Northern Illinois Community Calendar

The Next Picture Show community fine arts center in Dixon presents its annual Farms & Barns Art Exhibition now through Oct. 24.

Farms & Barns Art Exhibition celebrates the beauty, history, and enduring spirit of rural life. While inspired by the agricultural landscapes that define Northwest Illinois, the exhibition welcomes artists from across the country to share their own interpretations of farming communities, country living, and the working landscapes that feed and shape our world.

The gallery is open Wednesday-Saturday from 10am-4pm.

Moments in Monochrome Art Exhibit - October 1 - Nov 14
Moments in Monochrome Awards Reception - Oct 9, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Judge Heather Shore

Heather is both an award-winning artist and art educator working in Northern Illinois. Her works reflect the variety of media and techniques she has been teaching for the past 22 years as a high school visual arts educator. Although the breadth of the media and techniques she teaches made for a long and difficult journey in finding her artistic voice; it did, however, influence her mixed media approach quite directly.

Music by Grass Attack
Grass Attack plays various genres of upbeat songs with Acoustic Bluegrass instruments They have tight vocal harmonies and arrangements that makes the music their own brand and genre

You are invited to experience the collective wisdom and personal experience of artists' interpretation of the theme Echoes of a Changing Planet. Participating artists:
Norm Knott, Marsha Goodheart, Holly Blair-Cascio, Susan Berry, Julie Kennelly, Maya Simmons, Caitlyn Jahn, Paula Flanagan-Marsh, Barbara Berney, Lori Gustafson, Sadie Hoessrich, Becca Houlihan, Jose Sente, Greg LaMont, Clara Krick, Jessie Crow-Mermel, Wren Medina, Cassie Blair, Ventie Houi, Drew Helge, Annette McLean and Cherie Heck.

Take Root is BACK!

Take Root is a virtual farm business class that will be running from September 14th, 2026 to November 19th, 2026.

Take Root is a business class new farmers with 0-10 years experience.

In Take Root, we will build a farm business plan, an enterprise plan, learn how to budget and manage a farm enterprise, and market your business.

Take Root is held on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6-8PM CT. This class is virtual and ran over zoom. The class will have both facilitated classes, and speakers. In addition to the online class, you will also receive one on one consulting from Jillae, our Take Root Program Facilitator.

Sign up today for Take Root!

Questions? Email Jillae at jillae@farmersrising.org

See you there!
Jillae
Farmers Rising

LUCY’S COMEDY

With headliner Mike Marvel, featuring Joanna Clark, and hosted by Mike Preston

Friday, October 9, 2026 @ 8:00p
Tickets start at $29* Members save 30%
(All-in pricing includes a $4 Box Office Fee. An $8 Order fee will be applied at checkout to the entire order.)

Best stand-up in the burbs! Raue Center brings the best stand-up comics in the Chicagoland area close to home with Lucy’s Comedy, Raue Center’s longest-running program! Curated by comic and radio personality John DaCosse.

This performance sponsored by:

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Don’t forget to become a RaueNOW Member to save 30%!

*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.

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.

Nik's Wish, a Rockford-area nonprofit granting wishes to young adults ages 18–24 battling cancer, is celebrating 15 years and 500 wishes granted with its biggest Nik's Home Run yet! Join us for a 7K run, 1.5 mile walk, Youth Run/Walk, Grammy's Auction, and a festive indoor afterparty — all in support of young adult cancer patients who fall through the gap between pediatric and adult cancer care programs. Registration includes a t-shirt and swag bag. Can't join us in person? Sign up for the Virtual 5K and participate from anywhere!

🌸 New This Year — Memorial Garden Tribute Signs
Honor someone you've lost with a personalized 18x24 yard sign featuring their name and photo, displayed throughout the event in our Memorial Garden. For just $25, friends, family, and fellow supporters will walk through and remember them together — and after the event, the sign is yours to keep forever.

🏆 Fundraise & Win
Sign up as an individual or build a team and raise funds to unlock milestone rewards — from exclusive medals to a limited edition trophy. And our TOP individual fundraiser wins a one-week condo stay in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida! Generously donated by Jason Martin, the condo sleeps up to 6, is pet friendly, and sits steps from the sugar-white sands of the Emerald Coast. Available August–December 2027.

This year's goal is $25,000 — every dollar goes directly toward granting wishes and delivering joy to young adults fighting cancer right here in our community.

Interpretations en Plein Air on the theme of "Water" by members of the Plein Air Painters of Rockford. Scenes including lakes, rivers, creeks, and fountains are among the subjects captured in these original artworks. Almost two dozen works are on display in the Visitor Center at Klehm Arboretum.

The Coliseum Museum is honored to host a special collection of China by members of the Pickard Collectors Club. The club was founded in 1992 by Joy Luke of Bloomington, Illinois, who along with a small group of Pickard enthusiasts thought it was time to bring together collectors of Pickard porcelain and glass.

Wilder A. Pickard (1857-1939) started the company in 1894 by offering his customers hand-painted giftware, artware, and eventually dinnerware of the highest quality.

Today, Pickard, Inc., remains a family-owned business proudly producing high quality, hand-crafted china. Each Pickard generation carries on the tradition of producing Ivory and White porcelain for individuals as well as for government and corporate organizations, both domestic and international. For more information visit their website at https://pickardcollectorsclub.org

Rock River Valley Painters Guild Plein Air Art Show
September 2 – October 31
Lowden Gallery, Coliseum Museum

Sponsored by the RRVPG

​Artists participating in the 2026 annual show include Carol Bingham, Pam Bradford, Dick Cholke, Janice Conkrite, Charles Gregory, Anne Hilliard, Tom Linden, Nancie King Mertz, Sharon Saponari, Donna Smith, Terry Werntz, Lucinda Winterfield and Leah Zahn.

Awards will be presented by judge Jean Apgar, on October 9, in conjunction with the Moments in Monochrome Awards & Reception.

The RRVPG is a not-for-profit organization promoting local art and art education (North Central Illinois).

Dick Cholke
Feature Walls, October 1 – 31
Sponsored by Stillman Bank

​Dick Cholke started painting watercolors after his retirement. After a period, he started to enter shows and Plein Air quick paint competitions. Dick has taken classes from local artists and workshops from a few nationally recognized artists. Having fun with the media and the people is most important. His best moments have been entering and selling at his first Door County Plein Air. Dick’s work has been accepted into the Illinois Watercolor Society’s National Exhibit and he has received multiply awards in Reginal & State shows.