Music, entertainment and the arts in full swing across Sauk Valley

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 musical performances include:

• Keepers of the Faith, 6 p.m. Sept. 8, Spring Valley Reformed Church, 10960 Spring Valley Road, Fulton.

• Kevin Purcell and the Nightburners, 4 p.m., Altered Five Blues Band, 6 p.m., Toronzo Cannon, 8 p.m. Sept. 10, Blues Brews and BBQ, Dixon Riverfront.

• Jerry Criss and The Starlight Theater Blues Band, 8:30 p.m., Sept. 10, Val’s Place, 316 W. First St., Dixon

Family Night. There will be basketball competitions, a bounce house, hot dogs, chips, and a movie with popcorn. Activities start at 6 p.m., St. Paul Lutheran, 421 S. Peoria Ave., in Dixon.

Firefighting celebration. Sterling Fire Department will commemorate its 150th anniversary with cake, cookies, demonstrations, games and educational materials from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday at the station at 110 W. Fifth St. in Sterling.

Footloose and fancy free. The Rock Falls Youth Center Dance will be 7 p.m. Saturday at the Rock Falls Community Building. DJ will play teens’ favorite hit songs. For students in grades 6-8. Costs $3. For more information, call the Coloma Park District at 815-625-0272.

Grant’s Right Hand Man. Professor Allen J. Ottens of Northern Illinois University will be the presenter on a program that examines the eight-year relationship between President Ulysses Grant and Secretary of War John Rawlins at 2 p.m. Sunday at Lincoln Learning Center, 611 E. Third St. in Sterling.

Celebrate farm culture. Farms and Barns, an exhibit that celebrates depictions in any artistic medium, from painting to sculpture, will open Saturday and run through Oct. 22 at The Next Picture Show, 113 W. First St., Dixon. The show features original works of art that explore old buildings, wide-open pastures, farm equipment, livestock, creeks and streams. The opening reception will be 6 p.m. Sept. 16, with entrant judging by marketing professional Jayne Rose and live music by Wellstrung Band.

Hey, Good Lookin’. Christopher Wren portrays Hank Williams in a Timber Lake Playhouse stage production of “Hank Williams: Lost Highway,” which is directed by “The Love Boat” actor Ted Lange. The show opens Thursday and runs through Sept. 18 at the Mount Carroll playhouse. Lange will take part in an audience Q&A after the Friday performance. This production’s Page to Stage talk back session will be Sept. 16. Tickets are $35. 7:30 shows are Sept. 8-10, 13-17 and 2 p.m. shows are Sept. 10, 11, 14 and 18.

Run (by) the mill event. Grist Mill Grind 10K and Fun Walk will be 8 a.m. Saturday at Franklin Creek State Natural Area. Proceeds from this event will go to the Franklin Creek Conservation Association for park programs, expansion, and improvements.

On the go. A celebration of Planes, Trains and Automobiles: A Century in Motion will be 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Rochelle Municipal Airport. Among the attractions: The Jenny airplane from Poplar Grove, cars from each decade of the past 100 years, train demonstrations, a Burlington Railroad model train cab, an airborne trolly bike daredevil stunt, skydiving, and whiskey tasting. Adult tickets are $30, kids $10.

The way we were. There will be an historic trades demonstration 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday at The Sawmill Museum in Clinton, Iowa. Demonstrations include Medd Metalworks in blacksmithing, Quad City Woodturners in lathework, and Alt family at ropemaking. The program is a result of the Iowa of Department of Cultural Affairs Cultural Leadership Partnership program. For more information, visit www.thesawmillmuseum.org.

Upcoming

Music

Dixon Municipal Band

• Christmas Concert, 7 p.m., tba.

Winning Wheels Summer Concert Series, Eclipse Square, Prophetstown

• To be announced, 5 p.m., Sept. 23.

• To be announced, 5 p.m., Oct. 28.

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

• Lowell Harp and Friends, 6:30 p.m., Sept. 24.

Musical ImPACT Concert, Polo Area Community Theater

• Duets and Trios, 7 p.m. Oct 15-16.

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.

The First Fridays Open Mic, K’s Sports Bar, 408 East Washington (Route 64) in Oregon.

• To be announced.

Franklin Grist Mill, 1893 Twist Road, Franklin Grove

• Trivia Night, 6 p.m., Oct. 15.

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.

• 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

• Season Gala, 7 p.m., Sept. 17

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

• Rendezvous Arts, Corky Siegel blues harmonica, Randy Sabien, violin, Ken Reif, visual artist, 5:30 p.m., Oct. 12

• “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella,” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9-10, 2 p.m. Dec. 10-11

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

• “Hank Williams: Lost Highway,” Sept. 8-18

• Forever Plaid: Plaid Tidings,” Dec. 1-11

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

• “Dave and Daphne Show,” Sept. 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

• “A Candle in the Window,” tba.

Art exhibits

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

• “Farms and Barns” exhibit, opens Saturday and runs through Oct. 22. Opening reception 6 p.m. on Sept. 16.

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

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

• “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.

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.

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

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.

Roberts Armory World War II Museum, Route 251 and Intermodal Drive, Rochelle. Open Nov. 6 in honor of Veterans Day or by appointment.

Special interest

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

Fitness on the Rock, 5:30 p.m., Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursday, 7:30 a.m. Saturdays, through October, RB&W Park, Rock Falls.

Author visits. Books on First, 202 W. First St., Dixon. Judy Carmichaels’ Great Inspirations 22 years of Jazz Inspired on NPR, noon, Oct. 13. Kelly Flanagans’ The Unhiding of Elijah Campbell, 11 a.m. Oct. 22.

Alcoholics Anonymous for Carroll, Lee, Ogle and Whiteside Counties. 1-800-452-7990. www.aa-nia.org.

Library programs

Sterling Public Library. Preschool story time, 10 a.m. Mondays, 10 a.m. second Saturday. Roleplaying Game Club-Dungeons and Dragons, 3:30 p.m. Mondays starting Aug. 29. Lego Club 10 a.m. first and third Saturday. Games, grades 6-12, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 13. Online conversation with actress and advocate Marlee Matlin in celebration of Deaf Awareness, 7 p.m. Sept. 14. Used book sale 9 a.m. Sept 24.

Dixon Public Library. Preschool storytime, ages 3-5, 10 a.m. Tuesdays starting Sept. 6. Baby-toddler storytime, ages 18 months-3, 9:30 and 10:30 a.m., Wednesdays starting Sept. 7. Computer coding club, every other Thursday starting Sept. 15, K-1, 2:45, Grades 2-3, 3:30, Grades 4-5, 4:15. September Take and Make craft DIY Pom-pom coaster. Petting zoo, 2:30 p.m. Sept. 22. Halloween, 2:30 p.m. Oct. 20. DINO-vember, 2:30 p.m. Nov. 17. Holiday Fun, 2:30 p.m. Dec. 15.

Rock Falls Public Library. Book clubs, 6:30 p.m. last Tuesday of month, 10 a.m. first Thursday of month. Family Night, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 13. Morning Makers, 10 a.m. Sept. 16. Lego Builders, 3:45 p.m. Sept. 19.

Historical societies

“General John A. Rawlins: No Ordinary Man” explores the relationship between Rawlins and Ulysses Grant, 2 p.m. Sunday. Presenter is Allen J. Ottens, professor emeritus Northern Illinois University.

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.