January 30, 2025
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Things to do this weekend: Groundhog Day in Woodstock, swap seeds at McHenry County College

Shop Valentine’s Day gifts in Huntley and see a free magic show in McHenry

By 5 Things to Do in McHenry County
Woodstock Willie is held by handler Mark Szafran as Willie looks to see if he can see his shadow Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, during the annual Groundhog Day Prognostication on the Woodstock Square.

Woodstock Willie is held by handler Mark Szafran as Willie looks to see if he can see his shadow Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, during the annual Groundhog Day Prognostication on the Woodstock Square. The annual event returns Sunday. (Gregory Shaver/Gregory Shaver)

Here are things to do this weekend:

Groundhog Day: Gear up for all the festivities during Groundhog Day season from Thursday through Sunday in Woodstock. The city will have numerous events, including a movie memorabilia open house, a 5K, a cocktail party, storytelling and walking tours. Celebrate the day during the prognostication starting at 6:30 a.m. Sunday to see if Woodstock Willie will see his shadow. Check out more information on Woodstock’s Groundhog Days here: Woodstockgroundhog.org.

Valentine’s Day market: Shop for a cause at the Chugs and Kisses valentine market from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Pinecrest Golf Club in Huntley, 11220 W. Algonquin Road. Shop from local vendors for soaps, jewelry, candles, decor and other unique gifts. Enjoy raffles, photo opportunities and kids crafts. Entry is $5, and all proceeds go to LJ’s Healing Hearts, a nonprofit that supports families with children diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. Check out more details here: Facebook.com/lemonyideas.

Great Seed event: Learn about all things gardening during the Great Seed Event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at McHenry County College, 8900 Route 14, Crystal Lake. The University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners and the Center for Agrarian Learning partnered for the event that will have vendors, nonprofits, kids activities, demonstrations and speakers. Receive and swap seeds of vegetables, herbs, flowers and native plants with fellow attendees. Speakers will give presentations on how to restore native landscapes, how to grow grains and indoor growing. More details can be found here: Mchenry.edu/events/2025/02/cal-02-01.html.

Search for eagles: Celebrate the eagles of the Fox River Valley with In Search of Eagles, an outdoor event from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday at the McHenry Dam, Algonquin Dam, Fox River Shores Forest Preserve and Williams Bay boat launch. Representatives from multiple conservation organizations will help search for eagles and identify other birds using the lake and river. Find more details and maps of the locations here: Hackmatacknwr.org/in-search-of-eagles-2025.

Would you like your event highlighted in this weekly feature? The first step is submitting your events to the Northwest Herald’s community calendar at shawlocal.com/northwest-herald/local-events.

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