Get the weekend rolling when Thundering Drums are played in Dixon

The following is a list of current events and upcoming activities going on in the Sauk Valley. Don’t forget to check out 5 Things To Do for other opportunities.

Do you have information on an upcoming event or attraction? Be sure to let us know. Submit information for Sauk Valley Media’s weekly calendar to news@saukvalley.com. Include a contact person and phone number.

This Week

Percussionists Matt Eaton and clarinet player Cathy James will be the featured soloists when the Dixon Municipal Band performs 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Page Park Band Shell as part of the Summer Sounds series. Eaton will play Louis Bellson’s “Thundering Drums” and James will do Jelly Roll Morton’s “The Tiger Rag.” The set list includes “The Fairest of the Fair” march and a salute to Ol’ Blue eyes.

“Nunsense” opens Thursday and runs through Aug. 7 at Timber Lake Playhouse in Mount Carroll. Tickets are $35 general admission, $30 for seniors and $25 for students and military. Shows are 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and Aug. 3-6 and 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and Aug 3 and Aug. 7. The cast for these misadventures of the Little Sisters of Hoboken include Mia Gimenez as Mother Regina, Aria Evans as Sister Mary Hubert, Isabella Abuan as Sister Robert Anne, Kimmy Sessions as Sister Mary Leo and Emily Chaviano as Sister Mary Amnesia. Page to Stage talkback will be after the Aug. 5 performance.

Stephenson County Fair continues through Saturday at the fairgrounds in Freeport. Grandstand events: Youth & Family Night with Scramblers on Thursday: Bulls and Barrels is Friday, and the demolition derby is Saturday. For more information, go to stephensoncountyfair.org or call the office at 815-235-2918.

The 168th Ogle County Fair will open Wednesday, Aug. 3 at 1440 N. Limekiln Road, mile west of Oegon north of Illinois Route 64.

An art exhibit featuring the work of Erwin Woelfel and presented by longtime friend Joel Johnston will be 6:30 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Old Sandstone Gallery, 121 W. Wesley Ave., Mt. Morris. Woelfel, who died in 2013, was an artist and musician who had worked in Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria and Switzerland before coming to the United States in 1965 as an expert in rotary press operation. He designed stamp boards and festival posters.

Festival 56 closes its season with a reading of “Belinda” at 2 p.m. Saturday, a musical adapted from the play by A.A. Milne, and its traditional cabaret 7 p.m. Sunday. The grand prize for the Tipping the Cow raffle will be drawn. Grace Theater is at 316 S. Main St., Princeton.

Japanese Summer Festival will be from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 318 Spring Creek Road in Rockford. Performances, exhibits and other activities that celebrate Japanese traditions and cultural arts. $11 adults, $10 seniors, $9 students and military, free for children 5 and younger.

Live music: NOVA will perform 5 p.m. Thursday at Dale Park in Sterling as part of the Summer Nights and Pop-Up Markets; Jim Ryan, will perform 5 p.m. Friday at Eclipse Square in Prophetstown as part of the Winning Wheels Summer Concert series; Leo Fron will perform 6:30 p.m. Friday for Muisc at the Square in John Dixon Park in Dixon; Harman Family Bluegrass Band will perform 7 p.m. Friday in Mt. Morris; Mission IV will perform 6 p.m. Sunday at Spring Valley Reformed Church in Fulton; Jimmy Jack Whitaker, 7 p.m. Sunday at Faith Discovery Church in Polo.

Upcoming

Music

Music at the Square, John Dixon Park, Dixon

Shaylyn O’Laughlin, 5:30 p.m., Aug. 5

New Shoes, 5:30 p.m., Aug. 12

Backlash, 5:30 p.m., Aug. 19

Mark Hobbs, 5:30 p.m., Aug. 26

The Belle Rangers, 5:30 p.m., Sept. 2

Summer Nights and Pop-Up Markets, Dale Park, Sterling

NOVA, 5 p.m., July 28

Bobbi White and Co., 5 p.m. Aug. 11

Lojo Russo, 5 p.m., Aug. 25

Dixon Municipal Band, Summer Sounds, Page Park Band Shell, 7:30 p.m.

Upcoming performances: Aug. 4.

Christmas Concert, 7 p.m., tba.

Jammin on the Rock, RB&W Park, 201 E. Second St., Rock Falls

To be announced, Aug. 4, 6 p.m.

Food truck Fridays

RB&W Park, 201 E. Second St., Rock Falls, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Outpatience, 7 p.m. Aug. 12

Mt. Morris Jamboree, Campus Band Shell

The Jimmys, 7 p.m., Aug. 5

Howard and the White Boys, 7 p.m., Aug. 12

Dirty Fishnet Stockings, 7 p.m., Aug. 19

Chicago Tribute Anthology, 7 p.m., Aug. 26

Winning Wheels Summer Concert Series, Eclipse Square, Prophetstown

3 On The Tree, 5 p.m., Aug. 26

To be announced, 5 p.m., Sept. 23

To be announced, 5 p.m., Oct. 28

Books on First, 202 W. First St., Dixon.

Ryan Hoffman, 6:30 p.m., Aug. 6

Mark Dvorak, 6:30 p.m., Aug. 20

Rosbrook Studio Second Saturday Open Mic, signup at 6 p.m., performances 7 to 11 p.m., 107 S. Peoria Ave., Dixon. $3 suggested donation.

American Legion Post 902, 712 Fourth Ave., Rock Falls.

Jam Session, 7 p.m. every Thursday.

The First Fridays Open Mic, K’s Sports Bar, 408 East Washington (Route 64) in Oregon. Next performance is 7 p.m. Aug. 5 at Ogle County Fair. Admission is free for fairgoers. Sign-up for performers is at 6:45. For information, call 815-449-2660.

Spring Valley Reformed Church, 10960 Spring Valley Road, Fulton.

Mission IV, 6 p.m., July 31

Riven Quartet, 6 p.m., Aug. 7

The Good Stewards, 6 p.m. Aug. 14

Theater productions

Historic Dixon Theatre

Tickets are on sale for the following shows at Historic Dixon Theatre, 114 S. Galena Ave. Go to dixontheatre.com/events/ for tickets or more information.

Double Vision: The Foreigner Experience, Aug. 19

Menopause the Musical, Sept. 28-29.

Forever Young, Oct. 7.

ABBA Mania, Oct. 16.

Paul Childers, Oct. 22.

Yesterday: A Beatles Tribute Endorsed by Sir Paul McCartney, Nov. 5.

Annie Jr., Nov. 18-19.

Cinderella (A community theater production), Dec. 9-11.

The Prophecy Show: The Music of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Dec. 30.

Motor City: the Motown Revue, Jan. 14.

Still Collins, Jan. 28.

Shanghai Circus, Feb. 24.

Doug Allen Nash, March 11.

Comedian Yakov Smirnoff, March 24.

Head East, April 7.

Adventures of Tortoise and the Hair Next Generation, April 23, 2023

The Machine: The Music of Pink Floyd, April 28, 2023

Under the Street Lamp, May 13, 2023

Illusionist Mike Super, May 27, 2023

Dixon Stage Left, 306 W First St, Dixon

Peter and the Starcatcher, September 23-24, 29-30, Oct, 1, 6-7-8.

Timber Lake Playhouse, 8215 Black Oak Road, Mount Carroll.

Nunsense, July 28-Aug. 7

We Will Rock You, Aug. 11-31

Hank Williams: Lost Highway, Sept. 8-18

Forever Plaid: Plaid Tidings, Dec. 1-11

Clinton Area Showboat Theatre, 303 Riverview Drive, Clinton, Iowa.

The Wedding Singer, July 21-31.

The World Goes ‘Round, Aug. 4, Aug. 6-14.

White Pines Dinner Theatre, 6712 W. Pines Road, Mount Morris

Lionel Richie starring Gregory James, July 28

Garth and Tricia Tribute Show, Aug. 9-11

Salute to the Music of Roy Orbison, Aug. 23

Rick Lindy and the Wild Ones, Aug. 24-25

Dave and Daphne Show, Sept. 7-8

Getting Better with Age, Sept. 13-15

The Rock n Roll Crooner Quenton Flagg, Sept. 21

Quentin Flagg’s Inspirational Gospel and Country, Sept. 22

I Gotta Be Me starring Denny Diamond, Oct. 5-6

Rod Stewart Tribute, Oct. 18

Mirror of Mathis, Oct. 19-20

Down to the Funny Bones, Nov. 2-3

Andrew and His Sisters: A WWII Musical Tribute, Nov. 9-10

Branson on the Road, Christmas Style, Nov. 29-Dec. 1

Scrooge the Comedy, Dec. 3-17

Polo Community Theater

Romeo and Juliet, Sept. 23-25, Sept. 30-Oct. 1, Polo Town Hall, 115 S. Franklin Ave., Polo

Art exhibits

The Next Picture Show, 113 W. First St., Dixon.

Black and White exhibit through Sept. 30, KSB Hospital’s Commerce Towers.

Absolutely Abstract, Saturday through Sept. 3, opening reception 6 p.m. July 29.

Woodland Arts Academy, 117 W. Second St., Rock Falls

Christmas in July: Sights and Sounds of the Sauk Valley, through Aug. 17

First Avenue Bridge exhibition, tba

Markets

Twin City Farmers Market, 8 a.m.-noon Saturdays, year-round indoors and out; 106 Avenue A in Sterling, 815-626-8610, twincitycarmersmarket.com and Facebook.

Food truck Fridays, RB&W Par, 201 E. Second St., Rock Falls, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Aug. 12

Dixon Park District Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to noon Wednesdays through Oct. 26 and 7 a.m. to noon Saturdays through Oct. 29, Haymarket Square, 513 W. Second St., Dixon.

Dixon City Market, 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Aug. 31, Heritage Crossing, Dixon.

Rock Falls Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wednesday and Saturday, 400 W Second St., Rock Falls, through October.

Pop-Up Markets, 5 p.m., second and fourth Thursday, Dale Park, Sterling.

Chana Route 64 Auction Barn Inc. auction, 10 a.m. (first and third) Sunday; flea market, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (second and fourth) Saturday and Sunday at 620 S. Stone Hill Road. Find Chana Auction Barn on Facebook or call 815-830-3898 for more information. Contact Market Manager Robin at 815-973-0728 for details.

Mount Carroll Farmer’s Market, 8 a.m. to noon, each Saturday through Oct. 29.

BASIC Market, 514 13th Ave., Fulton, 9 a.m. to noon, Saturdays through October.

Museums, exhibits and attractions

Loveland History Museum, 9 a.m. -2 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Loveland Community House, 513 W. Second St., Dixon; free.

Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center at Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. Open 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7071 Riverview Road, Thomson. Call 815-273-2732.

Reagan Boyhood Home, 810 S Hennepin Ave, Dixon, March 29 to Dec. 17, is open for tours Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with the last tour leaving at 3 p.m.

Northwest Territory Historic Center, 205 West Fifth St. Dixon, open 9 a.m - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Ronald Reagan Birthplace/Museum, 111 Main Street, Tampico., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday (Except Easter Sunday and Mother’s Day). 815-622-8705.

Byron Museum of History, Wednesday-Saturday 10:00 to 3:00, located at 110 North Union Street, Byron.

Special interest

Riverfront Yoga, 7 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., Fridays through July 29 at Dixon Riverfront.

Dixon Coin Club, 7 p.m., first Tuesday, American Legion, 1120 W. First St., Dixon.

Library programs

Sterling Public Library. Summer reading: Preschool on Monday, 10 a.m., K-2, Tuesday, 10 a.m., 3-5, Tuesday, 2 p.m., 6-8, Tuesday, 4 p.m. Summer Reading closeout, July 30

Dixon Public Library. Summer reading: Monday family programs, Tuesday activity stations, Wednesday drop-in crafts, Thursday family storytimes, middle school and high school book clubs.

Rock Falls Public Library. Summer Reading. Program 2 10 a.m., July 12-28, Tuesday (ages 3-5), Wednesday (grades K-3), Thursday (ages 3-5). Registration required.

Information on events and attractions for Sauk Valley Media’s weekly calendar should be submitted to news@saukvalley.com. Include a contact person and phone number.