children. atthelegacy.com | 800-838-3006

July 7
Loami Fourth of July Celebration (Colburn Park, LOAMI) Local, historic annual 4th of July celebration--parade, food, drink, vendors, children's activities, fireworks, and much more--to help celebrate 242 years of independence! A good time where friends, family, the community, and our neighbors can come together. Pet-friendly (must be leashed).

July 7
Centennial Celebration! 100 Years of The Samuel T. Busey Library (1:00 - 5:30pm; The Urbana Free Library, 210 West Green Street, URBANA) Please join us for the Centennial Celebration of the Library's landmark building, which opened to the public in July 1918. It was designed by Joseph W. Royer, with a $35,000 gift from Mary E. Busey, as a memorial to her husband, Samuel T. Busey.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
Special exhibits - “Mary E. Busey’s Gift: A Centennial Celebration of The Samuel T. Busey Library” | McFarlane-Hood Reading Room; 1st and 2nd Floor Exhibit Cases
1:00 – 2:30 p.m. - Games and activities from the early 1900s | Co-sponsored by the Museum of the Grand Prairie. Lewis Auditorium | All ages welcome!
1:30 p.m. – Live music with the local Dixieland sextet |Carl Johnson and the New Orleans Jazz Machine | Busey Mills Reading Room
2:30 p.m. - Remarks by special guests |Busey Mills Reading Room
3:00 p.m. – Enjoy cake and specialty drinks from the Cafe (while supplies last) | Busey Mills Reading Room
3:30 – 4:30 p.m. - Presentation by author Brian Adams, “A Library Building Second to None: A History of Urbana’s Samuel T. Busey Library” | Lewis Auditorium

July 7
Happy Birthday Illinois! Super Saturday (11:00am - 3:00pm; Illinois State Museum, 502 S. Spring Street, SPRINGFIELD) Free with admission
Museum admission: $5 for adults ages 19-64; free admission for Members, youth, seniors, military, and veterans.
Illinois has a big birthday coming up, the big 200! Come to the museum for cake, activities, and games to celebrate and wish Illinois a Happy Birthday.
Super Saturdays offer thematic activities recommended for children ages 5 and up each month. Activities take 30-40 minutes to complete and are included with Museum admission. Parents and families are encouraged to participate. For additional information, please contact events@illinoisstatemuseum.org or (217) 558-6696.

July 7
Adopt-a-Pet (12:00 - 4:00pm; Petco, 2721 S Veterans Pkwy, SPRINGFIELD) Benld Adopt-A-Pet, a non-profit, no-kill animal shelter, will hold a Pet Adoption. All of our pets are spayed/neutered, micro-chipped and up to date on shots. For more information call 217.835.2538 or visit our website at www.benldadoptapet.org .

July 7
20th Annual Kool Rides Charity Car Show (4:00 - 8:00pm; Central Park, DECATUR) Rain date July 14. All models welcome. 50/50 drawing | Trophies | DJ Music | Entry fee $15 payable day of show. This year, proceeds benefit Paw Print Ministries; www.rpcorvettes.com

July 7
Inaugural Merrell-Tyler PTSD Benefit Ride (12:00pm, American Legion Post 210, 210 Prospect Pl., DANVILLE) Followed by "Working Out PTSD" at 6pm- A health and fitness fund for veterans. Our Vision: Imagine providing our veterans with an outlet, lifting self-esteem, accountability, socialization & health. An outlet for stress, allowing our Vets to continue doing what they know best, working out and in turn they would "workout" PTSD.
Live music from The Cornfield Mafia, 50/50, Silent Auction.

July 7
Putt Fore Paws (11:30am - 6:30pm; Shambolee Golf Course, 442 S Shore Dr., PETERSBURG) The format of this outing will be a 4 person scramble, so all are welcome to play. Shotgun start at 12:30pm, check-in at 11:30am. A $50 entry fee (proceeds benefit Menard Animal Protection) will include: 18 holes of golf w/cart, two domestic beer tickets, dinner, and prizes. There will be hole-in-one prizes on EVERY par 3! It’s going to be a “pawsitively” good time! Contact info: Tracy Gordon @ 632-2492 or Kathy Spinner @ 314-749-4453.
Registration form: https://drive.google.com/file/d/13Lo03pkC1-qWfwI51ToEHrfBDPIHgSBM/view?usp=sharing
Menard Animal Protection (MAP) is a not-for-profit organization focused on the safety & welfare of animals in Menard County, Illinois. Our mission is to protect animals, promote spaying & neutering of pets, educate the public, and encourage & promote pet adoption within our community. MAP also supports the Menard County Animal Control shelter with much needed services & supplies.

July 8
Spurlock Summer Sundays: Explore the Natural World - Planets, Stars, and the Moon: Docent - Led (1:00 - 3:30pm; Spurlock Museum, 600 S Gregory St, URBANA) 217-333-2360 | www.spurlock.illinois.edu
This summer, we’re exploring the natural world with three month-long series of programs on precious metals, planets & stars, and plants. We’ll look at the ways different cultures have used natural resources, explained natural phenomena, and found inspiration in the world around them. Examine artifacts, join in songs and stories, and dig into sample materials. Experts from around town and campus will offer demonstrations and discussions. All programs are free and available on a drop-in schedule.
Each month has a distinct theme, with a series of programs for different ages and learning styles within those themes. The first Sunday of each month is a Time Machine that features multiple activities, presenters, and performers around the Museum. The third Sunday of each month is an Arts Exploration, offering visitors an opportunity to create a different special art project. All other Sundays feature docent-led activities such as mini-tours, scavenger hunts, and touch carts with hands-on artifacts.

July 8
Anybody's Story: 200 Years of Illinoisans and Their Stuff (2:00pm; Illinois State Museum, 502 S. Spring Street, SPRINGFIELD) Tickets: $20 ($15 for SAA members/$15 for ISM members with a code)
When a lost tourist stumbles into the back room of an Illinois history museum, she discovers that there's a story behind even the smallest of artifacts. Anybody's Story: 200 Years of Illinoisans and Their Stuff is a series of vignettes inspired by the objects in the "Bicentennial & Beyond" exhibit at the Illinois State Museum - watching the play will literally be like watching these objects' stories come to life.
Additional performances will take place at Historic Edwards Place (700 N. Fourth St.) on Friday, July 6 and Saturday, July 7 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for all performances are $20 ($15 for SAA members/$15 for ISM members with a code) and can be purchased at bit.ly/anybodysstory. Please check the date listed under the title to ensure you're purchasing tickets for the correct date! You can choose the date just to the left of the times by clicking "other dates..." and choosing one from the calendar. Museum Society Members, please contact Elizabeth at (217) 558-6696 or elizabeth.bazan@illinois.gov for the discount code. If not sold out in advance, tickets will be available at the door for Sunday's performance at the Museum.
This play is written and directed by Mark Beanblossom and produced by the Springfield Art Association of Edwards Place and the Illinois State Museum.

July 8 - 14
Millikin University Piano Camp (8:00am - 9:00pm; Perkinson Music Center, DECATUR) 15-18 year old students | $410 for commuter; $560 for resident
Over the course of six days, students will have the opportunity to receive private lessons from Millikin's distinguished piano faculty, to participate in technique sessions and to explore the music of Beethoven. All participating students are eligible to win Millikin University music scholarships (up to $2,000) and winners will be announced at the final recital. Instructors: Dr. Silvan Negrutiu, coordinator of keyboard studies, and Dr. Chung-Ha Kim, adjunct professor of music at Millikin. Registration Deadline: June 22

July 9-26
Lincoln Land Community College’s College for Kids (8:30 - 12:30pm; 5250 Shepherd Road, SPRINGFIELD) Lincoln Land Community College’s College for Kids is offering a variety of fun, enrichment activities for youth at its Springfield campus, 5250 Shepherd Road, and other partner sites this summer. Online registration is now open.
College for Kids’ traditional program for students who have completed grades K-8 will run Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., July 9-26. Students may register for one or more of the three weeks. Cost for each one-week session is $135. Week-long culinary sessions for grades 4-7 are $185.
Classes being offered this summer include: American Sign Language, Anime Japanese, Backyard Ballistics, Brain Games, Breakfast Baking, Camp Read-A-Lot, Candy Chemistry, Cookie Week, Cooking From Scratch, Country Creator, Dragon Genetics, Eric Carle Imagination, Finance and Success, Flight of Fantasy, Full STEAM Ahead, International Cuisine, Junior Chef, LEGO Explorers, Powerful Potions, Rocketry, Spa Science, Space Is the Place, Speedometry, Zoo Time and more.
Space for classes is limited; early registration is recommended. For a full list of offerings and registration information, visit www.llcc.edu/youth-programs or call 217-786-2432.

July 9
Reading Takes You Everywhere (10:00am; 125 West Editor, ASHLAND) Repeated at 1 PM at 555 Buckeye Road Pleasant Plains, IL 62677 | No Cost | All welcome
The Prairie Skies Public Library District summer reading program will now take all to world of animals. Wild Times Exotics will bring the animal kingdom to us. This traveling zoo has a hands on program sure to delight all and a unique why to teach about the animals. Please contact either location: Ashland 217-476-3417 or Pleasant Plains 217-626-1553 checkout our website www.pspld.com or email prairie.skies.library@gmail.com for summer reading or pskiesld@gmail.com or facebook Prairie Skies Public Library District @pskiesld
Questions please call Liz Heady youth programmer at 217-626-1553

July 9 - 13
College For Kids Summer Enrichment Program (Danville Area Community College, 2000 East Main Street, DANVILLE) All classes are held Monday-Friday. Cost is $50 per class or stay the week for $150 with hot lunch included. Classes are held 8:30-10:20 a.m., 10:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m. and 1:10-3:00 p.m. Register Online at www.dacc.edu/cce. For more information, call: 217-554-1667 or 217-554-1668 or email commed@dacc.edu
8:30-10:20 a.m. Classes Especially Español Paper Isn’t Flat Anymore Lego Robotics Kitchen Science Word Hard, Play Hard Mache Mania Unique Jewelry Room Décor Galore The Evolution of Hip-Hop (Grades 7-8) Experiments, Experiments, Experiments (Grades 4-6) Acting for Beginners (Grades 3-5) Sew You: Brand New (Grades 4-8) Creative Creations (Grades 3-4) Invest in Yourself (Grades 3-6)
10:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m. Classes Diggin’ Dinosaurs What’s the Matter with Matter? Lego Robotics Bees, Butterflies, and Bugs Art in Motion Game Show Masters Spa Creations Exploring the World of STEM Education The Evolution of Hip-Hop (Grades 7-8) Art from the Heart Sew You: Part Two (Grades 5-8) Creative Creations (Grades 5-6) Invest in Yourself (Grades 3-6)
1:10-3:00 p.m. Classes Ancient Egypt Brain Busters Lego Robotics Build Like an Engineer Babysitting & CPR/First Aid (Grades 5-8) Egg-speriments and More Geology Inspire Your Desire to Write! Grunge, Heavy Metal, & Punk Rock (Grades 7-8) Artsy Math Bubbling, Exploding, Fizzy Experiments Exploring Martial Arts Math Mania (Grades 7-8)

July 9-13
Vacation Bible School (9:00am - 12:00pm; Calvary Church, 1730 W Jefferson St., SPRINGFIELD) Vacation Bible School is an action-packed week of free summer fun and learning about how God does incredible things when we put our faith in Him! For three hours every morning, your child will engage in music, stories, games, snacks, and activities while interacting with friends and trusted staff in a fun and safe environment. For kids age 3 through entering 6th grade. Register today at calvaryspringfield.org/VBS | Contact info: Phone: 2175469700, calvaryspringfield.org/VBS, lnewquist@calvaryspringfield.org

July 13
Vinegar Hill 2nd Friday Night Vendor Market and Street Fest (5:00 -8:00pm; MT. PULASKI) A family fun night filled with vendors, food, music, children’s activities, and much more. Mt Pulaski Hilltop Club is sponsoring activities for the children. Mt Pulaski Boy Scout Troop will be grilling up pork chops for sale. Jules Flower Shop will offer face painting. Restaurants, bars, and shops on the square will be open and there will be a variety of vendors, including hand-made items, crafts, direct sales, and produce. Vendor market is open from 5 pm to 8 pm. Live Music playing from 7 pm to 10 pm, featuring Joe Stamm. For vendor information, please email mtpulaskibusinessassociation@gmail.com. Check us out on Facebook “Vinegar Hill Market Days”. Grab your family and friends and come to the historic square of Mt Pulaski on Friday, July 13th.

July 10, 11
Prairie Animals: Bob Steffan Summer Film Fest (10:00am & 2:00pm; Illinois State Museum Auditorium, 502 S. Spring Street, SPRINGFIELD) Museum Admission: $5 for adults ages 19-64; free admission for Members, youth, seniors, military, and veterans. Bison and prairie dogs, marmots, and mountain goats—they’re animals living in some unfriendly places. Bob Steffan Summer Film Fest films are shown on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in June and July at 10 am and 2 pm. This program is recommended for children ages 3-8 and is great for day care classes, summer camp groups, and families. Each program lasts approximately 30 minutes. For more information, or to schedule a group of 10 or more, contact Sarah Davis at Sarah.E.Davis@illinois.gov or (217) 782-6044.

July 11
Super Hero Trivia Charity Contest for HIV Orphans (6:30pm-9:30pm; Arlington's 210 Broadway, SPRINGFIELD) $15 donation per person or $80 per table of 6 benefiting the Give Hope, Fight Poverty charity | Have a fun Super Hero costume? Or have a brain full of useless facts? Even if you have neither, join us for a fun night complete with prizes! Super Hero Trivia Contest at Arlington's! Bring a friend (or 5) while you're at it! Give Hope, Fight Poverty will be allocating the proceeds of the evening for HIV orphan education in Swaziland, Africa. Watch this 90 second video for more information: https://youtu.be/at7Fd70LcRs
Super Hero Costume contest (not required to participate) AND trivia contest winners will win prizes! We will battle our brains in teams of 6, but if you want to sign up as an individual, you can join a pre-existing team no problem! $15 donation per individual person or $80 per team of 6 people. Contact Annie Elble Todt to RSVP. Spaces are limited to 70 people. We'd love to see you there! anniefightspoverty@gmail.com | www.ifightpoverty.org | 765-532-2586 https://www.facebook.com/events/1836904366611720/

July 11
Wednesday Afternoon at the Movies (2:00pm; Westville Public Library, WESTVILLE) Please note the date change to the second week of the month due to the holiday. The movie is an award winning, music filled story of an orphaned, penniless but ambitious young man and with a mind crammed with imagination and new ideas. The son of a tailor will open a wax museum but will shift focus to the unique and peculiar, introducing extraordinary, never-seen-before live acts on the circus stage. Be sure to call the library at 267-3170 to reserve your seat for this recent release.

July 11
Courthouse Lawn Concert and Ice Cream (7:00pm; MT. PULASKI) Families are invited to enjoy free concerts on the lawn of the Mt. Pulaski Courthouse State Historic Site this summer. Musician Chris Vallillo will perform at the concert on Wednesday, July 11. The Mt. Pulaski Community Band will be featured on Wednesday, July 25. The concerts will begin at 7:00 p.m. Before each concert, the Mt. Pulaski Women in Business will serve ice cream and cake, beginning at 6:00 p.m. A free will offering will be collected for a scholarship program. The Mt. Pulaski Courthouse State Historic Site will be open for tours from 6:00-7:00 p.m. on the concert evenings, in addition to the regular Wednesday tour hours of 12:00 noon until 4:00 p.m.

July 12
The Art & Science of Cloth Workshop (9:00am - 12:00pm; Illinois State Museum, 502 S. Spring Street, SPRINGFIELD) Ages 12-14 | The idea of using cloth to create art is centuries old: from dying fabric, to screen printing to quilting. Join us for a STEAM workshop where you can discover the ancient art of Shibori dying, printing, and experiment with natural dyes. Register online at bit.ly/2018clothws or by mail at bit.ly/2018sumreg. For additional information contact events@illinoistatemuseum.org or (217) 782-6044.
Registration and fee required | Early registration by June 29: $20 Member, $30 Non-member | By registration deadline on July 8: $25 Member, $35 Non-member

July 12
Ordinary Elephant - Music at the Museum Series (7:00pm; Illinois State Museum, 502 S. Spring Street, SPRINGFIELD) Fee: $10 adults, $8 Museum Members and Children under 12
Husband and wife duo Crystal and Pete Damore have been performing together since 2011, but their 2017 sophom*ore release ‘Before I Go’ established them nationally and internationally. Ordinary Elephant captivates listeners with their well-honed combination of insightful writing, effortless harmonies and intertwined clawhammer banjo and guitar.
Music at the Museum is a monthly concert series produced by Chris Vallillo featuring the best in contemporary and traditional folk and acoustic music of all styles. Concerts are held the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Museum auditorium. Tickets are available at the door. For more information on the featured acts and a full series schedule, visit museumconcerts.com. For additional information, please contact events@illinoisstatemuseum.org or (217) 558-6696.

July 12, 13, 14
St. Frances Cabrini Garage Sale (7:30am; St. Frances Cabrini Church, 1020 N. Milton Avenue, SPRINGFIELD) St. Frances Cabrini Church, 1020 N. Milton Avenue is having their annual garage sale in their parish hall on July 12 & 13th from 7:30am to 2:00 pm and on July 14th from 7:30 am to 12:00 noon.

July 13
STEM Camp for Area Students (8:30 - 3:30pm; Rochester Christian Church, 325 S Walnut, ROCHESTER) Must register by May 1. For students entering 2nd through 7th grade. $50 per student. Area students entering 2nd -7th grade join us for a fun day of exploring, creating, and building! We will work together on science, technology, engineering, and math hands on activities. All participants should bring a sack lunch with a drink. A morning and afternoon snack will be provided. For more information and to register visit http://bit.ly/summer2018STEMcamp. Contact: Sheril Flynn and Stephanie Zeidler at rochesterstemcamp@gmail.com

July 13
Hardee's Cruise In (6:00 - 9:00pm; VIRDEN) Bring your cars, trucks, motorcycles. Questions: 217-827-3678. Not responsible for accidents. Door prizes. 50/50 raffle. Future dates: August 10, September 14.

July 13
Donation Drive (12:00 - 4:00pm; County Market, 619 N 3rd St., GIRARD) Benld Adopt-A-Pet, a non-profit, no-kill animal shelter, will hold a Donation Drive to collect both food and non-food supplies for the shelter. For more information call 217.835.2538 or 217.891.0502, or visit our website at www.benldadoptapet.org .

July 13
Starring Springfield: Through the Eyes of John Starr Stewart - Opening Reception (5:30 - 7:30pm; MG Nelson Family Gallery, 700 N 4th St., SPRINGFIELD) Free! Take a step back in time trough the turn of the 20th century photographs by Springfield photographer John Starr Stewart. Stewart was a cellist who worked at the state auditor's office during the time he took these photographs. His work included many images of everyday life - his peers, Springfield sights, and special events were often pictured through his lens. The scrapbooks he created of cyanotype photos still exist in the Sangamon Valley Collection at the Lincoln Library and offer a personal glimpse into life c. 1900. This show was curated by Sarah Adams, Curtis Mann, and Stephanie Martin | office@springfieldart.org | 217-523-2631

July 13
"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" - Movie in the Park (Rotary Park, SPRINGFIELD) Grab your friends, children, blankets and join us for a free movie in the Park! Come out and enjoy this great family feature in the setting of Washington Park. Bring the family out early to enjoy concessions by Cornett Ice Shack & Snacks. Movie will begin at dusk.
Movie and Music in the Park is a free program where families and the entire community are invited to join us as we bring a big screen movie to your community parks on Fridays and we bring local musical talents to your parks on Sunday afternoons. As a convenience, concessions are available for purchase – please no outside food and drink to be allowed. These are truly great events. For more information on this topic and any other Park District news related items, please visit our Website at www.springfieldparks.org

July 13, 14, 15 & 19, 20, 21
Theatre In The Park "Distant Thunder" (8:00pm; NEW SALEM) a musical about the rise and fall of New Salem. The show was written by Bob Crowe and Ken Bradbury, both local musicians/playwrights; and is directed by Bill Bauser, Jr. The show runs 7/13, 7/14, 7/15, and 7/19, 7/20/7/21. Show starts at 8 pm, free pre-show in the visitor's center starting at 7 pm each night. Call 217-632-5440, or visit www.theatreinthepark.net

July 14
Ag Alumni Reunion (5:30pm; LLCC: student union in the lower level of Menard Hall, 5250 Shepherd Road, SPRINGFIELD) This special event, hosted by current and former ag professors, provides ag alumni an opportunity to network with former classmates and faculty members and learn about program activities and plans for the future. LLCC’s agriculture program was recently named the beneficiary of an $18 million trust and is poised for growth. The reunion will include a social hour, buffet dinner and program. The cost is $20 per person, and alumni are asked to register no later than July 6 by emailing alumni@llcc.edu or calling 217-786-4612. Learn more about LLCC Agriculture by visiting www.llcc.edu/agriculture.

July 14
“Pistolgrip, Monkeyface, Wabash Pigtoe, Plain Pocketbook: Freshwater Mussels of the Sangamon River” (10:00am; Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park and Memorial, Rail Splitter Pavillion, DECATUR) FREE
What kinds of mussels would Abraham Lincoln have found while exploring the Sangamon River on a hot summer day? Freshwater mussels have some of the most unusual names and an amazing strategy for reproduction. Jeannie Barnes, a former interpretive naturalist for the Macon County Conservation District and now works for the Illinois Natural History Survey, will help us learn more about these interesting animals and find out how they have fared over the years.

July 14
Sherlock Holmes Society (9:00am, SCHEEL'S, 2nd floor conference room, 3801 S MacArthur Blvd., SPRINGFIELD) Pondicherry Lodge, the Sherlock Holmes Society of Springfield and the west central Illinois area, will meet on Saturday. The public is invited to attend. There will be a discussion of The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter. For more information, or more detailed directions, please call 546-8387. To learn more about Pondicherry Lodge, go to sherlock.lolopop.org.

July 14
YouTube Star Alicia Grimes 2018 Summer Tour (10:30pm; Brothers Bar & Grill, 613 E. Green Street, CHAMPAIGN)

July 14
Piatt County Garden Walk (9:00am - 2:00pm; MONTICELLO) Tour six gorgeous home gardens Gardening information at each site Bonus: City garden walking map
Tickets are available in Monticello at: University of Illinois Piatt County Extension Office | Boka Shoppe | Brown Bag | Cabbage Rose | Monticello Mercantile | Steeple Gallery | Out of the Blue Polish Pottery | These Four Walls | Salon 101 in Bement | Tickets $12 Day of event and are available at Wabash Depot, 200 E Livingston Street.

July 14
Rock Painting at the Westville Library (10:00am; Westville Public Library, WESTVILLE) The Westville Public Library will host a rock painting program for kids and adults. Join us in participating in the painted rock hunting fun that is sweeping the area on July 14 at 10 AM. All supplies will be provided but if you have some interesting rocks you would like to paint be sure to bring them with you. Bring your creative rock painting ideas too. Call the library at 267-3170 or stop in to register for this fun event.

July 14
Latham Firefighters 69th Annual Ice Cream Social (11:00am - 8:30pm; 271 N. Macon St., LATHAM) This year will feature Latham's own Eric Burgett and band. Eric is up & coming Nashville artist. 5-8pm.
Car show and Antique tractor, engine registration starts 11:00am. $5 fee, trophies awarded in different classes, first 50 receive dash plates. Show is 12:00 - 4:00pm, judging 2:30 - 3:00pm.
FOOD: sandwiches, ice cream, cake, and soft drinks will be served starting at 12:00pm at the firehouse. Free tickets with purchase from the food area. Prizes given away during afternoon/evening.

July 14, 15
Awake Expo (10:00am - 5:00pm; Illinois Building, 801 N Sangamon Ave., Illinois State Fairgrounds, SPRINGFIELD) Our organization is dedicated to expanding Awareness in holistic health and well-being. We strive to share a deeper understanding of this important topic. We look forward to having you join us at the Expo. We will have Crystals, Essential Oils, Massage Therapy, Handmade soaps, Natural Products, Intuitive Readers, Aura Imaging and many more! Over 50 Vendors, Free Lectures, Food Available for Purchase. www.AwakeExpo.com | Ryan Kirby 217-210-1415 | awakeexpo@gmail.com

July 15
Spurlock Summer Sundays: Explore the Natural World - Planets, Stars, and the Moon: Arts Exploration (1:00 - 3:30pm; Spurlock Museum, 600 S Gregory St, URBANA) 217-333-2360 | www.spurlock.illinois.edu
This summer, we’re exploring the natural world with three month-long series of programs on precious metals, planets & stars, and plants. We’ll look at the ways different cultures have used natural resources, explained natural phenomena, and found inspiration in the world around them. Examine artifacts, join in songs and stories, and dig into sample materials. Experts from around town and campus will offer demonstrations and discussions. All programs are free and available on a drop-in schedule.
Each month has a distinct theme, with a series of programs for different ages and learning styles within those themes. The first Sunday of each month is a Time Machine that features multiple activities, presenters, and performers around the Museum. The third Sunday of each month is an Arts Exploration, offering visitors an opportunity to create a different special art project. All other Sundays feature docent-led activities such as mini-tours, scavenger hunts, and touch carts with hands-on artifacts.

July 15
Heads Up Group "for those with a traumatic brain injury" (2:00 - 4:00pm; SCIL, 330 S Grand Ave., SPRINGFIELD) For more information contact Dave at SCIL, 217 523-2587 v/tty

July 15
Adopt-a-Pet (12:00 - 4:00pm; Petco, 2721 S Veterans Pkwy, SPRINGFIELD) Benld Adopt-A-Pet, a non-profit, no-kill animal shelter, will hold a Pet Adoption. All of our pets are spayed/neutered, micro-chipped and up to date on shots. For more information call 217.835.2538 or visit our website at www.benldadoptapet.org .

July 15
Building Illinois: Entrepreneurialism Flourishes, Workers Rise (2:00pm - 4:00pm; Illinois State Museum Auditorium, 502 S. Spring Street, SPRINGFIELD) Free and open to the public | Beginning with 1850s railroad construction, Illinois boomed as an agricultural and industrial powerhouse. Familiar brand names, from Wrigley chewing gum to Swift and Armour meat products, covered the nation. Looking at two specific industries, this presentation will cover not only the business expansion, but the workplace tensions that followed. George Pullman was a model 19th century entrepreneur, a “rags to riches” story. Yet when he was buried, his grave was concrete reinforced, to curtail desecration. What did Pullman create and what was his legacy? Illinois led the nation in years for coal production, a vital industry that fueled 19th and 20th century expansion. At the same time, the deep dark mines were a dangerous lair, creating a widespread workers’ movement for industrial democracy.
This program is part of the “The Culture and Heritage of Illinoisans” series held on the third Sunday of every month through October, 2018. The series is presented by the Academy of Lifelong Learning at Lincoln Land Community College in collaboration with the Illinois State Museum and will feature several Road Scholar Speakers offered by Illinois Humanities. For more information, please call the Illinois State Museum, (217) 782-0979, or the Academy of Lifelong Learning at Lincoln Land Community College, (217) 786-2477.

July 15, 16, 17
'Dracula' Auditions (7:00 - 8:30pm; The Lorraine Theatre, 324 E Main St., HOOPESTON) 7 adult (over age 18) male roles, 7 adult (over age 18) female roles and adult (over age 18) extras

How to audition: Selected passages are read aloud. Try-out scripts are available in advance at Hoopeston Marathon, City Hall, Olympic Hardware, Anthem Chevrolet, First Financial Bank, First Farmers Bank, Iroquois Federal, Hoopeston Public Library, online at www.thelorrainetheatre.com, or the evening of the audition.

Why you should try out:
This is a premier, fully staged, top class play at the Lorraine, the first since restoration of the theatre began in 2013.
Let’s have other communities come to us! We have talented individuals in our area.
Dracula, a thriller deep to the bones, has pleased audiences for over 130 years.
It’s fun to meet new friends to create and support the Lorraine Theatre Guild.
Memorization is superior for the brain and with proper direction and rehearsal, you will look good!
Rehearsals: Mondays & Tuesdays (selected scenes) 6:50-9:00 p.m. | Thursdays (everyone) 6:50-9:00 p.m.
Performance Dates: October 26 & 27, 2018

July 16
Reading Takes You Everywhere (10:00am; 125 West Editor, ASHLAND)Repeated at 1 PM at 555 Buckeye Road Pleasant Plains, IL 62677 | No Cost | All welcome
Now it is time to travel back to pre-17th century Europe with Shire of Swordcliff and the Prairie Skies Public Library District. See knights battle,learn a dance , or how children played long ago. Let us travel back in time to an exciting time of knights and maidens.
Please contact either location: Ashland 217-476-3417 or Pleasant Plains 217-626-1553 checkout our website www.pspld.com or email prairie.skies.library@gmail.com for summer reading or pskiesld@gmail.com or facebook Prairie Skies Public Library District @pskiesld
Questions please call Liz Heady youth programmer at 217-626-1553

July 16
Friends of the Library Organizational meeting (5:30pm; Westville Public Library, 233 S. State, WESTVILLE) Anyone interested in becoming a friend of the library is invited to come and see what adventure this organization holds for them. Friends can help the library is a variety of different areas. We appreciate everyone who can offer us some of their time and talent. The meeting will be held at the Westville Public Library in the community room. The library is located at 233 S. State.

July 17, 18
Mussels: Bob Steffan Summer Film Fest (10:00am & 2:00pm; Illinois State Museum Auditorium, 502 S. Spring Street, SPRINGFIELD) Museum Admission: $5 for adults ages 19-64; free admission for Members, youth, seniors, military, and veterans. In this school bus series film, the class turns into mussels for a lesson about ocean tides and the plants and animals that live in tidal zones. Bob Steffan Summer Film Fest films are shown on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in June and July at 10 am and 2 pm. This program is recommended for children ages 3-8 and is great for day care classes, summer camp groups, and families. Each program lasts approximately 30 minutes. For more information, or to schedule a group of 10 or more, contact Sarah Davis at Sarah.E.Davis@illinois.gov or (217) 782-6044.

July 18
Artist's Reception: "In This Place" (12:00pm - 1:00pm; LLCC’s James S. Murray Gallery, upper level of Menard Hall, 5250 Shepherd Road, SPRINGFIELD) The James S. Murray Gallery at Lincoln Land Community College will feature the exhibit “In This Place” by local artist Will Redwood July 2-26. The public is invited to view the exhibit Mondays through Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and attend a reception with the artist on July 18 from noon to 1 p.m. Through painting, “In This Place” captures the mood of personally meaningful places of being. “We each inhabit our own inner world of contemplation. In this place we each take part in shaping what will be. We each have our own places of being,” explains Redwood. “These places are the subject of these paintings.”
The symbolism in his paintings conveys paradoxes experienced in life — loss and gain, joy and pain, growth and decay. “When I finish, the painting remains like a passage to that place of being,” says Redwood. “As we are each on a journey of our own, we are all together, and our experiences are often similar.”
Redwood is a painter and vector illustrator as well as the author of two independent storybooks. For six years, he also taught art for the Boys and Girls Club of Springfield. Redwood earned a degree in drawing and graphic design from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 2003. Since then, he has continued to make and show art at various galleries, events and retail spaces.
Learn more about LLCC’s James S. Murray Gallery and its exhibits at www.llcc.edu/james-s-murray-gallery.

July 18
“The Choked Voice of a Race, at Last Unloosed”: African Americans and Civil War Music (Noon - 1:00pm; *Research & Collections Center, 1011 E. Ash St., SPRINGFIELD) Free and open to the public | One of the most fascinating, yet forgotten, stories of the Civil War is its impact on African American music. Always central to African American culture, songs became key tools for slaves, soldiers, and freed people expressing their desire for freedom and seeking to change white perceptions of their intelligence and patriotism. While these efforts were not always successful, the war nevertheless fundamentally changed African American music as it became a key element in their fight for freedom.
Christian McWhirter is the Research Historian at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. He is the author of Battle Hymns: The Power and Popularity of Music in the Civil War as well as articles and reviews in various publications. He holds a doctorate in history from The University of Alabama.
Bring your lunch and join us for a different speaker and topic on the third Wednesday of each month. Brown Bag Lectures are held at the ISM Research & Collections Center at 1011 E. Ash St. in Springfield.* For additional information, please contact events@illinoisstatemuseum.org or (217) 558-6696.
*The Collections Center cannot currently be reached from Ash St. due to construction. You can access the facility's entrance on 10 1/2 St. from Laurel St.

July 18
The Universe from Aristotle to Einstein (Illinois State Museum Auditorium, 502 S. Spring Street, SPRINGFIELD) Free and open to the public | The Atristotelian Universe, characterized by the Earth at the center of the system, was the accepted interpretation of cosmological thought in the Western world for nearly two thousand years. In the mid-sixteenth century, Copernicus proposed an alternative explanation of observations based on the movements of the Sun, the Moon, the five known planets, and the stars which placed the Sun at the center of the Universe. The deepest implication of Aristotelianism, however, still maintained its grip not only on Copernicus heliocentric Universe but also held sway well into the twentieth century. Einstein's Theory of Relativity finally laid to rest Aristotelian thought about the fundamental structure of the Universe. The richness of these ideas will be discussed and related to our contemporary understanding of the cosmos in which we live.
Each month, the Paul Mickey Learning Series features a different speaker and topic in the Auditorium at the Illinois State Museum. For additional information, please contact events@illinoisstatemuseum.org or (217) 558-6696.

July 18
"Silent Nights" Luncheon (11:00am - 12:45pm; The Northfield Conference Center, 3280 Northfield Dr., SPRINGFIELD) Special Feature: "Do Rabbits Ever Sleep?" our own Crystal Corley-Shoger will tell us about her relationship with rabbits and how she uses them to interact with us humans. Special Speaker: "Oh, the night life!" Erv Smith is a former nightclub musician. He tells how he overcame failure and found a new lease on life. Good opportunity to bring the man in your life to this one. Reservations/Cancellations essential by July 13: 217-303-9768 | jluttrellfirst@gmail.com

July 19
Exhibit Tours Offered: “Knowledge at Work: The University of Illinois at 150” (4:00 - 5:00pm; Spurlock Museum, 600 S Gregory St, URBANA) Join staff of the Spurlock Museum for guided tours of the temporary exhibit Knowledge at Work: The University of Illinois at 150 on Thursday, July 19, between 4:00 and 5:00 pm. The exhibit traces the connections between the University of Illinois and people, places, and ideas near and far. Explore the history of campus as a community of educators, researchers, and students that values learning, research, and public service. Learn about the many ways that different people have contributed to campus history and the ways the University has changed how it relates to the people it serves. While visiting, try your hand at some UIUC trivia questions.
The tours are part of the Museum’s Third Thursday series celebrating the University’s history. Future offerings include information on the 100-year anniversary of the Press in August and a panel on labor at the University in October.

July 19, 20, 21
Theatre In The Park "Distant Thunder" (8:00pm; NEW SALEM) a musical about the rise and fall of New Salem. The show was written by Bob Crowe and Ken Bradbury, both local musicians/playwrights; and is directed by Bill Bauser, Jr. The show runs 7/13, 7/14, 7/15, and 7/19, 7/20/7/21. Show starts at 8 pm, free pre-show in the visitor's center starting at 7 pm each night. Call 217-632-5440, or visit www.theatreinthepark.net

July 20
Camp Braveheart--navigating the lands of grief & loss. (8:00am - 4:00pm; Gateway Family Services, 7757 US Route 136, POTOMAC ) Kids 5 years old to 18 who have lost a loved one--a close friend, a caregiver or sibling are invited to join us as we uncover the various lands of grief & loss. CAMP BRAVEHEART is designed to help understand more about grief & loss, how to manage the difficult feelings associated with loss, as well as spending time with others who understand the deep pain of losing a loved one. Campers will participate in a variety of activities such as -Play therapy | -Equine Assisted Therapy | -Art Therapy
Registration includes lunch, a snack and a Camp Braveheart T-shirt. Families are invited to join the campers at 3pm for a family focused activity to celebrate and commemorate our loved ones. For more information: Like us on Facebook or call 2176490492

July 20
Walk and Talk: Bicentennial and Beyond (2:00 - 2:30pm; Illinois State Museum, 502 S. Spring Street, SPRINGFIELD) Museum admission: $5 for adults ages 19-64; free admission for Members, youth, seniors, military, and veterans. Take a journey through 200 years of Illinois history on this curator-led gallery walk through "Bicentennial and Beyond: The Illinois Legacy Collection" exhibition. Free with museum admission. Appropriate for all ages and hands-on opportunities for children! For additional information, please contact events@illinoisstatemuseum.org or (217) 558-6696.

July 20
Free movie nights: "Decision" (6:30pm; House on the Rock Church, 314 N Grant Street, EDINBURG) A family in despair rediscovers it’s faith in this uplifting drama. Starring Natalie Grant, four-time GMA Dove Awards Female Vocalist of the year. Popcorn and drinks provided. For more information contact: Charles Portwood 217-972-3847 hotrchurch@yahoo.com

July 20, 21
2018 Illinois Mission of Mercy (6:00am - 5:00pm; BOS Center, 1 Convention Center Plz, SPRINGFIELD) Our fifth Mission of Mercy project has all the indications of being our biggest and best ever since we inaugurated them in Illinois in 2010. These biennial mission projects serve all children and adults who find their way to our event. The charitable dental clinic will be open on a first-come, first-served basis on July 20-21. More than 1,000 volunteer dentists, hygienists, assistants, dental students and others from throughout. Illinois will come together to provide free dental care to patients who have limited financial resources or are otherwise unable to visit a dental office. Volunteers are prepared to see 1,000 patients per day, but hope to accommodate more. Dental volunteers will use 100 portable dental units to provide free basic dental care and oral surgery to patients who would not otherwise have access to necessary dental treatment. However, not all dental services are provided, and dental problems are prioritized with the most critical being treated. No false teeth will be made, but partial dentures will be made in the lab on a case-by-case basis.

July 21
8th Annual Springfield Kids Triathlon (8:30am; Lincoln Park, 1601 N. 5th Street, SPRINGFIELD) Registration: https://goo.gl/pXy4Rm
Mini Tri for kids ages 5-6 (Your age on race day) Starts at 8:30 am: 50 meter swim in Nelson Center Pool | .6 mile bike in Lincoln Park | .25 mile run in Lincoln Park
Triathlon for kids 6-13 Starts at 8:45 am: 100 meter swim in Nelson Center Pool | 1.25 mile bike in Lincoln Park | .50 mile run in Lincoln Park

July 21
Wooden It Be Lovely (9:00am - 12:00pm; Douglas Avenue United Methodist Church, 501 S. Douglas Avenue, SPRINGFIELD) Wooden It Be Lovely, a local charity that helps women in need, will host its Summer Sale on July 21st at 9am -noon. The event is located at Douglas Avenue United Methodist Church at 501 S. Douglas Avenue. The sale includes over 200 pieces of restored furniture. The furniture has been painted and is sold at reasonable prices. There is also a large selection of accessories, pictures, and t-shirts for sale. All profits go to help women that are living in poverty or recovering from addictions. There is no cost to enter the sale. Contact Rev. Margaret Ann Jessup with questions at 546-4631.

July 21
Post-Polio Group (10:00am - 12:00pm, SCIL, 330 S Grand Ave., SPRINGFIELD) For more information contact Starla at SCIL, 217 523-2587 v/tty

July 21
Business Men in Christ Charity Golf Classic (8:00am; Edgewood Golf Club, 16479 Kennedy Rd., AUBURN) The annual Business Men in Christ Charity Golf classic is run by an all-volunteer Christian men’s ministry and benefits several local non-profit missions and organizations like the Inner City Mission; First Steps Women’s Center (formerly Lifetime Crisis Pregnancy Center); No Mountain Too High Ministries of Athens and others. $80 per golfer includes 18 holes of golf with cart, beverages, two meals including hot catered lunch, gift bag, awards. (Sponsor opportunities available). Website: www.businessmeninchrist.com . Email: bernie@businessmeninchrist.com

July 21
Adopt-a-Pet (12:00 - 4:00pm; PetSmart, 3183 S. Veterans Pkwy; SPRINGFIELD) Benld Adopt-A-Pet, a non-profit, no-kill animal shelter, will hold a Pet Adoption. All of our pets are spayed/neutered, micro-chipped and up to date on shots. For more information call 217.835.2538 or visit our website at www.benldadoptapet.org .

July 21
Christmas in July Craft Show (10:00am - 2:00pm; American Legion, Post #24, 705 Bloomington Road, CHAMPAIGN) The Sons of the American Legion (SAL) are having a Christmas in July Craft Show. This craft show will feature 20+ vendors selling their handcrafted items! There will be a wide variety of handcrafted items, including 18” doll clothes and jewelry, quilts, soaps and lotions, home décor, custom paintings, jewelry, and more! The SAL will be selling lunch at the event. So come on out and help support the Sons of the American Legion and local crafters!!

July 21
YouTube Star Alicia Grimes 2018 Summer Tour (10:00pm; Green Street Cafe, 35 E. Green Street, CHAMPAIGN)

July 21
Low Country Shrimp Boil (1:00 - 9:00pm; Hill Prairie Winery, 23753 Lounsberry Rd, OAKFORD) A SPECIAL SATURDAY EVENT featuring The Boat Drunks. They are a Jimmy Buffet cover band and also perform some great originals of their own. They have played with Jimmy Buffet and around the USA. Roberts Seafood will also be on site. A Low Country Shrimp Boil is a local favorite served in the coastal area of Georgia, the Carolina's, and Gulf Coast. They will offer this seafood event with a combination of the highest quality U.S.A. Wild Gulf Jumbo Shrimp, Andouille Sausage, Corn on the Cob, Red Potatoes, and all the secret spices that bring it all to life! Top it off with Robert's Seafood Market's famous homemade co*cktail Sauce! Each Large Plate is $12 (which includes tax). Robert’s Food Truck will also be here with more seafood and non-seafood options. Here's how it's gonna work....at 1:00 there will be a $10 entry fee which includes our logo glass. Food will be served 3:00 - 6:00 and music is 6:00 - 9:00.

July 21, 22
Political Memorabilia Show (9:00am - 4:00pm Sat, 10:00am - 3:00pm Sun; Crown Plaza Springfield, 3000 S. Dirksen Pkwy, SPRINGFIELD) Free Admission and Appraisals, Historic Displays.
On July 21 and 22, Springfield will transform into a mecca for collectors of historic Americana, political, and pop culture memorabilia at the nation’s largest political memorabilia show. More than 500,000 buttons and other items – encompassing politics, advertising, sports, woman’s suffrage, protest and cause-related, Civil War, and pop culture themes – will be available to buy, sell or trade. The event is free and open to the public both days. One unique feature of the show is the opportunity for the public to receive free appraisals of their items and sell them (if desired) at a fast-paced, live auction. The two-day show provides the public to shop for unique collectibles, bid in live auctions, and see rare exhibits of political memorabilia. CONTACT: Bob Atwater (309) 251-6461 or Adam Gottlieb (916) 956-2030 | apic.us

July 22
The Purrfect Feast (3:00 - 6:00pm; VFW, HOOPESTON) HART would like to invite you to The PURR-FECT FEAST fundraiser featuring exquisite homemade Mediterranean food! Vegan/Vegetarian Meals available. Kids Meals with a Toy too!! RSVP to the Facebook event & come with your friends & families to enjoy our gourmet served food while helping HART homeless cats & dogs! Follow this link for more info & updates on the event https://www.facebook.com/events/460867587716849/?ti=ia

July 22
Sons of The American Legion Fried Chicken Dinner (4:00 - 7:00pm; American Legion Post 32, 1120 Sangamon Avenue, SPRINGFIELD) Served with All You Can Eat- Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Vegetable, Roll, Coffee or Ice Tea | Only $10.25 per person (Tax and Ice Tea or Coffee included)
All proceeds benefit veterans and their families.

July 22
Spurlock Summer Sundays: Explore the Natural World - Planets, Stars, and the Moon: Docent - Led (1:00 - 3:30pm; Spurlock Museum, 600 S Gregory St, URBANA) 217-333-2360 | www.spurlock.illinois.edu
This summer, we’re exploring the natural world with three month-long series of programs on precious metals, planets & stars, and plants. We’ll look at the ways different cultures have used natural resources, explained natural phenomena, and found inspiration in the world around them. Examine artifacts, join in songs and stories, and dig into sample materials. Experts from around town and campus will offer demonstrations and discussions. All programs are free and available on a drop-in schedule.
Each month has a distinct theme, with a series of programs for different ages and learning styles within those themes. The first Sunday of each month is a Time Machine that features multiple activities, presenters, and performers around the Museum. The third Sunday of each month is an Arts Exploration, offering visitors an opportunity to create a different special art project. All other Sundays feature docent-led activities such as mini-tours, scavenger hunts, and touch carts with hands-on artifacts

July 22
The Women Who Farm Field Day series: FARMHOUSE BREWERY (2:00 - 5:00pm; Big Thorn Farm, GEORGETOWN) From gooseberries to apple mint, Anna grows many of the botanicals and ingredients used in the delicious beers made at the family brewery, Big Thorn Farm. Discover how Anna and Aaron built and run this unique and sustainable off-grid farmhouse brewery on 15 acres in Vermillion County, IL.

• The Women Who Farm Field Day series is BACK! Join us this summer in touring five women-led farms in central Illinois on Sunday afternoons from June through September.
  
• At each event, we will take an extensive tour of a working farm, explore the skill or niche that the host farmer does best, and experience a hands-on activity to learn a new skill.
• Delicious, fresh, local refreshments will be provided at each field day to replenish the body, cool the summer heat, and facilitate getting to know each other. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend!
• Registration costs $15 and includes a farm tour, refreshments, and a hands-on learning activity.

July 22
NCR - Music in the Park (4:00 - 7:00pm; Iles Park, SPRINGFIELD) Movie and Music in the Park is a free program where families and the entire community are invited to join us as we bring a big screen movie to your community parks on Fridays and we bring local musical talents to your parks on Sunday afternoons. As a convenience, concessions are available for purchase – please no outside food and drink to be allowed. These are truly great events. For more information on this topic and any other Park District news related items, please visit our Website at www.springfieldparks.org

July 22
Friendship Block Party (10:00am - 3:30pm; Our Savior’s Church & School, 2645 Old Jacksonville Rd., SPRINGFIELD) Our Savior's is holding a Friendship Block Party on July 22. The theme of our event is "Sharing the love of Christ thru community involvement." We are inviting all individuals and families in our neighborhood for a day of fellowship, fun and food. We extend a special welcome to you! Our party will begin at 10:00am with a church service in the sanctuary. At 11:30 we will begin serving food and activities for children and adults. Our party will continue until 3:30pm. We plan to have music and fun for all ages. All events and food are free. Event held rain or shine! 217.546.4531

July 23
Reading Takes You Everywhere (10:00am; 125 West Editor, ASHLAND) Repeated at 1 PM at 555 Buckeye Road Pleasant Plains, IL 62677 | No Cost | All welcome
The Prairie Skies Public Library District will celebrate those who have let reading take them on their journeys through the world of books. Come see the outstanding young readers in the community. Please contact either location: Ashland 217-476-3417 or Pleasant Plains 217-626-1553 checkout our website www.pspld.com or email prairie.skies.library@gmail.com for summer reading or pskiesld@gmail.com or facebook Prairie Skies Public Library District @pskiesld | Questions please call Liz Heady youth programmer at 217-626-1553

July 23 - 27
First Gig Rock Camp! (9:00am - 5:00pm; Perkinson Music Center, DECATUR) Register through the Decatur Park District

July 24, 25
Spiders: Bob Steffan Summer Film Fest (10:00am & 2:00pm; Illinois State Museum Auditorium, 502 S. Spring Street, SPRINGFIELD) Museum Admission: $5 for adults ages 19-64; free admission for Members, youth, seniors, military, and veterans. In this school bus series film, the class shrinks to the size of spiders for a lesson on how webs are spun to catch prey. Bob Steffan Summer Film Fest films are shown on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in June and July at 10 am and 2 pm. This program is recommended for children ages 3-8 and is great for day care classes, summer camp groups, and families. Each program lasts approximately 30 minutes. For more information, or to schedule a group of 10 or more, contact Sarah Davis at Sarah.E.Davis@illinois.gov or (217) 782-6044.

July 25
Sports Physicals to Area Athletes (1:00 - 5:00pm; 2965 N. Main St., Suite E., HSHS Medical Group/St. Mary's Hospital Athleticare, DECATUR) Dr. Scott Bilyeu, HSHS Family and Sports Medicine and HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital AthletiCare will provide sports physicals for area athletes this summer. The physicals are available on Wednesday, June 27 and Wednesday, July 25 from 1 – 5 p.m. at 2965 N. Main Street, Suite E. The cost is $25 per student and checks can be made payable to HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital. “Sports physicals are very important to young athletes,” Dr. Scott Bilyeu said. “They are very different from a standard check-up. We focus on athletic issues and can determine what level of participation is safe for student athletes rather than general wellness.” All elementary and high school athletes are welcome. These sports physicals will not count as a physical to enter a specific grade and immunizations will not be provided. www.stmarysdecatur.com.

July 25
Courthouse Lawn Concert and Ice Cream (7:00pm; MT. PULASKI) Families are invited to enjoy free concerts on the lawn of the Mt. Pulaski Courthouse State Historic Site this summer. Musician Chris Vallillo will perform at the concert on Wednesday, July 11. The Mt. Pulaski Community Band will be featured on Wednesday, July 25. The concerts will begin at 7:00 p.m. Before each concert, the Mt. Pulaski Women in Business will serve ice cream and cake, beginning at 6:00 p.m. A free will offering will be collected for a scholarship program. The Mt. Pulaski Courthouse State Historic Site will be open for tours from 6:00-7:00 p.m. on the concert evenings, in addition to the regular Wednesday tour hours of 12:00 noon until 4:00 p.m.

July 25
2018 Illinois Speed Awareness Day (ILLINOIS) During Illinois Speed Awareness Day this July 25th, the Springfield Park District PD is taking a proactive approach to promote safety for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists through both education and enforcement. In Illinois during 2016, speed was the reason for 34.2% of all fatal crashes. That’s 369 deaths for the year, or one life every 23.7 hours. These lives can be easily saved by being aware of our speed and understanding how speeding impacts a crash. Let’s all do our part by taking a proactive approach to prevent fatalities and reduce injuries on the roadways by being aware of our speed and obeying the speed limit signs ALL the time. If you would like more information about Illinois Speed Awareness Day, please visit www.illinoisspeedawarenessday.org.

July 27
Walk and Talk: Bicentennial and Beyond (2:00 - 2:30pm; Illinois State Museum, 502 S. Spring Street, SPRINGFIELD) Museum admission: $5 for adults ages 19-64; free admission for Members, youth, seniors, military, and veterans. Take a journey through 200 years of Illinois history on this curator-led gallery walk through "Bicentennial and Beyond: The Illinois Legacy Collection" exhibition. Free with museum admission. Appropriate for all ages and hands-on opportunities for children! For additional information, please contact events@illinoisstatemuseum.org or (217) 558-6696.

July 27
“Brothers Notorious- The Sheltons” -Taylor Pensoneau (4:45pm; The Wild Hare Cafe, ELKHART) Taylor Pensoneau will be the July 27th lecture offered by the Elkhart Historical Society at The Wild Hare Cafe in Elkhart. The doors will open at 4:45 pm and the dinner will begin promptly at 5:30 pm. In Brothers Notorious, Mr. Pensoneau gives attendees the story that traces the Shelton Gang story from its unpretentious beginning in rural southern Illinois Wayne County to the headline-capturing violence at the tale's conclusion. The menu being offered is a choice of crusted breast of chicken topped with a drizzle of alfredo sauce or roast pork tenderloin with a wine and mushroom gravy, both being served with herbed mashed potatoes, veggies and roll. Desserts offered are fruit crisp topped with whipped cream or ice cream topped with chocolate sauce. The cost of the evening is $40 per person which includes a donation of $10 to the Elkhart Historical Society to defray expenses. Please reserve your seat by no later than July 22 by calling 217 947 2238, then visit www.elkharthistoricalsociety.org for more information and the reservation form.

July 27
Backpack Collection (5:00am - 11:30am, ALPLM, SPRINGFIELD) Donate backpacks for kids at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, now through July 31.

July 27
D.O.S.E. Foundation to celebrate opening with ribbon cutting (10:00am; 202 S. Broadway #21A, URBANA) The D.O.S.E. Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to helping ensure that the theater community becomes a better mirror of the world in which we live. The organization was founded by local actor and musician Kvn Tazea. "All art needs to diversify with the goal and very deliberate intention of equity. This leads to a true sharing of power and resources through proper representation that is not "tokenistic". The theater is a living, breathing, pulsating entity which brings people together, bridges gaps, and reaches across grand divides. To that end, the theater community as a whole needs to become a much better mirror of the world in which we all live. The D.O.S.E. Foundation is committed to ensuring that this happens." Kvn said. The organization is currently working on their first initiative, the Black Cardboard Project. The project last 6-8 weeks during the summer of 2019 and will introduce 7th and 8th grade black students to the art and business of theatre. "We designed the course to help address the inequities within our own theatre community." Said Kvn. The D.O.S.E Foundation is currently accepting contributions to assist in funding the project by way of a fiscal sponsorship with the Urbana Independent Media Center. dosefoundation@gmail.com

July 27
Changing the Face of Beauty: Head Shot Clinic (9:00 - 3:00pm; Lindsay Elementary School, SPRINGFIELD) Changing the Face of Beauty is a nonprofit that is coming to Spfld, IL for a Head Shot Clinic to bring awareness and inclusion of people with disabilities into the media and advertising. Just 6 years ago there were no children with disabilities represented in “Back School” advertising even though 1 in 5 kids with a disability return to school every year. Katie recognized this and launched an international campaign to wake retailers up. Since Changing the Face of Beauty started advocating they have influenced over 100 companies by encouraging them to include the disability community regularly, including American Girl, Matilda Jane Clothing, Fisher Price, Hasbro, Gap and Land O’Frost to name a few. They can now report that in 2017 all big box retailers remembered the disability community in their “back to school” ad message! Additionally the nonprofit put the first young women with Down syndrome on the runway at New York Fashion Week!
We are also fundraising to eliminate the total cost of the photo shoot. We are making this to available to everyone. We will have professional photographers available at Lindsay School on July 27 from 9 to 3. Also, the attendees will be treated to make-up and hair sessions. Copies of these photos are given to the families and are presented to companies who are including these individuals. Parents can enroll their child through the website. Please come join us on this amazing day...you will leave with a full heart! It costs $250 per child to provide them with the media materials needed to represent themselves to marketing firms. We have begun to collect partners in this event. We have photographers, hair stylists, make-up artists, and high school students who have volunteered their services for the day. Springfield Public Schools is allowing us to schedule theevent at Lindsey Elementary School. We are looking for donors to sponsor either all or part of the cost for one student. Would you be willing to sponsor the cost for one child or make a donation to this event?

July 27 - 29
Girard Festival Days (GIRARD) The Girard Chamber of commerce is sponsoring it's summer festival July 27-29. There is a carnival, vendors ,and free nightly entertainment. Little Miss and Mister pageant on Saturday night. The Miss Girard show and pageant on Sunday evening to end the festivities. Some local vendors include the firemen selling fish and other food, Methodist men with ice cream, and Masonic lodge selling funnel cakes. Most vendors open Friday 5-10, Saturday noon-10, Sunday noon-10 and rides are open each evening. Friday and Saturday nights there is a band in the beer tent. Our Miss Girard is available to come in for a morning spotlight interview to promote our event. For more details or questions contact Jeanette Earley (217-341-4436). Our local event helps raise money for our community groups

July 27, 28
Downhome Music Festival (SPRINGFIELD) Festival aims to showcase local music while introducing our festival goers to a variety of craft beer. We create an opportunity for artists and beer lovers alike to enjoy and encourage involvement in a family-friendly environment. Our goal is to unite the community while they responsibly drink in the talent Springfield has to offer. The 8th Annual Downhome Music Festival will be held on July 27 & 28, 2018 at the corner of 7th and Washington in downtown Springfield, Illinois. The event will feature local, original bands with gate proceeds directly benefiting the artists. There will be local food vendors, 100 different craft beers, as well as a kids area for the little ones.

July 28
Craft Brew Festival and Midwest Makers and Artisan Market (10:00am - 5:00pm; 32 N Central Park, JACKSONVILLE) A full day full or Midwest product ranging from food to beverage to art to furniture to health and wellness and so much more! If you're looking to sample some great local crafts, you may do so for only $20 which includes a souvenir glass plus 20 samples! Additional samples available for purchase. There will also be live music all day for you to enjoy!

July 28
YouTube Star Alicia Grimes 2018 Summer Tour (10:00pm; CRUDO, 116 N Walnut Street, CHAMPAIGN)

July 28
Fighting for Women Medieval Sword Workshop (9:00am - 12:00pm; Dance Creations Gym Room, 1401 E Cottonwood St., SPRINGFIELD) Bring your water bottle and wear your best workout gear, we’ll be taking promo shots. We’re looking forward to Forteza Fitness Chicago to come down to our neck of the woods and instruct a Medieval Sword Workshop! Adults are $55.00, kids discount is $30 ages 10-18 years. www.armoredangelfund.com

July 28
Trivia Night (6:00pm; 214 E Main St., HOOPESTON) $10 per person. Bring a full team of 5 (maximum) or come alone and join a smaller team. Free Popcorn and small bottled water or soda;Additional concessions available for purchase. WINNING TEAM MEMBERS RECEIVE REFUND OF ENTRY FEE. 20 Categories, 5 Questions Each ***We were “Sold Out” last time, so be sure to RESERVE YOUR TABLE EARLY!*** For reservations (or to ask questions), call Marilyn at (217) 397-2211 or Betty at (217) 304-5308. Presented by the Save the Lorraine Foundation. All proceeds go toward the preservation and restoration of the Lorraine Theatre. (Or: come at 5:15 p.m. and enjoy a Sandwich, Chips & Cookies for $15.00, including entry fee)

July 28
19th Annual Native American Artifact Show (8:00am - 2:00pm; Route 66 Hotel and Conference Center, 525 E. St. Joseph, SPRINGFIELD) This event features educational displays of prehistoric artifacts including arrowheads, spear points, hardstone tools, and pottery made and used by the earliest Americans. Vendors offer for sale artifacts, as well as books, archaeological journals and other educational items. Something for everyone with an interest in history or archaeology. Bring out your artifacts for identification and appraisal. Dr. Thomas Loebel of the Illinois State Archaeological Survey will be documenting fluted points. Another representative from the Survey will be selling their publications including the 300 page hardback volume "Projectile Points and the Illinois Landscape: People, Time and Place". It is a must have for collectors of Native American projectile points and everyone interested in lithic typology and materials. The inclusion of descriptions and illusions of various chert types found in Illinois is particularly helpful.
The event is sponsored by the Illinois State Archaeological Society (ISAS), which is a member of the Central States Archaeological Society. The mission of the ISAS to further the study of archaeology in the state by sponsoring shows; monetarily supporting institutions and museums such as Dickson Mounds, Cahokia Mounds, Kincaid Mounds etc.; and promoting other educational events. The public is encouraged to attend as it is an excellent event for all ages, including scouts and youngsters who are interested in history. There is no charge for admission.
For more information call (217) 529-8691 . Facebook: Illinois State Archaeological Society (ISAS)

July 28
Pet Adoption (12:00pm - 4:00pm; PetSmart, 1570 W US Highway 50, O'FALLON) Benld Adopt-A-Pet, a non-profit, no-kill animal shelter, will hold a Pet Adoption. All of our pets are spayed/neutered, micro-chipped and up to date on shots. For more information call 217.835.2538 or visit our website at www.benldadoptapet.org.

July 28
2018 Diann and Butch Hoagland Memorial 5k run/walk (8:00am; Union Park, AUBURN) Event cost: $25 Adult $12 children 12 and under;
The Diann and Butch Hoagland Memorial 5K run/walk event is a fun 5K run/walk that is benefitting the local charity I Am E.N.O.U.G.H. I Am E.N.O.U.G.H. is a program that seeks to challenge today’s youth by offering a realistic view of today’s world in a safe and supportive environment. Our mission is to guide participants while bridging the gap between purpose and destiny.
Public contact: Race Director- Sabrina Hoagland 217-691-9972 Sabrina.Hoagland57@gmail.com.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DiannAndButchHoaglandMeorial5k/

July 28
Walleye Fest Car Show (9:00am; FINDLAY) Each class below will have 1st and 2nd place trophies for Stock and Modified Classes, plus specialty trophies. Entry fee $10.00 which includes a $5 Walleye sandwich.Goodie bags, 50/50 tickets, and many improvements to judging times. Cars will be displayed on closed off, hard surface, located on main drag. Live Bands all weekend long, Walleye sandwiches and dinner plates, Food Vendors, Bouncy House, Merchant Vendors, Tractor Pull, 3 on 3 B-Ball. Questions, call 217 412 0163 or 217 412 9770.

July 28
Back-to-School (1:00 - 3:00pm; White Oaks Mall, SPRINGFIELD) The DJ will kick start the event with a fashion show in the lower level Macy's Wing! The first 100 families will receive a swag bag and a $10 Macy's Gift card. Enter to Win Opportunities: * $200 Shopping Spree, SIMON Gift card | * $100 Shopping Spree, SIMON Gift card | * Paint Party for up to 10 Kids at Christy! Studios - artwork by Christy Freeman
Free Activities: * Face Painting by Fairies and Faces | * Crafts | * Snacks | * Bus Safety Tips by First Student outside lower level Macy's
Stuff the Bus for the Matthew Project http://matthew-project.com/
Drop-off donations at the Mall Office (July 28-Aug 13, between 9-5pm M-F & Sat 12-5PM) Items needed for K-5 | Heavy duty backpacks, Socks (youth sizes), Pencils, Erasers, Notebooks, Crayons, Markers, Dry Erase Markers, Rulers, Compass, Kleenex Boxes

July 29
Habitat for Humanity of Logan County Groundbreaking for Home #24 (2:00pm; 617 Sixth Street, LINCOLN) Habitat for Humanity of Logan County invites the public to join in making the build of another home in Logan County possible. Bill Sahs, president of the local affiliate will lead the program with participants from the HFHLC board, local alderman Michelle Bauer and Ron Fleshman from Ward 2, Mayor Seth Goodman and the build co-superviors Tom Frost and Jack Rechle. They will recognize Sara Harvey as the next homeowner along with her daughters Lynzie and Emma. Habitat For Humanity not only builds homes but also builds lives ---The public is invited and welcome to join in this endeavor.

July 29
Spurlock Summer Sundays: Explore the Natural World - Planets, Stars, and the Moon: Docent - Led (1:00 - 3:30pm; Spurlock Museum, 600 S Gregory St, URBANA) 217-333-2360 | www.spurlock.illinois.edu
This summer, we’re exploring the natural world with three month-long series of programs on precious metals, planets & stars, and plants. We’ll look at the ways different cultures have used natural resources, explained natural phenomena, and found inspiration in the world around them. Examine artifacts, join in songs and stories, and dig into sample materials. Experts from around town and campus will offer demonstrations and discussions. All programs are free and available on a drop-in schedule.
Each month has a distinct theme, with a series of programs for different ages and learning styles within those themes. The first Sunday of each month is a Time Machine that features multiple activities, presenters, and performers around the Museum. The third Sunday of each month is an Arts Exploration, offering visitors an opportunity to create a different special art project. All other Sundays feature docent-led activities such as mini-tours, scavenger hunts, and touch carts with hands-on artifacts.

July 29
Adopt-a-Pet (12:00 - 4:00pm; PetSmart, 3183 S. Veterans Pkwy; SPRINGFIELD) Benld Adopt-A-Pet, a non-profit, no-kill animal shelter, will hold a Pet Adoption. All of our pets are spayed/neutered, micro-chipped and up to date on shots. For more information call 217.835.2538 or visit our website at www.benldadoptapet.org .

July 30
Reading Takes You Everywhere (10:00am; 125 West Editor, ASHLAND) Repeated at 1 PM at 555 Buckeye Road Pleasant Plains, IL 62677 | No Cost | All welcome
Today we celebrate all the fun, friends, and learning that was accomplished this summer. Join the Prairie Skies Public Library District staff and M & K Parties for another great finish to an outstanding summer of reading.
Please contact either location: Ashland 217-476-3417 or Pleasant Plains 217-626-1553 checkout our website www.pspld.com or email prairie.skies.library@gmail.com for summer reading or pskiesld@gmail.com or facebook Prairie Skies Public Library District @pskiesld | Questions please call Liz Heady youth programmer at 217-626-1553