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Dates, times and locations are subject to last-minute changes, so we suggest calling before attending events.
Holiday Happenings
Halloween at the Market Oct 31, 8am-12:30pm. Costume contests for children and dogs, hands-on children’s activities 10am-12pm, demonstration by Chef Michael Higgins, farmers market, more. Coordinated by Downtown Springfi eld, Inc. Free admission. downtownspringfi eld.org. 217-544- 1723. Downtown Springfi eld.
Haunt the Hill Oct 22, 5-8pm. Second annual event with haunted house, food, games, contest, Jacksonville storyteller Mike Anderson. Free. Pleasant Hill Village, 1010 W. North St., Girard, 627-2181.
Haunted Field and Nerf Zombie Battles Oct 30, 5:30-9:30pm. Haunted fi eld and other Halloween activities such as pumpkin painting, games, prizes, face painting, crafts, concessions, trick-or-treating, more. $5-10. goalsindoorsports.com. Goals Indoor Sports, 3604 North Peoria Road, 789- GOAL.
Mall-O-Ween Oct 31, 1-3pm. Safe trick-or-treating, face painting, live music, balloon animals, temporary tattoo parlor and haunted train rides. Parent or guardian required. Free. White Oaks Mall, 2501 Wabash Ave., 787-8560.
Terror in the Graveyard Oct 23-24, 30-31, 7pm Fri-Sat. Outside haunted event includes abandoned old graveyard, trail in dark haunted woods plus scenes, scares, special effects. Adults $10, 10 and under $8. terrorontheweb.com. Menard County Fairgrounds, 18450 Fairgrounds, Petersburg.
Trick or Treat Event Oct 23, 5:30-7:30pm. Candy stops at historic houses in Lincoln-era neighborhood, volunteers in period clothing, campfi re reenactment with 114th Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry of the Civil War, Cool Cruisers Car Club, more. Free. nps.gov/liho. Lincoln Home National Historic Site, 413 S. Eighth St., 391-3221.
Fairs & Festivals
Back to the Future Fest Oct 24, 11am. Showing of Back to the Future Part I at 11am; Parts 2 and 3 shown over the course of the day. Costume contest, trivia, games, prizes and more during intermissions. 217-737-3975. Arlee Theater, 139 S. Main St., Mason City. 482-9999.
Fall Festival Oct 24-25, 9am-4pm Sat-Sun. Demonstrations of life on the prairie during 1830s Illinois. Costumed interpreters demonstrate daily tasks such as butter churning, candle dipping, soap making, meat smoking, fruit and vegetable preservation. lincolnsnewsalem.com. Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site, 15588 History Lane, Petersburg, 632-4000.
Jacksonville Mainstreet’s Pumpkin Festival Oct 25, 10am-5pm. Fifth Annual Pumpkin Festival. Free. jacksonvillemainstreet.com. Jacksonville Downtown, Central Park Plaza, Jacksonville, 243-5678.
Springfield Jaycees Beer Festival Oct 24, 2-8pm. Beer, wine, spirits. New indoor beer garden. Music by Brooke Thomas and Mark Burnett. $15 advance, $20 at door. illinoistimes. boldtypetickets.com. Illinois State Fairgrounds Exposition Building, 801 Sangamon Ave. 782-6661.
Books & Authors
Community Education Book Club Oct 28, 6-8pm. Part of the Social Justice Leadership Series on Race and Racism in America. Discussion of To Kill a Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman. $75. uis.edu/illaps/ community-education. 217-206-7990. UIS Brookens Library, One University Plaza, 217-206-6633 info, 217-206- 6605 circulation.
Cultural Code Switching in America: A Reading from Slow Lightning Oct 29,
7pm. Eduardo C. Corral present poems from his collection, Slow
Lightning, a text that breaks taboos in embracing minority voices and
exploring limitations. Free. uis. edu/speakerseries. 217-206- 8507. UIS
Lincoln Residence Hall Great Room, Vachel Lindsay Dr., 206-6600. Theater
& Comedy
An Afternoon with Groucho Oct
25, 2pm. 90 minutes of hilarity with award-winning actor/
director/playwright Frank Ferrante portraying Groucho Marx. Accompanied
by onstage pianist. $15-30, $5 for school-age kids.
eveningwithgroucho.com. Kirkland Fine Arts Center, 1184 W. Main St.,
Decatur, 424-6318. Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat Oct 23, 7pm.
Based on the book by Dr. Seuss. Adapted, originally directed by Katie
Mitchell. Play originally produced by the National Theatre of Great
Britain. Ages 3 and up. sangamonauditorium.org. Sangamon Auditorium,
UIS, 1 University Plaza, 206-6160.
Miss Saigon Oct
23-25, 8pm Fri-Sun. A Springfi eld Theatre Centre production.
Admission. springfi eldtheatrecentre.com. Hoogland Center for the Arts,
420 S. Sixth St., 523-2787.
The Importance of Being Earnest Oct
30, Nov 1, 7:30pm Thu-Sat, 2pm. Play by Oscar Wilde. Two young
Englishmen create alter egos with hopes of adding some excitement to
their lives. UIS Theatre’s fall production. $14 adults, $12 seniors, $10
faculty/ staff, $8 students. uis.edu/ theatre. UIS Studio Theatre, One
University Plaza, 206-6160.
Music: General Events
Capital City Mens Chorus
Nov
1, 5:30-7pm. Open to any male with a musical interest that is 18 years
of age or older. tccmc.org. Laurel United Methodist Church, 631 S. Grand
Ave. W., 525-1866.
Dave Mason’s Traffic Jam Oct
24, 8pm. An evening of music history with Rock and Roll Hall of Famer
and cofounder of the legendary band Traffi c. sangamonauditorium. org.
Sangamon Auditorium, UIS, 1 University Plaza, 206-6160.
Goosebumps Organ Concert and Electronic Light Show Oct
31, 7-8:15pm. Electronic lighting effects and dramatic dance heighten
the atmosphere at this exciting concert featuring the Brombaugh Opus 35
pipe organ. Dress in all black or all white, if desired. Free.
lincolnschurch. org/html/Goosebumps. First Presbyterian Church, 321 S.
Seventh St., 528-4311.
Guitars, Gear and Ukulele Clinic Oct
27, 7-9pm. Richard Gilewitz traveling clinic. Two hours of
demonstrations, live performances, Q&A session, more. Bring your
instruments. Free. rockshopguitars.com. The Rock Shop, 1808 W. Jefferson
St., 546-8980.
Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra Oct
31, 7:30-9:30pm. “Creepy Connections” concert. $15 adult, free to
children and students. jaxsym.com. 217- 371-2182. Illinois College
Rammelkamp Chapel, 1101 W. College Ave., Jacksonville, 245-3000.
The Allen Family in Concert Oct 31, 5:30pm. Springfi eld Seventh Day Adventist Church, 3300 West Jefferson St., 787- 7089.
Dance
Marilyn Ferry Oct 23, 8pm. Friday night dance. VFW Post #755, 2211 Old Jacksonville Road, 546- 9515.
Art & Architecture
Autumn... and Other Delights Oct
22-23, 28-30, 10am- 5pm Wed-Fri. Watercolor, acrylic, calligraphy
exhibit by MarySusan Farmer. On display throughout October,
Wednesday-Friday, 10-5pm or by appointment. Free. On The Wall, 23 S.
Central Park, Jacksonville, 243-1445.
Strange Matter Art Exhibit Oct
29, 5:30-8pm. Strange Matter, a mixed-media exhibition from
Chicago-based artists Sarah and Joseph Belknap. UIS Visual Arts Gallery,
HSB 201, One University Plaza, 206-6506.
Film & Television
Hocus Pocus Halloween Carnival Oct
31, 1pm. Old-fashioned carnival featuring ring-toss, balloon pop, fi sh
pond and more from 1-3pm, followed by viewing of Hocus Pocus. $15
advance, $20 day of. AtTheLegacy.com. The Legacy Theatre, 101 E.
Lawrence, 800- 838-3006.
Children’s Corner
Halloween Family Carnival Oct
31, 12-6pm. Carnival booths with prizes and candy, Halloween
performances by the Hoogland Kids, Teens and Juniors, “not-so-scary”
haunted house, children’s games and activities, more. Family entrance
fee: $5. 25 ticket bundle: $20. Hoogland Center for the Arts, 420 S.
Sixth St., 523-2787.
Science
Friday Night Star Parties Oct 23,
8-10pm. Enter observatory from southeast corner, Brookens Library. Free.
Weather questions, 206-8342 at 7pm or UIS Observatory on Twitter.
University of Illinois at Springfi eld, 206-6073.
Nature
Bat Week Event Oct 31, 12-2pm. Celebrate bats. lincolnmemorialgarden.org. Lincoln Memorial Garden, 2301 E. Lake Shore Dr., 529-1111. Nature Center Celebration Nov
1, 1-4pm. 50th anniversary celebration of the dedication of the Nature
Center. lincolnmemorialgarden.org. Lincoln Memorial Garden, 2301 E. Lake
Shore Dr., 529-1111.
Owl Prowl Oct 23, 6:30-9pm. Presentation by
Illinois Raptor Center followed by a hike on the trails. View live owl
up close, learn about their natural history. $10 adult, $5 ages 12 and
under, free to kids under 6. RSVP to [email protected]. Adams Wildlife Sanctuary, 2315 E. Clear Lake Ave., 544-2473.
Lectures & Meetings
AAUW Diversity Event Program Oct 29, 7-9pm. 217-899-1906. Sikich LLP, 3201 West White Oaks Dr. Adult Undergraduate Programs Open House Nov 3, 5:30-7pm. 877-353- 9622. Brinkerhoff Home, 1500 N. Fifth St.
Brown Bag Lecture Oct
23, 12pm. Lecture by Janet Semanik on the history of the Trutter
Museum. Free. springfi eldart.org. Springfi eld Art Association, 700 N.
Fourth St., 523-2631.
Capital City Toastmasters Oct
28, 12-1pm. Weekly meeting. Develop communication and leadership skills
to foster greater selfconfi dence and personal growth. Visitors
welcome. 131-3356. toastmastersclubs. org. Illinois Department of
Transportation, 2300 S. Dirksen Parkway.
Catfish Fishing Seminar Oct 24, 6-7:30pm. Edgar’s Coffee House, 87 W. Plummer, Chatham, 391-7628.
Coffee Seminar and Cupping Oct
23, 6-7pm. Cup six different coffees and grade them according to SCAA.
guidelines. Free. 217-391-7587. Edgar’s Coffee House, 87 W. Plummer,
Chatham, 391-7628. GriefShare Grief Recovery Program Oct 28, Nov
4, 6:30pm. 13- week program utilizes video seminars, a support group and
a workbook. Register, 414- 0126 or griefshare.org. Athens Christian
Church, 1411 E. Route 29, Athens, 636-8463.
LGBT yOUTh Group Oct 23, 30, 6-10pm. Phoenix Center, 109 E. Lawrence Ave., 528-5253.
Retired State Employees Association Meeting Oct
28, 1:30-2:30pm. Monthly meeting. Speaker Brian Wojcicki, Chief
Operating Offi cer for Cook-Witter, Inc. Free. RSEA4U.org. St. John’s
Lutheran Church, 2477 W. Washington St., 793-3933.
Sertoma Club Nov
2, 12pm. Noon, fi rst and third Monday of every month on fi rst fl oor
next to Bennigans. 217-494-2099. Hilton Springfi eld, 700 E. Adams St., 789-1530. Springfield Breakfast Optimist Club Oct 23, 30, 7am. Every Friday. Visitors always welcome. [email protected]. 217- 546-5021. Atonement Lutheran Church, 2800 W. Jefferson St., 546-7646.
Springfield ICON Monthly Meeting Oct
26, 6:30-8:30pm. Speaker Karen Davis, Springfi eld’s new Economic
Development Director. Springfi eldICON.org. 217-528-9803. First Church
of the Brethren, 2115 Yale Boulevard, 523-5212. Victim/Survivor Support Group Oct 22, 6-7pm. Mothers Against Drunk Driving. MADD Illinois, 2070 W. Monroe St. #B, 523- 6233.
Bulletin Board
7th Annual Senior Day Event Oct
26, 10am-1pm. 40 information booths, free giveaways, health screenings,
cooking demonstrations, door prizes, Bread of Love meal, more. Hosted
by Prairie Council on Aging. Reservations for meal, 479-4619. Hamilton’s, 110 N. East St., Jacksonville.
Grief Support Group, Healing Grief, Finding Peace Oct 23, 30, 10am-12pm. 217-483-1224. Westminster Presbyterian Church, 533 S. Walnut St., 522-4415.
Ladies Night Out Oct
22, 5-7pm. Complimentary wine, live music, platform barber show by All
Star Kutz, retail vendors, more. White Oaks Mall, 2501 Wabash Ave.,
787-8560.
Mid-America Mane Event Horse Show Oct
22-25. 13th annual indoor show featuring barns and their American
Saddlebred horses and Hackney ponies. Free. midamericahorseshow. org.
Coliseum. Illinois State Fairgrounds, 801 Sangamon Ave., 782-6661.
Pizza Party for the Homeless Oct
28, 4:30pm. Vinod Gupta hosts complimentary pizza party for homeless
persons in honor of his 77th birthday. Kumler United Methodist Church,
600 N. Fifth St., 523- 2046.
SCHEELS Kids Klub - Halloween Bash & Scavenger Hunt Oct
26, 6-7pm. Indoor Halloween party and scavenger hunt. Ghoulish games
and treats for all. Wear your Halloween costume. Free.
scheels.com/events. Scheels, 3801 S. MacArthur, 726-6330.
Shred Day Oct
24, 9am-12pm. Bank of Springfi eld hosting for BOS customers and
non-customers at Wabash and Glen Carbon branches. Bank of Springfi eld,
3400 Wabash Ave.
Special Citizens’ Club Policy Breakfast Oct
23, 7:30am. Future of Medicine and Healthcare. Speaker Jerry E. Kruse,
MD, MSPH Executive Associate Dean - SIU School of Medicine and Chief
Executive Offi cer (CEO) - SIU HealthCare. Memorial’s Center for
Learning and Innovation, 228 W. Miller, 545-6314.
Food
Old Capitol Farmers Market Oct 24, 8am-12:30pm Wed and. Cheese, produce, meats, art and more. Third Saturdays
feature entertainment, cooking demos and more. Adams between Fifth and
Second. Downtown Springfi eld, Inc., 3 W. Old State Capitol Plaza,
544-1723.
History
Stay in LA: Temporary Workers and Precarious Duration in Los Angeles Oct 27, 10am. 217-206-8507. UIS Lincoln Residence Hall Great Room, Vachel Lindsay Dr., 206- 6600.
The Injustice of Human Trafficking in Central Illinois Nov
4, 6pm. Talk and discussion by Patricia McKnight, a small town survivor
of family human traffi cking, and Dana Pfeiffer, Director of Grounds of
Grace, which assists men, women, children involved in human traffi
cking. Free. uis.edu/ speakerseries. 217-206-8507. UIS Brookens
Auditorium, One University Plaza, 206-6073.
Health
Depression/Bipolar Disorder Support Group Oct
27, Nov 3, 6:30-8pm. Support for those affected by a mood disorder,
including friends and family. Free. 217-761-4710. First Christian
Church, 700 S. Sixth St., 528-3407.
FREE HIV Testing Oct 22-23, 26-30, Nov 2-4, 12- 3pm Mon-Fri, Phoenix Center, 109 E. Lawrence Ave., 528- 5253. GROW in Illinois Mental Health Oct
22, 29, 6:30pm Thu, 6:30pm. 12-step support program for emotional,
mental health issues, coping or addictions. Thursdays. 816-1083. Laurel
United Methodist Church, 631 S. Grand Ave. W., 525-1866.
Faith & Philosophy
The Present Moment as Perfect Teacher Oct
25, 10:30-11:30am. With Rev. Barbara Child. Free. aluuc. org. Abraham
Lincoln Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 745 Woodside Road,
585-9550.
The Souls of Animals
Nov
1, 10:30-11:30am. All souls day. “Do animals have souls?” A
consideration of various traditions on the subject. Free. aluuc.org.
Abraham Lincoln Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 745 Woodside Road,
585-9550.
Sports & Fitness
Jr. Blues Faith Night Oct
24, 7:05-9:30pm. Doors 6:05pm; puck drop 7:05pm. Post-game Powerlight
Skate with Powerlight Radio Show. Advance tickets: $8 adult, $5 child.
jrblues.com. Nelson Center Ice Arena, Lincoln Park, 1601 N. Fifth St.,
525-2589.
Free Platform Tennis Clinic Oct 24, 1-6pm. Free platform tennis instructional clinics Velasco Tennis Center, 2500 S. Grand Ave. W., 753-6225. Jr. Blues Family Night Oct
23, 7:05-9:30pm. Doors 6:05pm; puck drop 7:05pm. Advance tickets: $8
adult, $5 child. jrblues.com. Nelson Center Ice Arena, Lincoln Park,
1601 N. Fifth St., 525-2589.