July 10, 2025
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Heard on the Street: Deer Ridge Barn celebrates becoming year-round venue

By Tiffany Blanchette
People attend a celebration under the lights at Deer Ridge Barn.

People attend a celebration under the lights at Deer Ridge Barn in Limestone. Upgrades to the site have transformed the location into a year-round entertainment venue.

Deer Ridge Barn recently celebrated upgrades to the Limestone wedding and event venue which enables it to operate year-round.

Since opening in 2022, Deer Ridge had operated as a seasonal venue with mainly outdoor spaces and rentable lodging.

The new addition to the property features new indoor bathrooms, an HVAC system, a catering room and a storage space.

The upgrades were made possible in part by a $95,000 grant secured by the Kankakee County Convention and Visitors Bureau and its executive director Nicole Gavin.

The “rustic chic” venue celebrated the expansion with a Kankakee County Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting held June 5, 2025, with about 75 people in attendance, including Limestone Mayor Mike Duffy and village trustees, Kankakee Mayor Chris Curtis and Illinois State Rep. Jackie Haas.

At the event, Deer Ridge ownership shared some information on the business’ local economic impact in 2024.

More than 8,000 guests were hosted last year as a seasonal venue, with guests coming from as far as Seattle to Florida, according to Marci Sadler, co-owner and operator of Deer Ridge Barn.

“[Deer Ridge] has a positive impact to the extended business community,” Sadler said. “[This includes] hotels, restaurants, florists, caterers, DJs, gas stations and more.”

The rural venue has begun attracting events from outside of Kankakee County as well, with brides from across the Chicagoland area booking their weddings, she said.

“We are very excited for what is to come at Deer Ridge Barn,” Sadler said.