Visit these spectacular light shows and displays this Christmas season.

The Dixon Christmas Walk is Friday, Dec. 5.

The event begins each year with the tree lighting, and features free photos with Santa at Santa’s Village, horse-drawn wagon rides, carolers, the Dixon Municipal Band and more.

The annual holiday event kicks off at 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5.

Sponsored by the Sterling Municipal Band, TubaChristmas will take place Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, at The Mercantile in downtown Sterling. The event is open to euphonium, baritone, tuba, and sousaphone players...only low brass to celebrate the season.

Celebrate the holidays with a family brunch at these locations in northern Illinois.

Comedian Lee Hardin will headline the Dec. 4 show at Mad Water Saloon.

Make plans to spend a day exploring the historic city of Galena during the holiday season.

Here’s a list of things to do the week of Dec. 1, 2025, in Morrison, Fulton, Erie and Prophetstown.

The walk was set for Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, but was postponed due to the impending snowstorm, City Manager Darin DeHaan announced in a Facebook Post.

The drive-thru light display is in Centennial Park in Rock Falls.

Hilldale Cafe in Lanark combines creativity and comfort to craft dishes that surprise and delight.

Families can meet Santa's reindeer and get photos with the magical animals at the Christmas Town event, which runs through Dec. 23 on select dates.

Celebrate the holidays with friends and family at these favorite bars and taverns in northern Illinois.

Check out these theaters across northern Illinois that are bringing holiday classics like "The Nutcracker" and "A Christmas Carol" to life this season.

What will start with a great day of supporting local small businesses on Shop Small Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, will continue into December this year, as Discover Dixon’s Support Local promotion offers shoppers a chance to win prizes totaling $750.

Creativity is a longtime hobby for many people in Morrison, and throughout Whiteside County, and a downtown art gallery spreads the word about local talent with a mission to inspire and evoke.

Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, Nov. 27 in 2025. Make your dinner reservations now and leave the cooking and clean up to someone else!

The annual Hometown Holidays weekend kicks off Friday, Nov. 21 in Rock Falls.

The annual Rock Falls Hometown Holidays Christmas Walk is set for 5-8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21.

The Rotary Club of Mount Carroll will be hosting a trivia fundraiser night on Saturday, Nov. 22. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with trivia questions beginning at 6 p.m. at the Davis Community Center.

The Morrison Historical Society concludes its monthly programming on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, with live musical entertainment, “The New Connection”. 

The owners of a Mount Morris bar and grill have put their own touch on a longtime establishment in recent years with its food, drinks, fun and free money making it more of a destination.

The show was scheduled for Nov. 29.

This popular sports bar and grill in Amboy offers creative twists to its traditional menu, including their famous Philly cheesesteak.

The Rock Falls Chamber of Commerce welcomes the community to this three-day celebration from Nov. 20-22, 2025. Activities include Holiday Bingo, Christmas Walk, Love Light Reading, $1,000 Giveaway and Grinch Dodgeball.

The 36th annual Festival of Trees runs through Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, at McCormick Event Center in Rock Falls.

The owner of a Lanark cafe blends creativity and comfort to craft dishes that surprise and delight, each plate served with a dash of inspiration.

Check out this list of national chains and locally-owned restaurants offering specials to service members on Veterans Day, Tuesday, Nov. 11.

‘Lincoln’s Ottawa: Stories from Valley View’ take guests on a tour of several historic sites in the Illinois Valley related to Abraham Lincoln.

Explore the fine wines of Italian winery Tenuta Luce as it celebrates its 30th anniversary.

"Menopause The Musical 2" will be at the Dixon Historic Theatre for two shows on Saturday, Nov. 8.

The Dixon Historic Theatre welcomes Dishwalla on Nov. 29, and Texas Flood on Nov. 9.

National Sandwich Day is Monday, Nov. 3 Check out these award-winning sandwich shops in DeKalb, Kane and McHenry counties, Illinois Valley and Sauk Valley.

Check out this list of the best bakeries and donut shops in DeKalb, Kane, Kendall and McHenry counties, the Sauk Valley and the Illinois Valley.

Rock Falls Tourism is excited to announce the evolution of its beloved Tour of Lights House Decorating Contest into a bigger and brighter community celebration – the Winter Wonderland House and Business Window Decorating Contests.

Dixon Stage Left is bringing its sold-out Chicago dinner show production of “Cake, Candles, & Murder!” to the Dixon Elks Club.

Country Music powerhouse Lainey Wilson will perform on the Grandstand Stage on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at the Illinois State Fair

Make the end of summer more memorable by planning a getaway at a unique resort or bed & breakfast in northern Illinois

The Dixon Historic Theatre is showing classic horror movies and will welcome Mariachi Rock Revolution on Halloween night.

Thomas Gehlbach has enjoyed playing piano for the past 40 years. Gehlbach is going to share that enjoyment by playing in the Phidian Musicale at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, at The Next Picture Show, 113 W. First St. in Dixon.  It is free and open to the public.

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

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

Teams of six will be able to answer trivia questions for a chance to win prizes.

A Morrison family gels well, jellies well and delis well in owning Peanut Butter and Deli – a downtown restaurant known for its sandwiches and drinks, keeping their customers fed and invested in the town they love.

Marilyn Long has poured joy and stories since the ‘70s, from sloe gin fizzes to ‘Filthy Marilyns,’ serving generations with a smile from behind the bar counter. She’s Marilyn, but ‘Ma to her loving customers at Wally’s Playce.

Check out these award-winning pizza places in Kane, Kendall and McHenry counties, as well as the Sauk Valley and Illinois Valley, to celebrate National Pizza Month during October.

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

Dixon Stage Left’s first Senior Theatre showcase performance, “We Still Got It!”, will be Sunday, Oct. 26 at The Next Picture Show.

These northern Illinois pumpkin farms are ready to welcome guests for a day of family-friendly fall fun.