5 Things to Do: Fests in Streator, Ottawa, Peru over the weekend

Here are five things to do this weekend and later this month.

Streator Fest: Streator’s biggest party is scheduled Thursday through Sunday with headline musical acts, a carnival and food vendors at Northpoint Plaza. Hinder will perform opening night Thursday, country musicians Cooper Alan and Drew Baldridge will headline Friday, and Sevendust will entertain crowds Saturday. Libido Funk Circus will close out the festival Sunday. Each day has a lineup of opening performers. General admission is free, including for the musical performances; however, there is a VIP section with various costs depending on the night. The festival will conclude with a fireworks show at dusk Sunday from Anderson Fields. Go to streatorfest.com for more information.

Ottawa’s Taylor Swift Dance Party: Closing out Friendship Days will be a party for Swifties from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at the old Central School site (Riverfront Park), 400 Clinton St. Admission is free. There will be a mocktail station. Food and drinks will be provided by Aussem Dogs, Flo’s Food Truck, Labra Eggrolls Co., Tropical Sno, Vandy’s Candies, Nonnie’s Cookie Co. and Sweet Butts Cotton Candy. There also will be vendors.

Taste of the Illinois Valley: The free festival will take place Thursday through Saturday at Peru’s Centennial Park. The event will feature live music, a fun zone for children, a 50/50 drawing and craft and food vendors. Cody Calkins will perform from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday. Libido Funk Circus is scheduled to perform from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday. Kevin Kramer will take the stage from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday with World Turning Band – A Fleetwood Mac Tribute ending the festivities from 8 to 10 p.m. The Fun Zone will be open from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, as well as from 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday, with a special sensory hour from 3 to 4 p.m. Go to the City of Peru, Illinois Parks and Recreation on Facebook for more information.

Bureau County Fair: The 169th annual fair is set Wednesday, Aug. 21, through Sunday, Aug. 25, at the Bureau County Fairgrounds, 811 W. Peru St., Princeton. Mitchell Tenpenny with special guest Lauren Alaina will perform the fair’s big show Aug. 22. Tickets are on sale at bureaucountyfair.com. There also will be carnival rides, food vendors and other activities.

Grand Ridge Community Festival: Later this month, “the small town with a big heart” will host its annual festival Friday, Aug. 16, to Sunday, Aug. 18, featuring the Ridge Round Up Tractor Show and Ride, a parade, a kiddie pedal tractor pull, water fights, craft vendors and food trucks, among other activities. For information, go to Grand Ridge Community Festival on Facebook.

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.