Fairs and live music fill the Sauk Valley entertainment calendar

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

Live music. Performances include:

New Shoes, 5:30 p.m., Aug. 12, Music at the Square, John Dixon Park, Dixon

Bobbi White and Co., 5 p.m. Aug. 11, Summer Nights and Pop-Up Markets. Dale Park, Sterling

Outpatience, 7 p.m. Aug. 12, Food truck Fridays, RB&W Park, 201 E. Second St., Rock Falls, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Howard and the White Boys, 7 p.m., Aug. 12, Mt. Morris Jamboree, Campus Band Shell

The Good Stewards, 6 p.m. Aug. 14, Spring Valley Reformed Church, 10960 Spring Valley Road, Fulton.

Harness racing. Illinois State Fair will host harness racing Thursday to kick off the grandstand calendar on Thursday, August 11. Known as one of the fastest tracks in the world, the one-mile track will feature strictly Illinois Department of Agriculture sponsored races on opening day. Every horse that takes the track will be either Illinois conceived or foaled. The harness races will feature a split card with the first post time at 12 p.m. noon and second post time at 5 p.m. Admission into the harness races is free for fairgoers. The remainder of the Illinois State Fair harness races are listed below with post times for each day at noon: Friday, Aug. 12, Sat., August 13, Wednesday, Aug. 17 and Thursday, Aug. 18

Cookout. The Walnut Rotary Club will be holding a pork chop sandwich cookout from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, at Veterans’ Memorial, Jackson St., and S. Main St., Walnut. Donations will be accepted during the cookout.

151st Whiteside County Fair. Will open Tuesday, Aug. 16 at the fairgrounds at 201 W. Winfield St., Morrison. The schedule for the opening two days. Tuesday: pleasure horse show, 9 a.m., kids tractor pedal pull, 2, open swine judging noon, junior swine judging 4:30, professional bull riding 7. Wednesday: exhibition barrels 8 a.m., Western horse speed events and dairy judging, 9, professional bronc riding at 7 p.m.

Sterling Rock Falls Historical Society. Will screen the film “Sons & Daughters of Thunder” 2 p.m. Sunday at the Lincoln Learning Center, 611 E. Third St., Sterling. The film about Harriet Beecher’s introduction to the 19th century abolition movement in the United States includes scenes shot at Dillon Home Museum.

Upcoming

Music

Illinois State Fair grandstand, Springfield.

Friday, Aug. 12. Sam Hunt with Sean Stemaly and Shelby Darrall, $53+.

Saturday, Aug. 13. Demi Lovato, $45+

Sunday, Aug. 14. Brooks & Dunn with Kendell Marvel, $53+

Monday, Aug. 15. The Ides of March featuring Jim Peterik, free

Tuesday, Aug. 16. Willie Nelson & Family with Elle King, $38+

Wednesday, Aug. 17. Shaggy & TLC, $24+

Thursday, Aug. 18. Jon Pardi with Lainey Wilson and Chapel Hart, +33+

Saturday, Aug. 20. Disturbed with Nita Strauss, $44+

Sunday, Aug. 21. Sammy Hagar & The Circle with Ann Wilson of Heart, +43+

*A $30 Stage Side Party ticket is offered as an additional upgrade for all paid concerts.

Music at the Square, John Dixon Park, Dixon

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

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

Dixon Municipal Band

Christmas Concert, 7 p.m., tba.

Mt. Morris Jamboree, Campus Band Shell

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.

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

Rosbrook Studio Second Saturday Open Mic, 107 S. Peoria Ave., Dixon.

Signup at 6 p.m., performances 7 to 11 p.m., $3 suggested donation.

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

Jam Session, 7 p.m. every Thursday.

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

Adam’s Voice, 6 p.m., Aug. 21

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.

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 World Goes ‘Round, Aug. 6-14.

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

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 through Sept. 3.

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. Stuffed animal sleepover, Aug. 12-13; Teen After Hours, 5 p.m. Aug. 12, Lego club, 10 a.m. Aug. 20, Reading roulette, Aug. 27.

Dixon Public Library. Orbital Book, 6 p.m. Aug. 17; Monday Morning Mysteries, 10:30 a.m. Aug. 22; Literary Merits, 2 p.m. Aug. 23.

Rock Falls Public Library. Book clubs, 6:30 p.m. last Tuesday of month, 10 a.m. first Thursday of month.

Historical societies

Sterling Rock Falls Historical Society will screen the film “Sons & Daughters of Thunder” 2 p.m. Sunday at the Lincoln Learning Center, 611 E. Third St., Sterling. The film about Harriet Beecher’s introduction to the 19th century abolition movement in the United States includes scenes shot at Dillon Home Museum.

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.