5 Things to Do: Friendship Days kicks off in Ottawa with brewfest, touch a truck

Here are five things to do this weekend and within the next couple weekends.

1. Drinkin’ with Lincoln: The inaugural brew fest, part of Friendship Days, is scheduled 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at Washington Square in Ottawa, featuring a lineup of beers and some wines. There will be live performances by Dan Hubbard (1 to 2 p.m. Saturday), 80s Bush (3 to 5 p.m. Saturday), The Beatelles and Rosie and the Rivets (for Music in the Park 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday), Aaron Kelly (12:15 to 1:45 p.m. Sunday) and The David Hilliker Trio (2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday). Food vendors will be available. Tickets are available for pre-sale at $20 for 24 tickets online or in person at City Hall and the Ottawa Visitors Center, or $25 for 24 tickets at the gate (credit card fees apply). Beer tastings are two tickets each or six tickets for a 16 ounce pour, and wine tastings are two tickets each or six tickets for a 5 ounce pour. Go to https://www.visitottawail.com/ for more information.
2. Touch a Truck: The Illinois Valley Building Trades, The Illinois Valley Contractors Association and the Illinois Valley Labor Management Fund are providing a family-friendly, free event 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday for children to explore their favorite vehicles. Free burgers and hot dogs along with chips, soda and water will be provided for lunch, as well as free popcorn and snow cones for snacks. Children will have the opportunity to see, touch, interact with and learn about dozens of cool vehicles. They can look inside, sit inside and climb all over any of these unusual vehicles and talk to their operators. Ottawa First Kidz Block will provide games, face painting, crafts, a magician, balloon artist and the city of Ottawa Special Events Train.
3. Pro National Championship Boat Races: Racing begins at noon Friday and Saturday and 12:30 p.m. Sunday on Lake DePue. There will be a beer garden and food stands to go along with the free live entertainment. Go to https://www.facebook.com/depueboatraces for more information.
4. Grease: Festival 56 will present the classic musical at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday; 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 30; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 31; 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1, and Friday, Aug. 2; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug.3; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4, at the Grace Theater, 316 S. Main St., Princeton. Go to festival56.com/ to buy tickets.
5. Streator Fest: Streator’s biggest party is just around the corner. Set Thursday, Aug. 1, through Sunday, Aug. 4, the festival will feature headline musical acts Sevendust, Hinder, Cooper Alan and Drew Baldridge, among other live entertainers at Northpoint Plaza. There will be a carnival and a number of food vendors. A fireworks show from Anderson Fields will cap off the event at dusk Sunday night, visible from the festival grounds. Go to https://www.streatorfest.com/ for more information.

Would you like your event highlighted in this weekly feature? The first step is submitting your events to the Illinois Valley’s community calendar at shawlocal.com/illinois-valley/local-events.