Events Calendar

Thrifty Thursday
Join us for an evening of reduced admission! 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
$6.50 for admission/members are free.
Advanced tickets required.

Mark your calendars! The 105th Fort Madison Mexican Fiesta is September 17, 18, and 19 2026! The countdown is on! The Mexican Village on Avenue Q will be ready to greet family, share great food and beverages, host lots of kids events, live music, performances by by La Fiesta Dance Troupe, crowning of the Queen and Princess Court, it goes on and on for three great days! Gotcha Games will be back, even bigger and better! YES! We ARE excited!

THURSDAY 09/17/2026
4PM- CARNIVAL & VENDORS
7PM-STREET DANCE WITH BLUE ZILLION

FRIDAY 9/18/2026
4PM- CARNIVAL & VENDORS
6PM- GRAND ENTRANCE & PAGAENT CROWNING
8PM-STREET DANCE WITH CROOKED CACTUS
11PM- EL GRITO

SATUDAY 9/19/2026
8AM-5K FUN RUN/WALK (7AM REGISTRATION)
11AM- BIKE HELMET GIVEAWAY & PARADE
12PM-CARNIVAL AND VENDORS OPEN
2PM-EATING CONTEST
6PM- GRAND ENTRANCE & PAGAENT CROWNING
8PM-STREET DANCE WITH CROOKED CACTUS
11PM- EL GRITO

Fresh produce, baked goods, food, crafts, entertainment, and more in Downtown Burlington, Iowa!

Get those costumes ready because one of the cutest traditions of the Jefferson Street Farmers Market is back!
The Pet Parade & Costume Contest returns Thursday, September 17 at 5:30 PM, giving pets and their people a chance to strut their stuff through Downtown Burlington.

Participants should gather at The Beancounter Coffeehouse & Drinkery by 5:20 PM, with the parade stepping off promptly at 5:30 PM. Dogs, cats, and other pet friends are welcome to join in the fun.

Contest Categories

Pets will compete for Downtown Dollars in three crowd-favorite categories:

- Cutest Pet
- Best Dressed Couple, Pet + Human
- Most Creative

Matching costumes are always encouraged, so grab your four-legged sidekick and start planning your look!

While downtown, visitors can enjoy all the Jefferson Street Farmers Market has to offer, including fresh produce, local foods, handmade goods, live music from Diane DeJaynes, and free Horse & Trolley Rides throughout the evening.

The Pet Parade & Costume Contest is presented by Downtown Partners, Inc. with support from September Farmers Market sponsor Shottenkirk Superstore.

Come for the pets, stay for the market, and help celebrate one of the final Thursday evenings of the 2026 Jefferson Street Farmers Market season!

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

Imagine if all four members of The Beatles had reunited for one unforgettable concert. The Reunion: Beatles & Beyond brings that fantasy to life at the Capitol Theater on September 17 at 9 PM. Celebrating 60 years since The Beatles stopped touring, this live tribute combines beloved Beatles classics with legendary hits from the members’ solo careers. Veteran musicians and multimedia staging recreate the sights and sounds of what a 1970s Beatles reunion might have been. Beatles fans can experience the next best thing to a reunion that music history never gave us.

Lots of vendors selling flower baskets, veggie starts, freeze-dried fruit and candy, baked goods, home and personal care products, and more!

Come enjoy beautiful Lake Argyle while taking a relaxing morning pontoon boat ride on the lake as we watch for wildlife. Life jackets, binoculars, and field guides will be available, or you’re welcome to bring your own.
**Pre-registration is required, and space is limited to 6 participants. ** 
Please email Bridget.Hinchee@illinois.gov or call (309) 776-3422 for more information or to register.

Augusta Days 2026 will be held on September 18 & 19 in downtown Augusta, IL.

The theme is Old-Time Rock & Roll.

The parade will be on Saturday at 11 am.

Western Illinois University will host the annual Employee Memorial Tree Planting Ceremony at 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, at the Memorial Tree Grove on the west side of Sherman Hall. Each year, WIU honors employees who passed away the year prior in a memorial planting ceremony. This year, the ceremony will honor:

- Michael Dailey, construction project coordinator, Facilities Planning & Construction

- Steven Myers, grounds gardener, Landscape Maintenance

- Amanda Schulz, assistant director, Graduate Studies

- Sinta Seiber, radio station production supervisor, Public Service Radio

- William Clow, dean, College of Fine Arts and Communication

• Patricia Young, English professor, College of Arts and Sciences

The Memorial Tree Grove on the west side of Sherman Hall was established in the Fall of 2003, following a recommendation by members of Western's American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 417, with support from the Civil Service Employees Council, the Council of Administrative Personnel, Faculty Senate and University administration. The annual ceremony includes one tree planted in memory of all employees who passed away during the preceding year. Honorees are employees who die while either actively working, on disability, on workers' compensation, or on an approved leave from the University. To date, Western has honored 65 individuals. For more information, email the WIU Human Resource Benefits Office at Hr-Benefits@wiu.edu.