Relive the '80s hard rock era at the new Hard Rock Casino Rockford on Saturday, Oct. 25.

The Biz Boo! Trick-or-Treating event is from 4-6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24 in Rock Falls.

Downtown Joliet Spirits with the Spirits event is set for 5-9 p.m. Friday.

The Monster Mash Bash is Saturday afternoon at Oswego High School.

Howlin' at the Moon, an event for adults 21 and over, is set for Friday and Saturday nights at Naper Settlement.

Hometown Halloween kicks off at 10:30 a.m. in La Salle, and includes a costume parade, trick-or-treating and more.

Discover the colors and activities of autumn at these parks in the Illinois Valley.

Sample more than 30 wines at 16 stops in downtown Woodstock on Saturday, Oct. 25.

The Woodstock Opera House will show the film at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25.

This event offers something for everyone — from costumes and crafts to music, games and treats.

Guests will follow a trail of clues hidden throughout downtown Ottawa, where each stop reveals another piece of the puzzle.

The final curtain hasn't fallen on small town community theater across the nation. That's the case in Polo, where performers of all ages and experience levels come together for a few shows a year to entertain and amaze local crowds.

Celebrate local veterans at Cantigny Park with Brew It Forward on Saturday, Nov. 8.

Watch football and baseball playoff games at one of these lively sports bars in northern Illinois.

Upcoming events include

The future of the Joliet park has been in question since the park manager was put on administrative leave.

Actors Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan and Elijah Wood will reunite with fans for "An Evening with the Hobbits: In Celebration of 25 Years," at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026.

Dixon's Scarecrow Fest is Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025.

Comedian and actor Paul Reiser will be at the McAninch Arts Center on the College of DuPage campus Friday, Oct. 17.

Browse a Halloween craft show, take a haunted hayride and more this weekend in Will County!

Take a guided ghost tour of the historic Ellwood House mansion in DeKalb on Friday or Saturday night.

Search for candy-filled eggs at Yorkville's Halloween Egg Hunt on Friday, Oct. 17.

Starved Rock Lodge will host an Oktoberfest Dinner Oct. 19, while Princeton's Oktoberfest is Oct. 18.

The Grand Opening Weekend lineup features live music, food trucks and special limited beer releases.

Enjoy an enchanting afternoon or magic, wizards and witches at the historic Woodstock Square.

Cirque Mechanics will perform Friday, Oct. 24 while Rhinestone Cowgirls will perform Nov. 21.

Interactive highlights include responsive light sculptures, laser graffiti, enchanted fountains, train car installations, rooftop laser shows and more.

Take a ghost tour of the historic building on Wednesdays in October, and enjoy craft beer and spirits at McHenry Brews & Barrel Fest Oct. 18.

The Illinois Valley has several haunted tours that explore the supernatural this Halloween season.

National Dessert Day is Tuesday, Oct. 14!

Northwest Illinois, eastern Iowa and southwest Wisconsin are home to frightfully fun haunted houses.

October is a jam-packed month at Brookfield Zoo Chicago, with events for adults-only and the whole family.

Check out these delightfully frightening haunted houses in northern Illinois, guaranteed to bring the scares this season.

Explore haunted houses, trails, campgrounds and tours located in Starved Rock Country in La Salle County.

3D Sideouts in Island Lake is a great place to watch a game, with 30 indoor and outdoor TVs, as well as the Sunday NFL Ticket package.

GreenMan Theatre’s popular Graveside Stories Cemetery Walk returns Saturday, Oct. 18 at Churchville Cemetery in Bensenville, and Oct. 24-25 at Bronswood Cemetery in Oak Brook.

Downtown Wheaton is offering a variety of family-friendly events to celebrate the holidays this season.

Check out these exciting family events happening in Glen Ellyn!

Guests will hear accounts of unexplained occurrences experienced not only by the Grams family, who own the museum, but also by employees and visitors over the decades.

Thousands of glass pumpkins will be on display at the Morton Arboretum from Friday, Oct. 10 through Sunday, Oct. 12.

Help support Will County's Children Advocacy Center at the Men Who Cook fundraiser Oct. 11.

Burgoo Festival is Saturday, Oct. 11 and Sunday, Oct. 12 in Utica.

Sterling's popular beer festival Hops on the Rock is set for 3-6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11.

The Edith Farnsworth House in Plano will host its Fall Festival on Sunday, Oct. 12.

The St. Charles Scarecrow Weekend is Oct. 10-12.

All Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra concerts are held in the Boutell Memorial Concert Hall, in the Northern Illinois University Music Building. The season opens Oct. 11

Watch a screening of the 1981 cult classic horror film as a live string ensemble performs.

The McHenry County Historical Society & Museum will now host its Fall Festival event at the campus in Union, a change from the previously announced location.

The self-proclaimed Bozologist — he’s written the book on Bozo — has taken his massive collection of toys, merchandise, research, and historical ephemera and put it in one place in downtown Elgin.

Experience some real-life haunts at the historic Egyptian Theatre in downtown DeKalb on Friday, Oct. 10.