With the squeals and laughter of children playing as background music, Sterling city officials and Riverfront Commission members and donors cut the ribbon Saturday to officially open the new park.

When summer heats up out outside, pet owners need to remember to keep their dogs, cats and any other beloved pets cool.

This month’s Friends of the Hennepin Canal's “Hike the Hennepin” will be Sunday, June 14, and will travel from Lock 6 to Lock 11 (Bridge 6). This hike is approximately 4.6 miles.

Snowy egrets have yellow legs and feet, can occasionally be spotted migrating through the state, to where they spend summers in southwestern Illinois along the Mississippi River.

The Conservation Foundation’s McDonald Farm, 10S404 Knoch Knolls Road in Naperville,is hosting Music on the Farm 4 to 6 p.m. , Sunday, June 14, 4 to 6 p.m. Live music, food trucks and free admission.

A ribbon cutting on Saturday will officially open Northwestern Steel and Wire Park on Sterling's riverfront but for Riverfront Commission co-chair Terry McGuire, the work put in by the commission over the last four years already has been rewarded.

The Sterling Park District's summer plans call for work on the multi-use path and major upgrades at Thomas Park.

Sixteen new art pieces, created by Oregon School District students and Village of Progress members, were unveiled Tuesday, June 9.

Sixteen new artworks created by Oregon School District students and Village of Progress members were unveiled at the Oregon Park District's "Art in the Park" on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at Mix Park in Oregon. Games were just part of the free event that is held annually to celebrate the arts in Oregon.

The preservation of natural areas has become a winning mission in Winnebago County, where there are more than 40 places to get away and enjoy the flora and fauna thrive – in forests, wetlands and along the county's winding rivers.

Celebrate Illinois Free Fishing Days weekend with free fishing pole rentals and giveaways throughout the weekend.

“Pollinator Party is one of the most interactive and exciting events hosted at Isle a la Cache,” said Jen Guest, facility supervisor for the museum.

As part of the fundraising efforts, On the Move will host a Bingo Bash fundraiser on Saturday, June 27, at the Morrison sports complex. Traditional Bingo will take place from 4 to 6 p.m., with Boogie Woogie Bingo beginning around 6:30 p.m.

The Village of New Lenox said it will soon see four additional new businesses open this summer.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County is bringing back food trucks on Fridays and spalsh days.

Yorkville Public Library will hold Stories in the Park at Town Square in June and July.

The Village of Bourbonnais is hosting a series of free summer events from June through September, including art classes, live music, yoga, and family activities at local parks and gathering spaces.

Nancy Kerwin was a beloved early childhood teacher whose commitment to children and their early education has been memorialized with a free Little Library, bench, and children’s seating area.

A dedication ceremony was held for the Nancy Kerwin Memorial at Oregon Park West on Thursday, May 28, 2026. The memorial honors the former teacher of the Oregon Park District's Children's Center with a free Little Library, commemorative bench, and children’s seating area.

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy parks, trails, sports and outdoor activities throughout Sterling, but warmer temperatures and longer days also make sun safety and hydration more important than ever.

The Oswegoland Park District operates three aquatic facilities - the Civic Center in Oswego, Winrock Pool in Montgomery and the Splash Pad in Oswego.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County has announced its program schedule for the week of June 1.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Plum Creek Nature Center will host a “Winged Ambassadors” art display from June 3 through Sept. 6.

Don’t let high food and gas prices this Memorial Day weekend dampen your plans. Here are ways you can celebrate and stay within a tight household budget

The event will feature 13 authors and a curated menu. Admission to the author fair is free with a purchase from the cafe.

Discuss nature-inspired novels while walking the grounds of Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon.

Upgrades to Park East Inland Side recreation area were met with an enthusiastic “thumbs up” during an official grand opening celebration May 18.

The Oregon Park District’s recent upgrades to Park East Inland Side recreation area were met with an enthusiastic “thumbs up” on the evening of Monday, May 18, during an official grand opening celebration.

The Oswegoland Heritage Association and the Little White School Museum will host a “Hafenrichter History Hike at Farmington Lake” at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

The first phase of brick replacement work is focusing on the area around Riverfront Park’s main shelter. Each phase is expected to take several weeks.

The Reagan Run is more than miles and medals – it’s about community, growth, resilience, and discovering the strength that’s been inside you all along.

The three-week closure of the nature preserve in Homer Glen is necessary for the entrance road to be replaced.

Sterling’s long-awaited Northwestern Steel and Wire Park will officially open at 11 a.m. June 13. That is the date and time for the official ribbon cutting that will open the park to the public.

“It was just a magical moment, with that light and the bluebells. Something extra special," Michelle Wendling said of her award-winning photo taken at O’Hara Woods Preserve in Romeoville.

Search for spring wildflowers and learn the stories, uses and lore behind these fleeting blooms on a guided hike. Register by May 13.

A Friends of the Hennepin Canal hike will take place Sunday, May 17, and will travel from Bridge 59 to Bridge 56 on the feeder canal.

Try your luck at catching fish and compete for prizes awarded for the biggest catch at the adult fishing derby at Hidden Lakes.

The Joliet Slammers opened their season at home against the Washington Wild Things on Friday night, May 9, 2026.

Before you get the bikes and scooters out for a ride around Plainfield, the village is reminding residents of local rules and regulations.

The new YMCA in its first week signed up more than 6,000 members, and a couple of thousand came Saturday to check out the facility during an open house.

Inwood Park in Joliet was designed to ensure “every element supports meaningful play, social connection and physical activity," Joliet Park District officials said.

Woodlawn Dance Academy’s summer programs start the week of June 1, and registration is available now in person at the Academy or by calling 815-626-4278.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County begins heron viewing hours at the Lake Renwick Heron Rookery every 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays through Aug. 9.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County said it has documented multiple cases of wildlife harmed by discarded fishing line.

The new system offers park users a more user-friendly system for making reservations and securing permits, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources said.

The Grundy County Speedway’s season will begin Saturday, May 2, and for the second season in a row, it’ll be a NASCAR sanctioned track.

Kendall County offers excellent paved and limestone-screened trails ideal for biking.

As the summer season approaches, the Flagg-Rochelle Community Park District Board heard an update about Spring Lake Pool on April 20.

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

Two Oswego favorite spring events will be coming back this weekend to Prairie Point Community Park.