Irish music, pub crawls and maple syrup tapping in store 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 Shaw Local News Network’s weekly calendar https://www.shawlocal.com/sauk-valley/forms/press-releases/. Include a contact person and phone number.

Just around the corner

Protect your money. Staff at Exchange State Bank in Lanark will present the program “Fraud and Scams,” 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 16 at the Council Chambers, 111 S. Broad St., Lanark. The event was organized by Friends of the Lanark Public Library and Lanark Public Library.

Detroit City sounds. Gary Wenstrup will present “Best of Motown” 11:30 p.m. Thursday, March 16 at Hub City Senior Center, 401 Cherry Ave., Rochelle. Costs $10.

Home cooked Irish delight. Corn beef and cabbage is on the menu starting at 11 a.m. Friday, March 17 at Polo Senior Center, 101 E. Mason St., Polo. Meals cost $15, but $10 for members. Place order at 815-946-3818 for dine-in or carry-out. Louise Price and Friends will perform traditional Irish music during the meal. The event is a fundraiser for the center.

Wee fella? Steve Catron the Leprechaun will strike some chords, 5:30 p.m. Saturday, March 18, Books on First, 202 W. First St., Dixon.

Tapping time. The Maple Syrup Festival will be 8 a.m. Saturday, March 18 at Byron Forest Preserve. Day includes breakfast, tours of syrup manufacture, explore pioneer tools and crafts and see demonstrations from the pioneer period. Cots $7 for adults, $5 for children ages 4-12.

Green beer. Shamrock the Town begins 1 p.m. Saturday, March 18 in Oregon. It’s time to eat, drink and be Irish. Tickets available at participating pubs.

Shamrocked. The St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl, billed as northwest Illinois’s largest, begins 11 a.m Saturday in Savanna.

Farm showcase. The 41st annual Sublette Antique Tractor and Toy Show will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 18-19. The toy show will take place in five buildings while the antique tractor displays will be outdoors. Free shuttle service available. Event includes a craft show and a pancake breakfast from 7 a.m. to noon by the Sublette Volunteer Fire Department.

Electronic strings. Alex Ahn, an award-winning musician, will perform the electronic violin from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Monday, March 20 at Skyhawk Cafe on the campus of Sauk Valley Community College. Ahn, who has been playing since the age of 3, will take requests from the audience. The concert is presented by the Student Activities and the Student Government Association and is free and open to the public.

Music

Woodlawn Arts Academy, 3807 Woodlawn Road, Sterling

Rhythm-Quest Rocks, 6 p.m. April 16

Spring Music Recital, 6 p.m., May 23, St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1701 16th Ave., Sterling

Spring Vocal Recital, 6 p.m., May 23, St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1701 16th Ave., Sterling

Dance Recital, 6:30 p.m. June 2, 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., June 3, Centennial Auditorium, Sterling High School

Clinton Symphony Orchestra, Clinton, Iowa

The Breadth of Greatness, 7:30 p.m. April 22, Vernon Cook Theater, Clinton High School

Pops Concert, June 4, Riverview Park Bandshell, Clinton

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

Jam Session, 7 p.m. every Thursday.

Timber Lake Playhouse, Mount Carroll

Blues in the Woods Bluesfest, Kevin Burt, Birddog Blues Band, Russ Green Band, 3 p.m. May 21

Bureau County Fair, Princeton

Josh Turner with Sara Evans, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 24

Oregon VFW, 1310 W. Washington St., Oregon

The First Fridays Open Mic, 6:30 p.m., donation

Rosbrook Studio, 107 S. Peoria Ave., Dixon

Second Saturday Open Mic signup at 6 p.m., performances 7 to 11 p.m., $3

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

Lowell Harp and Friends, 6:30 p.m. April 15.

Harold Harrison, 6:30 p.m. May 6

Todd Lorenc, 6:30 p.m., May 13

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 221 W. Third St., Dixon

Evensong Church of Atonement (Chicago), 5 p.m., June 4

Theater productions

Centennial Auditorium, Sterling

Branson’s Ozark Jubilee presents Stars of the Grand Ole Opry, 2 p.m. April 15, $17 and up.

Historic Dixon Theatre, 114 S. Galena Ave., Dixon

Franc D’Ambrosio’s Broadway Celebration, 7:30 p.m. April 15

Head East, 7:30 p.m., April 22

The Adventures of Tortoise and Hare the Next Gen, 2 p.m. April 23

From The New World, Rendezvous Arts Orchestra, 5 p.m., May 21

Dixon Stage Left, 306 W First St, Dixon

Rendezvous Arts: Steam Quartet and Benjamin Calvert, 5:30 p.m. March 23

Rendezvous Arts: Metropolis Oboe Quartet and Faith Humphrey Hill, 5:30 p.m. April 19

The Revolutionists, 7:30 p.m. May 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20.

Rendezvous Arts: True Colors Baroque and Don Widmer, May 10.

Pride and Prejudice, 7:30 p.m. July 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23.

She Kills Monsters, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 11, 12, 13.

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

Rock River Jazz Band, May 7

Felix and Fingers Dueling Pianos, May 14

The Style Catz with the Cocoloco Band, May 19

Blues in the Woods Bluesfest, May 21

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

Dancing Queen ABBA Salute, March 21-24

Piano Man tribute to Elton John and Billy Joel, March 23

Kenny and Dolly in Harmony, April 4-6

Sounds of Summer Beach Boys tribute, April 21-22

A Rock’n’Roll Tribute, May 3-4

Vito Zatto Show, May 17-18

Dueling Pianos, May 24-25

Rock Falls High School

Miss Austen’s Choice, April 27-29

Polo Community Theater, Polo Town Hall, 117 N. Franklin Ave., Polo

Hyronomous A. Frog, 7 p.m. May 5, 6 and 12, 2 p.m. May 7 and 13.

Jungle Book, July 12, 15, 16. Free.

Woodlawn Arts Academy, 3807 Woodlawn Road, Sterling

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Jr., 7 p.m. March 31, 7 p.m. April 1, 2 p.m. April 2, Centennial Auditorium, Sterling High School.

Art exhibits

Woodlawn Arts Academy, 2807 Woodlawn Road, Sterling

Student-Teacher Art Exhibit, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27 to April 28

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

Shades of Gray, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, Feb. 24 through March 25.

Phidian Art Show, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, March 31 to April 22. Awards reception 7 p.m. March 31.

KSB Hospital Commerce Towers, 215 E. First St., Dixon

Transportation by The Next Picture Show, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., through March 31, KSB Hospital Commerce Towers

Byron Museum of History, 110 N. Union St., Byron

Eagle’s Nest Art Group exhibit, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, through April 1.

Markets

Twin City Farmers Market, 106 Avenue A in Sterling

8 a.m.-noon Saturdays, year-round indoors and out;

Chana Route 64 Auction Barn Inc., 620 S. Stone Hill Road, Chana

Auction, 10 a.m., first and third Sunday; flea market, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., second and fourth Saturday and Sunday

Special interest

Best of Dixon Gala, May 5, Dixon Elks Lodge, 1279 Franklin Grove Road, Dixon.

Quad City Coin Club, Camden Center, 2701 First St., Milan. Coin show, 9 a.m. Sunday, April 2. Free.

Friends of the Hennepin Canal. Great Blue Heron hike, 1:30 p.m March 19, Lock 3 at Illinois Route 29; Raccoon hike, 1:30 p.m. April 16, Bridge 15/Visitor’s Center; Indigo Bunting hike, 1:30 p.m. May 21, Lock 33 Rock Falls; Woodchuck hike, 1:30 p.m. June 11, Lock 29 Colona.

Rock River Center, 810 S. 10th St., Oregon. Cancer support, 2 p.m. fourth Wednesday. Caregiver support, 10 a.m., first and third Tuesday. Diabetic support, 11 a.m., first Wednesday. Low vision support, noon second and fourth Tuesday.

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

Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group, 3:30 p.m. first Mondays, First Lutheran Church, 19 W. Second St., Chadwick.

Survivors of Suicide Support Group, 6:30 p.m. fourth Thursdays, Crossroads Community Center, 201 W. Market St., Morrison

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

Country Crossroads Quilt Guild, 7 p.m. third Monday, Forreston Grove Church, 7246 Freeport Road; Forreston. March 20, Trunk show by Judy Bender of Belvidere.

General Federation of Women’s Clubs, Franklin Grove chapter, 7 p.m. first Monday, Atlasta Park, Franklin Grove.

PFLAG Sauk Valley. Support for LGBTQIA+ individuals and family members. 4 p.m. third Sunday (except June and September), First Presbyterian Church, 410 Second Ave., Sterling. Zoom available. Contact pflagsaukvalley@gmail.com.

Petunia City Quilt Guild, 6:30 p.m. first Monday, First Presbyterian Church, 110 East Third St., Dixon. Info at https://petuniacityquiltguild.com/.

Library programs

Sterling Public Library. Preschool story time, 10 a.m. Mondays, 10 a.m. Tuesdays, 10:45 a.m. second Saturdays. Lego Club 10 a.m. first and Saturday. Teen game night, 5:30 p.m. second Tuesdays. 5-star reads book club, 11:30 a.m. second Saturday. Adults Reading Kids Stuff, 6 p.m. last Tuesday. Bluestem Books, 2 p.m. second Tuesday. Bingo, 3 p.m. fourth Friday. Reading with therapy dogs, 10 a.m. third Saturday.

Dixon Public Library. Preschool storytime, ages 3-5, 10 a.m. Tuesdays; Baby-toddler storytime, 9:30 a.m. Wednesdays; Orbital book group, 6 p.m. third Wednesdays; Morning mysteries, 10:30 a.m. Mondays; Computer coding club, every other Thursday K-1, 2:45, Grades 2-3, 3:30, Grades 4-5, 4:15.

Rock Falls Public Library. Book clubs, 6:30 p.m. last Tuesday of month, 10 a.m. first Thursday of month. Morning Makers, 10 a.m. first and third Fridays. Pinterest Night, 6 p.m. March 20. Lego Builders, 10 a.m. March 28. Story time with Easter Bunny, 10 a.m. March 29.

Odell Public Library, 307 S. Madison St., Morrison. Lego club, 10:30 a.m. first Saturday. Storytime, 7 p.m. Thursday.

Historical societies

Sterling Rock Falls Historical Society, Lincoln Learning Center, 607 E. Third St. Sterling

Lee County Historical and Genealogy Society, 113 S. Hennepin Ave., Dixon.

Bureau County Historical Society, 109 Park Ave. W, Princeton

Lectures and seminars

Whiteside Forum, Odell Public Library, 307 S. Madison St., Morrison

Farm Life, Feeding the World and Future Farmers panel discussion with Sauk Valley Community College agriculture professors Kevin Larsen and Michael Selover, dairy farmer Ron Lawfer, Whiteside County Farm Bureau President Don Temple, United States Department of Agriculture’s Rachel Eissens, 2 p.m. Sunday, March 26.

Sauk Valley Chamber of Commerce

Legislative updates from Clark Kaecher, vice president of government affairs, Illinois Chamber of Commerce, and Ryan Gleason, manager of Great Lakes Region, United States Chamber of Commerce, 11:30 a.m. April 11, Sterling Federal Bank, 110 E. Fourth St., Sterling. Register 815-625-2400.

Museums 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, open April to December.

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).

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 by appointment.

Chaplin Creek Village, full-scale historical restoration project depicting a prairie settlement typical of the middle 19th century, 1715 Whitney Road, Franklin Grove.

Please submit information including photos for Shaw Local News Network’s weekly calendars to https://www.shawlocal.com/sauk-valley/forms/press-releases/.