Fall Guide

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder is at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis Sept. 13-25. PHOTO COURTESY FOX THEATER At the Hoogland Center for the Arts, classics abound. First though is A Letter to Heaven, an encore presentation of an original gospel play by local playwright Donna Jefferson about a cancer patient’s spiritual […]

As the echoes of summer fade, autumn brings its own tune. There’s plenty of excellent live music in Springfield this time of year, from thrilling a cappella to the soulful oldies. Here’s the skinny on shows at some of Springfield’s biggest and most unique venues. The Classic Nashville Roadshow brings all the twang of Johnny […]

When it comes to cocktails, fall is a tweener season. Not too hot, not too cold, autumn demands beverages that can, at once, warm and refresh the palate. It’s a time to get reacquainted with liquors of color after a summer spent guzzling gin and sundry frozen concoctions. The deeper you go in the season, […]

Many are attracted to the sport of fencing by the love of sword play. Once you pick up a foil, your life will never be the same. Joanne Liu, who has been fencing for more than 20 years, took up the sport in high school and discovered she had a natural talent for it. “It’s […]

  August Let the Words Fall OutAug 24-Sep 27, 11am-6pm Mon-Thu. Interactive installation by Brytton Bjorngaard, UIS assistant professor of digital media and Springfield graphic designer and artist. On display through Sep 17. uis.edu/visualarts/gallery. UIS Visual Arts Gallery, HSB 201, One University Plaza, 206-6506. Route 66 Barbershop QuartetAug 27, 12-1pm Thu. Part of the Springfield […]

A working windmill and farm buildings from the 1900s greet visitors to the Living History Farms in Urbandale, Iowa, a suburb of Des Moines. PHOTOS BY BRENT BOHLEN If you are into power trips, you won’t find a better place than central Iowa. While presidential candidates lust for political power as they stomp across the […]

The exterior of the Nauvoo Temple is a replica of the original temple that was burned and destroyed. Nearby is a sculpture depicting Joseph and Hyrum Smith’s last ride to Carthage. PHOTOS BY JOHN CAMPER A covered wagon pulled by a yoke of oxen appeared on the path in front of us. Nearby several young […]

ELF The Musical comes to Sangamon Auditorium Nov. 6-7. PHOTO COURTESY SANGAMON AUDITORIUM In an era where we are increasingly isolated by our technology, the ancient tradition of watching live theater still can unite hundreds of people in a shared visceral experience. And fall in Illinois is a great time to throw down a few […]

Sangamon Auditorium is the place to be this fall for those who like to jam. And for those who like to sit quietly too. On Sept. 19, Springfield audiences will be privy to the journey of up and coming opera singers in The Metropolitan Opera Rising Stars. The artists will perform classical arias, duets and […]

Donnie’s Homespun showcases the return of rockabilly-infused madman the Reverend Horton Heat Sept. 10. As reliable as the leaves donning their brilliantine colors and that familiar chill exiling the once seemingly interminable humidity, music is once again in the air as autumn gets underway. This fall finds sounds of nearly every stripe making their way […]

Though not featured in the 1918 Orange Judd photo book, this handsome home at 605 East Main, like many others in the neighborhood, invites further exploration. PHOTO BY WILLIAM FURRY If you’ve long thought Rochester the last exit on the Lost Bridge Trail, the end of the line for your urban adventures on the fringes […]

Reputedly once a hangout for gangs of river pirates, the large cavern along the Ohio River is the main attraction at Cave-in-Rock State Park in Hardin County. The park also has a restaurant, cabins, campsites, trails and scenic views. PHOTO BY BRENT BOHLEN Once upon a time in far, far southeastern Illinois there lived slaves, […]