IT Picks

Step back in time and take in a performance of Loose Lips Sink Ships at Theatre in the Park, located within Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site. Showtime is 8 p.m. nightly Aug. 18-20 and 24-26, with complimentary preshow entertainment beginning an hour before each performance. The musical, set in a shipyard in Wisconsin’s Sturgeon […]

On Monday, Aug. 21, avoid the chaos and the crowds in southern Illinois and #GetMooned at Danenberger Family Vineyards during the Great American Solar Eclipse. During the eclipse, the moon will pass between the earth and the sun, blocking the sun from view. Although central Illinois is several hours north of the “path of totality,” […]

On Friday, Aug. 11, celebrate the opening of three new exhibitions at the DEMO Project, a modern art gallery directed by Springfield-based contemporary artists. The first exhibition, titled “Dominus,” is a solo project by Maria Lux, a research-driven installation artist out of Walla Walla, Washington, whose exhibition utilizes raccoons and Roombas to examine animal and […]

Enjoy a fun night out with your neonate Friday at page261, a boutique-style shop that offers a variety of creative “make-and-take” activities for children and adults. From 7-9 p.m., children ages 7-12 plus an adult will learn a variety of braiding techniques and create a stylish, colorful piece of wearable art. The activity cost is […]

Does your child struggle with attention, learning, behaviors or social skills? If so, don’t miss a free, interactive presentation offering tips and information on how to start the school year off on the right foot. The presentation, led by Melissa Schwoerer, attorney and mother of three boys; Laura Cellini, special needs advocate and mother of […]

If family-friendly fun is what you’re after this weekend, don’t miss Cirque Italia, an animal-free traveling “water circus.” Cirque Italia, which has been performed internationally more than 1,000 times, takes place under a swirling blue and white tent featuring a one-of-a-kind stage filled with 35,000 gallons of water. First conceived in 2012 by Manual Rebecchi, […]

Get ready to enjoy Decatur’s strongest summer tradition, as the Decatur Celebration roars to life for its 32nd year. The longtime festival, which donates proceeds annually to local service organizations, boasts six stages of music featuring national and regional artists, three city blocks of full of artisans and crafters, a family-friendly carnival for the little […]

Start your engines bright and early for the Fifth Annual Powerlight Abraham Lincoln Car Show Spectacular. The car show, free to all spectators, will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine. Vehicle registration will occur from 8 a.m. to noon and judging will run from noon to 4 p.m., immediately followed […]

Local music lovers rejoice, for Springfield’s yearly showcase of original music, art and craft beer has returned. The seventh annual Downhome Music Festival features 22 bands, mostly local acts, on three stages across two days, with performances from Josh Reilly, Wolf Crick Boys, Go Tsunami, Owen & Dooley, Lidlifter, The Station, Marah and Micah Walk […]

Enjoy dinner and a show on Friday, July 28, when the Elkhart Historical Society hosts a dinner lecture by Rev. Dr. Malcom Shotwell titled “Our neighbors, the Lincolns: A clergyman remembers.” During the presentation, which is set in 1874, Shotwell will portray Rev. Dr. Noyes W. Miner, the pastor of the First Baptist Church in […]

On July 28-29, Jacksonville High School will be the site of the annual celebration for central Illinois quilters, the River Country Quilt Show. The show is a popular destination for local quilt enthusiasts and will feature more than 250 displays of quilted items such as modern quilts, antique quilts and bed tuning. Attendees will enjoy […]

Sink your teeth into a delicious cob of sweet corn this weekend at the 44th annual Chatham Jaycees Sweet Corn Festival, a two-day celebration of food, family fun, athletic tournaments and live music. The festivities officially begin Friday at 5 p.m. with a Miss Sweet Corn pageant and soccer tournament, and continue through midnight with […]