Community Calendar

The community is invited to an all-you-can-eat spaghetti fundraiser dinner at Sycamore United Methodist Church from 4 to 7 PM this coming Friday, May 15th. Tickets cost $10 for adults, $5 for children aged 5-12, while children under 5 eat free; or buy an all-inclusive family ticket for $30. Tickets are available at the door or by texting the word SPAGHETTI to the church phone number, 815-895-9113. Enjoy fellowship with your friends and neighbors while helping to raise funds to support church outreach through a float at the Pumpkinfest Parade. The Sycamore United Methodist Church is at 160 Johnson Avenue just north of the Sycamore High School.

Join us for Conversational Café every 3rd Saturday from 1:00 to 2:30 PM at the Christ Community Outreach Center, located at 316 N 6th St in DeKalb. This is a great opportunity to practice your English in a welcoming atmosphere. Everyone is welcome, and walk-ins are accepted! For more information, visit ccclife.org/dekalboutreachcenter.

New France once stretched from the St. Lawrence River of Canada to New Orleans, and within its territory lived a vast population of French colonists almost as diverse as they were strong. With the coming of new borders and the formation of new countries like Canada and The United States, these French founders would find themselves divided and even isolated. But their cultures have remained, still existing after two centuries of isolation.

This program will take audiences on a journey of discovery where they will hear the history of their arrival, the French dialects they still speak, and the unique music they still perform. And most important, through story and song, played on “Creole Fiddle,” audiences will have fun learning how the French of “The Illinois Country” serve almost as a time capsule for their cousins to the north and south. With a “dash” of Cajun and a “pinch” of Quebecois this program will show how Illinois Creole culture bridges the continental expanse from Canada to Louisiana.

SNAP rules have changed! We'd like to hear how this has impacted your work helping people access food, SNAP, and other supportive services.

Join University of Illinois Extension educators in partnership with the Illinois Commission to End Hunger at Zion-Benton Library on May 21, 2026, from 3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Can't make this session? Virtual sessions are coming soon. Check back for details!

Join us for this new gathering at Woodstock Public Library as we enjoy a complimentary cup of coffee and discuss a new program topic with a guest speaker every month. Free to attend, but advance registration is required.

February 26 - New Advances in Alzheimer’s Treatment with the Alzheimer’s Association
March 26 - Identity Theft & Fraud Prevention with the Illinois Comptroller’s Office
April 30 - Fall Prevention with Smith Physical Therapy+ of Crystal Lake
May 28 - Mental Health in Older Adults with NAMI of McHenry County
June 25 - Discount and Ride Free Programs with RTA

NIAAA's Senior Pop-Up fairs are for aging adults, their families and caregivers. Come find resources, services and support in the community.

Join Emily Graslie on a journey through deep time in Prehistoric Road Trip. Traveling across the western United States, Emily explores ancient landscapes where fossils and expert insights reveal the stories of long-extinct worlds. In “Welcome to Fossil Country,” she begins in Wyoming’s Medicine Bow Mountains, uncovering evidence of 2.5 billion-year-old life and tracing the evolution of early organisms, from tiny fish to towering dinosaurs. Along the way, she connects with scientists to discover how fossils form and what they tell us about Earth’s distant past. The program is free and open to the public. It is approximately 53 minutes long and rated G and is made possible through Kanopy.

Step into the role of a paleontologist and uncover hidden treasures in our hands-on fossil dig! Each participant gets their own mini “dig site” and tools to carefully excavate and reveal what’s buried beneath the sand. Whether you’re a quick discoverer or a patient explorer, everyone can dig at their own pace and take home the fossils they find. It’s a fun, tactile adventure that brings prehistoric discovery to life! This program is free and open to the public. Recommended age five and older.

Emily Graslie continues her journey through deep time in Prehistoric Road Trip, traveling across the western United States to explore ancient landscapes where fossils and expert insights bring long-extinct worlds to life. In “We Dig Dinosaurs,” Emily heads into the Cretaceous Period, when remarkable creatures like T. rex ruled the planet. But what led to their extinction, and how did other life survive the asteroid impact 66 million years ago? Along the way, Emily meets scientists who study everything from bones and soil to fossilized leaves and clams, uncovering how life on Earth rebounded after catastrophe. This program is free and open to the public. It is approximately 55 minutes long and rated G and is made possible through Kanopy.

Join us for a hands-on program featuring dinosaur stories and exploration of what made these prehistoric creatures so unique. After storytime, participants will take part in a simple craft activity where they can build their own dinosaur to take home out of air-dry clay. This program is free and open to the public. Recommended age five and older.