Events Calendar

Elizabeth Crecca returns with Gershwin's electrifyingly dazzling Piano Concerto in F. And joining us for a glamorous evening of standards is American Idol Golden Ticket Recipient Kelsey Madison, bringing her stunning voice to classics like Fever, Sway, and the Carpenters I Just Fall in Love Again. Dress up, come out, and join us for a night that lives up to its name — Puttin' on the Ritz.
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Ticket Information:
Free for students and children
General admission: $25
Best Value - Season Pass:
From now until August 1, get 7 concerts (3 Masterworks, 3 Pops, plus FREE Hollydaze ticket) for just $99.
Great Saving - Pops Series Pass:
Get 4 concerts (3 Pops, plus FREE Hollydaze ticket) for just $75.
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Dinner Reservation:
Make it a night to remember with our elegant pre-concert dining experience.
Add a gourmet dinner reservation for $60 per person. Each dinner ticket includes:
- a complimentary alcoholic beverage
- a dinner reservation
The dinner is family-friendly, and all meal options are identical for kids/students and adults.
To order and pay for dinner tickets online, select the Add Pre-Concert Dinner option for your preferred performance location during checkout. A symphony board member from your selected venue will call to confirm your reservation prior to the concert.
Tables of 8 people for the dinner may be purchased for $ 600 - an $80 savings!
For additional dinner reservation information, please contact:
Burlington - Diana Small
(773) 447-2304 or diana.small1312@outlook.com
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1 weekend, 1 concert program, 2 locations, choose the one that works best for you:
Saturday, September 19, 2026 - 7:00 PM
Bridge View Center, Ottumwa
Sunday, September 20, 2026 - 6:30 PM
The Capitol, Burlington

The Spirit of ’76 is marching to a different drummer as the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra is "Puttin' on the Ritz" for a pair of September Pops Concerts.
On the heels of the September 2025 standing-room-only presentation of George Gershwin’s 1924 “Rhapsody in Blue,” his 1925 Piano Concerto in F is ready to dazzle audiences in Ottumwa and Burlington one year later. And in the second half, Iowa’s own “American Idol” Golden Ticket winner, Kelsey Madsen of Cedar Rapids, returns to the SEISO stage. She’ll have temperatures rising with such sultry favorites as “Fever” and “Sway.”
The concerts begin at 7 p.m. Sept. 19 in Ottumwa’s Bridge View Center and 6:30 p.m. Sept. 20 at The Capitol in Burlington. Pre-show gourmet dinner add-ons are available in both cities, and audiences are invited to meet the artists at free receptions after each concert.

The Al Sears Music Fest is an annual celebration honoring Macomb native and musical trailblazer Al Sears (1910–1990), a saxophonist, songwriter, and entrepreneur who played with jazz legends and helped shape the sound of early rock and roll.

Throughout the weekend, visitors can explore Al Sears’s remarkable career, from performing with Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton to producing records and influencing the music industry as an executive with ABC Paramount. The Western Illinois Museum will feature photographs, recordings, and artifacts related to his work.

*Bring your family, invite your friends, and celebrate Al Sears and Macomb’s unique place in American music history.
*Enjoy delicious meals from Sandra’s Authentic Mexican Food Truck, available both Saturday and Sunday.

Monday, September 21:
Western Illinois Museum
Noon: Doors open, bar service begins, and Sandra's Mexican Food Truck will be serving throughout the celebration
12 pm - 1:30 pm: WIU Student and School of Music Faculty Sessions
2 pm - 3 pm: Community Conversation
3:30 pm - 5:30 pm: Yoseph Henry - Where Jazz Meets R&B and Gospel Soul

This program is supported in part by a grant from the Performing Arts Society.For more information, call 309-837-2750, text 309-837-2613, or email

Are you interested in protecting local waterways while enhancing your landscape? Join us for a FREE Rainscaping Education Program, a hands-on, research-based workshop designed to help homeowners, volunteers, and community members learn practical strategies for managing stormwater where it falls.

Participants will learn how rain gardens and other rainscaping practices can reduce runoff, filter pollutants, improve water quality, and create more resilient landscapes. The program covers the fundamentals of designing, installing, and maintaining rain gardens, with opportunities to apply what you learn in the field.
The class is free, but registration is required.

Fresh produce, local vendors, and community fun are right around the corner.
Still thinking about being a vendor? There’s time—reach out to the Hancock County Farm Bureau at 217-357-3141 or [hcfbmanager@gmail.com](mailto:hcfbmanager@gmail.com).
We can’t wait to see you there!

The Fort Madison Farmer's Market is growing, and we want you to be part of it! Join us on Mondays at Central Park from 4-6 pm in June-September.

Movie Mondays is a film series connected to the upcoming “Americans and the Holocaust” exhibition. These films will be shown at the *Capitol Theater and will explore themes of communication, propaganda, and public understanding during World War II, highlighting how information shaped perspectives and decisions both then and now. Selections may include classic films from the era, such as “The Great Dictator”, along with other films that provide historical context and encourage meaningful discussion.

This performance is dedicated to the life and legacy of Drs. Hugo and Maurine Magliocco

PROGRAM

Soundtrack - Brian Sadler (b. 1982)

Luna - Aliyah Danielle (b. 1997)
with James Land, tuba

Fantasy for Trombone - Malcolm Arnold (1921-2006)

Variations on Palestrina's "Dona Nobis Pacem" - David Fetter (b. 1938)

Sonata for Trombone and Brass Quartet - Jack Wilds (b. 1986)
I. Vivace
II. Andante
III. Allegro Animato
with
Nicole Gillotti and Ryan Ford, trumpets
Evan Goodson, horn
James Land, tuba

Nessun Dorma from Turandot - Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)
with the WIU Trombone Choir - Kayelee Stockdale, Conductor
WIU Trombone Choir: Jem Frost, Colby Monarch, Kaylei Littig, Ethan LaBau, Cole Dowdal, Shiloh Watts, Madison Smith

Arts Alliance Illinois is partnering with the Quincy Art Center and ArtsQuincy to bring the Illinois Creative Future Roadshow to West Central Illinois! 
Join us at the Quincy Art Center, 1515 Jersey St in Quincy, on September 22nd from 10 a.m.- 12 p.m. for a collaborative conversation about investing in Illinois' creative future. 

Click here to register!

This isn't a presentation followed by a listening session. It's a working session designed to get people talking, thinking, and building together. We'll kick things off with insights from the new Creative Economy of Chicago and Illinois: Impact and Assets reports, but the conversation will be driven by you and the other people in the room. Your ideas and experiences will help shape future advocacy and support for creative communities across Illinois.

Whether you're an artist, creative worker, nonprofit leader, educator, entrepreneur, elected official, or simply someone who cares about your community, we'd love to have you there.

The market emphasizes locally grown produce and products, ensuring that all items are sourced from Illinois growers. This focus on local sourcing helps to reduce transportation emissions and supports the regional economy.
The market welcomes new vendors and offers a variety of goods, including fruits, vegetables, baked and canned goods, as well as artwork and crafts. It operates between 3 and 6 PM, making it accessible for afternoon and early evening shoppers.