Entering its 13th season, the Fox Valley Park District’s popular BYOB summer concert series will return on Thursdays, June 4 through July 23 at Blackberry, 100 S. Barnes Road, Aurora. Designed exclusively for guests 21 and older, concerts take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Park’s Performance
Naperville’s Millennium Carillon in Moser Tower will host the 2026 Summer Recital Series on Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. beginning June 2 through August 18. Audiences are welcome to bring folding chairs and picnic blankets to enjoy the performances from Rotary Hill, at 443 Aurora Ave., or anywhere along the
Concluding BrightSide’s 14th season will be The Producers, the longest running Broadway musical comedy ever and the winner of 12 Tony Awards. Mel Brooks’s musical was adapted from his 1967 film of the same name that starred Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder. Like the film, the musical follows the hapless
Alley Art Festival will celebrate its 16th and final year from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29. The free arts festival will bring nearly 100 local artists to downtown Aurora. May 1 is the last day for artists to apply. The popular, grassroots art festival will be staged on
The Joliet Symphony Orchestra (JSO) is pleased to announce the final concert set of its 2025-2026 Season, titled “Scintillating”, Saturday, April 25 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, April 26 at 4 p.m.. Both performances will take place in Sexton Auditorium, in the Harold & Margaret Moser Performing Arts Center on the University of St. Francis
It’s Springtime, and time to go out exploring. You won’t have to go far from home though, as your library has some great adventures available through the Museum Adventure Pass. I talked recently to Deanna Howard, director of the Plano Community Library District. She tells us, “Most of the libraries
Aurora’s newly-renovated RiverEdge Park, 360 N. Broadway, Aurora, is ready for upcoming varied events. Following a year off for renovations, RiverEdge is back with improved amenities and has grown its capacity from 6,000 to 7,500. Upcoming events are: •Blues on the Fox, featuring Trombone Shorty and Ally Venable, Saturday, June
“Carousel,” Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein’s hit musical, will be presented by Aurora University’s theater department at Perry Theater, 349 S. Gladstone Ave. in Aurora Thursday through Saturday, March 26-28 at 7 p.m.. A Sunday, March 29, performance will be at 2 p.m.. The public is invited. Admission and parking
A little-known chapter of World War II history will take center stage Thursday, March 26 when historian and certified FAA pilot Rebecca Tulloch brings the story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) to life during a special presentation by Batavia Depot Museum, a facility of Batavia Park District. Tulloch’s
Looking for something fun (and free!) to do over spring break? Head to the Aurora Public Library District for a show that’s guaranteed to blow up your expectations (in the best way possible). Family entertainer Smarty Pants is bringing The Magical World of Balloons to APLD Wednesday, April 1 with
Sweet treats will be raining from the sky at Faith Lutheran Church, 3000 Liberty Street in Aurora, as they again celebrate Easter by dropping candy stuffed plastic eggs from a helicopter, Saturday, April 4, the day before Easter. The event is open to children up to 10 years of age
Wesley United Methodist Church, 14 N. May St. Aurora, will host a joint concert by two brass bands Sunday, March 29, at 3 p.m.. “Brass Band Collaborative,” by Fox Valley Brass Band and the award-winning Illinois Brass Band, will take place in the church sanctuary. The public is invited. Parking
“Curtains,” a comedy musical whodunnit, will be staged by Aurora Central Catholic High School’s drama department Performances will be at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 27-28 and at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 29, at the school, 1255 N. Edgelawn Drive in Aurora. General admission is $10; reserved seats are
The Elgin Symphony Orchestra will continue its 76th Season Classics Series with a program of energy, elegance, and symphonic power Saturday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, April 12, at 2:30 p.m., at The Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. Led by ESO music director Chad Goodman, the
State representative Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, is offering constituents of the 50th District three museum programs allowing them to receive four tickets to explore up to 16 museums in the state of Illinois, as well as the Paramount Theater in Aurora. “Many museums are not accessible to the general public because
Wesley United Methodist Church, 14 N. May St., Aurora, will host a joint concert by two brass bands Sunday, March 29, at 3 p.m.. “Brass Band Collaborative,” by Fox Valley Brass Band and the award-winning Illinois Brass Band, will take place in the church sanctuary. The public is invited. Parking
Aurora Area Retired Teachers Association members and guests learned about an Underground Railroad conductor, spy and nurse during a presentation Tuesday, Feb. 3, in Batavia. Celebrating Black History Month, Civil War reenactor Pamela Welcome of Aurora spotlighted Harriet Tubman’s life through stories and songs. An independent professional roleplayer and storyteller,
If you’ve been reading my blather here for any length of time, you’ve probably perused my Home Alone stories ad nauseam, along with other columns highlighting my memorable experiences as an indispensable part of feature films known as an “extra” or “atmosphere” or “background”. As those names imply, it’s a
When First Fridays in Aurora started in the fall of 2013, the tagline for the event was “art, music and more.” The event grew into a must-attend, thriving epicenter of culture thanks to the commitment to art at the forefront. As First Fridays added offerings and more venues over the
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, award-winning poet, singer, songwriter, and visual artist Jenny Bienemann will bring a night of original folk and Americana to The Venue in Aurora. Saturday, Feb. 7, Bienemann’s newest tiny book, “The Come Back,” will be the inspiration for a concert featuring a powerhouse lineup
