5 things to do in the Illinois Valley: More shows and activities as spring goes into full swing

1 - Attend Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra’s final concert of the season Saturday in Oglesby. Conductor Dan Sommerville will conduct the orchestra 7 p.m. at the Dr. Mary Margaret Weeg Cultural Centre at Illinois Valley Community College. Famed violinist Rachael Barton Pine will return to perform in the Illinois Valley area. Her first appearance with the orchestra was in 1998 at the Maud Powell Festival, and since she has performed with the IVSO five times. Tickets are available at ivso.org or at the door prior to the performance. Tickets are $20 for adults, free for children K-12 and $5 for college students with an ID. The auditorium is handicapped accessible.

2 - See what the Y has to offer Saturday in Peru and Streator. The Illinois Valley YMCA, 300 Walnut St., Peru is hosting its annual Healthy Kids Day event encouraging families to help children be kids and set them up for a summer of success. The event is free and open to the public. It will feature a variety of local vendors, children’s games and prizes, Y program demonstrations and a special appearance by the Pistol Shrimp mascot SouthClaw Sam. The Peru Police Department will host a K-9 demonstration at 9:15 a.m. Other scheduled demonstrations include MBody NMind Yoga at 9 a.m. and tumbling at 10 a.m. Call 815-223-7904 for information. If you have any questions, email accessibility@ivso.org.

Also the Streator YMCA, 710 Oakley Ave., is hosting Health Kids Day for children 6 to 12, including a treasure hunt from 10 a.m. to noon. Face painting, a DJ, a jump rope contest, magic demonstrations, gardening and painting activities, information booths and raffles for prizes, including YMCA memberships, two Fitbit activity trackers, and two brand new youth bicycles are among the day’s events.

3 - Catch a show featuring dogs and cats on stage Saturday in Ottawa. The Popovich Comedy Pet Theater is scheduled 7 p.m. at Central Intermediate School, 711 E. McKinley Rd., Ottawa. Hailed by the LA Times as “Best Family Attraction” and by People Magazine as “fantastic,” this unique collection of humans and animals is a family-oriented blend of the comedy and juggling skills of Gregory Popovich and the talents of his furry co-stars. There are more than 30 pets in the show, each one has been rescued from an animal shelter. Ticket information can be obtained by calling 815-228-6474.

4 - Listen to some traditional, front-porch style music Saturday in Seatonville. The Seatonville Community Church, 110 U.S. 6, will host the Alathea duet at 7 p.m. Saturday. The concert will be free and open to the public. Alathea, comprised of Mandee Radford Langley and Cristi Johnson, will perform a blend of folk, gospel and mountain melodies as they take stories from their own lives and weave them into relatable music. Alathea creates and performs original and traditional music from their roots in the Appalachian Mountains.

5 - Watch the “Delval Divas” this weekend in Princeton. Performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at 24 Park Avenue East. Besides being educated, successful and professional women, four women also share the same address. It isn’t a swanky high rise apartment building or a beachfront condo; they reside at the Delaware Valley Federal Correctional Facility, a low-level security prison for white and pink collar criminals. Add in a new inmate charged with murder, a missing warden and the threat of being transferred to the less-than-glamorous Black Rock Federal Prison and the Divas look to save Delval, solve a murder and reunite on a Roman holiday. Director Ellen Marincic cast Karin Hansen of Princeton as Stella, Jill Marti of Princeton as Linda, Kathy Hepner of Streator as Rosemary, Bobette Roberson of Ottawa as Sharon, Kelli Montgomery of Ottawa as Lucille and Jennifer Walk of Hennepin as Beth. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and may be purchased online at prairiearts.org, by emailing prairieartsprinceton@gmail.com or by leaving a message at 815–875–2787.

There are live performances in La Salle, Streator and Ottawa as well. “Unnecessary Farce” continues its run at Stage 212, 700 First St., La Salle, 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets may be purchased by visiting the box office from 4 to 6 p.m. Mondays and from 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays or by calling 815-224-3025 during the same hours. Tickets may also be purchased online by visiting stage212.org

Streator High School students will perform “The Wizard of Oz” 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday, at the school’s auditorium, 202 W. Lincoln Ave. Tickets can be purchased online at https://www.vancoevents.com/BDHJ

Ottawa High School students will put on “Twelve” at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the school’s auditorium, 211 E. Main St. The show is a comedy in a similar vein to “Shrek.”

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