Last chance for Eagle’s Nest Art Show, Hennepin Canal presentation of ‘The Locktender’

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.

Just around the corner

Conservation station. Rock River Chapter of Ducks Unlimited will hold its annual banquet, 4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 1 at McCormick Event Center, 205 E. Third St., Rock Falls. Tickets are $65, $90 per couple, $25 for Green Wing Youth and includes dinner, Ducks Unlimited membership and magazine subscription. Sponsorship for land conservation is $250. Event includes a raffle and auction. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Call 815-631-0612 to inquire.

Last chance. It’s the final showing of the Eagle’s Nest Art Show at 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 1, Byron Museum of History, 110 N. Union St., Byron. The gallery features visual artworks by artists from Oregon, Byron, Rockford, Rock Falls, Dixon, Forreston, Mt. Morris, Ashton and Polo.

Down at the canal. Michigan actor Dexter Brigham presents “The Locktender” 1 p.m. Saturday, April 1 at Central Theater in Geneseo. The performance highlights the struggles and hopes of people who lived along the Hennepin Canal during its heyday. Admission is free to this event sponsored by Friends of the Hennepin Canal.

Iowa sounds. The “Iowa Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame Showcase” will be 7 p.m., Saturday, April 1, at Wild Rose Casino and Hotel in Clinton, Iowa. One of the featured acts is the acoustic trio Bruce Bowman, Mike Pickney and Mitch Evans, who were inducted into the Iowa Rock Hall of Fame in 2018. The other is “Iowa stomp” band The Unidynes of Dave Schneider, Kevin Kash, Dave Layton, Chuck Soenksen and JC Monroe. Admission is free.

Heads or tails? The Quad City Coin Club Show will be 9 a.m., Sunday, April 2 at the Camden Center, 2701 First St., Milan. Admission is free.

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, 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

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

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

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

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

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

Milledgeville High School

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, 7:30 p.m. March 31-April 1, 2:30 p.m. April 2

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.

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

Joan Crawford and Bette Davis featuring Jillann Gabriell, 1 p.m. April 17

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

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

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

Leydig Center, 1107 Eyelet Road, Dixon.

Not-for-profit thrift, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., last Saturday of the month. Donations accepted 8 a.m. to noon.

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. Great Blue Heron hike, 1:30 p.m March 19, Lock 3 at Illinois Route 29; 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., April 20, 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. Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m. second Saturday. Lego Club 10 a.m. first Saturday. Roleplaying club, 3:30 p.m. Monday. Monarch story time, 6 p.m. second Monday. 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. Library 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; Literary merits, 2 p.m. fourth Tuesday; 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; Danny Trejo Talks Tacos, Hollywood and Redemption, 7 p.m. April 4 (virtual).

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.

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

Bureau County Historical Society, 109 Park Ave. W, Princeton

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

Lectures and Seminars

Loveland Community Building, 513 W. Second St., Dixon

“Dixon’s Darkest Day: 1873 Bridge Collapse,” a Dixon Founders Day presentation by Tom Wadsworth, 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 11

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.

Savanna Museum and Cultural Center, 406 Main St., Savanna. Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May through October.

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/.