The annual Star Wars Day in Joliet continues to draw people throughout the Chicago region.

After talking about the proposal during the June 1 Plainfield Village Board meeting, village trustees voted to table the matter until Monday’s Committee of the Whole workshop for further discussion.

Event organizers said Yorkville's inaugural Pride Festival is dedicated to “honoring diversity and fostering a deep sense of belonging.”

Due to forecasted extreme heat and possible thunderstorms Saturday, organizers are moving the fifth annual Bellson Music Fest and Drum Clinic indoors.

The City of Lockport will once again host its Old Canal Days summer festival from June 11-14. The drone show will kick off the festival on Thursday night at 10 p.m.

Hosted by Rock Falls Tourism in collaboration with Bellson’s widow Francine Bellson and music director Josh Duffee, the festival will feature four bands performing music that honors Bellson’s legacy.

The fourth annual festival will features craft beer, wine and bourbon tasting, live music, family games and much more.

The popular summer festival opens Wednesday, June 24 and runs through Sunday, June 28 in downtown Geneva.

Summer is almost here, and that means it's festival season across northern Illinois.

The year's Reagan Run 5K will feature a new route incorporating the recently completed pedestrian bridge over the Rock River.

The festival will be from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday, June 12, in Montgomery's downtown area along Fox River.

The third Bradley 315 Fest, a weekend of live music, food and entertainment, is set to begin Thursday at the Northfield Square mall property.

Here’s when and where to catch cruise nights in the Joliet area

Coming together to represent the vibrancy of the community, children, students and parents alike dabbled in street painting to help bring a local high school student’s vision to life.

The 90th Annual Genoa Days is underway and runs from May 27-30 in downtown Genoa. The event, which is sponsored by the Genoa-Kingston Fire Department, includes live entertainment, a carnival, bingo and much more.

The fourth annual Dement Town Music Fest will take place May 30 along Dixon's Depot Avenue, bringing a full day of live music, food, art and community to help kick off the summer season.

Max Happy Fest organizers are planning their street festival in Woodstock Saturday, featuring local music and art while benefitting the community’s must vulnerable – and stocking the shelves at their new depot.

Over 50 items were put in the time capsule, which is buried at the Mills & Petrie Community Building on state Route 38.

Communities in Kendall and DeKalb counties will be opening their farmers markets for the season.

The Reagan Run welcomes runners and walkers of all experience levels and continues to draw participants from throughout the Sauk Valley and beyond each Independence Day.

Building off last month’s turnout, Riverfront Park in downtown Yorkville is once again transforming into the epicenter of artisan craft goods and support for local small businesses.

Summer is almost here, and that means it's festival season across northern Illinois.

Behind some of St. Charles' most popular events, like the St. Patrick's Parade and the Electric Christmas Parade, the St. Charles Business Alliance is entering an $850,000 annual agreement with the city.

The first phase of brick replacement work is focusing on the area around Riverfront Park’s main shelter. Each phase is expected to take several weeks.

The Streator Food Truck Festival was held on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at Streator City Park. The festival started in 2017 as a fundraiser for the Streator Walldogs Murals. The event continues to raise funds for murals and public art in Streator.

The different cultures represented in the food offerings is reflective of Plainfield’s diversity.

Lilac Time in Lombard is connected to village's identity, and the celebration culminates with a parade on Sunday

Festivals are blooming across northern Illinois this month.

Organizers promise 'a new experience' when Race Fan Rally returns to downtown Joliet in July along with NASCAR races at Chicagoland Speedway.

The city of Yorkville is displaying 25 students' artworks on downtown light poles to increase foot-traffic and to celebrate the unique character of the town.

Dixon and the Dixon Petunia Festival will continue a longstanding community partnership with ComEd that will once again allow the annual Petunia Festival fireworks display to take place along the Rock River near downtown Dixon in July.

The Yorkville Parks and Recreation Department helped kick off the festival season on May 8 with its Margaritas en Mayo fiesta.

Northwest Illinois Film Fest offered a mix of well-crafted short films April 29 at the Morrison Institute of Technology.

Dachshunds raced during the Doxie Derby on Saturday, May 2, 2026 next to the La Salle County Historical Society in Utica. The event was part of the Sip 'in' Snip Festival. Around a dozen dogs participated in the races. Proceeds from the event benefited Just Animals Shelter in Mazon.

Wine, food and music were in the spotlight on May 2 as part of Wine on the Fox festival at Hudson Crossing Park in downtown Oswego. This is the 20th year of the village’s annual festival.

Wine on the Fox is presented by john greene Realtor. Proceeds from the event help offset the cost of Oswego’s annual event programming and provide community amenities throughout the year.

Motorists should expect delays while traveling on U.S. Route 34 through the downtown area between 10 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. Saturday and between 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday.

The festival will be held May 2-3 at Hudson Crossing Park. This is the 20th year of the village’s annual festival.

The Children’s Art Preservation Association has announced the decision to pause Morrison’s annual Paint the Town event in 2026 as part of a broader effort to refresh its organizational mission and strengthen its volunteer and sponsorship base.

Richardson Adventure Farm planted 450,000 new bulbs last year, giving the Spring Grove farm’s 2026 Tulip Festival 1 million flowers for visitors to see this season.

Hundreds of thousands of tulips are in bloom at Tulip Festival at Richardson Adventure Farm in Spring Grove.

An outdoor “social district” around Joliet's new City Square is still early in discussion, city officials said.

The Grand Detour Arts Festival committee is accepting applications from artists to exhibit work at the 77th Grand Detour Arts Festival. The show will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, at the John Deere Historic Site in Grand Detour.

One million blooms are expected this year at Kuipers Family Farm in Maple Park, which is celebrating 25 years this spring.

The Northwest Illinois Film Office is proud to announce the return of its signature event, the sixth annual Northwest Illinois Film Festival: Shorts‑A‑Palooza 2026.

The Homegrown Spring Market is from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m on Saturday at the Fox Republic Brewing Co. in Yorkville.

Column: Now that spring has finally sprung, there is much happening in Geneva, writes Elisa Reamer of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce.

A group of downtown Geneva business owners have stepped up to sponsor and lead a smaller, community-driven Swedish Days parade, reversing an earlier announcement that the parade was canceled.

One of the most famous landmarks in St. Charles is gearing up to celebrate its 100-year anniversary. Since welcoming students a century ago as St. Charles Community High School, the historic building, now home to Thompson Middle School, has transformed countless of lives.

The Arcada Theatre in downtown St. Charles is marking its 100th anniversary. A large parade is being organized by theater operator Ron Onesti to honor its century of impact on the community.