English visitor, Harvest Days and live music part of Sauk Valley happenings

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 https://www.shawlocal.com/sauk-valley/forms/press-releases/. Include a contact person and phone number.

This Week

Live musical performances:

Assemblymen Gospel Quartet will perform 6 p.m. Sunday at East Grove Union Church, 449 Reuter Road, Amboy. Dessert buffet will follow.

Nick & Jenna McClelland, 9 a.m., Saturday, Eclipse Square, Prophetstown.

Four bands are scheduled to perform starting at 2 p.m. Saturday for Mooseapalooza, Sterling Moose Lodge in Sterling. There will be a silent auction, dessert auction and food.

Rendezvous Arts’ third season at Dixon Stage Left, 306 W First St, Dixon, begins 5:30 p.m. Wednesday with blues harmonica player Corky Siegel and violinist Randy Sabien performing blues to the artistry of painter Ken Reif. Tickets are $30.

Other goings-on

Exploring the gender gap. “Defending the Caveman” is Vince Valentine’s one-person show that’s been on Broadway and Las Vegas and is at Timber Lake Playhouse in Mount Carroll with shows 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.

Chug along. Sauk Valley Apple Cider Run, half-marathon, 10K and 5K run-walk, Oct. 8, Selmi’s, Rock Falls. There’s an apple or some cider for the runners.

Throw open the barn door. The Next Picture Show, 113 W. First St., Dixon will “Pop into the Pop-Up” 5 p.m. Friday with a chance to cast a vote for the People’s Choice award in the Farms and Barns art exhibit. House Wine will perform at 5:30 p.m., Jay Vonn at 7 p.m.

From Jolly Ol’ England. Grantham, England Mayor Graham Jeal from will greet Tampico Mayor Kristine Hill at the Ronald Reagan Birthplace Museum, 10 a.m. Friday in Tampico. The ceremony will mark the relationship between Grantham, the birthplace of former United Kingdom Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and U.S. President Ronald Reagan. There will be an exchange of gifts between the mayors to encourage cooperation between the Reagan museum and the Grantham Museum.

Hit the road. Backroads Barn Sale will be 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Carroll County Fairgrounds, Milledgeville. Tickets are $3. Shops for crafters, makers and boutiques will be set up.

Autumn colors. It’s Harvest Days at Eclipse Square in Prophetstown, starting at 7 a.m. Saturday with a mug of coffee, cider or hot chocolate. There will be arts and crafts, vendors and kids activities, including face painting. Nick and Jenna McClelland will perform at 9 a.m. There will be pumpkin painting, Boy Scouts burgers and chops, a fall photobooth, jewelry making and a DJ with music at 11 a.m.

Junior Scientists. STEM activities take center stage 10 a.m. at Discovery Center, Riverfront Museum Park, 711 North Main Street, Rockford. $10.

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

Eclipse Square, Prophetstown

Unannounced, 5 p.m., Oct. 28

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

Todd Lorenz, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 22

Musical ImPACT Concert, Polo Area Community Theater

Duets and Trios, 7 p.m. Oct 15, 2 pm. Oct. 16

Rosbrook Studio, 107 S. Peoria Ave., Dixon.

Second Saturday Open Mic, signup at 6 p.m., performances 7 to 11 p.m., $3 suggested donation.

Sugarpill, Half Catholic, McCrae and The Scummies, 8 p.m. Oct. 21.

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.

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

Rendezvous Arts: True Colors Baroque and Don Widmer, Nov. 2

Baroque Chamber Music, 3 p.m. Nov. 20

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

Rendezvous Arts: Matt Ulery and Matt Shevitz Quartet and Anne Hanley, Dec. 14

Rendezvous Arts: Kontras Quartet, Jan. 11

Rendezvous Arts: Fareed Haque and Goran Ivanovic and Jen McNulty, Feb. 1

12 Angry Jurors, tba

The Laramie Project, March 2023

Rendezvous Arts: Steam Quartet and Benjamin Calvert, March 23

Rendezvous Arts: Metropolis Oboe Quartet and Faith Humphrey Hill, April 19

The Revolutionists, May 2023

Pride and Prejudice, July 2023

She Kills Monsters, Aug. 2023

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

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

Morrison Music Theatre Association, Bethesda Lutheran Church, 301 W. South St., Morrison

It’s a Wonderful Life, Dec. 2-3

Festival 56

G.I.T. Improv, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 8, Grace Theater, 316 Main St., Princeton

Rocky Horror Picture Show, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 21-22, Grace Theater, 316 Main St., Princeton

Art exhibits

Sauk Valley Community College Art Gallery

The Oregon Years by Susanne Nestory, reception noon, Oct. 19, exhibit open now through Oct. 19.

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

Farms and Barns exhibit, opens Saturday and runs through Oct. 22.

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

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

Winter Farmers Market, Nov. 5, Nov. 12, Dec. 3, Dec. 17, Jan. 7, Jan. 21, Loveland Community House, 513 W. Second St., Dixon. 815-284-2741 for information about booth rental.

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

Havencrest Castle, Savanna. Tours of first and second floors, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Oct. 8-9, Oct. 15-16, Oct. 22-23, Oct. 29-30. $25.

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.

General Federation of Women’s Clubs, Franklin Grove chapter, 7 p.m. first Monday, Atlasta Park, Franklin Grove.

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.