5 Things to Do: Lighted Christmas display in Rock Falls, celebrate New Year’s this week in the Sauk Valley

Looking for something to do over the next few weeks in the Sauk Valley? Here are five events to consider:

1. Rock Falls Centennial Park lighting displays: Rock Falls Tourism and Coloma Township once again have teamed up for their holiday light display at Centennial Park. Local businesses and organizations have trimmed the park with holiday lights and scenes that visitors can drive through every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until Dec. 28. Hours are from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Admission is free but donations are welcome.

2. Sterling art exhibit: Woodlawn Arts Academy’s 2024-25 winter art exhibit, “Portraits: Faces in Art,” features works by local artists Matt Jagitsch, Ryan Jandrey and Heather Shore. Artwork will remain on display through Feb. 7, and the exhibit is free and open to the public during regular business hours from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays. The academy is located at 3807 Woodlawn Road, Sterling.

3. Celebrate sober: The Sauk Valley Voices of Recovery is hosting its New Year’s Eve Midnight Masquerade sober event Friday, Dec. 27. The masquerade will run from 6 to 11 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 1013 Franklin Grove Road in Dixon. Formal attire is recommended but not required, and the event will feature free dancing, karaoke, food from the Candlelight Inn, a 50/50 split raffle and music by DJ Just Push Play. SVVOR is offering free child care for the evening so parents can relax while their little ones enjoy movies, crafts, pizza, popcorn and snacks down the hall. Guests must RSVP to attend and include any children they plan to bring and their ages. This can be done through the SVVOR Facebook event page, by using The Phoenix: A sober community app or calling 779-707-0151.

4. Fire safety awareness event: Sterling and Rock Falls' fire departments are teaming up to host a fire safety awareness event Jan. 11 at Sterling’s Northland Mall. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will feature free smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers and commemorative rubber ducks. A car seat technician will be available to answer questions and set up appointments for car seat safety inspections, and fire department personnel will be available to provide fire safety tips and help residents register their homes with the Community Connect software program. Community Connect allows residents to share important information about their homes and businesses with their local fire departments, such as how many people and pets live in the home or building, utility shutoff and Knox Box locations, and contact information. Both Rock Falls and Sterling’s fire departments offer year-round public education and safety programs, including:

For information, call the Sterling Fire Department at 815-626-0154 or call the Rock Falls Fire Department at 815-622-1135.

5. The Sauk Valley Wedding Expo will take place from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 2, at Northland Mall, located on Route 2 in Sterling. Wedding Expo 2025 is considered the area’s largest wedding expo and is an event designed for couples to help plan their perfect wedding, all in one stop, according to a news release. The wedding expo will feature a fashion show, along with exhibits on flowers, tuxedos and a variety of other wedding staples. Couples who register are entered to win a $250 gift certificate to use at the wedding expo vendor of their choice.

• Would you like your event listed in this weekly feature? Submit your events to Sauk Valley Media’s community calendar at shawlocal.com/sauk-valley/local-events.