Community Calendar

We’re waddling into the New Year in style with a penguin-themed Noon Year’s bash! As the clock approaches 12:00, we’ll celebrate its advent with a countdown and confetti toss. Listen to a short story, have some festive fun as we make penguin hats and confetti poppers, then grab noisemakers and parade through the department, ending in the Story & Activity Room to begin the countdown and release a flurry of confetti.

Registration is not required. This drop-in program is for children of all ages, but children under age 8 must be accompanied by an adult.

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

New Year’s Eve Glow Party featuring That 70s Band
Date: December 31
Time: 7:00–10:00 PM (After Party at Hyde Out)
Location: Wings & Wheels Museum, Poplar Grove, IL

Ring in the New Year at the Wings & Wheels Museum with a high-energy Glow Party featuring a live performance by That 70s Band! Enjoy an evening filled with great music, snacks, a cash bar, party favors, and an immersive special-effects lighting and laser show by Pump That Music & Reflex DJ. The night concludes with a festive champagne toast and an optional after party at Hyde Out.

Wear your brightest neon and come ready to dance! Open to all; glow gear encouraged.

Run, run as fast as you can, to the library to see the Gingerbread Man! Cozy up with your favorite blanky in our children’s story time room while Miss Stormy, and her friend ‘Gingy’, read and sing-along to their favorite Gingerbread Man tale. Following story time, stay for some warm cocoa and to decorate your very own ‘Sugar Cookie Man’.

This program is free and intended for ages 3-12. Younger children will need a parent to assist.

This program will be first come, first served, as space and supplies are limited.

For more information, please contact Stormy at stormye@dkpl.org or at (815) 756-9568 ext. 3310.

Ready to explore rocks, minerals, and fossils? In this hands-on program, kids will start their own rock collection, learn about different rock types, and get expert identification for their rocks. They'll then decorate a repurposed egg carton to display their treasures and receive six rock, mineral, and fossil samples to kick off their collection. A perfect adventure for any young rockhound!

Join us on Sunday, January 4 at 1:00 pm at the DeKalb County Farm Bureau for a free screening of the bat documentary The Invisible Mammal hosted by DeKalb County University of Illinois Extension.

The Invisible Mammal tells the captivating story of a dedicated team as they strive to protect North America's bats against a deadly disease rapidly spreading across the continent. Filmmaker Kristin Tièche takes us on a thrilling journey as women bat scientists fight to save a species from the deadly white-nose syndrome (WNS). This film follows Project Fat Bat, a potential solution to help rebuild healthy bat populations across North America.

At once a nature film, a science film, and a character-driven adventure film, The Invisible Mammal will immerse you in the world of bats and forever change the way you feel about these amazing little creatures.

Please RSVP to the DeKalb Extension office at 815-758-8194 or cahandel@illinois.edu if you plan to attend so we know how many to expect.

A $1.00 donation at the door is appreciated to help defray the cost of the screening.

Call or email program coordinator Connie Handel with questions or to request a reasonable accommodation at cahandel@illinois.edu or 815-758-8194.

Welcome back to the Fiber Arts Club!

To celebrate the 250th anniversary of America, local fabric shop owner Rachael of MAD Fabric + Studio will present on the history of feed sacks and how they were repurposed. A staple in rural economic sewing, feed sacks are cotton bags used throughout the mid-19th century until the 1950s to transport dry goods such as grains, animal feed, soap, tobacco, and more. Rachael will bring reference examples of feed sacks and some materials for attendees to make a small quilt block with authentic feed sack pieces.

All skill levels are welcome to learn a new technique or bring your own project to work on. This club is an open format to try out different fiber arts and form a community of fiber friends! Enjoy tea or coffee and comforting background music. Intended for teens and adults. No registration is required.

For more information, please contact Emily at emilyk@dkpl.org or (815) 756-9568 ext. 6106.

Visit Beloit will welcome the American Cornhole Organization for the 6th annual event January 8-10, 2026. Join us for a charity event to kick it off!

The 2026 Beloit Major will be the sixth cornhole tournament hosted in Beloit, Wisconsin by the American Cornhole Organization (ACO). Players can register as a single player or as team of two. Single registered players will be partnered with another single registrant. The competition is set for Thursday, January 8th at the Eclipse Center. The event will run from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. with the tournament starting at 5:45 p.m.

Registration will be $10 per player or $20 for a team of two. There is no cost to attend for networking and viewing the competition. Registration for the event is limited to 64 players.

Beloit Meals on Wheels will be the charity partner receiving a funds from the event as well as any donations made during the event.

For more information about the American Cornhole Organization – Beloit Major, please visit: https://visitbeloit.com/cornhole/

Did you know that most of the board games you love were created in the United States? Kick off a year-long celebration of America’s 250th anniversary with games including Monopoly, Life, and Ticket to Ride. Drop in for a quick game or spend two hours exploring different games.

This program is intended for teens in grades 6-12. All participants will receive a snack. No registration is required.

For more information, please contact Steven at (815) 756-9568 ext. 3400 or at stevenm@dkpl.org.

Even More Jerks in Chicago History: 1945 – 2000

Join us for this last of three presentations on Jerks in Chicago History where we learn about the actions of even more thieves, murderers, jerks, and mobsters in Chicago. We look at the lives of scoundrels who "prospered" in the latter half of the 20th Century. Some were politicians, some were law enforcement officers, and some were respected business entrepreneurs. Whatever their role, they resorted to their dark side and added to the list of badly behaved characters who shaped the history of the Windy City. And we'll also learn about Illinois politicians who get honorable mention for their corruption and illegal activity.

One 90 minute presentation, w/video - presented by Brad Keyes

Interested in the JFK assassination records? What about federal records about UFOs? The National Archives needs help transcribing original documents to make them easier for the public to access. Learn how to decipher cursive and create keyword tags in a short presentation before getting hands-on experience in contributing to the transcription process.

Creating a login using two-factor authentication for the National Archives will be required to contribute.

This program is limited in spaces and is first come, first served. Laptops will be provided. All ages are welcome.

For questions and more information, contact Emily at emilyk@dkpl.org or (815)756-9568 ext. 6106.