5 things to do in the Illinois Valley: Plenty of family-friendly activities set for the weekend

1 - Try the sweet corn Sunday in Mendota. This is a rite of passage in the Illinois Valley. Free sweet corn will be distributed at 2 p.m. at the intersection of Illinois Avenue and Jefferson Street. Prior to the sweet corn distribution will be the Sweet Corn Festival’s grand parade beginning at 1 p.m., featuring the Jesse White Tumblers and the South Shore Drill Team. The four-day festival will include a carnival, food and merchandise booths, live music and other activities. Additionally, the 2022 Sweet Corn Queen Pageant will take place 7:30 p.m. Friday on the First State Bank Stage on U.S. 34 downtown. Go to https://sweetcornfestival.com/ for more details.

2 - Check out young entrepreneurs Saturday in Ottawa. Children first through 12th grades will show off their plans and brands 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at a special one-day downtown market in Washington Square, sponsored by The Prairie Fox. Children designed their own brand and learned how to market their own products. There will be awards for each age bracket and children will earn real money for the hard work. Go to https://www.childrensbusinessfair.org/ottawa-illinois for more information.

3 - Watch children’s theater this weekend in La Salle. “Disney’s The Lion King, Jr.” will be presented at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, and at 1 p.m. Sunday, at Stage 212, 700 First St. Tickets are $10 each and may be purchased at the box office 9 a.m. to noon Saturday or by calling 815-224-3025 during the same hours. Tickets may also be purchased online by visiting www.stage212.org.

4 - Listen to some music and help a good cause Saturday in Streator. Street Corner Blue will perform 1 to 4 p.m. at the Plumb Pavilion in City Park. There will be vendors from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sponge Bob will make an appearance, there will be a 50/50 raffle and a few other surprises, according to organizers. All proceeds benefit Streator Unlimited. Call 815-673-5574 for more information.

5 - Party this weekend in Wenona. The community’s annual four-day festival will feature a lighted parade 8:40 p.m. Saturday on Main Street, a fireworks display 9 p.m. Saturday from the coal dump, the Wenona Days of Thunder Car Show 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday and a downtown parade at 1 p.m. Sunday, among several other activities. There will be live music 8 p.m. Friday at the beer tent with John Baize performing and 9 p.m. Saturday with the Route 66 Band. Thursday will be a family night at the park, with a number of activities geared toward children. And of course, a showing of “Wizard of Oz” at 9 p.m. Friday at the park to go along with the “There’s no place like Wenona” theme.

Would you like your event featured in this weekly feature? The first step is submitting your events to The Times, NewsTribune or Bureau County Republican’s community calendar at starvedrockcountry.com/local-events/ where they are then considered for inclusion in this feature.