Art is a small word that belies the huge impact it has on a community. Art is a language that can connect diverse groups and individuals through both shared experiences and differences. It helps build community pride with cultural identity while introducing new ideas and perspectives. Art even has a role in economic development as […]
Stacie Lewis
Posted inSpecial Issues
A fall performing arts preview
This theater season, you will find a variety of theatrical performances on our local stages keeping you entertained with plenty of drama, horror and comedy. These stage productions and improv shows are a great way to enjoy local talent, whether in a classic play or a modern musical. Hoogland Center for the Arts The Hoogland […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Celebrate Juneteenth
Thursday, June 19 Lincoln Land Community College will host the third annual Freedom Walk at 8:30 a.m. The self-guided walk around the Springfield campus includes tributes to the timeline of events leading up to Juneteenth’s Freedom Day. Participants are encouraged to wear Juneteenth colors of red, green, gold or black. Afterward, enjoy a light breakfast […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Celebrate Juneteenth with these community activities
Since 2021, when Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill to commemorate June 19, 1865, the date when the last enslaved Black people in the U.S. learned that they were free, the annual Juneteenth holiday in Springfield has continued to grow. With each passing year, new participating organizations join the festivities. Activities during the weeklong celebration […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Shop these area vendor fairs
“Let’s root for each other and watch each other grow.” That motto of the Small Town Dreamers Market seems fitting with many specialized vendor fairs and small-town outdoor markets. The vendor fairs bring together like-minded people to share their passions and buy and sell their goods. Small town markets are outlets for local farmers and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Head downtown for the holidays
The sidewalks of downtown Springfield will be busy again when the excitement of the holiday season returns with a whirlwind of activities and shopping during the Old Capitol Holiday Walks. The festivities begin on Saturday, Nov. 30, during Small Business Saturday. You’ll find downtown storefronts of locally owned businesses, restaurants and bars beautifully decorated in […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Fall music on the horizon
After a great summer of outdoor music fests, it’s time to bring the most of the shows indoors for the autumn and winter season. And, when indoor concerts take place on the grand curtained stage of the oldest theater in town, in a Greek Revival cathedral, under a sea of lights of a modern stage […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
On the stage this fall
The entertainment on stage this fall includes magic, musicals, murders and a lot of comic relief. With shows for the whole family to those for more mature audiences, everyone will find a favorite on Springfield’s stages. The Muni Although summer is coming to a close, The Muni is giving us one more opportunity to enjoy […]
Posted inArts & Culture
More than just a party in the park
Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill in 2021 to commemorate June 19, 1865, the date when the last enslaved Black people in the U.S. learned that they were free. It is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, and it is celebrated in most cities and many smaller […]
Posted inArts & Culture
A songwriter’s songwriter
Positively Summer Music Festival Sunday, June 16, 1-6 p.m. Long Bridge Golf Course 1055 Camp Sangamo Road 217-744-8311 Free In 2010, WFMT-Chicago named Ben Bedford one of the “50 most significant folk singer-songwriters of the past 50 years.” Joining him on that list were Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt and Joni Mitchell – so, it […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Listen to live music this summer
Outdoor music on a Midwestern summer day or night is always worth the winter’s wait. Any self-respecting community festival will have live music, and almost every day, bars and restaurants open their patios for local musicians to showcase their talents. Of course, music festivals are the powerhouse entertainment sources around here, and the perennial local […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
So many shows
Something about an al fresco theater performance changes everything – the spatial relationship between the actors and the audience, the unpredictable lighting, the sound or how a slight breeze can be worked into an ad lib moment. For those passionate about theater, it all adds to the experience. We in the Springfield area are fortunate […]
