Holiday-themed events are starting to fill Sauk Valley calendar

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

Lighted Tractor Parade, 6:30 p.m., Nov. 25, Boyd Street, Lanark. Christmas tree lighting at Ag Center.

Savanna Festival of Trees, noon-5 p.m. weekends and 4-7 p.m. weekdays, Nov. 26-Dec. 12, Savanna Museum and Cultural Center.

Jingle Fest, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Nov. 26, Eastland Jr-Sr High School, 500 School Drive, Lanark. 40 crafts and vendors. Photos with Santa 10 a.m. to noon. Eastland yearbook junior class and cheerleaders will be selling concessions as fundraisers.

Starlight’s Theatre Thanksgiving Holiday Blues Show featuring Jerry Criss Band, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 26, 314 First Ave., Sterling.

Whiteside Forum will host guest speakers Paula Schares and Paula Purcell, who will speak to the topic “The Ukraine: How You Can Help” 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27, in theCommunity Room of the Odell Public Library, 307 S. Madison St., Morrison. All forum events are free to attend. Schares of Morrison will describe her experiences with the not-for-profit ENGin, that pairs Ukrainians with English speakers. Purcell of DeWitt, Iowa, is vice president of Iowa Newcomer Integration and Exchange and a Uniting for Ukraine sponsor that helps refugees find homes.

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. 3, 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.

Miles Nielsen and the Rusted Hearts, 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2.

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: 7 p.m. Dec. 2, Oregon VFW, 1310 W. Washington St., Oregon. (Fish fry 4-8 p.m., signup 6:45 p.m.)

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

Kevin Burt, Birddog Blues Band, Russ Green Band

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

Oregon High School Madrigals, 10:30 a.m. Dec. 5, Rock River Center, 810 S. 10th St., Oregon; registration required 815-0732-3252

Denny Diamond Christmas, 1 p.m., Dec. 12. $5.

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.

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

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.

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

Dixon High School

Madrigals Dinner, 6:30 p.m., Dec. 16, DHS cafeteria.

Oregon High School

Madrigal Dinner, 6 p.m. Dec. 9-10, Brubaker Center, Stronghold Camp & Retreat Center, north of Oregon.

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, 7 p.m. Dec. 2, 2 p.m., Morrison Institute of Technology

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

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, through Dec. 10, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.

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, 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., 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.

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. 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.

Home of Hope, 1637 Plock Drive, Dixon.

Library programs

Sterling Public Library. Preschool story time, 10 a.m. Mondays, 10 a.m. Tuesdays, 10 a.m. Saturdays. Roleplaying Game Club, 3:30 p.m. Mondays. Lego Club 10 a.m. first and third Saturday. Teen game night, 5:30 p.m. second Tuesdays. 5-star reads book club, 11:30 a.m. second Saturday; Nanowrimo, noon, Nov. 26, 5 p.m. Nov. 2, 10:30 a.m. Dec. 3. Midwest baking with Shauna Sever, 7 p.m. Dec. 13. Go-Go Gadget Open House, 3 p.m. Dec. 27.

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. 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. first and third Fridays.

Odell Public Library, 307 S. Madison St., Morrison. Lego club, 10:30 a.m. first Saturday. Storytime, 7 p.m. Thursday.

Lectures

Whiteside Forum, Odell Public Library, 307 S. Madison St., Morrison

“Ukraine: How You Can Help” with Paula Schares, volunteer of the cross-cultural English-Ukraine ENGin and Paula Purcell, vice president of Iowa Newcomer Integration and Exchange, 2 p.m. Nov. 27. Free admission.

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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