July 03, 2025
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5 things to do in DeKalb County: Cortland Summerfest, Sycamore Steam Show, 50 Men Who Cook and more

By 5 Things to Do in DeKalb County
Jack Stuffle, (left) from Hinckley, and Dave Stevens, from Sycamore, work on a half-scale 65 horsepower Case steam tractor during the Sycamore Steam Show Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023, at Taylor Marshall Farm in Sycamore. The show runs from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Sunday.

Jack Stuffle, (left) from Hinckley, and Dave Stevens, from Sycamore, work on a half-scale 65 horsepower Case steam tractor during the Sycamore Steam Show Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023, at Taylor Marshall Farm in Sycamore. The show runs from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Sunday. (Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.co)

This weekend

  1. Steam power enthusiasts will enjoy the 67th annual Sycamore Steam Show and Threshing Bee: Runs Thursday through Sunday at 27707 Lukens Road, Sycamore. The family-friendly event is hosted by the Northern Illinois Steam Power Club, which helps to provide educational and fun opportunities for the community to learn more about the marriage of agriculture and steam power. The show opens at 7 a.m. daily; buildings open at 8:30 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. A daily parade kicks off at 1:30 p.m. preceded by a noon whistle. Admission is $10, children 12 and under get in free. For tickets or more information, visit www.sycamoresteamshow.com.
  2. Bring the family out to the annual Cortland Summerfest: Friday and Saturday at Cortland Community Park, 70 S. Llanos St. The two-day festival organized by the Cortland Events Committee and Cortland Lions Club will feature live music, food vendors, activities and fireworks. Events run from 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, with fireworks at dusk. Entry is $5 for adults 21 and older. Those 20 and under get in free. For information, visit facebook.com/events.
  3. Enjoy cuisine by familiar faces at 50 Men Who Cook: The 20th annual food extravaganza to benefit CASA DeKalb County runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday at the Northern Illinois University Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center, 231 N. Annie Glidden Road, DeKalb. The event will feature at least 50 area men who will serve up homemade dishes of their chooses to a hungry crowd. A cash bar, live entertainment and raffles also featured. Come local celebrity chefs also will feature dishes. Single tickets to the event cost $45, but buying two or more tickets reduces the individual ticket price to $40. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit casadekalb.org/50menwhocook.
  1. Get some laughs on with comedian Brian Regan: He’ll visit DeKalb for a 7:30 p.m. show Friday at the Northern Illinois University Convocation Center, 1525 Lincoln Highway, DeKalb. Some recent performances from the Florida-born comedian include multiple Netflix comedy specials. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit niuconvo.com.

This month

  1. Come out to a show with Steve-O, a renowned stunt performer, actor and comedian: Show kicks off at 7 p.m. Aug. 15 at Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. Second St., DeKalb. Born Stephen Gilchrist Glover, Steve-O’s notable work includes his role in MTV’s “Jackass.” He’s also known for speaking openly about his sobriety journey, and his work as a mental health advocate. The show is reserved for those 18 and older. For more information or tickets, visit egyptiantheatre.org.

Would you like your event featured in this weekly feature? The first step is submitting your events to the Daily Chronicle’s community calendar at shawlocal.com/daily-chronicle/local-events/ where they are then considered for inclusion in this feature. Submissions to the community calendar are also printed in the Thursday edition of the Daily Chronicle.

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