Community Calendar

CALIFORNIA is EXTENDED through March 21st!

A family road trip takes an unexpected turn when, in the dark of night, on the plains of eastern Oregon. . . reality splits.

WSSR takes another left turn with "California," a play that takes place entirely inside a car. Join us for this unique immersive experience that blends a quirky family comedy with the eerie darkness surrounding a long abandoned nuclear facility.

Directed by Claire Dahlhauser, this intimate production explores the humor and power of family bonds in a world where the map keeps rewriting itself. Claire's credits include Legally Blonde, The Wedding Singer (Starlight Theatre) and Macbeth (Starlight Shakes) and she recently served as assistant director for last season's production of POTUS at WSSR.

Do you feel intimidated by power tools? Do you want to be more handy but have never found the time to learn and don’t know where to start? If so, this bench building workshop could be for you. Come learn how to use tools to assemble a simple and functional Leopold style bench and build a strong foundation in basic carpentry skills, plus the confidence to complete further projects. Together we will learn how to measure and mark accurately, use a chop saw, and the best techniques for using drills and drivers, all in a low-stakes and slow-paced environment to help you feel empowered with your own projects. The benches will stay at Nature At The Confluence, and will make a lasting impact as spots for visitors to sit and enjoy our trails.

Workshop attendees will receive written instructions and the knowledge to construct their own benches. Tools, supplies, instruction, and snacks provided. Bring your own lunch. Feel free to bring your own drill, driver, tape measure, speed square, or other tools if you have them.

This workshop is open to everyone, but intentionally created to be a space for and by women and queer people and is designed for ages 15 and older. It will run from 10am – 2:30pm with a half hour break for lunch. Space is limited so please register in advance. The participation fee for this program is lower than our cost of supplies and staff time, thanks to a grant from the Colonel Robert H. Morse Foundation. $10/person

Do you feel intimidated by power tools? Do you want to be more handy but have never found the time to learn and don’t know where to start? If so, this bench building workshop could be for you. Come learn how to use tools to assemble a simple and functional Leopold style bench and build a strong foundation in basic carpentry skills, plus the confidence to complete further projects. Together we will learn how to measure and mark accurately, use a chop saw, and the best techniques for using drills and drivers, all in a low-stakes and slow-paced environment to help you feel empowered with your own projects. The benches will stay at Nature At The Confluence, and will make a lasting impact as spots for visitors to sit and enjoy our trails.

Workshop attendees will receive written instructions and the knowledge to construct their own benches. Tools, supplies, instruction, and snacks provided. Bring your own lunch. Feel free to bring your own drill, driver, tape measure, speed square, or other tools if you have them.

This workshop is open to everyone, but intentionally created to be a space for and by women and queer people and is designed for ages 15 and older. It will run from 10am – 2:30pm with a half hour break for lunch. Space is limited so please register in advance. The participation fee for this program is lower than our cost of supplies and staff time, thanks to a grant from the Colonel Robert H. Morse Foundation. $10/person

Blooming Fusion returns to The Next Picture Show after its successful debut in 2024, bringing back a vibrant 2D art exhibition inspired by flowers, plants, and gardens. Running February 18 through March 28, 2026, this juried show highlights fresh perspectives and creative connections rooted in the natural world. The exhibition features original works in watercolor, oil, acrylic, mixed media, pen & pencil, and charcoal.

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

Oregon, IL, Women’s Club supports the local community with its 74th Annual Antique and Vintage Show with over 40 dealers from the Midwest!

Saturday, March 21st, from 9 to 5 and Sunday, March 22nd, from 10 to 3

Ample free parking, homemade concessions, handicap accessible.

Entry $8.00 per person

Antique appraisals on Sunday from 10 to 2 - $5.00 per item.  

Join us for the 2026 Rock River Valley Train Show!

We have a 42,000 sq. ft. venue at Harlem High School in the Rockford, Illinois area consisting of two adjacent gymnasiums. There will be plenty of new and used model railroad supplies for sale, informative displays and fun to watch operating model trains for children of all ages. Door prizes are awarded every hour, but you must be present to win.

Admission is still only $5.00 for adults with kids 12 and under, scouts in uniform free.

Parking is free, too.

The Prairie Arts Council hosts an exhibit of paintings by Princeton native Brian Taylor during the month of March in the Prairie Arts Center Gallery.

Brian Taylor says about his works, "The art presented is a reflection of doodles and patterns practiced over many years. As time evolved, the practice was refined into its own colorful and unique style, evoking influences of various concepts from surrealism, abstract and indigenous art. The natural world is also an influence through travel, time working in arboriculture and landscape design.”

The gallery is open Saturdays and Sundays, March 7 - 29 from 1:00-3:00 PM.

www.PrairieArts.org
Facebook.com/prairiearts

David Polk returns to the Lizzadro Museum! A Chicago-born saxophonist, he has been crafting and performing original music since 1979, starting with the jazz fusion group Juggular. For over 30 years, he has been the solo tenor saxophonist with the renowned Orchestra 33. David's 25-year solo career includes 6 albums. Known for his world-class musicianship and passion for melody, David continues to captivate audiences with his soulful sound. Check out the David Polk Project on YouTube for more!

The Whiteside Forum will host Bucky Halker and his presentation of "This Land is Your Land: The Folksongs of Woody Guthrie," on Sunday March 22 at 2:00pm in Morrison. Clark "Bucky" Halker is an American academic, music historian, labor activist, singer and songwriter who specializes in American folk music. Halker is best known for his work on labor protest songs, Illinois folk music, and his involvement with the preservation of Woody Guthrie's musical legacy.

Please join us at 2:00pm on March 22 in the Community Room of the Odell Public Library located at 307 S. Madison St. in Morrison, IL. to hear Woody Guthrie’s music, learn the history, and discuss how art inspires our better nature. Bucky is a veteran Chicago performer with fifteen albums to his credit. You can find out more about him on his website: www.buckyhalker.com/

All Whiteside Forum events are free and open to the public due to the generosity of many. For more information about this event or the Whiteside Forum you can contact Marc Adami by email at marcadami53@gmail.com or text 815-718-5347..

The Whiteside Forum, established in 1985, is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit community group which sponsors presentations and discussions of issues of importance and interest to the public. Issues chosen for conferences have an international dimension as well as local interest and importance. The organization is supported entirely by individual, special and business contributions and all events are free and open to the public.

Buckle up for what the New York Times called “A timely boxing match of a history play.”

In 1950, Margaret Chase Smith was the junior Senator from Maine and the only woman in the Senate. A staunch Republican, she nevertheless bucked her party and the prevailing winds of politics when she took to the floor of the Senate to denounce Senator Joseph McCarthy in a speech she called, “a declaration of conscience.”