Entertainment

Fiesta en el Bicentennial Park, a food and music festival, was held Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024 at Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park in Joliet. The event is hosted by the Joliet Latino Economic Development Association, or LEDA, a nonprofit organization that generates funds to support Latino small business owners and entrepreneurs in the Joliet area.

Head to Marengo for Oktoberfest and walk in Richmond for a fall wine walk this weekend in McHenry County.

Spooky Night Out on Sept. 14 is hosted by the Lockport Woman’s Club to benefit local charities.

Here are some things to do in and around Grundy County the weekend of Friday, Sept. 13.

Rock Falls Tourism’s newest event, the Taco Throwdown Festival, will be from 3-10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, at the RB&W District, 201 E. Second St., Rock Falls.

The city of Lockport, in collaboration with HBO, will be holding a special advance screening for the Peabody Award –winning HBO series “Somebody Somewhere:" on Oct. 30.

The third annual Pints by the Pond Craft Beer Festival, hosted by Batavia Park District, returns to Peg Bond Center at Batavia Riverwalk on Sept. 21 for an afternoon of enjoying unique small-batch beer, live music and food trucks.

Highlights of Fiesta en el Bicentennial Park include local artists, diverse food vendors and unique shops

The inaugural Chicago area festival happens Saturday, Sept. 21, at the Kane County Cougars' stadium in Geneva.

The event, which features live jazz music at venues across the city, is Sept. 12-15.

Streator will host the combined Pluto Fest and Fall Food Truck Festival, and Marseilles will host the Renaissance Faire this weekend, among other activities planned in the Illinois Valley.

Fall community garage sales will be Friday, Sept. 20, to Sunday, Sept. 22, across Rock Falls and Sterling.

The Halloween Experience trolley tours start Friday, Sept. 20.

Alongside the 15th annual Jalopy Fest, Kendall County will feature the Widows Harvest music festival; a unique fundraiser open to women; and other activities.

Kane County will be home to fall festivities among other events, such as the "It's Our Fox River Day" cleanup, a jack-o'-lantern walk and more.

The play is a clever and riveting portrayal of Queen Elizabeth’s relationships with her prime ministers during her long reign.

The premise of the event is a famous art collector Reginald Sturmley has decided to unveil a never-before-seen masterpiece by acclaimed local artist Howard Russo. But before the public showing, the art disappears.

The grounds of the Conservation Foundation’s Dickson-Murst Farm will be filled with live music and plenty of beer Saturday, Sept. 21 at the Beer, Bands and Barns outdoor festival.

The 25th annual Lakemoor Charity Car Show will be Sunday, Sept. 8 in Lakemoor.

K Punk Honky Tonk farm line dance is Saturday, Sept. 7 at KP Acres in Marengo.

The former Masonic Lodge brings contemporary entertainment to a historic building with an array of concerts, stand-up sets and interactive events.

Country music's Diamond Rio to headline Sublette’s 170th anniversary celebration this weekend

Kick off fall at the Richardson Adventure Farm for the opening of its 28-acre corn maze, and other things to do this weekend in McHenry County.

5 Things to Do: Floating ducks and flying kites in DeKalb County as Volksfest returns for its 10th year in Genoa, DeKalb Kite Fest kicks off and the Sandwich Fair continues.

The Strange and Unusual Gallery in downtown Joliet presents "Cruel Canvas" by artist Matt Jesiolowski, which runs Sept. 14-27.

Venier will share the stage Friday night with Rockford-based Miles Nielsen, son of Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen.

Here are five things to do in the Illinois Valley this weekend and in upcoming weeks: Homestead Festival in Princeton, the Sandwich Fair, BBQ-n-Blues and Jazz N’ the Street in La Salle, Pluto Fest and Fall Food Truck Festival, and the Artisan Market at Hornbaker Gardens.

The 12th annual Taste of Fiesta comes to Rock Falls from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, at RB&W District Park, 201 E. Second St.

The Red Roses, a Chicago-based band that performs alternative and indie hits, will perform Friday evening at the Joliet Area Historical Museum as part of the Rooftop Music Series.

A bike ride fundraiser and a Fall Black Crow Festival are among several autumn events coming up in Kane County.

The 136th Sandwich Fair returns to Kendall County, as well as several fall events promising fun for the whole family.

Dixon's neighbor to the north will once again host a celebration of the arts – and this year, there are 75 more reasons to celebrate.

'Back Roads Bars' delves into taverns, pubs scattered along the nation's rural landscape.

Cheap Trick’s mega hit “I Want You to Want Me” rang true Thursday as hundreds of people waited to get inside the new Hard Rock Casino Rockford, which offers a Hard Rock Live entertainment venue intertwined with music memorabilia, including some from Rockford's own Cheap Trick.

The popular, grassroots event will be staged on both pedestrian-friendly Water Street Mall and Downer Place between Stolp Avenue and Water Street.

The Morris Theatre Guild is holding auditions for children ages seven to 18 to perform Shrek, Jr., a musical.

The Downtown Glen Ellyn murder mystery event is Thursday, Sept. 26.

The free event on Sept. 21 includes live entertainment, a kids area with plenty of activities, a photo booth, food and drink and more!

Upcoming fall festivals include RISE Up Music Festival and Cary Main Street Fest in McHenry County.

Labor Day weekend will feature festivals and events in Toluca, Streator and Mendota.

Find an apple orchard in and around Geneva, Oswego, Plano, Woodstock, Plainfield, Aurora, Yorkville, McHenry, Union, La Salle, Mt. Morris and Rock Falls.

Rock River Jazz Band concert, Taste of Fiesta, Fiesta Parade also on slate of things to do.

Fall-related events, including an Autumn Fair, the Festival of the Vine and more, are headed to Kane County.

The Joliet American Legion Band, along with Joliet Township High School Orchestra & Central Band, will perform Thursday at the 2024 season finale of "Concerts on the Hill."

The entire Rialto Square Theatre building in Joliet is closed because of an extended investigation into an asbestos violation in July. The board for the Will County Metropolitan Exhibition and Auditorium Authority will meet Wednesday.

Tickets for the haunted house venue at the old women’s prison at the former Joliet Correctional Center are on sale now. It reopens for the season on Sept. 13.

The Batavia Community Dinner Table, which is now hosted by Batavia United Way, is Sunday, Sept. 8 from 4-6 p.m. on N. River Street.

Fall offers its own full season of festivals and community celebrations throughout Will County. Check here for listing of special events coming up August through October.

Woodstock will host a free Family Fun Day Sunday at the historic Woodstock Square.

Proceeds from “An Evening with Matthew Morrison” will support programming, such as outreach to make live theater more accessible.