Events Calendar

National Arts in Education Week Exhibition, featuring the artwork of Galesburg High School students Vivian Aldus, Mariah Burns, Audrey Green, Vainqueur Mulata, and Jayden Nguyen. On view at the Galesburg Community Arts Center September 26 - October 25, 2025.

Join us for a FREE opening reception on Friday, October 3 at 4pm.

FORT MADISON - A pair of artists will be sharing their talent with the community, exhibiting in the Main Gallery of the FMAAA Art Center in October. The duo is a grandmother and grandson, each sharing their perspective on art. Everyone is invited to attend the opening reception for MOODs: sculpture & painting by Anita Lee and The Art of E by Ian Edgington on Thursday, October 2 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The FMAAA Art Center is located at 825 Ave G in Fort Madison. The exhibition will be available for viewing October 2 – November 1, 2025, Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. This exhibition is generously sponsored by Angela Sodey, FMAAA Board President.

The Fall Jazz Series aims to bring dynamic jazz voices from the region and beyond to Galesburg. Throughout Fall term, different guest artists will hold workshops/conversations with the attendees at Smokin’ WIllies BBQ followed by a performance at Jazz Night with the Cherry St Combo.

Join us for Chicago based multi-instrumentalist Jake Hawrylak and his band Maiden King!

GCC Fall Season begins with our first night of rehearsals. We will be doing two concerts for this semester, one on Saturday, October 25th at 7:30 pm and the other on Saturday, November 15th at 7:30 pm. We will be hosting a community choral event, "A Festival of Voices" and performing "An American Tapestry", a collection of works inspired by American poets and composers, including Randall Thompson's "Frostiana" and Alex Berko's "Sacred Place". No auditions are necessary, just a love of singing! Fees for the semester are $15, students are free.

Join in a Galesburg tradition that is 30+ years strong, now at a brand new venue!

Come hear the Knox Cherry Street Combo on Thursday’s from 7-10 pm at Smokin’ Willies BBQ. This is a free event and all ages are welcome. Full bar and the best barbeque around!

Western Illinois University will celebrate its 22nd anniversary of the annual John Hallwas Liberal Arts Lecture. This year, former WIU Provost and President Emeritus of Kutztown University Kenneth Hawkinson will present on "You CAN Go Home Again: Knowledge from the Past as a Foundation for the Future," at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, in the University Union Grand Ballroom.

Hawkinson will speak about how knowledge from the past can serve as a foundation for the future.

The lecture series began in 2003 after WIU's College of Arts and Sciences initiated an effort to slow the decline in public interest related to broader education and concerns about the negative impact on democracy and social commitment. Since the initiative began, many WIU faculty have delivered impactful lectures.

Hawkinson spent 27 years at WIU, where he served as a faculty member, department chair and provost and associate vice president of academic affairs. During his time on faculty, he served as a leader of both the Faculty Senate and the Faculty Union. He has published numerous articles and dozens of professional papers.
His research will dive into creative pursuits, including storytelling, oral tradition and performance literature. Hawkinson served as the 12th president of Kutztown University from July 2015 to July 2025, where he retired.

He was recently awarded the President Emeritus status by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.
Following the lecture, audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions of Hawkinson, as well as enjoy light refreshments.

The event is open to the public. If you're unable to make the in-person event, the lecture will be on WIU's YouTube channel.

The WIU Symphony Orchestra will present a concert of wonderful music featuring the birdsongs of spring. Works include Beethoven Symphony 6, Delius On Hearing the First Cuckoo, Strauss Voices of Spring, and Elizondo Estampas Mexicanas.

Jon Rudnitsky can most recently be seen in the film I LOVE YOU FOREVER with Cazzie David, which premiered at SXSW to great reviews, and this past Christmas in both Netflix’s OUR LITTLE SECRET with Lindsay Lohan and Amazon’s THE RED ONE with Dwayne Johnson and JK Simmons.

Past credits include the Nancy Meyers produced feature HOME AGAIN opposite Reese Witherspoon, Ed Burns’ SUMMER DAYS AND SUMMER NIGHTS, Netfilx’s SET IT UP with Glen Powell and Zoey Deutsch, Tyler Perry’s NOBODY’S FOOL and THE YOUNG WIFE with Kiersey Clemons and Judith Light.

On the small screen, Jon was the only cast member hired for the 41st season of SNL where his DIRTY DANCING Weekend Update was a season highlight. He was the lead of FOX’s THE BIG LEAP, appeared as Young Larry on CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, starred opposite George Clooney in the Hulu Series CATCH-22, and was featured on NBC’s CHAMPIONS, Amazon’s RED OAKS, and TRU TV’s TACOMA FD.

As a voice actor he can be heard in major roles in Disney’s WISH, Paramount’s UNDER THE BOARDWALK, Netflix’s JURASSIC WORLD, and Disney’s BIG HERO 6: THE SERIES.

As a stand up,?Rudnitsky has appeared on CONAN and?Comedy Central’s THE COMEDY JAM, where he performed “Footloose” with Kenny Loggins. He?tours all over the country and was selected as one?of the “New Faces” at the prestigious JUST FOR LAUGHS Comedy Festival in Montreal.

He studied and?graduated from USC’s BFA Acting Conservatory program where he was given the John Ritter?Memorial Award For Outstanding Comedic Performance. Rudnitsky currently lives in New York City where he performs regularly at THE COMEDY CELLAR.

MACOMB, IL – The Western Illinois University Symphony Orchestra will present a free concert celebrating the sounds of spring at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, in the College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC) Recital Hall.

The program will feature works inspired by nature and renewal, including "Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, Delius’ On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring, Strauss’ Voices of Spring, and Elizondo’s Estampas Mexicanas.”
The concert is open free to the public.

For more information about the WIU School of Music and upcoming performances, visit wiu.edu/music.

Downtown on the Rushville Square
Vendor spaces are offered on a first come basis. The market begins on the West side of the square and spreads around the other sides as needed. Vendors may also set up in the grass but staking is not allowed, please use weights to hold your canopy.

Our Farmers Market takes place March – October every Friday from 7am-12pm and Tuesday from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. We also have a special Third Saturday Market. This market takes place on the third Saturday of every month from 7am-12pm.