Bingo, spring crafts and an appearances by the Easter bunny on tap in Sauk Valley

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

Just around the corner

Bingo’s the game. Doors open at 6 p.m. Friday, March 24 while games start an hour later at Rock Falls American Legion, 712 Fourth Ave., Rock Falls. $10 for a play packet.

What a laugh. The Joker’s Wild Comedy series will be 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 24, at Wild Rose Casino and Hotel in Clinton, Iowa. Comedians are the card are Billie Smith of Peoria, Michelle De Sutter, Austin Ingels and Nick Goett of Metamora. Tickets are $10.

Dancing Queen. ABBA Salute will be Thursday and Friday, March 23-24 at White Pines Dinner Theatre, 6712 W. Pines Road, Mount Morris. Also: xiano Man tribute to Elton John and Billy Joel, March 23

Spring thing. Craft and vendor show, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, March 25, Parties on Pope, 207 Pope St., Nelson.

Pioneer life. Heritage Woodworking tools demonstration 6 p.m. Thursday, March 23, Windmill Cultural Center, 111 10th Ave., Fulton. Woodworker and tool maker Dan Schwank will lead the demonstration.

Plucky fun. John Lindhorst of Oregon Music Garage will present 100 Years of Smiles with Ukuleles, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 25, Savanna Museum and Cultural Center.

Easter Themed Events

Pictures with the Easter Bunny. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 25, Rock Falls Community Building. Bring your own camera and take shots of the family. There will be spot giveaways on the half hour. Open painting, raffles and items for sale.

Easter Egg Hunt, 5:30 p.m. Friday March 31, Sterling Rock Falls YMCA, 2505 YMCA Way, Sterling. Pool filled with plastic eggs. Children enter with their age group starting with 4-year olds. $5 for members, $10 for others.

Easter Egg Hunt, noon to 2 p.m., Saturday, April 1, Premier Rental Purchase, 1395 N. Galena Ave., Dixon.

Coloma Township Park District Easter Egg Hunt, 1 p.m. Saturday, April 1, Centennial Park, Rock Falls. Inquire about registration, 815-625-0272.

Sterling Park District Easter Egg Hunt, 1:30 p.m., Saturday, April 1, Westwood Soccer Fields near Westwood Building 3. Free for children 8 and younger.

Music

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 221 W. Third St., Dixon

Evensong Church of Atonement (Chicago), 5 p.m., June 4

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, St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1701 16th Ave., Sterling

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

The Breadth of Greatness, 7:30 p.m. April 22, Vernon Cook Theater, Clinton High School

Pops Concert, June 4, Riverview Park Bandshell, Clinton

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

Jam Session, 7 p.m. every Thursday.

Coloma Park District, Rock Falls Community Building

Youth Center Dances, 7 p.m. April 8, May 13. $3.

Timber Lake Playhouse, Mount Carroll

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

Bureau County Fair, Princeton

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

Oregon VFW, 1310 W. Washington St., Oregon

The First Fridays Open Mic, 6:30 p.m., donation

Rosbrook Studio, 107 S. Peoria Ave., Dixon

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

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

Lowell Harp and Friends, 6:30 p.m. April 15.

Harold Harrison, 6:30 p.m. May 6

Todd Lorenc, 6:30 p.m., May 13

Theater productions

Centennial Auditorium, Sterling

Branson’s Ozark Jubilee presents Stars of the Grand Ole Opry, 2 p.m. April 15, $17 and up.

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

From The New World, Rendezvous Arts Orchestra, 5 p.m., May 21

Dixon Stage Left, 306 W First St, Dixon

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

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

Rock Falls High School

Miss Austen’s Choice, April 27-29

Dixon Public Schools, Wirtz Auditorium, Dixon High School

The Addams Family School Edition, 7 p.m., April 14, 15, 16

Polo Community Theater, Polo Town Hall, 117 N. Franklin Ave., Polo

Hyronomous A. Frog, 7 p.m. May 5, 6 and 12, 2 p.m. May 7 and 13.

Jungle Book, July 12, 15, 16. Free.

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.

Art exhibits

Woodlawn Arts Academy, 2807 Woodlawn Road, Sterling

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

Shades of Gray, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, Feb. 24 through March 25.

Phidian Art Show, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, March 31 to April 22. Awards reception 7 p.m. March 31.

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.

Markets

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

Best of Dixon Gala, May 5, Dixon Elks Lodge, 1279 Franklin Grove Road, Dixon.

Quad City Coin Club, Camden Center, 2701 First St., Milan. Coin show, 9 a.m. Sunday, April 2. Free.

Friends of the Hennepin Canal. Raccoon hike, 1:30 p.m. April 16, Bridge 15/Visitor’s Center; Indigo Bunting hike, 1:30 p.m. May 21, Lock 33 Rock Falls; Woodchuck hike, 1:30 p.m. June 11, Lock 29 Colona.

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. March 20, Trunk show by Judy Bender of Belvidere.

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.

Petunia City Quilt Guild, 6:30 p.m. first Monday, First Presbyterian Church, 110 East Third St., Dixon. Info at https://petuniacityquiltguild.com/.

Illinois Elks Children’s Care Corp. Children’s Podiatry Clinic, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Morrison Family Care Clinic, 303 N. Jackson St., Morrison. Clinic is free, but appointments are required; call 800-272-0074.

Library programs

Sterling Public Library. Preschool story time, 10 a.m. Mondays, 10 a.m. Tuesdays, 10:45 a.m. second Saturdays. Lego Club 10 a.m. first and 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. Bluestem Books, 2 p.m. second Tuesday. Bingo, 3 p.m. fourth Friday. Reading with therapy dogs, 10 a.m. third Saturday.

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. third 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. March 28. Story time with Easter Bunny, 10 a.m. March 29.

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

Lectures and Seminars

Sauk Valley Chamber of Commerce

Legislative updates from Clark Kaecher, vice president of government affairs, Illinois Chamber of Commerce, and Ryan Gleason, manager of Great Lakes Region, United States Chamber of Commerce, 11:30 a.m. April 11, Sterling Federal Bank, 110 E. Fourth St., Sterling. Register 815-625-2400.

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/.