Northern Illinois Community Calendar

Built in 1865 by Robert Hall Tinker on a limestone bluff above Kent Creek, Tinker Swiss Cottage was home to the Tinker family for seventy-five years, and several family members died within its walls. The grounds include a Native American burial mound dating from 1000 to 1300 CE. Featured on Ghost Hunters, Ghost Lab and Jack Osbourne's Night of Terror, the cottage is one of Rockford's most famous haunted locations. Join Haunted Rooms America for a six-hour evening investigation, 6PM to midnight, with professional equipment provided. Ages 18 and over, or 16-17 with a responsible adult. Tickets are limited.

Come join in for this monthly series of community-led conservation conversations. Together, we will share knowledge, experience, and perspectives in working to restore and care for the land. Each month will be focused around a different conservation practice topic, selected by community interest. This series is hosted in partnership with Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves.

Open to all levels of conservationists – from curious beginner to expert, come share your perspectives and learn with the community. This series is intended for conservation volunteers, students, professionals, and anyone who feels a connection to the natural world in any capacity.

Tea and granola bars will be provided, feel free to bring a snack to share! Please RSVP if you plan to attend or would like to receive emails about future conversations.

Spread your wings of knowledge and soar into a feathered frenzy. Uncover bird adaptations that have made birds true masters of the sky. Join us at Severson Dells for these family-friendly, open-house style events. Each month will have a different nature theme full of hands-on, minds-on activities for guests of all ages to participate in. Weather permitting, there will also be guided hikes.

All Science Saturdays are FREE! NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED.

For more information, visit WildRootsNatureCenter.org/Science-Saturdays

Come join in for this monthly series of community-led conservation conversations. Together, we will share knowledge, experience, and perspectives in working to restore and care for the land. Each month will be focused around a different conservation practice topic, selected by community interest. This series is hosted in partnership with Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves.

Open to all levels of conservationists – from curious beginner to expert, come share your perspectives and learn with the community. This series is intended for conservation volunteers, students, professionals, and anyone who feels a connection to the natural world in any capacity.

Tea and granola bars will be provided, feel free to bring a snack to share! Please RSVP if you plan to attend or would like to receive emails about future conversations.

This seasonal favorite returns! Enjoy a stroll on candlelit trails, live music in the classroom, s'mores, hot chocolate and more! All ages. FREE family friendly event! No registration required.

For more information, visit WildRootsNatureCenter.org/Luminaria

Elgin Symphony Orchestra
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2026 | 8:00 PM

Tickets start at $64, Members save 30%
(All-in pricing includes $4 Box Office Fee. An $8 Order fee will be applied at checkout to the entire order)
Celebrate the season with the award-winning Elgin Symphony Orchestra, led by Music Director Chad Goodman, and the Elgin Master Chorale at Raue Center for the Arts! Enjoy festive holiday music, world-class performances, and a family-friendly experience that creates memories to last a lifetime.

Recommended: All Ages

This performance is sponsored by:

——
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.

This seasonal favorite returns! Enjoy a stroll on candlelit trails, live music in the classroom, s'mores, hot chocolate and more! All ages. FREE family friendly event! No registration required.

For more information, visit WildRootsNatureCenter.org/Luminaria

Participate in real community-driven science on these monthly walks! Learn about our seasonal wildlife and plant monitoring techniques and try them out for yourself. It's a perfect way to learn more about the volunteer research we coordinate and how you can get involved. FREE event, but space is limited so please register. Ages 12 and up.

Register at: https://wildrootsnaturecenter.app.neoncrm.com/nx/portal/event-detail?event=9678

The piano takes center stage for one of the most beloved works ever written for piano and orchestra, featuring award-winning Young Concert Artist Chaeyoung Park. Paired with the contrasting energy of Kurt Weill’s “Fantasy” Symphony, the concert brings together two towering composers whose lives were deeply shaped by exile and whose final chapters unfolded in America.

From the elegance of Paris to the excitement of the circus, this all-French program celebrates imagination and orchestral color. Ravel’s Suite No. 2 from Daphnis et Chloé evokes a breathtaking sunrise and some of the lushest writing in the orchestral repertoire, while Saint-Saëns takes us on a musical tour through the animal kingdom. The concert concludes with Ravel’s hypnotic Boléro, an orchestral tour de force.