Northwest Illinois Film Fest offered a mix of well-crafted short films April 29 at the Morrison Institute of Technology.

Dachshunds raced during the Doxie Derby on Saturday, May 2, 2026 next to the La Salle County Historical Society in Utica. The event was part of the Sip 'in' Snip Festival. Around a dozen dogs participated in the races. Proceeds from the event benefited Just Animals Shelter in Mazon.

Wine, food and music were in the spotlight on May 2 as part of Wine on the Fox festival at Hudson Crossing Park in downtown Oswego. This is the 20th year of the village’s annual festival.

Wine on the Fox is presented by john greene Realtor. Proceeds from the event help offset the cost of Oswego’s annual event programming and provide community amenities throughout the year.

Motorists should expect delays while traveling on U.S. Route 34 through the downtown area between 10 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. Saturday and between 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday.

The festival will be held May 2-3 at Hudson Crossing Park. This is the 20th year of the village’s annual festival.

The fourth annual Dement Town Music Fest will take place May 30 along Dixon's Depot Avenue, bringing a full day of live music, food, art and community to help kick off the summer season.

The Children’s Art Preservation Association has announced the decision to pause Morrison’s annual Paint the Town event in 2026 as part of a broader effort to refresh its organizational mission and strengthen its volunteer and sponsorship base.

Richardson Adventure Farm planted 450,000 new bulbs last year, giving the Spring Grove farm’s 2026 Tulip Festival 1 million flowers for visitors to see this season.

Hundreds of thousands of tulips are in bloom at Tulip Festival at Richardson Adventure Farm in Spring Grove.

An outdoor “social district” around Joliet's new City Square is still early in discussion, city officials said.

The Grand Detour Arts Festival committee is accepting applications from artists to exhibit work at the 77th Grand Detour Arts Festival. The show will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, at the John Deere Historic Site in Grand Detour.

One million blooms are expected this year at Kuipers Family Farm in Maple Park, which is celebrating 25 years this spring.

The Northwest Illinois Film Office is proud to announce the return of its signature event, the sixth annual Northwest Illinois Film Festival: Shorts‑A‑Palooza 2026.

The Homegrown Spring Market is from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m on Saturday at the Fox Republic Brewing Co. in Yorkville.

Column: Now that spring has finally sprung, there is much happening in Geneva, writes Elisa Reamer of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce.

A group of downtown Geneva business owners have stepped up to sponsor and lead a smaller, community-driven Swedish Days parade, reversing an earlier announcement that the parade was canceled.

One of the most famous landmarks in St. Charles is gearing up to celebrate its 100-year anniversary. Since welcoming students a century ago as St. Charles Community High School, the historic building, now home to Thompson Middle School, has transformed countless of lives.

The Arcada Theatre in downtown St. Charles is marking its 100th anniversary. A large parade is being organized by theater operator Ron Onesti to honor its century of impact on the community.

Spring festivals are blooming across northern Illinois in April and May.

The Grand Parade, traditionally held during Geneva’s premier festival, Swedish Days, won’t take place this year.

The Mazon Sesquicentennial Celebration has selected the winning designs for the sesquicentennial buttons.

Gurnee residents and visitors alike are encouraged to mark their calendars for August 7-9, 2026, as the annual Gurnee Days festival debuts a new schedule, transitioning to a primarily Friday–Saturday format while continuing select Sunday traditions.

The Geneva Chamber of Commerce is asking the city for $150,000 toward promotion and advertising of its four main festivals – Swedish Days, Geneva Arts Fair, Festival of the Vine and Christmas Walk, records show.

The newly created Sterling Street Fest, an afternoon and evening downtown festival that will launch this summer, took a giant leap forward Wednesday as the group organizing the July 25 event announced the three musical acts that will take the stage.

The city of Yorkville held its annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration on Saturday, March 14, 2026. The festivities began with a 5K run followed by the Lucky Leprechaun Hunt, the Brass Band procession and then the Irish Parade. Food and live music was also a big part of the fun.

St. Patrick's Day is almost here and that means the bagpipers will soon be be turning up in downtown Plainfield.

The Lake County Film Festival is celebrating its 16th year in 2026 with a “Sweet 16” theme and marking the milestone with its first-ever screenings at The Antioch Theater.

Instead of Venue 1012 hosting concerts all summer, plans are to hold one full-day event event at the amphitheater on Sept. 19. The free movie Movies Under The Stars series will be back.

Sterling announced its plans Wednesday for a new street festival this summer featuring live music and activities for all ages. The inaugural Sterling Street Fest is slated for July 25.

Country music star Chris Young highlights the musical talents set for the third Bradley 315 Music Fest.

Officials running the Bureau County Fair announced that country band Sawyer Brown and Lonestar will headline the annual fair this summer.

In the past, the festival has been spread out across different locations in downtown Plainfield. Plainfield Fest will be held July 17-19.

The Lincoln Highway Heritage Festival will again be held at Atwood Park in 2026 after the Flagg-Rochelle Community Park District Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a special-use permit for the event at its Monday meeting.

PrairieFest will take place Father’s Day weekend, June 18-21, at PrairieFest Park, 91 Plank Drive in Oswego.

After the big buildup that Geneva’s iconic Swedish Days festival was in jeopardy without city funding, a Thursday meeting resulted in ... not much – publicly, anyway.

The Let Freedom Ring Festival Committee of Mt. Morris is holding its annual dessert auction/spaghetti dinner Saturday, Feb. 28.

Check out these beer festivals happening in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin this winter.

Special events director Ann Sylvester provided a preview this week of activities planned for the new Joliet City Square.

The Student Silent Film Festival is a film competition in which students from 12 Chicago area high schools create original motion pictures.

Rock Falls Tourism presents Flock to the Rock ’26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, at the Rock Falls American Legion.

Jefferson Starship's hits include "Jane,” “We Built This City,” “Find Your Way Back” and “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now,” alongside classic Jefferson Airplane staples “White Rabbit” and “Somebody to Love.”

New city events director discusses plans for 2026 after New Orleans North and Taste of Joliet have been canceled

From 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan 10, Viking Park will turn into a winter wonderland for Frosty Fest.

The annual event in downtown Joliet featured New Orleans-style music, food and street entertainment.

Lydea King participated in the 151st Christmas Festival at Carthage College in the magnificent A. F. Siebert Chapel in Kenosha, Wisconsin. King, from Rock Falls, is a member of wind orchestra and philharmonic orchestra.

Next summer, area residents and visitors will be able to gather for a new festival in Algonquin following the end of Founders Days.

The city is developing an expanding special events staff, but director was not consulted about future of Taste of Joliet.

The biggest summer event in Joliet has been called off for 2026. The Joliet Park District plans to replace it with a downsized event in 2027, and it may not be in the summer.

The lineup for 2026 is out, but what Wayne Jett won’t yet announce is whether the McHenry Music Festival will return in 2027.