Steam-powered know-how, choir and an early Christmas treat on tap

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

Steam power. Mike McBride will have a program on the era of the shortline steam-powered locomotives of the La Salle and Bureau County Railroad, its role in mining and will touch on the Cherry Mine Disaster 7 p.m. Monday at the Lee County Historical and Genealogical Society office, 113 S. Hennepin Avenue in Dixon. Admittance is free. The office is handicapped accessible.

Mozart and more. The RiverChor — featuring performers from northwest Illinois and eastern Iowa — will perform “A Choral Cornucopia” 2 p.m. Sunday at Zion Lutheran Church, 439 Third Ave. South, in Clinton, Iowa. The concert is free, but donations will be accepted. The program opens with two pieces from composer William Billings: “Connection” and “Modern Music.” Mozart’s “Misericordias Domini” features pianist Chris Holmer and violinists Kristen Jones and Julie Marston while Fats Waller’s “Handful of Keys” will have Holmer and Maureen Pollpeter on piano. The choir’s alto-soprano section and its tenor-bass sections will each have separate spotlight pieces. The closing number will be “The Promise of Living.”

Girls Night Out. Relive the music pop sensations with The Boy Band Night, 7 p.m. Saturday at Timber Lake Playhouse, 8215 Black Oak Road, Mount Carroll. Tickets are $30.

One-man show. Jerry Armstrong presents Legends of Las Vegas, 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16 at Rock River Center, 810 S. 10th St., Oregon. Armstrong, an impressionist, sings hits from Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tom Jones, Elvis Presley and Neil Diamond. Tickets $8.

“It’ll put your eye out kid.” Performing Arts Guild presents the stage version “A Christmas Story,” with shows Friday-Sunday at Pinecrest Grove Theatre, 414 S. Wesley Ave., Mt. Morris. Follow 9-year-old Ralphie in his quest to obtain a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas.

Winter Farmers Market returns to Loveland Community House, on Saturday, 513 W. Second St., Dixon.

Upcoming

Music

Clinton Symphony Orchestra, Clinton, Iowa

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

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.

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

Jam Session, 7 p.m. every Thursday.

Rock River Center, 810 S. 10th St., Oregon

Legends of Las Vegas by Jerry Armstrong, 1 p.m. Nov. 16

Timber Lake Playhouse, Mount Carroll

Blues in the Woods, Kevin Burt, Birddog Blues Band, Russ Green Band, 3 p.m. May 21

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

Jim Kanas, 6:30 p.m. Nov. 12

Dre and Zion Quintana, 6:30 p.m., Nov. 19

Tampico Baptist Church

The Good Stewards, 6 p.m. Nov. 13

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

Rock Falls High School

Bambi: A Life in the Forest, Dec. 18

Miss Austen’s Choice, April 27-29

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

It’s a Wonderful Life, Dec. 2-3

Performing Arts Guild, Pinecrest Grove Theatre, 500 Evergreen Lane, Mt. Morris.

A Christmas Story, Nov. 11-13.

Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some), 7 p.m. Dec. 9-10, 2 p.m. Dec. 11

Art exhibits

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

Water Street Studios of Batavia presents works by 23 artists from Chicago area, Oct. 29 through Dec. 10, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.

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.

Eagle’s Nest Art Group, Conover Square Mall, 201 N. Third St., Oregon

Candlelight Walk, 4 p.m. Nov. 26. Original artwork created by artists from Ogle, Winnebago and Lee counties.

Markets

Winter Farmers Market, 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.

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.

Byron Museum of History, 110 N. Union St., Byron, indoor market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Nov. 12 and Dec. 10.

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 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

Rock River Center, 810 S. 10th St., Oregon. Cancer support, 2 p.m. fourth Wednesday of November. Caregiver support, 10 a.m., first and third Tuesday. Diabetic support, 11 a.m., first Wednesday. Low vision support, noon second and fourth Tuesday.

Author visits. Books on First, 202 W. First St., Dixon. Lisa Vihos, 11 a.m. Nov. 12.

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.

Bureau County Fairgrounds, Princeton. Winter Garage Sale, 8 a.m. Nov. 12. Walneck’s Motorcycle Swap, 8 a.m. Nov. 13, $7. Northern Illinois Model Train Fair and Farm Toy Show, 9 a.m. Nov 19, $5. Sauk Trail Gun Collector’s Show and Sale, Nov. 26-27, $5. Home for the Holidays lighted drive, Fri., Sat. and Sun, Nov. 25-Dec. 25. Christmas after-parade, 1:30 p.m. Dec. 3 Christmas Craft and Vendor Show and Flea Market, Dec. 10.

Library programs

Sterling Public Library. Preschool story time, 10 a.m. Mondays and Tuesdays. 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. 5-star reads book club, 11:30 a.m. second Saturday; Conversation with Caitlin Doughty, 7 p.m. Nov. 16. Nanowrimo, noon, Nov. 12, Nov. 19, Nov. 26, 5 p.m. Nov. 29.

Dixon Public Library. Preschool storytime, ages 3-5, 10 a.m. Tuesdays; Baby-toddler storytime, 9:30 a.m. Wednesdays; Orbital book group, 6 p.m. Wednesdays; Morning mysteries, 10:30 a.m. Mondays; Computer coding club, every other Thursday K-1, 2:45, Grades 2-3, 3:30, Grades 4-5, 4:15. 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. Morning Makers, 10 a.m. Mondays. Dino-Mite Family Night, 5:30 p.m. Nov. 15. Lego Builder, 3:45 p.m. Nov. 21.

Odell Public Library, 307 S. Madison St., Morrison. Book sale through Nov. 19.

Historical societies

Lee County Historical and Genealogy Society, 113 S. Hennepin Ave., Dixon.

La Salle and Bureau County Railroad and the Cherry Mine by Mike McBride, 7 p.m. Nov. 14.

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.