Community Calendar

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

Beat the summer heat with Womanspace's annual Beat the Heat Online Auction!

From July 20 through July 31, browse and bid on an exciting collection of experiences, gift certificates, local favorites, unique items, and more—all from the comfort of your home.

Whether you're searching for a fun outing, a special gift, or something just for yourself, every winning bid helps support Womanspace's mission of fostering connection, personal growth, and a more compassionate community.

The auction is completely online, making it easy to participate anytime, anywhere.

Auction Opens: Sunday, July 20 at 12:00 PM
Auction Closes: Thursday, July 31 at 9:00 PM

🎉 Go to https://charityauctions.com/event/auction/1660 to browse and bid!

Mark your calendar, invite your friends, and join us for this fun-filled fundraiser. Every bid makes a difference!

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

Beat the summer heat with Womanspace's annual Beat the Heat Online Auction!

From July 20 through July 31, browse and bid on an exciting collection of experiences, gift certificates, local favorites, unique items, and more—all from the comfort of your home.

Whether you're searching for a fun outing, a special gift, or something just for yourself, every winning bid helps support Womanspace's mission of fostering connection, personal growth, and a more compassionate community.

The auction is completely online, making it easy to participate anytime, anywhere.

Auction Opens: Sunday, July 20 at 12:00 PM
Auction Closes: Thursday, July 31 at 9:00 PM

🎉 Go to https://charityauctions.com/event/auction/1660 to browse and bid!

Mark your calendar, invite your friends, and join us for this fun-filled fundraiser. Every bid makes a difference!

Historian Lucy Worsley investigates the tensions and turning points that led to America's declaration of independence from Britain in 1776. With access to expert insights and original evidence, she asks whether this explosive split could have been avoided.

Lucy travels to New York's City Hall Park, where Washington's troops heard the Declaration of Independence read aloud, and rebels melted a statue of King George III into musket balls. She crosses to London to see the war through British eyes — King George's maps, Benjamin Franklin's home, and the punishing taxes that made revolution inevitable. From the Boston Massacre to the Tea Party, from John Wilkes to Thomas Paine, she traces the radical ideas that lit the fuse.

At Portsmouth Royal Dockyard, Lucy uncovers a shocking arson plot to cripple the Royal Navy. She follows Franklin's secret mission to Paris, exposes the British spy at the heart of it, and examines Britain's mounting fears as France and Spain entered the conflict. In London, riots. In Ireland, resistance. In Yorktown, defeat. In 1783, Britain formally recognized American independence. This free public screening runs 110 minutes, not rated, and is made possible through PBS.

Celebrate Harry Potter's birthday with an afternoon of inspired crafts, themed drinks, and snacks. Costumes welcome! Try your hand at four craft stations — make a wand, a Hogwarts House bookmark, a potion bottle, and decorate a photo frame — then snap a photo at our themed backdrop to slip inside. Crafts, drinks, and snacks are available while supplies last. We'll wrap up the afternoon with a screening of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, made possible through Swank Licensing.

Free and open to all ages. Recommended for ages 6 and up; children under 6 are welcome with a parent or guardian. No registration required.

Drop in to learn how you can contribute to science and document wildlife in our prairie! Open to all ages, participants may monitor our monarch population, check the snake boards, learn to identify plants, and get inspired by the majestic midwest prairie ecosystem.

RSVP online to receive a reminder email and updates on what’s blooming in our prairie.