Events

Join us for Karaoke with Host Joe Son! Start your weekend on a high note - Food, Fun, Self Serve Beer Wall, Craft Cocktails & Giveaways!  

Stroll through Downtown Joliet and enjoy Irish food and beverage specials, sales, and entertainment at over 15 participating businesses. Our downtown business owners treat guests like friends and family. Whether you're Irish or not, come downtown and enjoy an evening of Irish food and entertainment with some

NCI ARTworks to host an opening reception for the month-long exhibition of art by Tony Seabolt and Jeanne OMelia on March 14 at the NCI ARTworks Gallery from 6 to 8pm. Jeanne OMelia studied art at Iowa State University and Augustana College, Rock Island, IL, and The

Celebrate the upcoming lunar eclipse under the full moon at Whalon Lake. Discover the wonders of a lunar eclipse and unearth the importance of the namesake of this month's moon — the worm moon — while on a night hike with a naturalist. Note: This program does

Paolo Schianchi is a master guitarist playing classical to blues/jazz and pop/rock, with a variety of guitars including a 49-string guitar he invented. Paolo Schianchi is an out-of-the-ordinary musician and performer, able to master all existing variations of the guitar, from the Renaissance lute to electric guitars,

Join us for a fun-filled night of trivia to support the Ottawa Exploreum! Gather your smartest friends and test your knowledge for a great cause. 💰 Cash Prizes for Top Teams! 🍽️ Bar & Food Available – Enjoy delicious bites and drinks while you play. 👥 Teams

Join fellow women of the woods on this hike to celebrate women's role in nature. Along the trail, learn about the historical women who have quite literally paved the way. Discover the women blazing their own trails today and explore the paths chosen by women of the

Woods, dirt, mud, roots, and maybe some other adventurous trail stuff will be experienced at the 4th annual Trail Half Marathon and Quarter Marathon @ The Forge: Lemont Quarries. And now that we've earned the 4th leaf in our clover, the race is now named the MUDDY

Which city carried the nickname City of Steel and Stone? Joliet's once-thriving industrial plant rivaled Pittsburgh's steel power. Explore the stone foundations that are more than 100 years old. An interpretive naturalist will share the fascinating stories of the men and machines who worked at the Joliet

From the earliest times, Native Americans and pioneers of the Midwest made syrup from the sweet sap of the maple tree. Drop in anytime from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to learn the process of making maple syrup. Find maple trees tapped on site and even try

Which city carried the nickname City of Steel and Stone? Joliet's once-thriving industrial plant rivaled Pittsburgh's steel power. Explore the stone foundations that are more than 100 years old. An interpretive naturalist will share the fascinating stories of the men and machines who worked at the Joliet

Get ready to don your green and join the La Salle St. Patrick's Day Parade! Step into a world where Irish charm meets exhilarating festivity, as our vibrant parade transforms First Street into a dazzling display of color and cheer. This annual tradition is more than just

Storytelling is an art as old as time, and in the Illinois Valley. we are fortunate to have one of the most entertaining storytellers around, Tricia Kelly.  Kelly is neither a painter, nor a quilter, nor a sculptor, instead, she uses words to create a picture through

Join us as the Bureau County United Way host their annual Beer & Wine Tasting and help us reach our 2025 goal so we can continue to financially support local nonprofits that serve our neighbors in need throughout Bureau County.  

Bring the whole family to The Forge: Lemont Quarries for a St. Patrick's Day adventure! Embark on a self-guided Leprechaun Scavenger Hunt and follow an enchanting story to uncover where the mischievous Leprechaun is hiding at the end of the rainbow. Complete the hunt and return to

Come down and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day Utica style! The UBA will be hosting our annual St. Patrick’s Day parade. There will be many specials throughout town all weekend long! More details to come. If interested in participating in the parade please use the following link to

Participate in a group reading by Psychic Medium Michael Gourley, one of the Top 10 Chicago Psychics. Michael uses his gifts to deliver messages from loved ones in spirit and will deliver messages that come through for our guests. There may even be a message for you!

Need a break in your day? We are here for you! Grab your lunch and enjoy warblers with a naturalist. After a long winter, spring is finally here, bringing warblers to our woods. The tricky thing is that most of them look very similar. Learn the subtle

You won't need to sail off through night and day or in and out of weeks. Will County is where the wildflowers are! Anemone, Dutchman's breeches, trillium, hepatica – our wildflowers have stories to tell! Journey to Raccoon Grove, a top spot to seek wildflowers. Join a

Join us for Karaoke with Host Joe Son! Start your weekend on a high note - Food, Fun, Self Serve Beer Wall, Craft Cocktails & Giveaways!

Demanding a romantic light, the male woodcock waits until dusk before performing his theatrical display. The woodcock sky dance is quite a sight to see! We will start the evening learning about the American woodcock, then we'll take a hike to see if we can catch a

Spring is here, and it's time for our early bird migrants to arrive! Join us at Plum Creek Nature Center first thing in the morning to see our visiting flyovers. This location is a great stop for birds heading home for the nesting season. All birders are

There is a big, beautiful world of birds, and we are going to learn all about them! Junior naturalists will learn about different species of birds found here in Will County, their calls, their adaptations and some clues to spotting them in the wild. Participants will play