Community Calendar

Grab your fishing pole, tackle, and comfiest outdoor chair, and join the Boone County Conservation District and the Coon Creek Casters for a FREE morning of fishing fun for children aged 5-15 with an adult present. Don't know how to fish, no problem! Members of the Coon Creek Casters are available for fishing instruction and tips! Don't have a fishing pole, no problem! The Boone County Conservation District has a limited supply of poles to borrow - make sure to register early to secure a pole! Bait is provided for all to use. There will also be some friendly competition for prizes! Finish your morning of fishing with a free hotdog lunch provided by the Sycamore Meijer store.

Registration is required. To register, visit https://www.bccdil.org/hooked-on-fishing/.

*Adults who will holding a pole in the water will need to have a valid Illinois fishing license.

The library is alive with characters from the past! These legendary Illinois personalities have emerged from different eras of history, appearing as "living exhibits" drawn together by a mysterious force. A hidden mystery threatens to erase their entire family histories and legacies from existence—unless you can help them.

Combining elements of immersive theatre, escape rooms, and high-stakes quests, In Time turns you into a participant in history. As you explore the library, you will solve logic puzzles, find hidden clues, and complete tasks that assess your skills. The stories and characters appear in real time as they go about their day. Spend time with each figure to learn their unique stories and decide which paths to follow.

You may meet Wild Bill Hickok, Ulysses S. Grant, Ernest Hemingway, Amelia Earhart, or others!

This program runs from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and takes about one hour to complete. Missions will start every 15 minutes, with the final slot beginning at 3:00 p.m.

Please register now for a time slot. Drop-ins are welcome if we can accommodate. All ages are welcome.

During the event, free flavored iced lattes will be available from The Greenhouse in Sycamore. Sample their blueberry crumble and banana bread lattes while you complete your group’s mission! Beverages available while supplies last.

For additional information, please contact Samantha at samanthah@dkpl.org or at (815) 756-9568 ext. 1701.

The Forest City Rainbow Chorus invites you to join us for our annual Pride Concert, "Through the Fire, We Persist!" Featuring popular music from Broadway, folk, gospel, and more! Event is free and open to the public; free-will donations appreciated.

Mendota Painted Wings and Wild Things is a one-day art and nature celebration in downtown Mendota. Join us for the unveiling of two new nature murals, including an Audubon Mural Project mural, hands-on activities for all ages, and a bird photo exhibit at the historic Hume-Carnegie Library museum.

Perfect for birders, nature lovers, and art fans. Make a day of it in Mendota—free and family-friendly.

Intertwined within the threads of red, white, and blue, lies a story of a country and its people. The American Flag not only acts as a symbol of our great nation’s freedom, but it is a representation of our country’s citizens and their history. Old Glory is the thread that binds us all together. Every year on June 14, we get to honor our nation’s greatest symbol, the Flag of the United States of America.

Our Flag Day celebration includes the Pledge of Allegiance led by the Boy Scouts, a flag-folding demonstration, an explanation of flag etiquette, and singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” with musician and veteran Ron Lofton. Children will receive a patriotic pinwheel, and there will be a raffle of American Flags and children’s Flag Day books. We’ll also take an America 250 Flag Day photo in front of the library.

This all-ages event is sponsored by the Friends of the Library and provided in collaboration with American Legion Post 66. It is part of the America 250 initiative: celebrating our nation throughout the year.

For more information, please contact Susan at susang@dkpl.org or (815) 756-9568 ext. 2114.

What truly makes a dinosaur a dinosaur? This hands-on program explores the fascinating world of the Mesozoic Era, from the many species and lineages that defined the age of dinosaurs to the other remarkable creatures that shared their world. Discover which animals were close dinosaur relatives and which simply lived alongside them. Get up close with fossil replicas and a selection of actual fossils and learn about the field of paleontology and what researchers are still uncovering about these ancient animals today.

Presented by Mitchell Goodknecht, founder of ACCO (Animal Care Conservation Outreach), a Kankakee County–based educational outreach program specializing in natural history and wildlife science. Mitchell brings over nine years of science communication experience, a background in zoology and wildlife conservation, and hands-on expertise ranging from exotic animal care to volunteer education at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, including certification in dinosaur hall facilitation featuring SUE the T. rex and Maximo the Titanosaur. This program is free and open to the public. It is recommended for families and adults.

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.

Join us for a hands-on art workshop inspired by an extraordinary piece of history. Discover the story of Andrew Clemens, a 19th-century Iowa artist who crafted breathtaking works entirely from grains of sand. Then, create your own layered sand art jar, using color and pattern to tell a story, capture a memory, or simply enjoy the process. This program is free and open to the public. Recommended for ages 6 and up.

As we commemorate America250, join Artist and Art Historian, Denise Laurin, for a captivating multimedia discussion exploring the pivotal works of art that documented the Revolutionary War, and the remarkable transformation of George Washington from man to myth. Denise brings a rare combination of artistic sensibility and scholarly depth to every presentation. Holding an M.A. in Art History from Northern Illinois University, she spent nearly two decades teaching at the college level and has exhibited at venues ranging from the Chicago Cultural Center to MoMA-affiliated shows in New York City. Recognized as an advanced speaker by Toastmasters International, she is as compelling in front of an audience as she is in the studio.
This program is free and open to the public. It will be offered as a blended program with in-person and virtual options. To register virtually, go to: t.ly/ofioD.

The program opens with a short documentary produced by the Stained Glass Museum in England, tracing the origins of stained glass from its medieval beginnings to its enduring presence in modern art and architecture. Following the film, participants will take part in a hands-on workshop and create their own "faux" stained glass artwork. This program is free and open to the public. All materials provided. Recommended for ages 10 and older and adults.