AUGUST
BLOOD DRIVES: The American Red Cross is now experiencing a blood crisis and warning that emergency blood shortage may impact patient care. The situation is dire and you can help by donating at an upcoming local blood drive. These will be held on Thursday, August 6th from noon until 6pm at Northfield Square Mall / Tuesday, August 11th from 10am to 3pm at Riverside Health Fitness Center in Bourbonnais / and again Thursday, August 20th from 11am to 5pm at Northfield Square Mall in Bradley. You can find a blood drive near you by searching your zipcode at “Red Cross Blood (dot) org”.
The 19th annual “National Night Out” celebration for Kankakee County will take place Tuesday, August 4th from 4 to 9pm at Perry Farm Park in Bourbonnais. This event will feature free food, drinks, and school supply bags while supplies last, a Salvation Army food drive and raffle, bounce houses, live musical entertainment and more. (The “Rewind Band” and “The Silhouettes” both feature Milner Media’s Bill Dyche on drums.) This nationwide event which brings neighbors and local law enforcement together under friendly circumstances will also include a K-9 demonstration, kiddie carnival rides, vendor information booths, and an appearance by retired Chicago White Sox player Steve Lyons.
The next “Lunchtime Bites & Beats on Festival Street” event will take place on Wednesday, August 5th from 11am to 1pm at The Grove in Bourbonnais. Tacos El Guadalajara and Chick-fil-A will be on site while Kristi Alsip provides the live entertainment. Hosted by the Village of Bourbonnais, these weekly midday escapes offer a place to grab lunch each Wednesday during the summer from delicious food trucks while enjoying live acoustic music and soaking in the summer atmosphere at the village’s favorite gathering spot. Admission is free.
The next “Manteno Market at the Square” will be held on Wednesday, August 5th from 4 until 8pm at the Square on Second in downtown Manteno. Enjoy food trucks, local vendors, and live entertainment.
States Attorney Jim Rowe’s “Reel Justice Fishing Club” for kids and adults, held in partnership with the Northern Illinois Anglers Association, is a fun outdoor summer activity that is free to attend. The fishing poles, tackle and bait are provided. Parents and guardians are encouraged to come along. You can join them for an End of Season Celebration this Wednesday, August 5th from 5pm until 7:30 at the Bird Park Quarry in Kankakee. For more information, visit “K3SAO (dot) com (slash) Fish”.
The Kankakee Municipal Band invites you to its final free concert in the park this season on Thursday, August 6th at 7pm in Kankakee’s Bird Park at the Don Palzer Bandshell. They’ll be performing band classics. Candy and Cake will be on site. Remember to bring a lawn chair.
Food Truck Fridays, hosted by the Bourbonnais Township Park District, feature a rotating lineup of food trucks at Perry Farm Park each Friday from 11am to 2pm during the summer months. This provides a place to enjoy the fresh air and an outdoor lunch as you head into the weekend. The next one will be held Friday, August 7th with Tacos El Guadalajara. You can view a list of their future food truck vendors at “BTPD (dot) org”.
Another pork chop sandwich fundraiser for Watseka’s Old Courthouse Museum will take place on Friday, August 7th. Drive through or simply walk up to the red barn on the east side of the museum at 103 West Cherry Street in Watseka that day between 4 and 6pm for a boneless and tenderized non-breaded grilled pork chop sandwich. All donations will support the work of the Iroquois County Historical Society.
All are welcome to attend a City Wide Revival under the big tent this weekend at “We Stand For Christ Jesus Ministries”, 1230 South East Avenue in Kankakee (the site of the former Homestead restaurant). The theme is “Leading the Lost to Jesus”. God’s word will be preached and someone will be saved. There will be free food, powerful testimonies and four cash envelope blessings. This revival will take place on Friday, August 7th from 4 to 8pm and Saturday, August 8th from 2 to 6pm. It concludes on Sunday, August 9th with worship from 11am until noon.
The 88th annual Momence Gladiolus Festival takes place August 5th through the 9th and the theme is “Once Upon a Glad Fest”. Enjoy live entertainment with a beer tent, a gigantic flea market, car and tractor shows, parades, a carnival on the Je-Neir School grounds and more. Don’t miss the Parade of Old Cars on Friday, August 7th at 5:30pm followed by the band “Nawty” at 8pm. Highlights on Saturday, August 8th include the car show along with the Flea, Craft and Antique Market from 8am to 3pm at Island Park, the Grand Street Parade at 3pm, and music from the “South Side Social Club” at 8pm. The flea market opens again on Sunday, August 9th at 8am along with a tractor show until 3pm at Island Park. Visit “Glad Fest (dot) com” for a full schedule.
The nonprofit group “Still I Rise” will host its 9th annual Back To School Supply Giveaway on Saturday, August 8th near the depot in downtown Kankakee at the Harold and Jean Miner Festival Square Hill Stage from 2 to 5pm. There will be free bookbags with school supplies, food trucks, games and activities, a DJ, bike giveaway, bounce house, face painting and more. While supplies last. All ages welcome. Admission is free.
A tornado relief benefit for the residents of Lake Village will be held on Saturday, August 8th from 5 to 11pm at the Lugene Links Golf Course, 8687 North 300 West Road in Lake Village, Indiana. This event is called “Stronger Together” and will feature a cash bar, raffle baskets, auctions, a 50/50 raffle, donation dinner, and live music by the VanVleet Brothers. Proceeds will go to the Newton County Long-Term Recovery Group.
The next “Dinner & Movie on the Green” event hosted by the Village of Bourbonnais will take place on Thursday, August 13th at the Grove in Bourbonnais. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets for a family-friendly movie under the stars. Several food trucks will be available at 6pm and the 2025 “Smurfs” film will begin at 7pm. Admission is free.
The Just-Us Motorcycle Club will host their 4th annual “Luke’s Autism Ride” on Saturday, August 15th with all the proceeds going to directly support programs for local individuals with special needs through the River Valley Special Recreation Association. Registration will open at 10:30am at City Tavern on South West Avenue in Kankakee. Kickstands up at noon. The cost to participate is $20 per driver and an additional $10 per passenger. Event T-shirts will be available for purchase. Email: “K3 Just Us MC (at) gmail (dot) com” for pre-registration information.
The Bread of Life Ministry invites you to join them on Saturday, August 15th for “Hot Dogs & Chips & Fellowship” from noon until 4pm at 1284 South 4th Avenue in Kankakee. Enjoy fun for the whole family with food, faith, face-painting, a school supply drive, bean bag toss, games, prizes and musical entertainment. Come hungry, leave blessed.
The sixth annual Bourbonnais Food Truck Festival will take place on Saturday, August 15th from noon until 10pm at the Grove. This event will feature over 20 different food trucks, cold beverages, a Kidz Zone and lots of live entertainment. Admission and parking are free.
The Village of Manteno’s next “Rockin’ on the Square” event will take place on Friday, August 21st at the Square on Second in downtown Manteno with food trucks and live music from “Rosie and the Rivets” from 7pm until 9:30. This is a BYOB event and it’s free to attend.
The Watseka Area Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Meeting and Awards Night on Wednesday, September 2nd from 5:30 to 8:30pm at the Homestead Venue / Silo Pub and Eatery on West Walnut Street in Watseka. You’re invited out for an evening of fellowship and fundraising with live and silent auctions, a 50/50 drawing, cash bar and a delicious meal provided by the Longbranch. Your $30 ticket will include the meal and two drink tickets. The registration deadline is Friday, August 21st. Call (815) 432-2416 to purchase your tickets today.
A Fish Fry Fundraiser will take place at the Manteno Sportsman’s Club on Friday, August 28th from 5 to 7pm with a cash bar, raffle baskets, split-the-pot and live music by The Fedoras. Nothing Bundt Cakes will also be there while supplies last. Presale tickets are required for entry and they are available now at the Manteno Public Library.
SEPTEMBER
The “Two Rivers Fall Festival” will take place Friday, September 11th and Saturday, September 12th in Aroma Park. Enjoy food, drinks, kids activities, music, contests and a fireworks display.
Operation Firm Handshake will host its 13th annual Veterans Picnic on Saturday, September 12th from 10am to 5pm at 1500 North Broadway Street in Coal City. All Illinois veterans and active duty service personnel are invited to bring their families to enjoy Illinois’ largest free veterans picnic including a pig roast, door prizes, split-the-pot, entertainment, a bean bag tournament and fun for the kids. This is organized by local Grundy County veterans. Remember to bring a lawn chair.
The Peotone Historical Society’s 24th annual “Old Mill Fall Fest” will take place Saturday, September 19th from 4 to 11pm at the Peotone Mill on West Corning Avenue. Enjoy craft beer, food, dancing, and live music by the “Rockaholics”. Proceeds from this end-of-summer event will help with the preservation of this historic local landmark. More info on facebook or at “Peotone Historical Society (dot) org”.
Local nonprofit organization “Let’s Ketchup” will host its third annual Family Fun Fest on Saturday, September 19th from 11am to 2pm at Adventure Commons located behind the mall at 70 Ken Hayes Drive in Bourbonnais. There will be activities for all ages including games, crafts, face-painting, raffle items and an inflatable funland. Entry is free but donations will be accepted. Food will be available for purchase.
The 32nd annual “Christmas Golf in September” scramble will be taking place at the Kankakee Elks Country Club in Saint Anne on Wednesday, September 23rd. Lunch is at 11am, shotgun start will be at noon, and dinner begins at 5pm. This is the sole fundraiser for “Christmas Day, Inc.” with the money going to provide free dinners at several Kankakee County locations for our neighbors who might otherwise be alone on Christmas Day. Sponsors are needed, as well as participants. Visit the “Christmas Day, Inc.” facebook page for details, or call (815) 932-3000.