5 things to do in the Illinois Valley: Witches, scarecrows and ghost stories highlight the fun

1 - Celebrate all things “witchy” Saturday in Ottawa. The day will begin with Witches Day Out artisan market from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both indoors and outdoors at Pitstick Pavilion, 3401 Route 23, featuring 35 or more artisans. This event is free admission. A Witches Night Out is planned from 6 to 10 p.m. inside the Pitstick Pavilion. This event will feature DJ Jim Noeth, Fiddlerock Casey McGrath, the Hocus Pocus Hags, a best hat and best costume contest, more than 50 bewitching door prizes, psychic readings, a cash bar, dancing and “hag bags” to the first 100 arrivals. Tickets are $45 per person for the evening event. All proceeds will benefit Second Hand Ranch in Princeton and Pet Project in Marseilles. Tickets can be purchased at Your Interior Motives, 222 Madison St., Ottawa, or online at https://2022witchesnightoutstarvedrockcountry.eventbrite.com

2 - Go retro Sunday in La Salle. The Starved Rock Country Community Foundation is hosting its Stayin’ Alive Disco Ball from 4:30 to 8 p.m. at the Auditorium Ballroom, 109 Wright St., La Salle. The event is a fundraiser for the community foundation, which provides grants, scholarships and disaster funds to non-profit, cultural and charitable organizations in Starved Rock Country. It will feature an auction, food, drinks, and of course, disco-era music and dancing. Individual tickets are $100 and tables of eight can be purchased online at www.srccf.org.

3 - Have some fall fun Saturday in Princeton. The Scarecrow Fest will take place on Main Street, featuring a costume parade and contest 11 a.m. at Soldiers and Sailors Park, and trick-or-treating noon to 2 p.m. at Main Street businesses. Sullivan’s Foods will have caramel apples, cider and pumpkin decorating at the Prouty Building, the Hocus Pocus Hags will perform at 1 p.m. on Frontier Lawn and there will be a cake walk 2 p.m. at Frontier Lawn. Halloween photo ops will be available at the Prouty Building and there will be a trolley running 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There also will be a farmer’s market 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Soldiers and Sailors Park, a mutt strut 10 a.m. at Frontier Lawn, a balloon artist and face painter 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Prouty Building and live animals 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the train depot. Myrtle’s will have cinnamon rolls available. For more information, go to https://www.facebook.com/PrincetonILChamber

4 - Take part in Halloween activities Saturday in Wenona, Utica and Streator. Wenona will host its fall festival 2 to 6 p.m. at Veterans Pavilion, featuring candy treat bags, fall family photos, lawn games, a pumpkin decorating contest, bounce houses, a caramel apple bar and a scavenger hunt; Utica will have its 12:30 to 3 p.m. at 248 W. Canal St., highlighted by games, crafts, face painting, s’more making, bounce houses, caramel apples, snacks and other activities; while Streator’s Hardscrabble Lions Club will host its jack-o-lantern decorating contest 10 a.m. to noon at City Park, underneath the Lions Club shelter at the south end of the park. There will be categories for first through fourth grades, fifth through eighth grades and ninth through 12th grades, and cash prizes awarded.

5 - Hop on a ghost tour this weekend at Starved Rock State Park. The Starved Rock Lodge will be offering ghost tours of the area. The trolley will escort visitors to destinations for a “frightful night” filled with ghost stories and eerie tales. Admission is $30 per person and the tour is not recommended for any guests 8 or younger. Go to starvedrocklodge.com for more information or call 815-220-7386.

Would you like your event featured in this weekly feature? The first step is submitting your events to The Times, NewsTribune or Bureau County Republican’s community calendar at starvedrockcountry.com/local-events/ where they are then considered for inclusion in this feature.