Come One, Come All!
Books on First once again is sponsoring "Find Waldo Local" in Dixon, all the month of July. Based on the children's Where's Waldo books in which we seek and find Waldo and friends in various locations around town and the world within the pages, children from anywhere can seek and find Waldo in 25 locations around Dixon, IL, including the Parks District building, the Next Picture Show art gallery, Discover Dixon Main Street Chamber of Commerce HQ and other fun places including of course, Books on First.
We have lots of prizes for those participating, those seeing Waldo in at least 10 spots and those becoming eligible for entry into drawings for Where's Waldo books as well as contributed prizes from There's Fun Inside and more. Get involved in a Dixon-wide search for Waldo and experience the Local Small Businesses all around town. The hunt ends in a "Bye, Waldo" party on Saturday, 1 August!

Learning how to be a resource for youth struggling with mental health challenges through our free QPR Training.

Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR): A suicide prevention gatekeeper training that teaches adults how to recognize warning signs, offer hope, and refer youth to life-saving professional care

Workshops are scheduled once enough attendees have submitted for them. The workshops are 8 hours long split in a single session or 2-day sessions of 4 hours each.

For more information, email: Ymhfirstaid@niu.edu

A display of paintings created by members of the Plein Air Painters of Rockford depicting "Buildings". These paintings were created on location. Many of the buildings depicted are in the Rockford area

Julie Kennelly

Taft Gallery, June 1 – July 31

Julie is an Illinois-based oil painter whose work explores color, light, and the quiet beauty found in everyday life. Working primarily in oils, she creates landscapes, still life paintings, and pet portraits that blend realism with expressive color and atmosphere. Her work is especially inspired by the landscapes of Northern Illinois and New Mexico, where she lived for a decade. Many of the pieces in this collection reflect the dramatic skies, desert light, and rich colors of the Southwest that continue to influence her painting today.

Julie began painting in 1997 as a creative hobby while building a long career in commercial banking. Over the years, painting became an essential part of her life and eventually evolved into a second career following her retirement. Primarily self-taught, she developed her skills through independent study, years of consistent practice, and participation in workshops with other artists.

Now painting regularly from her home studio, Julie continues to create work inspired by nature, rural life, changing seasons, and the emotional connection people have with familiar places, things and beloved animals. Through her paintings, she hopes to create moments of warmth, reflection, and joy while encouraging others to reconnect with creativity in their own lives.

This program will occur four times on July 30, at 10:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 2:30 p.m.

Meet three native Illinois animal ambassadors - an owl, a hawk, and a falcon - and learn why these birds of prey are so important!

Northern Illinois Raptor Rehab & Education staff will introduce these animal ambassadors and inform the audience about their basic anatomy and their role in the food chain. Then we will discover how conservation efforts can help protect these magnificent birds.

You will also be able to explore and touch displays of biological artifacts such as wings, feathers, tails, and pellets.

Birds will not be free flying; each animal ambassador will be secured and held by a handler during the presentation.

Northern Illinois Raptor Rehab & Education is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of native birds of prey, with the goal of returning healthy birds back to the wild. Through their specialized programs, they aim to inspire a love for wildlife and foster a sense of responsibility towards the environment and its inhabitants.

This program is funded by the Friends of the DeKalb Public Library. It is free and open to all, but most suited for school age children. No registration is required.

For more information, please contact Theresa at theresaw@dkpl.org or at (815) 756-9568 ext. 3350.

The Columbia County Fair is a typical county fair with both youth and adult exhibits in a broad range of projects--animal, photography, food, arts and crafts, crops, gardening, flowers, etc. Commercial vendors are on site offering a variety of goods and information. TriState Amusements will be there with carnival rides, games and fair food. Grandstand events are held on Wednesday to Saturday nights at 7 pm --Wed. night-Tuff Truck; Thur. night-tractor/truck pull; Fri. night-rodeo and Sat. night-demolition derby. Beer garden is open daily with live music on Wednesday to Saturday nights. The animal and livestock shows are held through the week. Free admission and parking to the fair. Grandstand & carnival are priced.