Northern Illinois Community Calendar

The Coliseum Museum is honored to host a special collection of China by members of the Pickard Collectors Club. The club was founded in 1992 by Joy Luke of Bloomington, Illinois, who along with a small group of Pickard enthusiasts thought it was time to bring together collectors of Pickard porcelain and glass.

Wilder A. Pickard (1857-1939) started the company in 1894 by offering his customers hand-painted giftware, artware, and eventually dinnerware of the highest quality.

Today, Pickard, Inc., remains a family-owned business proudly producing high quality, hand-crafted china. Each Pickard generation carries on the tradition of producing Ivory and White porcelain for individuals as well as for government and corporate organizations, both domestic and international. For more information visit their website at https://pickardcollectorsclub.org

Dick Cholke
Feature Walls, October 1 – 31
Sponsored by Stillman Bank

​Dick Cholke started painting watercolors after his retirement. After a period, he started to enter shows and Plein Air quick paint competitions. Dick has taken classes from local artists and workshops from a few nationally recognized artists. Having fun with the media and the people is most important. His best moments have been entering and selling at his first Door County Plein Air. Dick’s work has been accepted into the Illinois Watercolor Society’s National Exhibit and he has received multiply awards in Reginal & State shows.

Moments in Monochrome Art Exhibit - October 1 - Nov 14
Moments in Monochrome Awards Reception - Oct 9, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Judge Heather Shore

Heather is both an award-winning artist and art educator working in Northern Illinois. Her works reflect the variety of media and techniques she has been teaching for the past 22 years as a high school visual arts educator. Although the breadth of the media and techniques she teaches made for a long and difficult journey in finding her artistic voice; it did, however, influence her mixed media approach quite directly.

Music by Grass Attack
Grass Attack plays various genres of upbeat songs with Acoustic Bluegrass instruments They have tight vocal harmonies and arrangements that makes the music their own brand and genre

Paula Kuehl
Taft Gallery, October 1 – November 30
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Paula Kuehl, of McHenry, has been painting since 1981. She started painting with oil paints, which were fun but slow to dry and would become muddy if you didn’t wait for them to dry. When she discovered pastels, she switched to them and never went back to oils. Pastels better suit her personality – she loves to draw and pastels are like drawing with color. She also loves the vibrancy of the medium and the versatility it provides – versatility in the ability to use different types of paper and the way the pastel reacts on that paper. She feels her work is a study capturing the essence of life – whether it be in a child, a flower or a landscape. Pastels are like life – vibrant and full of energy That is what she attempts to capture in her works.

Rock River Valley Painters Guild Plein Air Art Show
September 2 – October 31
Lowden Gallery, Coliseum Museum

Sponsored by the RRVPG

​Artists participating in the 2026 annual show include Carol Bingham, Pam Bradford, Dick Cholke, Janice Conkrite, Charles Gregory, Anne Hilliard, Tom Linden, Nancie King Mertz, Sharon Saponari, Donna Smith, Terry Werntz, Lucinda Winterfield and Leah Zahn.

Awards will be presented by judge Jean Apgar, on October 9, in conjunction with the Moments in Monochrome Awards & Reception.

The RRVPG is a not-for-profit organization promoting local art and art education (North Central Illinois).

Take Root is BACK!

Take Root is a virtual farm business class that will be running from September 14th, 2026 to November 19th, 2026.

Take Root is a business class new farmers with 0-10 years experience.

In Take Root, we will build a farm business plan, an enterprise plan, learn how to budget and manage a farm enterprise, and market your business.

Take Root is held on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6-8PM CT. This class is virtual and ran over zoom. The class will have both facilitated classes, and speakers. In addition to the online class, you will also receive one on one consulting from Jillae, our Take Root Program Facilitator.

Sign up today for Take Root!

Questions? Email Jillae at jillae@farmersrising.org

See you there!
Jillae
Farmers Rising

Hauntings, horrors, potions and poisons combine for one night only as Midway Village Museum teeters on the brink of dark rituals and chilling tales during Horrors & Haunts: History’s Dark Side.

The thin veil between life and death flutters on the wind in the lantern-lit Victorian Village from 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30. Superstitions reigned during the Victorian era, when society was fascinated by eerie beliefs, unsettling traditions and macabre pastimes.

Featured experiences include:
• Plants, Potions, & Poisons
• Séance, hosted in the Chamberlain Hotel
• Barber on Main – Midway’s Sweeney Todd
• Tarot card readings by psychic and medium Denise Guzzardo, hosted in the Pepper House
• Victorian Mourning Rituals & Superstitions, hosted in the Ralston House by Tara Blazer, Midway Village Museum Board of Directors vice chair, including items from Blazer’s private, special collection
• Campfire ghost stories
• Victorian literature, hosted in the Old Stone School
• Picnic in the Graveyard
• Victorian serial killers, hosted in the police station
• Haunted Rockford presentations by Rockford librarian, author, historian and paranormal investigator Kathi Kresol. Presentations are scheduled from 6:30-7:15 p.m. and 7:45-8:30 p.m. in the church.
• Rock River Blacksmith Guild

Tickets may be purchased online in advance at https://midwayvillage.com/horrors-haunts-midway-village.html or Friday evening at the gate. Midway Village Museum is located at 6799 Guilford Road.

Parking is free. No pets are allowed, except for service animals.

The Black Box Theatre at McHenry County College is proud to present William Shakespeare’s tragedy about ambition and betrayal, Macbeth, directed by Jay Geller.

This gripping production explores Macbeth’s devastating descent into madness after a trio of witches prophesies Macbeth’s rise to the throne. Spurred by blind ambition and the relentless passion of Lady Macbeth, Macbeth chooses a blood-soaked path that tears a kingdom apart. Macbeth is a timeless story that speaks directly to the political and moral anxieties of our own era.

Macbeth opens Friday, October 30 at 7 p.m. and runs October 31, November 6, 7, 13, and 14 at 7 p.m. and November 1, 8, and 15 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for students, MCC employees, seniors, alumni, and veterans, and $20 for the general public. It is general seating. For tickets, visit www.mchenry.edu/blackbox.

Stage Coach Players presents a stage adaptation of Bram Stoker's classic horror novel 'Dracula' Thursday-Sunday, Oct. 29-Nov. 8 at its DeKalb theater.

Anthem’s Grand Illusion: A Tribute to Styx
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2026 | 8:00 PM

Tickets start at $39, Members save 30%
(All-in pricing includes $4 Box Office Fee. An $8 Order fee will be applied at checkout to the entire order)
Set sail for a night of classic rock as Anthem’s Grand Illusion: Tribute to Styx hits the stage. Featuring exceptional lead vocals, rich four-part harmonies, and a dynamic stage presence, Anthem brings decades of experience and passion to every performance.

Celebrating the iconic sound of Styx, this high-energy tribute delivers soaring vocals, rich harmonies, and the theatrical flair fans love. Performed by Anthem Classic Rock & Beyond, the show captures the spirit of Styx’s legendary live performances.

With nods to artists like Journey, Bon Jovi, and Queen, it’s a hit-filled night of music that will have you singing along from start to finish.

Recommended: 12+

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Don’t forget to become a RaueNOW Member to save 30%!

*Prices vary according to zone. Tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable.

Box Office Fee – A $4 per ticket charge to support the ticketing software.

Order Fee – A $8 per order charge that helps operate and invest back in our historic venue.

Premium Seat Fee – $6 Premium seat fee is based on location/additional leg room and indicated with a light blue color on the seating chart.

Patron Code of Conduct: Be courteous. Inform staff if you feel or observe any harassment. We reserve the right to remove any guest at any time. For more information, please visit rauecenter.org.

Questions? Contact our Box Office at 815-356-9212; boxoffice@rauecenter.org
Raue Center For The Arts is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of all through the arts.