January 04, 2025
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5 Things to Do: Sterling Municipal Band Concert, Rock River Theater Company performances in the Sauk Valley

By 5 Things to Do in Sauk Valley
Barbara Caspersen, of Willmette, (left); Kaila Hernandez, of Chicago, (center); and Laura DiMeo, of Wilmette, watch as an eagle flies off over the Rock River in Rock Falls on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, during the fourth annual Flock to the Rock event.

Barbara Caspersen, of Willmette, (left); Kaila Hernandez, of Chicago, (center); and Laura DiMeo, of Wilmette, watch as an eagle flies off over the Rock River in Rock Falls on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, during the fourth annual Flock to the Rock event. (Shaw Local File Photo)

Looking for something to do in the Sauk Valley? Here are a some suggestions of events taking place over the next few weeks.

  1. Sterling Municipal Band Concert: The Sterling Municipal Band will present its annual winter concert at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10, at New Life Lutheran Church in Sterling. The concert is presented by the city of Sterling and is free to attend. The concert will feature pieces from many genres, including traditional and contemporary band works, jazz and popular music. The featured piece will be the world premiere of new music by composer Randall Standridge. “A Sterling Suite” has been commissioned by the Sterling Municipal Band and will be premiered at the concert. The piece is dedicated to Sterling and features three movements that were inspired by the composer’s visit to Sterling in July 2023. In addition to the premiere, highlights of the concert will include “American Overture for Band” by Joseph Willcox Jenkins, “Sanctuary” by Frank Ticheli, “Melodious Thunk” by David Biedenbender, “Sinatra!” by Stephen Bulla and “Bohemian Rhapsody” (Queen!) by Masamicz Amano.
  2. Rock River Theater Company’s production of “It Had to Be You”: The Rock River Theater Company, in association with The Dixon: Historic Theatre, is producing the two-act play “It Had To Be You!” It’s a hilarious romantic comedy about an actress who kidnaps a commercial director on Christmas Eve to convince him that she’s talented. Opening night is Jan. 17, and the show runs through Jan. 26. It will be performed at the Jerry Mathis Theatre at Sauk Valley Community College, 173 Route 2, Dixon. For more information, go to dixontheatre.com.
  3. Learn stand-up, comedy sketch writing: If you have ever wanted to try your hand at stand-up comedy or write and act in a comedy sketch like those seen on “Saturday Night Live,” then The Dixon: Historic Theatre has you covered in 2025. The theater will offer a new stand-up comedy and sketch-writing class that will run from 5:30 to 7 p.m. every Wednesday beginning Feb. 5 in the space above the theater known as the “Dixon Lounge.” The class costs $50 and is for anyone ages 18 and older. It will run through the end of May, at which point writers will have the option to showcase their material in front of a live audience. Visit The Dixon: Historic Theatre’s website at dixontheatre.com beginning Monday, Jan. 6, to sign up for the comedy class. For more information, call 815-508-6324.
  4. Flock to the Rock: The fifth annual Flock to the Rock will be Feb. 8 in Rock Falls. Head down to the Lower Dam, 300 W. First St., Rock Falls, any time before 10 a.m. to view eagles soaring around the Rock River, and don’t forget your cameras and binoculars! Then, go over to Rock Falls American Legion Post 902, 712 Fourth Ave., (note the location change from previous years) at 10 a.m., when there will be two educational speakers. The first, from Northern Illinois Raptor Rehab & Education, will give an hourlong presentation about birds of prey and will bring birds such as owls and hawks. The second speaker will present a 45-minute program about Native American storytelling. Robert Storm, an ice carver, will entertain with his skills of live ice sculpting outside the American Legion. This event is free and welcomes all ages.
  5. The Stupor Bowl: The Dixon Public Schools Foundation is gearing up for its annual Stupor Bowl, a competitive community trivia contest supporting local education. The event will begin with morning rounds taking place at 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, in the Reagan Middle School cafeteria, 620 Division St., Dixon. The top four teams will continue to the playoffs at 1:30 p.m. The event costs $150 per team for nonprofits and families and $300 per team for businesses. All proceeds will go to support the Dixon Public Schools Foundation, which already has donated more than $50,000 in classroom grants to area schools. The event also will feature a silent auction, with bidding on a variety of items throughout the day. To compete, participants must submit an online entry form, which is available at www.dps170.org. The deadline to submit the entry form is Tuesday, Feb. 4.

• Would you like your event listed in this weekly feature? Submit your events to Sauk Valley Media’s community calendar at shawlocal.com/sauk-valley/local-events.

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