5 Things to Do: Sci-Fest, naturescapes, flutes, among other activities in the Illinois Valley

Here are five things to do this weekend:

Sci-Fest: Illinois Valley Community College’s annual SciFest is set to begin 7 p.m. Friday. The two-hour event is open to the public free of admission in the Gym on IVCC’s main Oglesby campus. Demonstration highlights include an augmented-reality sandbox that creates topographical maps in front of your eyes, a flame (or Ruben’s) tube that transforms soundwaves into dancing flames, a bed of nails and a vortex cannon that shoots smoke rings 30 feet across the gym. Dozens of interactive stations will also be set up around the gym.

Naturescapes: NCI ARTworks will host an opening reception for the month-long Naturescape exhibition of art by Karen Tucker, Mary Jean Dzurisin and Carol Bingham from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the NCI ARTworks Gallery at the Westclox building in Peru. Tucker is working in a realistic style in water soluble oil but has previous experience in watercolor, pastel, clay, fiber and linocut printmaking. Dzurisin is a native of Streator and nature is the primary subject of her work in watercolor, acrylic, stipple pen and ink, pencil and colored pencil. Many of her landscapes, florals and wildlife pieces come from photos she takes while hiking local and national parks. Bingham grew up in the Ottawa-Streator area. Her paintings reflect her impressions and feelings about the places she has been to.

Route “Flute” 66: The Prairie Arts Council will host the Route “Flute” 66 concert at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Prairie Arts Center in Princeton. The concert is free to the public, but a free-will donation will be taken. Described as “a musical cross-country trip following Route 66 from Chicago to California,” it will feature performances by the Illinois Valley Flute Ensemble and the Bloomington-Normal Flute Club.

Hello Dolly!: The musical continues its run through Sunday at Illinois Valley Community College. Reservations for “Hello Dolly!” are available by visiting the IVCC Virtual Box Office at www.ivcc.edu/theatre, and seats are available at the box office one hour before showtime. The production plays at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets cost $20 or $15 for students through high school age. There is no performance on Saturday as IVCC celebrates the college’s 100th anniversary with a gala celebration.

Easter egg hunts: Free Easter egg hunts are scheduled Saturday for 10 a.m. at Grand Ridge Park, Tonica Park and Ohio Park shelter, 10:30 a.m. at War Memorial Park in Ladd, the lawn of Allure in Walnut and at Oglesby Elks Club, 11 a.m. at Hegeler Park in La Salle, Hall High School in Spring Valley, Crotty Park in Seneca and Illini State Park in Marseilles, noon at Centennial Park in Peru and 2 p.m. at Leland school; Sunday hunts are scheduled for 1 p.m. at Dodge Park in Earlville and at Bureau Valley High School in Manlius.

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.