Community Calendar

Take part in the 2026 City Nature Challenge and join the Boone County Conservation District on guided hikes to explore different habitats and see what's blooming!

Capture the beauty of Flora Prairie Nature Preserve, on the last remnant prairies in IL, as you discover the flowers that call this place home! Expect around a mile hike. An introduction to iNaturalist* will precede the hike.

*iNaturalist is a free, fun, and easy app and website that allows people to post observations about wildlife and plants. Researchers from around the world can use the data uploaded to help them make informed land management decisions and better understand local plants and animals.

City Nature Challenge is a worldwide movement to document nature and help fight biodiversity loss! Every observation made of WILD nature is a data point that helps scientists and researchers understand and protect nature for all. It began in 2016 as a friendly competition between San Francisco and L.A. and quickly grew to 159 cities across 6 continents in 2019. Last year alone, City Nature Challenge had 35,000 participants that made nearly 1 million wildlife observations and documented over 1,000 rare, threatened, and endangered species. It is organized by California Academy of Sciences and Natural History Museum Los Angeles County.

Earth Day 2026 is all about "Out Planet, Our Power." Take action and show your love for Planet Earth by participating in this month's Volunteer Saturday at the Boone County Conservation District as we work to make our local habitats and community healthy! We have the power to make a difference!

Registration is required. To register, email dgrelecki@bccdil.org or call 815-547-7935.

Participants are invited to bring a favorite book from home, or select one from the library’s collection, and read aloud to Hobo. This relaxed, supportive experience helps build reading skills and confidence while making reading fun. The program is free and open to the public.

Lowden Gallery Artist: Ellen "Ellie" R. Bartels
March 1 - April 30

​Ellie has a BA degree in Education and a BFA in Studio Art , both from the University of Washington. She taught art, K – 12, in Orangeville, Il for 12 years. She currently lives in Freeport, Il.

Ellie states, “ The process of transforming paint and canvas into an appealing and effective image scares, frustrates, excites and inspires me.

My work starts out with a subject or theme in mind, usually based on my personal response to nature or a past experience, and a general plan on how to accomplish my goal. As it progresses spontaneity and intuition take over and my unconscious becomes the director.
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I have found that both oils and acrylics work well as vehicles for translating my inner vision to outer reality. Both comply with my enjoyment of layering paint and working the canvas by scraping, rubbing, scratching through, dry brushing, etc., to create depth and texture and to bring the surface to life.

It is my wish that the viewer will want to spend time with my work, to contemplate its meaning, discover its complexities, or to just enjoy the colors and shapes.

Did you know that Benjamin Franklin did far more with electricity than flying a kite in a storm? His experiments with electricity were groundbreaking. He even invented many of the electrical terms we still use today, like charge and conductor.

In this month’s Family Fun Science, we’ll honor the contributions of the first internationally great American scientist, Benjamin Franklin. We’ll learn about the science Franklin discovered: circuits. We'll even build a circuit connected by a key.

This program is part of the America 250 initiative, celebrating our nation's anniversary throughout the year.

The program is limited to the first 30 children to arrive.

For additional information, please email Laura at lauraw@dkpl.org or call (815) 756-9568 ext. 3350.

The Black & White PLUS Photography Show is a juried exhibition celebrating the strength and versatility of monochrome photography. This show invites photographers to explore imagery created without full color (including traditional black-and-white, sepia-toned and cyanotype), focusing instead on composition, contrast, light, shadow, texture, and visual storytelling.

The gallery is open Wednesday-Saturday 10-4 or by appointment.

Enjoy a staff guided hike and learn how you can contribute to science by participating in the City Nature Challenge! We will take a slow pace as we notice all the living things along our trail and use the free app iNaturalist to help us identify plants. The event will begin with a brief indoor presentation, followed by a group wander on the trails to practice identifying spring ephemeral plants.

What is City Nature Challenge? It’s a worldwide community science effort to capture pictures of plants, animals, and fungi to map the biodiversity of our cities. All posts made on iNaturalist, a free app and website, count toward our city team’s total in the competition between more than 400 cities. When you participate, you connect with and learn about nature while contributing to scientific research worldwide! City Nature Challenge is organized by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and California Academy of Sciences. The Rock River Valley team is organized by Severson Dells Nature Center.

This event is free and your RSVP is appreciated. The event is designed for ages 8 and older, but all people are welcome. Trails are unpaved and may be muddy. If we could offer accommodations to support your visit, please contact info@natureattheconfluence.com or call 815-200-6910. RSVP on our website: https://natureattheconfluence.com/event/beginner-plant-identification-hike/

Vicki Peterson, founding member of the groundbreaking pop-rock band The Bangles (“Eternal Flame,” “Walk Like An Egyptian”), joins forces with John Cowsill, longtime drummer and vocalist for The Beach Boys and a founding member of the beloved family band The Cowsills. Together, they present Long After The Fire, their debut Americana album featuring previously unreleased songs written by John’s late brothers, Barry and Bill Cowsill. These gems, blending Everly Brothers-style harmony with Roy Orbison-esque storytelling, are a heartfelt tribute to the lasting power of music and family.

This intimate performance offers more than just incredible music. It’s a behind-the-scenes journey into the songs, the stories, and the lives behind the legends. You'll hear new tracks from the album as well as unforgettable classics from The Bangles and The Cowsills, delivered by two artists whose legacies helped shape the American soundscape.

Make Your Night at the Opera House Even More Special: Enhance your evening with our Marquee Access Experience for an additional $15! Enjoy early entry and a reserved area before the show and during intermission, complete with your own bartender and bento box of snacks that can be taken to your seat. It’s the perfect way to relax, mingle, and elevate your visit in comfort and style. Spots are limited for this exclusive offering, secure yours while they last!­­­­­­­­­­­­

Look for the add-on ticket in the checkout!

TICKETS: $40.00 A Seats | $35.00 B Seats (Including Fees)

April is Citizen Science Month, and the Library invites the community to take part in hands-on projects that contribute to 2.5 Million Acts of Science, a national America250 initiative celebrating civic participation and discovery. Citizen science empowers everyday people to support real scientific research by observing and sharing information about the world around them.

Featured projects include Stream Selfie, which helps document the health of local streams through shared photos; Globe at Night, an international effort to measure and raise awareness of light pollution; and iNaturalist, a global platform for recording plants and wildlife to help scientists monitor biodiversity. Information on how to participate in all three citizen-science projects is available at the Library. All projects are free and open to the public and are suitable for adults and families alike.

Take part in the 2026 City Nature Challenge and join the Boone County Conservation District on guided hikes to explore different habitats and see what's blooming!

Catch the buzz about the local birds, bees, and blooms with Brian Hale and Joel Neylon! Be prepared to explore nature right here in Belvidere at Spencer Conservation Area! An introduction to iNaturalist will precede the hike. Meet at the Rec Hall Pavilion by using the entrance at 1121 N Appleton Road.

iNaturalist is a free, fun, and easy app and website that allows people to post observations about wildlife and plants. Researchers from around the world can use the data uploaded to help them make informed land management decisions and better understand local plants and animals.

City Nature Challenge is a worldwide movement to document nature and help fight biodiversity loss! Every observation made of WILD nature is a data point that helps scientists and researchers understand and protect nature for all. It began in 2016 as a friendly competition between San Francisco and L.A. and quickly grew to 159 cities across 6 continents in 2019. Last year alone, City Nature Challenge had 35,000 participants that made nearly 1 million observations and documented over 1,000 rare, threatened, and endangered species. It is organized by California Academy of Sciences and Natural History Museum Los Angeles County.