Where better to spend the summer than at the park? The Springfield Park District has scheduled some basketball fun each Tuesday evening and family fun nights on Thursday evenings at Comer Cox Park through Aug. 11. The events are free and no pre-registration is required. The basketball nights include free Gatorade and water, while the […]
Stacie Lewis
Active Alex is turning 4 years old
This weekend, Kidzeum of Health and Science is celebrating its fourth anniversary with free admission and lots of special activities and crafts all day on Saturday, July 16. Check out the live science experiments being performed by the Kidzeum staff. Also, artists from Garvey Tubman Cultural Arts and Research Center will help you create your […]
The unanimous Declaration
This week’s calendar is packed with holiday happenings for Independence Day and you will not have to look far for fun ways to celebrate. Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site will have activities on July 1-2 and July 5, with period demonstrations and a reading of the Declaration of Independence each day. The Capital City […]
There is such a thing as a free ride
W.E. Sullivan, owner of a bridge construction company in Roodhouse, visited the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago, where he marveled at the original Ferris wheel designed by George W. G. Ferris, who also owned a bridge company. Sullivan was determined to build a wheel of his own and debuted his first, Big Eli, in Jacksonville’s […]
It’s cool to be square
The Springfield Art Association (SAA) is again taking over downtown where you can paint the streets and put your artistic talents on public display in a freshly created outdoor gallery. Each registrant will receive a 6×6-foot square to paint solo or with family, co-workers, clubs or sports teams – up to six painters can work […]
Explore Your Community
As events may be canceled or rescheduled at the last moment, please first check with the host or venue when making plans to attend an event. ONGOING History Comes Alive Through Aug. 7 at various locations. Enjoy hikes, neighborhood walking and biking tours, presentations, exhibitions and even ice cream socials – all part of the […]
Citywide Juneteenth celebrations
Although Juneteenth has been celebrated in Springfield for over 20 years, it did not become an official state holiday until last year when Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill to commemorate June 19, 1865, as the date when the last enslaved Black people in the U.S. learned that they were free. It is the oldest […]
Concert season
Municipal bands are a tradition in many towns and cities nationwide, and Springfield is fortunate to have one. In fact, the Springfield Municipal Band has been providing summer entertainment for devoted followers and fans for over 80 years. The band is managed by Ken Pratt, who has a bachelor’s degree in music theory and jazz […]
An epic that captures the American experience
At the dawn of a new century, everything is changing and anything is possible. Set in the volatile melting pot of turn-of-the-century New York, three distinctly American tales are woven together – that of a stifled upper-class wife, a determined Jewish immigrant and a daring young Harlem musician – united by their courage, compassion and […]
Legacy of Giving
The stages are ready, bands are booked, food trucks are warmed up and beverages are chilled. The Legacy of Giving Music Festival returns with everything you love and more. The two-day event is packed with over 60 acts on five stages, food, vendors, arts and crafts, and activities for kids such as inflatables and face […]
Summerguide calendar
ONGOING Spring seedling sale Mon.-Sat., 9am-2pm. Vegetable, herb and flower seedlings grown from organic seeds and without chemicals. Sale continues while seedlings last. Jubilee Farm, 6760 Old Jacksonville Road, 217-787-6927. Litchfield Pickers Market June 12, 9am-3pm and the second Sunday of each month through October. Vintage items, antiques and collectibles. Live music and food vendors. Downtown Litchfield, […]
Learn something this summer
Springfield is an historic place with interesting people of the past who helped shape not only the physical city around us, but also our culture as it has evolved since the early 1800s and our response to and participation in national events. We don’t have to look far to find the places that are keeping […]
