IT Picks

Don’t miss The Nutcracker, the timeless, holiday ballet performed annually by the Springfield Ballet Company. The Nutcracker features a cast of more than 120 SBC dancers, local adult actors, young dancers from the community and professional guest artists. It tells the tale of Clara and her Nutcracker, who journey from a lavish Christmas party to […]

Don’t miss the 2017 Old Capitol Holiday Walks, held Wednesdays from 5-8 p.m. and Saturdays from 12-6 p.m. through Dec. 20. The walks offer local shopping at downtown’s charming brick-and-mortar stores, pop-up shops and restaurants, plus seasonal activities and attractions for all ages. Kids will enjoy visiting with Santa in the Old State Capitol, dropping […]

See The Alley Cats, the United States’ premiere doo-wop comedy act, on Wednesday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m., at the Hoogland Center for the Arts, as part of their 2017 nationwide holiday tour. The seasonal serenade will feature classic and traditional holiday tunes paired with The Alley Cats’ signature comedy act. The Alley Cats, founded […]

Attention witches, wizards, muggles and squibs of all ages! On Saturday, Dec. 2, from 6-9 p.m., don your wands, cloaks and brooms and celebrate the wizarding world of Harry Potter. Enjoy an evening that begins with a sampling of kid-friendly potions, brews and hors d’oeuvres in the great hall, followed by photos at Platform 9 […]

Join the Springfield Park District for their annual Holiday Zoo Lights event, on display Nov. 30-Dec. 3, Dec. 7-10, Dec. 14-17, Dec. 19-23 and Dec. 26-30, from 5-9 p.m. nightly. Thanks to a new partnership with Winterland, Inc., a national holiday décor company, 2017’s seasonal light show is bigger and better than ever. The display […]

Make reservations now for a charming, horse-drawn carriage ride through picturesque Washington Park, decked for the holiday season. The carriage rides are hosted by Red Gate Farm LLC in conjunction with the Springfield Park District. Each carriage ride lasts for 30 minutes and seats 4-6 people. The cost per ride is $60 and all rides […]

Join the multi-platinum American Gramophone recording artists known as Mannheim Steamroller on Monday, Nov. 27 to celebrate the start of the holiday season, the 30-year anniversary of the first Mannheim Steamroller Christmas album, and the 40-year anniversary of Grammy Award-winner Chip Davis’ first Fresh Aire album. The live show by Mannheim Steamroller, the talented group […]

Hailing from the great city of Champaign, home of the University of Illinois, this group of fun-loving music makers really do “almost totally 80s music” as their promo states, and has been hard at it for some 18 years and counting. They also put on one heck of a show, recreating characters from the era […]

Gather your loved ones and take in some holiday splendor during Memorial Medical Center’s 28th annual Festival of Trees. This year’s theme is “Skates, Sleds and Snow” and the featured colors are blue, white and brown. Festival of Trees is your opportunity to view more than 200 creatively decorated trees and wreaths plus a hand-crafted […]

Enjoy a long-standing Jacksonville tradition from a new location as Jacksonville’s annual Festival of Trees has relocated from Woodhaven Hospice to Pathway Services Unlimited. The three-day festival showcases designer Christmas trees, wreaths and other holiday decorations plus live, local entertainment and a gift shop featuring holiday décor, plus cookies and candy handmade by Pathway residents. […]

Kick off your holiday season with a special Thanksgiving and Christmas shopping event at the Lincoln Memorial Garden Nature Center, home to the Split Rail Shop. The annual holiday market features handcrafted items made over the past couple of months from area artisans, such as centerpieces, swags, wreaths, one-of-a-kind tree ornaments and more. Early bird […]

Don’t miss Peculiar Inspirations, a fictitious theatre piece about modern Springfield writer Amy Lombard, who has been commissioned to write a play about Abraham Lincoln. An information-gathering mission has lead Amy to Edwards Place, where she comes face to face with muses such as Mary Lincoln, Thomas Lincoln and William Herndon, who are all dying […]