IT Picks

MUSIC |Local legends Two of Springfield’s finest folk musicians, Tom Irwin and Ben Bedford, strum, pick and sing Saturday night at 7:30 for a Prairie Grapevine Folklore Society concert at the Abraham Lincoln Unitarian Universalist Congregation. These two beloved singer/songwriters are the acoustic kings of the capital city. Tom has opened for well-known crooners Willie […]

MUSIC |Irish party Before and after the St. Patrick’s Day Parade snakes and jams through the streets of downtown Springfield starting at noon, two of downtown’s Irish food and beverage establishments, Bennigan’s Grill and Tavern and Celtic Mist, team up for their first annual Blarney Blast situated in a heated tent on Adams Street from […]

MUSIC | Lincoln trio Desirée Ruhstrat, violin, David Cunliffe, cello, and Marta Aznavoorian, piano, comprise the Lincoln Trio. Formed in 2003, the Chicago-based ensemble takes its name from their home state of Illinois, the land of Lincoln. But this trio’s accomplishments range throughout the United States and Europe, with members performing at the White House […]

THEATER | Overnight millionaire Most of us dream of winning the lottery without thought to what challenges might come with big money. Kismet means fate or destiny. In this musical based on the Arabian Nights, Hadji, an old Baghdad poet, faces his destiny when he transforms from beggar to millionaire overnight. This windfall sparks his […]

DANCE | Salsa dancers The salsa is rooted in Africa. Its home is in Puerto Rico, but it rose to popularity in New York City. This evening, three-time ESPN Salsa Champions Abel Pena and Zulmara Torres are bringing the passion and moves of the salsa to Springfield. Performing the routine that won them the 2005 […]

EMPLOYMENT | Career Fair In today’s job market, a room filled with multiple employers interested in your talents and skills seems like a fantasy, but UIS is making the dream come true at the 11th annual Springfield Collegiate Career Fair. The fair is the most high-profile event to be held at UIS for students seeking […]

BAND SPOTLIGHT | The Henhouse Prowlers Maybe you don’t think of Chicago when you think of bluegrass music, but you just might after experiencing the Henhouse Prowlers. The five-piece, traditional bluegrass outfit hailing from the Windy City, features Ben Benedict (guitar), Jon Goldfine (doghouse bass), Ryan Hinshaw (fiddle), Nathan Sitzman (mandolin), and Ben Wright (banjo), […]

LECTURE | HistoryMakers Celebrate Black History Month with the University of Illinois at Springfield at the HistoryMakers’ Agents of Change Lecture. The speaker series includes a talk by Carol Moseley Braun, the first African-American woman elected to the U.S. Senate, and the first to serve as assistant majority leader. After her term in the U.S. […]

THEATER | Russia ballet The tradition and beauty of the Russian ballet captivates the audience as the troupe presents the story of Giselle. The ornate imagery, coupled with the graceful movements of the ballerinas, brings the tragic love story of Giselle and Count Alberecht to life. Giselle is considered one of the classic contemporary ballets. […]

CONCERT | Elvis tribute More than 1,500 Elvis fans from all over Illinois are expected to attend the 13th annual Midwest Tribute to the King Competition. The two-day show, presented by COOL Radio 101.9, features Elvis impersonators competing to take home the king’s crown. Most of the performers involved tour the country on a regular […]

THEATER | Joseph’s dreamcoat The Springfield Theatre Center is giving theater lovers what they have been asking for with a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. According to Bill Bauser, director of the musical, it is the most requested show at the Springfield Theatre Center. The story follows Joseph, who wears a multi-colored […]

HOME IMPROVEMENT | Weatherization workshop Heating a house in the winter can put a strain on the pocketbook, so the city of Springfield is offering a workshop to help reduce the cost of utility bills. City Water, Light and Power is offering a 90-minute workshop focusing on home energy efficiency improvements that can be done […]