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Here are five things to do this weekend in the Illinois Valley:
1. Bureau’s sesquicentennial: Bureau celebrates its 150th birthday Saturday. Most of the festivities will be in Children’s Memorial Park on Nebraska Street. Take a trip back in time aboard the Bureau Rocket Express on a short train round trip to Tiskilwa. Vintage Coaches powered by diesel locomotives will be operated by the Iowa Interstate Railroad for the three morning trips. Tickets cost $10 and are available by calling the Bureau Village Hall at 815-659-3341. Food will be available on-site all day, including the Rocket Blue Plate Special served by the First Congregational Church. The following local food trucks also be will serving: Niaho Egg Rolls, Dos Vatos Tacos, Didoughs, Tropical Ice, COWS, Flo’s and Philly Factory. A vendor fair will be set up in the park, including primitive antiques, crafts, food items, jewelry, paintings and wood signs, among other items. A free children’s mini train ride, inflatables and face-painting will be available in the park, weather permitting. Music in the park will be provided by DJ Tyler Goatz and Al and Jeannie Brown. A Shine and Show car show will be held with no entry fee or judging. Participants will receive door prizes and goodie bags. The parade begins at 2 p.m. and will be narrated at the bandstand at the Community Building.
2. Ottawa Scarecrow Festival: The annual seasonal festival featuring the year’s scarecrow competition entries will be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday in downtown Ottawa. There will be more than 60 vendors and food trucks (including apple cider doughnuts from Kane Family Farms). Live music will be provided by The Midnight Sun from noon to 3 p.m. and Coffee Creek Bluegrass from 10 a.m. to noon on Washington Square. Scott Lee Rock will play from noon to 2 p.m. at the Jordan block. Edd Fairman, the Wizard of Sorts, will perform all day. Children can participate in pumpkin painting and other free crafts. There will be a kids train, a stilt walker, a mechanical bull, an obstacle course and a juggler, among other activities. A hoedown begins at 4 p.m. with a pie competition, line dancing and games.
3. Cedar Creek Ranch Renaissance Faire: The inaugural event will take visitors back to 1566 and mark the 500th anniversary of King William I and the Normans landing on English shores. The festival from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday will feature swordfighters, horseback riding, ax throwing, treats, beer, cider and wine on the 60 acres of the ranch at 249 E. Route 71, Cedar Point. Admission is $10 in cash or $5 for kids ages 5 to 12. Children 4 and younger are admitted for free. For more information, go to www.ccrstables.com or the Cedar Creek Horse Ranch Facebook page.
4. Ottawa Fall Fest and Parade: The Ottawa Fall Fest and Parade is scheduled Sunday, beginning with a downtown parade from noon to 1 p.m. and vendors from 1 to 5 p.m. The Jesse White Tumblers will perform on Court Street immediately after the parade. Music will be provided by Outer Limits Band. There will be a magician, circus performers, a mechanical bull, the mini train, face-painting, balloon artists and six free crafts for children. There also will be a variety of food trucks.
5. Quiet Fest: Saturday’s children’s programming from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the mini park in downtown La Salle will include 10 craft/make-and-take stations in Pocket Park between Petals by Peyton and Chaos and Curiosities. Volunteers will be running the stations. Each activity is free but will have a donation bucket. All donations go to the City of La Salle Foundation, which is a nonprofit and not affiliated with the city government. Stations include succulent painting, jewelry making, pumpkin frame painting, wooden pumpkin painting, a Nerf gun obstacle course and other activities. Make-and-take activities will be moved indoors in the event of inclement weather. In that case, visitors should check Facebook for updates.
• 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.