Cheers for ‘Menopause the Musical,’ Octoberfest and a fall brew festival

The following is a list of current events and upcoming activities going on in the Sauk Valley. Don’t forget to check out 5 Things To Do for other opportunities.

Do you have information on an upcoming event or attraction? Be sure to let us know. Submit information for Sauk Valley Media’s weekly calendar to news@saukvalley.com. Include a contact person and phone number.

This Week

Live musical performances:

— Angelina Chavez, Barn Ratz Band, Matt Fichter, Mortar Band, Mount Sinai Christian Fellowship, River Country Stomp, Starlight Blues Band, and Whitlocked & Loaded for Jammin’ on the Rock, 1 p.m., Sunday, RB&W District Park, Rock Falls.

— Lowell Harp and Friends, 6:30 p.m., Saturday, Books on First, 202 W. First St., Dixon.

Other activities:

Catch a star. A production of “Peter and the Starcatcher,” will debut 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dixon Stage Left, 306 W. First St., Dixon. Adult tickets are $30. Other dates are Sept. 29-30, Oct, 1, 6-7-8.

The Change? “Menopause the Musical” will appear for two nights starting 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28 at Dixon Theatre. The musical parody follows four women at a lingerie sale with music from the 1960s through the 1980s. Tickets are $40. A second showing will be Thursday, Sept. 29.

Survivor’s story. Don Bacso, a survivor of the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center, will share his experiences in a public presentation 7 p.m. Saturday at Sterling Moose Lodge, 2601 E. Lincolnway in Sterling. The Women of the Moose will have a bake sale and serve lasagna at 4:30 p.m.

Foamy mug, or two. Octoberfest Party will offer German fare, beer and live music on Saturday in Oregon. Ceremonial keg tapping by the mayor will be at 4 p.m. at Ogle County Brewery at 400 W. Washington Street in Oregon. Other eateries taking part are Maxson’s Restaurant and Riverboat, Hazel’s Cafe, Sledgehammer’s, Cork and Tap, The Hunt Club and Breakers Saloon and Eatery.

Farming in olden days. Old Fashioned Fall Harvest Show will be 8 a.m to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Bos Bros. Historical Farm, 8105 Springhill Road, Erie. There will be demonstrations on harvesting standing crops, plowing stalks and stubble, corn shelling, corn meal milling, corn break baking, rock crushing, rug weaving, saw mill operations, blacksmithing and wood working. Parking and admission are free.

Family Feud. The Polo Community Theater’s production of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” will be 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Adult tickets are $15. Other shows will be 7 p.m. Sept. 30 and 2 p.m. Oct. 1. For more information call 815-441-0778, or visit www.polotheatre.org.

Raise a glass. The Fall Festival and Brewfest will be noon to 6 p.m. Saturday at Timber Lake Playhouse in Mount Carroll. There will be hay rides, food, barrel rides, yard games, face painting, and pumpkin decorating. The beer tasting portion of the event will feature Lena Brewing Co., Bent River Brewery, Crystal Lake Brewing, Pecatonica Beer Co., Pig Minds Brewing, Generations Brewing Co., Potosi Brewing Co. and Wild Onion Brewery. Drink tickets are 15 for $10. Kids game tickets $8 for unlimited play. Midnight Rider, the Allman Brothers Tribute Band, will be in concert 7 p.m. at the TimberLake Playhouse theater.

Drive for deals. The Back Roads Market tour will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Between corn fields and autumn scenery are four stops in Mt. Morris and Leaf River, all chances to shop tasty treats or purchase crafts. It starts at Hough’s Maple Lane Farms, 3788 North Mount Morris Road, Mt. Morris, which features maple syrups, cinnamon rolls, popcorn and other seasonal treats. The tour moves to Berry View Orchard, 7504 West Midtown Road, Mt. Morris for apples, berries, fruits, jams and cider doughnuts and Jen’s Artisan Breads’ gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. Funky Junk is nearby at 6410 West Grove Road in Mt. Morris, where there are vintage goods, refurbished furniture and other retro items. The last stop is Vintage Chicks and Feeds, 700 Route 72 in Leaf River, which has vintage wares, soaps, lotions and barn goods.

Undead rise? Haunted Zombie Ride will be 7 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday and Oct. 1 at historical Chaplin Creek Village, 1715 Whitney Road. $5 per person or $10 for fastpass.

All sales final. The Paw Paw Neighborhood Garage Sales will be 8 a.m. Friday to 3 p.m. Saturday in Paw Paw.

Nature hike. Franklin Creek State Natural Area, 1872 Twist Road, Franklin Grove, 9 a.m. Saturday.

Workhorses on the farm. Antique Power Days, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at Mendota Hills Campground, 642 U.S. 52, Amboy. Vintage tractors, gas engines, steam engines, sawmill and hayrack ride. There will be a Spark Show on Saturday night. Entry $2 per person or $5 per vehicle.

Autumn days. Ashton Fall Festival will be noon to 4 p.m. Sunday on Main Street in Ashton. In case of rain, activities move to Mills and Petrie Building.

Reel them in. Family Fun Day and Kids Fishing Derby will be 10 a.m. Saturday at Coleta Sportsmen’s Club on Pilgrim Road in Chadwick. All participants should register by noon to be eligible for prize drawing. There will also be wagon rides, bingo, BB shooting, archery and a petty zoo. Event is free.

Pop the cork. The Wild Rose Wine Fest will be 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at Wild Rose Casino and Hotel in Clinton, Iowa. Wineries from eastern Iowa area are featured. Live music will be provided by 3 On The Tree led by Pat Jones. Tickets are $10 plus tax and fees.

Star light, star bright. It’s Astronomy Day from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at Discovery Center Museum in Rockford. A free planetarium show is included. Local NASA Ambassador Space Case Sarah will have a presentation. $10 to enter.

Upcoming

Music

Clinton Symphony Orchestra, Clinton, Iowa

A Cold Mountain Premiere, 7:30 p.m., Oct. 1, Vernon Cook Theater, Clinton High School

Dvorak’s Brilliance, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5, Centennial Auditorium, Sterling High School

Holidays with the Symphony, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10, Vernon Cook Theater, Clinton High School

Musical Friendships, 2 p.m., Jan. 15, Zion Lutheran Church, Clinton

Stories in Music, 2 p.m. Feb. 19, Morrison High School Auditorium, Morrison

The Breadth of Greatness, 7:30 p.m. April 22, Vernon Cook Theater, Clinton High School

Pops Concert, June 4, Riverview Park Bandshell, Clinton

Dixon Municipal Band

Christmas Concert, 7 p.m., tba.

Winning Wheels Summer Concert Series, Eclipse Square, Prophetstown

Unannounced, 5 p.m., Sept. 23

Unannounced, 5 p.m., Oct. 28

Musical ImPACT Concert, Polo Area Community Theater

Duets and Trios, 7 p.m. Oct 15-16

Rosbrook Studio Second Saturday Open Mic, 107 S. Peoria Ave., Dixon.

Signup at 6 p.m., performances 7 to 11 p.m., $3 suggested donation.

American Legion Post 902, 712 Fourth Ave., Rock Falls.

Jam Session, 7 p.m. every Thursday.

Blues in the Woods Bluesfest, 3 p.m. May 21, Timber Lake Playhouse, Mount Carroll

Kevin Burt, 3 p.m., Birddog Blues Band, 5 p.m., Russ Green Band, 7 p.m.

East Grove Union Church, 449 Reuter Road, Amboy

Assemblymen, 6 p.m., Oct. 16

Theater productions

Historic Dixon Theatre

Tickets are on sale for the following shows at Historic Dixon Theatre, 114 S. Galena Ave. Go to dixontheatre.com/events/ for tickets or more information.

Menopause the Musical, Sept. 28-29.

Forever Young, Oct. 7.

ABBA Mania, Oct. 16.

Paul Childers, Oct. 22.

Yesterday: A Beatles Tribute Endorsed by Sir Paul McCartney, Nov. 5.

Annie Jr., Nov. 18-19.

Cinderella (A community theater production), Dec. 9-11.

The Prophecy Show: The Music of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Dec. 30.

Motor City: the Motown Revue, Jan. 14.

Still Collins, Jan. 28.

Shanghai Circus, Feb. 24.

Doug Allen Nash, March 11.

Comedian Yakov Smirnoff, March 24.

Head East, April 7.

Adventures of Tortoise and the Hair Next Generation, April 23, 2023

The Machine: The Music of Pink Floyd, April 28, 2023

Under the Street Lamp, May 13, 2023

Illusionist Mike Super, May 27, 2023

Dixon Stage Left, 306 W First St, Dixon

Peter and the Starcatcher, September 29-30, Oct, 1, 6-7-8.

Rendezvous Arts, Corky Siegel blues harmonica, Randy Sabien, violin, Ken Reif, visual artist, 5:30 p.m., Oct. 12

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9-10, 2 p.m. Dec. 10-11

Timber Lake Playhouse, 8215 Black Oak Road, Mount Carroll.

Defending the Caveman, Sept. 29-Oct. 9

Hocus Pocus, Oct. 15

Detroit Rock City Kiss Tribute Show, Oct. 22

The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Oct. 29

The Blooze Brothers, Nov. 5

Boy Band Night, Nov. 12

Britbeat Beatles Tribute, Nov. 19

Forever Plaid: Plaid Tidings, Dec. 1-11

Rock River Jazz Band, May 7

Felix and Fingers Dueling Pianos, May 14

The Style Catz with the Cocoloco Band, May 19

Blues in the Woods Bluesfest, May 21

White Pines Dinner Theatre, 6712 W. Pines Road, Mount Morris

Quentin Flagg’s Inspirational Gospel and Country, Sept. 22

I Gotta Be Me starring Denny Diamond, Oct. 5-6

Rod Stewart Tribute, Oct. 18

Mirror of Mathis, Oct. 19-20

Down to the Funny Bones, Nov. 2-3

Andrew and His Sisters: A WWII Musical Tribute, Nov. 9-10

Branson on the Road, Christmas Style, Nov. 29-Dec. 1

Scrooge the Comedy, Dec. 3-17

Polo Community Theater

Romeo and Juliet, Sept. 30-Oct. 1, Polo Town Hall, 115 S. Franklin Ave., Polo

A Candle in the Window, tba

Art exhibits

The Next Picture Show, 113 W. First St., Dixon.

— Farms and Barns exhibit, opens Saturday and runs through Oct. 22. Opening reception 6 p.m.

— Black and White exhibit through Sept. 30, KSB Hospital’s Commerce Towers.

— Graydon Cafarella Celebration will feature 150 works of art, many of them in watercolor, by Graydon Cafarella. It runs through Oct. 22. A special reception will be Saturday.

Markets

Twin City Farmers Market, 8 a.m.-noon Saturdays, year-round indoors and out; 106 Avenue A in Sterling, 815-626-8610, twincitycarmersmarket.com and Facebook.

Dixon Park District Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to noon Wednesdays through Oct. 26 and 7 a.m. to noon Saturdays through Oct. 29, Haymarket Square, 513 W. Second St., Dixon.

Rock Falls Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wednesday and Saturday, 400 W Second St., Rock Falls, through October.

Chana Route 64 Auction Barn Inc. auction, 10 a.m. (first and third) Sunday; flea market, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (second and fourth) Saturday and Sunday at 620 S. Stone Hill Road. Find Chana Auction Barn on Facebook or call 815-830-3898 for more information. Contact Market Manager Robin at 815-973-0728 for details.

Mount Carroll Farmer’s Market, 8 a.m. to noon, each Saturday through Oct. 29.

BASIC Market, 514 13th Ave., Fulton, 9 a.m. to noon, Saturdays through October.

Museums, exhibits and attractions

Loveland History Museum, 9 a.m. -2 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Loveland Community House, 513 W. Second St., Dixon; free.

Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center at Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. Open 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7071 Riverview Road, Thomson. Call 815-273-2732.

Reagan Boyhood Home, 810 S Hennepin Ave, Dixon, March 29 to Dec. 17, is open for tours Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with the last tour leaving at 3 p.m.

Northwest Territory Historic Center, 205 West Fifth St. Dixon, open 9 a.m - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Ronald Reagan Birthplace/Museum, 111 Main Street, Tampico., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday (Except Easter Sunday and Mother’s Day). 815-622-8705.

Byron Museum of History, Wednesday-Saturday 10:00 to 3:00, located at 110 North Union Street, Byron.

Roberts Armory World War II Museum, Route 251 and Intermodal Drive, Rochelle. Open Nov. 6 in honor of Veterans Day or by appointment.

Chaplin Creek Village, full-scale historical restoration project depicting a prairie settlement typical of the middle 19th century, 1715 Whitney Road, Franklin Grove.

Special interest

Trivia Night, 6 p.m. Oct. 15, Franklin Grist Mill, 1893 Twist Road, Franklin Grove

Fitness on the Rock, 5:30 p.m., Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursday, 7:30 a.m. Saturdays, through October, RB&W Park, Rock Falls.

Author visits. Books on First, 202 W. First St., Dixon. Judy Carmichaels’ Great Inspirations 22 years of Jazz Inspired on NPR, noon, Oct. 13. Kelly Flanagans’ The Unhiding of Elijah Campbell, 11 a.m. Oct. 22.

Alcoholics Anonymous for Carroll, Lee, Ogle and Whiteside Counties. 1-800-452-7990. www.aa-nia.org.

Dixon Coin Club, 7 p.m., first Tuesday, American Legion, 1120 W. First St., Dixon.

Country Crossroads Quilt Guild, 7 p.m. third Monday, Forreston Grove Church, 7246 Freeport Road; Forreston.

Library programs

Sterling Public Library. Preschool story time, 10 a.m. Mondays, 10 a.m. second Saturday. Roleplaying Game Club-Dungeons and Dragons, 3:30 p.m. Mondays starting Aug. 29. Lego Club 10 a.m. first and third Saturday. Used book sale 9 a.m. Sept 24.

Dixon Public Library. Preschool storytime, ages 3-5, 10 a.m. Tuesdays starting Sept. 6. Baby-toddler storytime, ages 18 months-3, 9:30 and 10:30 a.m., Wednesdays starting Sept. 7. Computer coding club, every other Thursday starting Sept. 15, K-1, 2:45, Grades 2-3, 3:30, Grades 4-5, 4:15. Petting zoo, 2:30 p.m. Sept. 22. Halloween, 2:30 p.m. Oct. 20. DINO-vember, 2:30 p.m. Nov. 17. Holiday Fun, 2:30 p.m. Dec. 15.

Rock Falls Public Library. Book clubs, 6:30 p.m. last Tuesday of month, 10 a.m. first Thursday of month.

Information on events and attractions for Sauk Valley Media’s weekly calendar should be submitted to news@saukvalley.com. Include a contact person and phone number.