IT Picks

Join local comedians Jeremy Hughes and Larry Smith on Saturday, Sept. 16, at 8 p.m., for a live performance and recording session of their popular podcast, “Comedians with Day Jobs.” During their podcast, which is hosted by SoundCloud, the lively, relatable duo joke about the ins and outs of the lives of, in the words […]

Don’t miss the Springfield Ballet Company’s 24th annual contemporary approach to classical ballet. This year’s iteration is titled Rockballet: MIXTAPE, features live music by Down State and is a throwback to the nostalgia era of the 80s and 90s, when music was not available at the click of a button. According to the SBC’s artistic […]

See the “other” side of fairy tales this weekend during Fairy Tale Courtroom, an interactive comedy written by Dana Proulx, directed by Erin Sullivan and presented by M.A.S.S. Media Productions, a nonprofit community theater organization. During this family-friendly performance, the Big Bad Wolf and the Wicked Witch, who have been busy traveling from fairy tale […]

Celebrate four years of contemporary arts programming on Friday, Sept. 8, at the DEMO Project. The gallery launched in September of 2013 with a solo installation by visual artist Betsy Odom, and the DEMO Project welcomes Odom back four years later as part of a joint exhibition. This will be the final “birthday” milestone for […]

Don your lederhosen and practice your slap dancing and stein holding in preparation for the Knights of Columbus 364 German Oktoberfest, a Munich-style celebration of all things German. The festival will be held on the grounds of the Knight of Columbus 364, from noon through 10:30 p.m., on Saturday, Sept. 9, and features live music […]

Hit the Mother Road this weekend and make the short jaunt to Elkhart for a party of epic proportions. Elkhart’s Route 66 Labor Day Fall Celebration offers two-days of jam-packed fun for the entire family. Friday’s festivities kick off with art sales at The Country Bumpkin, Birdsong Books & Vintage and Horsefeathers plus live music […]

Join CrimeStoppers for their second annual “Take Flight in the Fight against Crime” hangar party Sunday, Sept. 3, from 2-8 p.m. at LRS Hanger, located at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport. The party features live music by The Deep Hollow from 2:30 through 4 p.m., and The Shenanigans from 4:30 through 8 p.m. Additional attractions include […]

Join Springfield Bicycle Club on this annual recreational bicycle ride the Sunday after Labor Day. This year’s theme is “Plains Spokin’” as riders head to Pleasant Plains for lunch and then add mileage loops from there. The largest bicycle century event in Illinois held outside a major metro area, the CCC draws up to 800 […]

See dogs run, jump and swim during the DockDogs Dog Jumping Competition, hosted as a main attraction at the Federal Ammunition Hunting Exposition, Aug. 25-27, at the Springfield Scheels location. Open to both first-time jumpers and experienced pros, canine participants can compete in events such as Big Air (long jump), Extreme Vertical (high jump), Speed […]

Don’t miss the annual Lincoln Balloon Festival, held Aug. 25-26, at the Logan County Airport in Lincoln. This fun festival features balloon glows at dusk, evening and morning hot air balloon flights, daily tethered hot air balloon rides, a kids’ zone featuring family friendly activities, concessions and drinks for purchase, plus live musical entertainment by […]

Enjoy a weekend of blues, barbecue and beer during the longtime Springfield tradition of the Old Capitol Blues & BBQ festival. Managed by The Alamo and the Central Illinois Blues Club, the festival takes place on the grounds of the Old State Capitol Plaza and offers a variety of blues music from national, regional and […]

On Saturday, Aug. 19, celebrate America’s pastime with an All-American Picnic. Hosted by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, the all-ages event features an evening of baseball-themed crafts and activities, performances of Abbott and Costello’s celebrated comedy sketch “Who’s on First?”, opportunities for children to participate in dramatic readings of Ernest Thayer’s poem “Casey […]