Events Calendar

2026-Galesburg Junior Senior High School will host its annual College, Military, and Career Fair on Wednesday, September 30, providing students with an opportunity to explore a variety of pathways for their next steps after high school.
The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Thiel Gymnasium at 1135 West Fremont Street, Galesburg, Illinois.
Representatives from colleges and universities, military branches, and local businesses and organizations will be in attendance to meet with students.
The College, Military, and Career Fair is designed to help students make meaningful connections and gain a better understanding of the many opportunities that are available to them after high school.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will host a Flood Map Open House for McDonough County residents on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Local officials will be joined by the FEMA project team, who will be presenting the preliminary flood insurance rate maps, which aid leaders and residents in identifying known flood risks. The maps provide important information that can be used to make decisions about future development and purchasing flood insurance.
Homeowners, renters, and business owners are encouraged to attend and meet one-on-one with floodplain management and mapping experts to review how the proposed maps may affect their properties. Attendees will learn about their specific risk and ways to help prevent flood loss.

Join us for a free meal on the last Wednesday of each month

Closing Reception:
Wednesday, September 30, 4:30 - 6:00 pm

artist talk at 5:00

Hello everyone! It's officially "Prairie Pumpkin Hunt" season at Lakeview's Nature Area! This FREE outdoor event is open to visitors every day from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm through November 4!
Ten pumpkins and their accompanying "Wildlife in Winter" facts are placed throughout the prairie for you to discover! We do ask that you not remove any of the pumpkins from the prairie, but leave them for the next family to enjoy discovering.
Happy exploring and tag us @lakeviewnaturearea with your "Prairie Pumpkin Hunt" adventures! Can you find them all?

Mulholland Street in Nauvoo comes alive with over 60 scarecrows created by very talented citizens for this annual October event sponsored by the Nauvoo Betterment Association.
This year, there will be a theme celebrating America's 250th.  There will also be a category for the most creative use of materials and a Facebook People's Choice award. Winners will be announced at the 4th annual Spooktacular Soup Sampling on Saturday, October 10 at the Nauvoo City Center. Registration form available at City Hall and the Library or on the Scarecrow Festival Facebook page and are due by October 1 to be eligible for judging and must be on display by that date.

Creators are urged to follow the theme, but not necessary to enter a scarecrow.

Looking forward to seeing the crows lining Mulholland starting October 1.

Make plans now to show off your creative side with a scarecrow.

Celebrating America’s 250th anniversary!
Brass Quintet

Made in America is a celebration of 250 years of American music.

The selections of this program cover a wide variety of styles, as is very fitting of this beautifully diverse country; including everything from Aaron Copland’s ballet Rodeo to American folk songs like America the Beautiful to orchestral music like Leroy Anderson’s Bugler’s Holiday to popular songs like Paul Simon’s Bridge Over Troubled Water and Stevie Wonder’s Sir Duke to the marches of John Philip Sousa!

Acclaimed as “the perfect blend of virtuosity and vitality” (Chicago Brass Festival), the Alliance Brass has emerged as one of the country’s most exciting ensembles.

“On a scale of 1-10, they’re a 12!” – Gallup Concert Association

Thursday Night Jazz at Smokin’ Willies BBQ
A Galesburg tradition for more than 30 years—every Thursday night starting Sept 17th!
Join us for Jazz Night with the Knox Cherry Street Combo, featuring special events throughout the fall term. Musicians, come sit in with the band!
Every Thursday | Sept. 17–Nov. 12
7:00–10:00 PM (some special nights begin earlier)
FREE admission | All ages welcome
Full bar + the best BBQ around
Smokin’ Willies BBQ | Galesburg, IL

Special Events:
October 15 — Matt Wilson’s Leap Day Trip
Masterclass at 6:00 PM
Jazz Night performance to follow
October 29 — Galesburg High School Vocal Jazz Ensembles and the Cherry St combo
November 5 — Mirza Residency at Jazz Night
Featuring Jenny Scheinman’s All Species Parade

Indiana singer-songwriter and guitarist Nick Dittmeier will perform a duo show at Ca d’Zan House Concerts in Cambridge on Thursday, October 1, bringing a sharp, story-driven blend of roots music, Americana and alt-country.

Presented by Crossroads Cultural Connections, the all-ages evening will begin with an optional potluck dinner at 6 p.m., followed by the concert at 7 p.m. Guests who would like to participate in the potluck are invited to bring a dish to share.

Based in Jeffersonville, Indiana, Dittmeier has spent more than a decade chronicling Midwestern lives through songs filled with grit, humor, empathy and a strong sense of place. His writing often focuses on working people, small towns, complicated families and the everyday stories that can easily be overlooked.

His latest release, Apparition, continues to expand that sound while keeping the focus on real people and lived experience. The album blends alt-country, roots rock and darker Americana influences with the direct storytelling that has long defined his work.

For the Cambridge performance, Dittmeier will appear in a duo format, offering audiences a stripped-down and personal version of his music that places even more emphasis on the songs, guitar work and stories behind them.

The next Environmentally Concerned Citizens meeting will be held October 1, Thursday, at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Room of the Macomb City Hall. There will be a discussion about the effects of large data collection companies. At the September meeting, elections were held, and Michelle Langjout is the new secretary, as Sara Wood has retired from serving as secretary--thank you.

Michelle has created a new organizational email McDonoughECC@Yahoo.com email address.  PLEASE EMAIL YOUR INFO TO THAT EMAIL ADDRESS TO INDICATE YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO BE UPDATED ABOUT ECC. That will create a clean list, as before Sara would choose around 50 addresses she had collected through the years and blind copied, as she respects your privacy.

To create a meaningful directory, please email your name and contact information to McDonoughECC@Yahoo.com. Thank you, Michelle, for volunteering to serve ECC!