One of the premier fall festivals for families in central Illinois, Lincoln Memorial Garden’s Indian Summer Festival is the place to be the weekend of Oct. 8-9. Immerse yourself in the exhilarating smells, sounds and sights of autumn in the outdoors while supporting the garden. Cawley Meadow fills with bluegrass and folk music by Ken […]
IT Picks
Posted inArts & Culture
Cut to perfection
Illinois State Museum, Prairie Art Alliance, Springfield Art Association, University of Illinois at Springfield and Robert Morris College have bound together to present a citywide exhibition, Partners on Paper, through the month of October. UIS Visual Arts Gallery offers the paper work of Oregon artist Helen Hiebert, featuring The Mother Tree, a life-size handmade paper […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Relishing relics
The Illinois State Museum is partnering with the National Park Service for National Fossil Day on Wednesday, Oct. 12, in hopes of raising awareness of the scientific and educational value of fossils. Dr. Jeff Saunders will answer questions on fossils in the Mary Ann MacLean Play Museum from 10 a.m. to noon. Visitors can create […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Inventive instrumentals
Five-piece Canadian ensemble ScrapArtsMusic brings reused items and industrial waste fashioned into instruments and innovative percussion and drumming music to Sangamon Auditorium, UIS. An energetic mix of metal and movement powered by muscle is sure to get your adrenaline pumping or interest piqued. Founder and musician Gregory Kozak is joined on stage by musicians Spencer […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Warm fuzzy good time
What a warm fuzzy good, fall-time activity to take the family to. The Henson Robinson Zoo offers free admission during its popular autumn event, Fur, Feather, Fin Fall Fling. The day is filled with animal programs, turtle races, kid carnival games, special animal treats and organizers promise even more. The zoo is home to 90 […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Melting-pot musical
Joshua Ratz, Mary Kate Smith, Doug Hahn (standing), Gerrah Caldwell and Joel Tinsley-Hall (seated) are just a few of the dazzling local talent in a cast of more than 50 performing the Tony-award winning musical Ragtime at the Hoogland Center for the Arts. Go on a journey with three families as they confront wealth and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Singing sisters
Accomplished melodious siblings Karin and Kirsten Paludan present a multi-media musical memoir as they sing together for the first time in Springfield on Sept. 24 in the UIS Kitchen Sink Series at Sangamon Auditorium. Karin, of Washington, D.C., is an opera singer who has performed with the New York City Opera National Company and at […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Bumper crop of cars
Gear up and head downtown Sept. 23-25 for a weekend of music, food and cars. More than 1,000 classic cars and trucks in more than 40 CASI certified nationally-judged classes will be on display after kicking off the festival with a cruise through Springfield streets on Friday evening from the Capital City Shopping Plaza. Besides […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Past power
Take a ride into the past at the Prairie Land Heritage Museum Steam and Fall Festival Days featuring Massey Harris and Massey Ferguson tractors and equipment and other horse-powered equipment, antique tractors, and gas and steam engines. Watch period demonstrations on baling, blacksmithing, threshing and more. Shop the large flea and craft market, ride a […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Pioneer days
The Pleasant Plains Historical Society has made progress in their job of restoring this historical old stagecoach stop village. Sept. 17-18 check out the progress, support continuing efforts, and enjoy festival activities such as pioneer artisan and craftsman demonstrations, tours of Broadwell Inn & Tavern and the Batterton Cabin, pony rides, pioneer crafts and games […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Peace builder
Rajmohan Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, talks at Laurel United Methodist Church on Sunday, Sept. 18. This is a September Days of Compassion Event and is sponsored by Laurel Peacemakers. Like his grandfather, Rajmohan Gandhi is and has been engaged in efforts against corruption and inequalities. He is research professor at the Center for South […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Bowling for hoots & hollers
Dixie’s Tupperware Party is a hilarious Drama Desk Award-nominated show written by Kris Andersson, who also stars as Dixie Longate, a fiery cross between Minnie Pearl and Dolly Parton with RuPaul. The production arrives in Springfield as the last stop on a 40-city national tour. Filled with outrageously funny tales, heartfelt accounts, product giveaways, audience […]
