Valentine dances, red-tie fundraiser headline Sauk Valley events

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 Shaw Local News Network’s weekly calendar https://www.shawlocal.com/sauk-valley/forms/press-releases/. Include a contact person and phone number.

This week

Red tie event. Chocolate Rendezvous, a fundraiser for the Sauk Valley Community College Impact program, will be 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, at the college’s Dillon Mall. Guests are encouraged to dress in red and black finery. It is a night of gourmet appetizers, more than 100 desserts, liquor and wine tastings, hand-roasted coffee and live entertainment. The evening will close with fireworks. Tickets are $95. Call for availability 815-835-6329.

Got cabin fever. The Vintage and Artisan Market will be 5 p.m. Thursday Feb. 9 at Post House Ballroom, 100 West Second St., Dixon. Handmade items, original artwork and vintage finds. There are 25 vendors and a cash bar.

Celebrate with a sweetheart. The Valentine’s Day Dance with music by Denny Diamond will be 1:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, at Rock River Center, 810 S. 10th St., Oregon. $5 suggested donation. Call 815-732-3252 for availability.

Hearts on fire. A Valentine’s Dance and Party with refreshments and DJ will be 6 p.m. Feb. 10 at Polo Senior Center, 101 E. Mason St., Polo. Admission is $10. Call for availability 815-946-3818.

Honestly, Abe. Dana Collins will have a presentation about Abraham Lincoln in Illinois, 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, at Princeton Public Library. Collins is a painter and retired art professor with degrees from Washington University and Pratt Institute in New York and has studied the Civil War period extensively. Admission is free.

Who do you call? It’s United Way 2-1-1 Day, which commemorates the United Way three-digit phone number that connects people in need with the services that can best help them. In conjunction, Culver’s in Rock Falls and Dixon will be offering $2.11 concrete mixers or cheese curds to promote the service. The offer lasts from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Here’s Johnny. Johnny Lyons, aka Johnny Cash, will provide a Valentine’s Day concert, 2 p.m. at Heritage Woods, Sterling.

Music

Woodlawn Arts Academy, 3807 Woodlawn Road, Sterling

Rhythm-Quest Rocks, 6 p.m. April 16

Spring Music Recital, 6 p.m., May 23, St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1701 16th Ave., Sterling

Spring Vocal Recital, 6 p.m., May 23

Dance Recital, 6:30 p.m. June 2, 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., June 3, Centennial Auditorium, Sterling High School

Clinton Symphony Orchestra, Clinton, Iowa

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

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

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, Birddog Blues Band, Russ Green Band

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

Dixieland Six “Mardi Gras Show”, 1 p.m., Feb. 23

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

Lowell Harp and Family, 6:30 p.m., Feb. 25

Bureau County Fair, Princeton

Josh Turner with Sara Evans, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 24

Theater productions

Historic Dixon Theatre, 114 S. Galena Ave., Dixon

Franc D’Ambrosio’s Broadway Celebration, 7:30 p.m. April 15

Head East, 7:30 p.m., April 22

The Adventures of Tortoise and Hare the Next Gen, 2 p.m. April 23

Dixon Stage Left, 306 W First St, Dixon

The Laramie Project, 7:30 p.m. March 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18.

Rendezvous Arts: Steam Quartet and Benjamin Calvert, 5:30 p.m. March 23

Rendezvous Arts: Metropolis Oboe Quartet and Faith Humphrey Hill, 5:30 p.m. April 19

The Revolutionists, 7:30 p.m. May 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20.

Rendezvous Arts: True Colors Baroque and Don Widmer, May 10.

Pride and Prejudice, 7:30 p.m. July 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23.

She Kills Monsters, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 11, 12, 13.

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

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

Dancing Queen ABBA Salute, March 21-24

Piano Man tribute to Elton John and Billy Joel, March 23

Kenny and Dolly in Harmony, April 4-6

Sounds of Summer Beach Boys tribute, April 21-22

A Rock’n’Roll Tribute, May 3-4

Vito Zatto Show, May 17-18

Dueling Pianos, May 24-25

Polo Community Theater

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

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

Rock Falls High School

Miss Austen’s Choice, April 27-29

Woodlawn Arts Academy, 3807 Woodlawn Road, Sterling

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Jr., 7 p.m. March 31, 7 p.m. April 1, 2 p.m. April 2, Centennial Auditorium, Sterling High School.

The Black Box Theatre, 1623 Fifth Ave., Moline

Natural Shocks, Feb. 2-11

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

Mike Maxwell clean comedy, 1 p.m., March 13

Art exhibits

Woodlawn Arts Academy, 2807 Woodlawn Road, Sterling

Artwork of Beverly Garcia, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, through Feb. 10

Student-Teacher Art Exhibit, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27 to April 28

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

The 18th Regional Survey Art Show, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, through Feb. 18.

KSB Hospital Commerce Towers, 215 E. First St., Dixon

Transportation by The Next Picture Show, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., through March 31, KSB Hospital Commerce Towers

Byron Museum of History, 110 N. Union St., Byron

Eagle’s Nest Art Group exhibit, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, through April 1.

Exhibits

St. Mary Parish Center, Bales Hall, 600 Avenue B, Sterling

Vatican International Exhibition of the Eucharistic Miracles of the World, St. Mary Parish Center. Exhibit is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 18 and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 19. Presentations throughout the day. Spanish-language translations available.

Markets

Loveland History Museum, 513 W. Second St., Dixon

Cabin Fever Craft show, noon to 6 p.m. Friday, March 10, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 11

Twin City Farmers Market, 106 Avenue A in Sterling

8 a.m.-noon Saturdays, year-round indoors and out;

Chana Route 64 Auction Barn Inc., 620 S. Stone Hill Road, Chana

Auction, 10 a.m., first and third Sunday; flea market, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., second and fourth Saturday and Sunday

Special interest

Friends of the Hennepin Canal. Bald Eagle Hike, 4.6 miles, meet Feb. 19 at Lock 30 (Steel/Dam Milan).

Rock River Center, 810 S. 10th St., Oregon. Cancer support, 2 p.m. fourth Wednesday. 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.

Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group, 3:30 p.m. first Mondays, First Lutheran Church, 19 W. Second St., Chadwick.

Survivors of Suicide Support Group, 6:30 p.m. fourth Thursdays, Crossroads Community Center, 201 W. Market St., Morrison

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.

PFLAG Sauk Valley. Support for LGBTQIA+ individuals and family members. 4 p.m. third Sunday (except June and September), First Presbyterian Church, 410 Second Ave., Sterling. Zoom available. Contact pflagsaukvalley@gmail.com.

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

Judy Carmichael, “Great Inspirations: 22 Years of Jazz Inspired on NPR,” 11:30 a.m. Feb. 13.

Library programs

Sterling Public Library. Preschool story time, 10 a.m. Mondays, 10 a.m. Tuesdays, 10 a.m. second 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. Adults Reading Kids Stuff, 6 p.m. last Tuesday.

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.

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. Lego Builders, 10 a.m. Jan. 28; Fill a bag sale, 9 a.m., Jan. 28; Family Night 5:30 p.m. Jan. 30; Family time Valentine craft, 6 p.m. Feb. 9.

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

Historical societies

Sterling Rock Falls Historical Society, Lincoln Learning Center, 607 E. Third St. Sterling

Megan Wells presents “Eleanor Roosevelt: On Discovering How to Be Useful, 2 p.m. March 12

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, open April to December.

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).

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.

Please submit information including photos for Shaw Local News Network’s weekly calendars to https://www.shawlocal.com/sauk-valley/forms/press-releases/.