5 Things to Do: Balloons, burgoo and barbecue to entertain the Illinois Valley

Here are five things to do this weekend:

1. Burgoo: Try out the iconic pioneer stew (Sunday morning only) or shop at more than 375 craft and antique vendors. The festival, scheduled from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, will include live performances, a food court and a blacksmith demonstration, among other family activities. The festival is in downtown Utica. Parking will be available at Celebrations 150 with a shuttle running throughout both days. Go to lasallecountyhistoricalsociety.org for more information.

2. Monster Mash Balloon Bash: The Monster Mash Balloon Bash begins at 5 p.m. Saturday with the Halloween parade on Main Street in Princeton. The parade will begin at Soldiers and Sailors Park (by the courthouse) and make its way to the fairgrounds. After the parade, enter the parking lot behind Beck’s Express Mart or from Crown Street to enter the festivities. The main gate on Route 6 will be closed. There will be several hot air balloons at the fairgrounds with tethered rides. To buy tickets, visit the Chamber of Commerce website, princetonchamber-IL.com. There are a limited number of reservations available. The rides start at 4:30 p.m., and the balloons will glow from 6 to 8 p.m. The Hocus Pocus Hags will be dancing at 6:15 p.m. at the fairgrounds, 811 W. Peru St. Other events during the evening will be a trunk-or-treat for children, a petting zoo, food trucks and Mummies Café, a bonfire, cake walk and an outdoor screening of “Hocus Pocus.” Several of these events will be held in the barn next to the balloon glow. Bring lawn chairs for the movie. Admission is free, with the exception of the haunted house and balloon rides. Additionally, the Nightmare Haunted Attraction will run from 7 to 10 p.m. (with a lights-on session at 6:30 p.m.). Cost is $15 for the haunted house.

3. Smoketoberfest: The barbecue contest returns from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday in the Jordan block, Ottawa. There will be live music, whiskey and bourbon tastings by Plant Witch Brewing Co. and a barbecue competition with prizes. Pulled pork, pulled pork nachos, ribs, Uncle Dan’s chili, macaroni and cheese and coleslaw will be available for sale. Cost is $10 in advance and $15 same day for the event. Tasting tickets are $5 apiece. Raffles will benefit the Ottawa Children’s Exploreum fundraiser. Go to visitottawail.com for more information.

4. Boo Bash: The Illinois Valley YMCA, 300 Walnut Drive, in Peru will be hosting its second annual Boo Bash from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. The event is free and open to the public. It will feature music, games, prizes, inflatables, trick-or-treating, gaga ball and spooky fun. Costumes are encouraged. Flo’s Food Truck and Tropical Sno will be selling food.

5. Shadows of the Blue and Gray: The Civil War Living History event is scheduled beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday at City-County Park in Princeton. The event is open to the public and costs $5. Spend time walking through the camps and talking with reenactors about camp life. All reenactors are eager to share their experiences. Children are able to complete a scavenger hunt and claim a prize. There will be presentations this year in the main pavilion. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and President Abraham Lincoln, along with a Victorian Tea demonstration, will be hosted by Taste of the Past. A narrated mock battle will be performed both Saturday and Sunday. After the battle will be a surgery at the medical tent. There also wil be pop-up skirmishes throughout the days. Visit shadowsbluegray.com for a more detailed schedule of the days’ events.

• Would you like your event highlighted in this weekly feature? The first step is submitting your events to the Illinois Valley’s community calendar at shawlocal.com/illinois-valley/local-events.