Community Calendar

Spring is here and NIAAA is having our 2nd photo contest. We hope to have all nine counties we serve represented. We are looking for an iconic photo to represent each county: it should be something easily recognizable, a hidden treasure or notable view.

Please remember, this contest is open to everyone so please feel free to submit your own entries.

https://www.boonecountyarts.com/concerts-in-the-park/
2025 Concerts in the Park at Baltic Mill Stage 920 W Lincoln Ave, Belvidere, IL 61008 at 6:30pm unless otherwise stated
Free to the public. Bring your own lawn chair or blanket
Rain site: Community Building at 111 W 1st St, Belvidere, except June 28, July 13 & July 20

June 1: Trinadora Rocks – Blues Latin, Rock and ore - Baltic Mill Stage in Belvidere Park at 6:30 PM
June 8: Tavern Hill Liars – Folk music from all over the world - Baltic Mill Stage in rk at 6:30 PM
June 15: Always Late Country Band – Classic Country - Baltic Mill Stage in Belvidere Park at 6:30 PM
June 22: The Tom Mac Group – Rock Folk, Reggae, and Jazz - Baltic Mill Stage in Belvidere Park at 6:30 PM
June 28: Dale Rhode and the Crossroads Band- Contemporary Countyr – Boone County Fairgrounds – 7:00 PM before Belvidere Heritage Days Fireworks – Rainout date is June 29
July 6: Rockford Wind Ensemble – Patriotic and American Music - Baltic Mill Stage in Belvidere Park at 6:30 PM
July 13: Stages – Adult Contempory – Poplar Grove Vintage Wings and Wheels Museum – 6:30 PM
July 20: The Beaux Band – Classic Rock – Candlewick Lake Recreation Center – 6:30 PM

We are pleased to thank all of our sponsors this season: Byron Bank, Candlewick Lake Association, Sue Flott, Heritage Woods of Belvidere, Gary and Joan Ollmann, and Savant Wealth Management. We would also like to thank the Belvidere Park District, Vintage Wings and Wheels Museum, and the Community Building Complex Committee of Boone County. The BCAC acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Visit us at www.boonecountyarts.com and @boonecountyartscouncil on Instagram and on Facebook or by phone at (815)544-6242 for more information on all of these wonderful events!

Spring is here and NIAAA is having our 2nd photo contest. We hope to have all nine counties we serve represented. We are looking for an iconic photo to represent each county: it should be something easily recognizable, a hidden treasure or notable view.

Please remember, this contest is open to everyone so please feel free to submit your own entries.

To coincide with the 10th anniversary of the historic Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court ruling, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, PFLAG Sauk Valley is sponsoring a photo exhibit titled Wedding Album. The exhibit honors a decade of marriage equality by featuring photos of couples with connections to the Sauk Valley area. Each photo offers a window into lives shaped by courage and love. More than just images, the exhibit weaves in text that recounts the journey toward equality and the legal triumph that changed countless lives. Running from June 4 - July 2, 2025 (Wednesdays - Saturdays) at The Next Picture Show in Dixon, Illinois, the exhibit is free and open to all, including Saturday, June 14, which coincides with Dixon’s Pride Festival–two great events in one location!

Join the Homegrown National Park Movement!

Want to become a biodiversity hero? Learn how planting natives and removing invasive species can make you a part of the Homegrown National Park movement. Come learn about this nation-wide call-to-action with a short film, “What’s the Rush?”, by renowned conservationist, Doug Tallamy, followed by a presentation and Q & A with Jack and Judy Speer from Small Waters Education in Alden.

There will also be a drawing for some native plants and a tour of the library's large pollinator garden.

Spring is here and NIAAA is having our 2nd photo contest. We hope to have all nine counties we serve represented. We are looking for an iconic photo to represent each county: it should be something easily recognizable, a hidden treasure or notable view.

Please remember, this contest is open to everyone so please feel free to submit your own entries.

To coincide with the 10th anniversary of the historic Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court ruling, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, PFLAG Sauk Valley is sponsoring a photo exhibit titled Wedding Album. The exhibit honors a decade of marriage equality by featuring photos of couples with connections to the Sauk Valley area. Each photo offers a window into lives shaped by courage and love. More than just images, the exhibit weaves in text that recounts the journey toward equality and the legal triumph that changed countless lives. Running from June 4 - July 2, 2025 (Wednesdays - Saturdays) at The Next Picture Show in Dixon, Illinois, the exhibit is free and open to all, including Saturday, June 14, which coincides with Dixon’s Pride Festival–two great events in one location!

This annual competition is open to artists living in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. The Freeport Art Museum's annual Regional Juried Exhibition (RJE) mission is to offer established and emerging artists the opportunity to debut work created in the last two years. Opening on Saturday, May 10, 2025, the show runs through July 19, 2025. As FAM has gained a distinguished reputation for displaying a wide range of contemporary art, this exhibition has become a visitor's favorite.

Each year, FAM invites a new juror to select approximately 50 artworks for inclusion, and to give awards for first, second, third place, and honorable mention. This year's juror is Rodrick Whetstone, an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design teaching in the Department of Art and Design at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Award winners are announced at the opening reception.

The museum is open 10-5 Tuesday-Friday; 12-5 Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday

The Putnam County Public Library District invites the community to a special Movie Matinee screening of “Mister Rogers: It’s You That I Like” on Tuesday, June 17 at 1:00 p.m. at the Granville Branch, located at 214 S. McCoy Street, Granville.

This heartfelt, 57-minute PG-rated documentary celebrates the enduring legacy of Fred Rogers and honors the nearly 900 episodes of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, the beloved PBS children’s series that first aired in 1968 and continues to inspire audiences of all ages. Hosted by actor Michael Keaton, the film revisits many of the show’s most iconic and memorable moments, including appearances by Koko the Gorilla, Margaret Hamilton, Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, and François Clemmons. It also features personal reflections from well-known figures such as Judd Apatow, Whoopi Goldberg, John Lithgow, Sarah Silverman, and the late Caroll Spinney, who share how Fred Rogers’ timeless message of kindness, empathy, and imagination influenced their lives.

The screening is made possible through public performance rights provided by Kanopy. For more information, please contact the Granville Branch of the Putnam County Public Library District at (815) 339-2038.

Want to become a biodiversity hero? Learn how planting natives and removing invasive species can make you a part of the Homegrown National Park movement. Come learn about this nationwide call to action with a short film by renowned conservationist Doug Tallamy, followed by a presentation and Q&A with a local pollinator expert. Please register at www.woodstockpubliclibrary.org.