Around the Sauk Valley: Peter Pan, Shakespeare and Rafflemania all on the schedule

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:  JT Wells, 11 a.m., Renegade Wildflower, noon, Brit Stroke Band, 3 p.m., Saturday, Autumn on Parade entertainment stage, Oregon.

“Peter and the Starcatcher” is a production of Dixon Stage Left, 306 W. First St., Dixon,  with performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Oct. 6-8. Adult tickets are $30. The play serves as the prequel of the century-old story of how a miserable orphan comes to be “The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up,” Peter Pan; how a hooked pirate becomes his nemesis; and how the island of Neverland is discovered.

“Romeo and Juliet,” is being performed by Polo Community Theater with shows 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday, Polo Town Hall, 115 S. Franklin Ave., Polo

Fall auction. The Dixon Lioness Lions will conduct Rafflemania and barbecue dinner. The event starts at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at Loveland Community House. The dinner costs $8. The raffle involves purchase of numbers, $1 for five, $5 for 30. For information, call 815-288-3072.

Helping hand. The Sauk Valley Foodbank is asking residents to help “Feed the Need” 5 p.m. during an open youse 5 p.m. Thursday at 1801 Plant Drive, Sterling.

Leg it out. Ultra marathoners will set off on the Hennepin Hundred from Sinnissippi Park in Sterling at 7 a.m. on Saturday. They’ll cross the Rock River on the pedestrian bridge and follow the Hennepin Canal. The 50-mile race ends at Lock 17 near Wyanet, the 100 mile race goes to Colona.

Paddles up. The Yak Yak Sisters kayaking group is holding a Hennepin Hundred Paddle to run concurrently with the ultramarathon, which starts 7 a.m. Saturday from Sinnissippi Park. The group is encouraging kayakers to show up with signs and a cow bell to encourage the runners.

First note. Clinton Symphony Orchestra will open its 69th season with a concert from the opera “Cold Mountain” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Vernon Cook Theater in Clinton, Iowa. This is Brian Dollinger’s 15th season as conductor.  The concert also includes “Rhapsody for Violin and Strings” and Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 in C minor. Tickets start at $20. Students get in free and accompanying adults get in for half-price. Because of construction, attendees from Illinois are asked to cross the Mississippi River via the north bridge in Fulton.

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

Solo shot. “Defending the Caveman,” a solo performance by Philadelphia actor Vince Valentine will debut on Thursday and runs through Oct. 9 at Timber Lake Playhouse in Mount Carroll.  The comedic play is was called a “surprisingly sweet exploration of the gender gap” by the Chicago Sun Times.

Handcrafted goodness. The Fall Vintage and Artisan Market will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Mills and Petrie Building, 704 N. First St., Ashton, features 40 vendors with homemade items, local art and upscale vintage items.

One scoop. Ice Cream Social will be 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Annan Mill, W. Lincolnway, Morrison. Visitors may tour the mill. The event is by the Morrison Historical Society Board of Trustees.

Back in time. Heritage Canyon, at 515 N. Fourth Street, and Andresen Nature Center are part of the Fulton Fall Festival, which will be Saturday and Sunday. There will be early American crafters and historical interpretation in the 11 buildings dating to the late 1800s from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The nature center will have spider-themed activities for children. Admission to Heritage Canyon is $2 for adults and $1 for school-age children.

Best in show. Rockford-Freeport Kennel Club will have the AKC Dog Show at the Stephenson County Fairgrounds in Freeport on Saturday and Sunday.

Tough nut. Fall Prairie Harvest Day will be 9 a.m. Saturday at Nygren Wetland Preserve, 3190 W. Rockton Road, Rockton. Admission is free. Volunteers will help collect seeds from native wildflowers and grasses. It’s part of the National Land Institute’s Oak Awareness Month activities.

Upcoming

Music

Clinton Symphony Orchestra, Clinton, Iowa

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., Dec. 4, James A. Wiltz Auditorium, Dixon

2023 season premier, 7 p.m. March 4, Dixon Theatre

Winning Wheels Summer Concert Series, Eclipse Square, Prophetstown

Unannounced, 5 p.m., Oct. 28

Books on First, 202 W. First St., Dixon.

Todd Lorenz, 6:30 p.m.

Musical ImPACT Concert, Polo Area Community Theater

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

Rosbrook Studio Second Saturday Open Mic

Signup at 6 p.m., performances 7 to 11 p.m., 107 S. Peoria Ave., Dixon. $3 suggested donation.

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

Jam Session, 7 p.m. every Thursday.

The First Fridays Open Mic, K’s Sports Bar, 408 East Washington (Route 64) in Oregon.

Next show is 7 p.m. Oct. 7 at Oregon VFW, 1310 W. Washington St.

East Grove Union Church, 449 Reuter Road, Amboy

Assemblymen, 6 p.m., Oct. 16

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

Kevin Burt, Birddog Blues Band, Russ Green Band

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.

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, Oct, 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

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

A Candle in the Window, 7 p.m. Dec. 2-3, 2 p.m. Dec. 4, 7 p.m. Dec. 9, 2 p.m. Dec. 10.

Masquerade Ball, 6 p.m. Jan. 21, Maxson Restaurant, Oregon

Junie B. Jones The Musical, Feb. 24-26, March 3-4

Hyronomous A. Frog, May 5-7, 12-13.

Woodlawn Arts Academy, 3807 Woodlawn Road, Sterling

Alice in Wonderland Jr., 7 p.m. Oct. 14-16, Centennial Auditorium, Sterling High School, Penguin Project of the Sauk Valley

Pirates Past Noon Kids, 7 p.m. Nov. 11-12, 2 p.m. Nov. 13, Centennial Auditorium, Sterling Highschool, Magic Tree House.

Shining Stars Musical Revue, 7 p.m. Dec. 10, 2 p.m. Dec. 11, Centennial Auditorium, Sterling, Penguin Project of the Sauk Valley

Schoolhouse Rock! Live Jr., 7 p.m. Jan. 13-14, 2 p.m. Jan. 15, James A. Wiltz Auditorium, Dixon High School

Sterling High School

You Can’t Take It With You, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28-29, 2 p.m. Oct. 30, Centennial Auditorium, Sterling

Dixon High School

Fairy Tale Courtroom, 7 p.m. Nov. 4-5, 2 p.m. Nov. 6, James A. Wiltz Auditorium, Dixon

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. on Sept. 16.

Graydon Cafarella Celebration will feature 150 works of art, many of them in watercolor. It runs through Oct. 22.

Woodland Arts Academy, 117 W. Second St., Rock Falls

Juried Art Show, through Nov. 16, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday.

Lecture series

Tom Wadsworth, 6:30 p.m., Men’s Club Room, Loveland Community House and Museum, Dixon

Why the Early Church Didn’t Have “Worship Services”, Oct. 4

The Real Meaning of Worship in the Bible, Oct. 11

The Temple That Changed Everything, Oct. 18

Why They Didn’t “Preach Sermons” in Church, Oct. 25

Worship Wars: The Biblical Role of Music, Nov. 1

How the Church Later Developed Worship Services, Nov. 8

The Biblical Purpose of Going to Church, Nov. 15

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. Lego Club 10 a.m. first and third Saturday. Teen game night, 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Roleplaying Game Club-Call of Cthulhu, 3:30 p.m. third Tuesday. Very Terrifying Storytime, 6 p.m. Oct. 25. Stories After Dark, 7 p.m. Oct. 25. Nanowrimo prep, Oct. 22. 5-star reads book club, 11:30 a.m. second Saturday.

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.  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. Family Night, 5:30 p.m. Oct. 6, Lego Builder, 3:45 p.m. Oct. 17, Morning Makers, 10 a.m. Oct. 7, Oct. 21, Play Cafe and Family storytime, 10:30 a.m. Oct. 13, Oct. 27, Sew Much Fun, 6 p.m. Oct. 12, Oct. 19.

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.

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