SEPTEMBER
BLOOD DRIVES: The American Red Cross is 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 Tuesday, August 25th from 10am to 3pm at Saint Mary’s Hospital AND noon to 6pm at Trinity Lutheran Church in Herscher / Wednesday, September 2nd from 1 to 6pm at the Knights of Columbus in Kankakee / on Thursday, September 3rd from noon to 6pm at Northfield Square Mall / Friday, September 4th from 10am to 4pm at Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee / and again on Thursday, September 17th from 11am to 5pm at Northfield Square Mall in Bradley. Find a blood drive near you at “Red Cross Blood (dot) org”.
The next “Lunchtime Bites & Beats on Festival Street” event will take place on Wednesday, September 2nd from 11am to 1pm at The Grove in Bourbonnais. Bennett-Curtis Catering and Tacos El Guadalajara will be on site while Kristi Alsip provides the live entertainment. Hosted by the Village of Bourbonnais, these weekly midday escapes provide a place to grab lunch each Wednesday during the summer from delicious food trucks while enjoying some live acoustic music and the outdoor atmosphere at the village’s favorite gathering spot. Admission is free.
The Village of Bourbonnais will host another “Fridays After 5” event on Friday, September 4th at the Grove with cold drinks and several food trucks beginning at 5pm, and live music from “Beyond The Blonde” from 6 to 9pm. Lawn chairs are welcome and admission is free.
The 54th annual Earl Park Fall Festival begins September 4th and runs through the 7th. Milner Media’s Mike Ruble will be your emcee for the truck and tractor pull on Saturday, September 5th at 11am, and also for the demolition derby on Sunday, September 6th at 3pm. Don’t miss the Grand Parade which steps off Monday, September 7th at 2pm. Seven miles south of Kentland on U.S. 41, this Indiana town is in an Eastern Time Zone. You can find additional information about this Labor Day weekend event by visiting “Earl Park Festival (dot) com”.
This year’s Lowell Labor Day Weekend 5K Run/Walk is sponsored by the Tri-Creek Education Foundation and it will take place on Saturday, September 5th at 195 West Oakley Avenue in Lowell, Indiana. There will be door prizes, cooling towels and food. Same day registration is $30 for ages 15 and up, $10 for those 14 and under, and will be open from 6:30 to 7:30am. The race begins at 8am. Event proceeds will fund grant opportunities for the Tri-Creek School staff.
Celebrating the 250th anniversary of our nation, the Beecher Lions Club will host an “All American Day” from 11am to 4pm Saturday, September 5th on Gould Street. This event will feature a classic car show, military tribute and more. There will be trophies awarded and cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. The “Best of Show” winner receives $1,000. For more information and vehicle registration details, visit the “Events” tab at “Beecher Lions Club (dot) org”.
The Lowell Labor Day Festival is happening this weekend in Lowell Indiana with marketplace vendors, live music, a kid zone, food vendors, a beer garden and more. Highlights for Saturday, September 5th include the Tri-Creek 5k Run/Walk at 8am, Laser Tag, a pizza-eating contest, and the Mill Street Cruise Night. Return Sunday, September 6th for a 10am worship service on the stage, corn hole tournament, kiddie parade, petting zoo, a free kids activity and fireworks at dusk. Then on Monday, September 7th don’t miss the annual Lowell Labor Day Parade at 10am and a free magic show at 1pm. Visit the “Lowell Labor Day Festival” facebook page to view the full schedule of events.
Visit the Manteno American Legion Post 755 on Friday, September 11th to attend its 25th Anniversary of Life at the Pentagon 9/11/01 event. This will start off with a no-cost breakfast buffet at 7:30am. Commencement will begin at 8:37am with Post Commander Sean McNamara and other guest speakers. Post Chaplain Dan Horton will give the opening and closing prayers and the Manteno Fire Department will have a fire truck draping the American flag. Light refreshments will be available at the conclusion of the ceremony.
Prairieview Lutheran Homes will be hosting a two-day Fall Festival at their campus on North 4th Street in Danforth this month with over 40 vendors, a Slow Boys Tractor Show, food, games, baked goods, bounce houses, mini golf, music and more. It’s from 10am to 7pm both days. On Friday, September 11th their famous fish fry will be held for lunch and dinner. Enjoy live music from “Back Paiges” and “A Natural High”. Come back Saturday, September 12th for a variety show, pork burgers and hot dogs, a car show, quilt auction, pork chop dinner and live music from Tim O’Brien. For a full schedule, visit “Prairieview Lutheran (dot) com”.
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.
Good Shepherd Manor will host its 35th annual Fall Festival from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, September 12th. It’s fun for the whole family with food, beer, cash bingo, a family craft booth, their GSM market, fun and games area, money board and petting zoo. Live entertainment includes their Resident Revue and music from local classic rock band “The Back Paiges”. Free admission and free parking. Good Shepherd Manor is on Illinois Route 17, less than a half-mile north of Momence.
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 City of Kankakee Economic and Community Development Agency(ECDA) will host a Neighborhood Cookout on Saturday, September 12th from 1 to 4pm at Beckman Park on Cobb Boulevard. This will be a community event for all ages with several local agencies in attendance. This includes an all-ages activity area, a craft hosted by the Kankakee Public Library, a bounce house for kids 5 and under, fire truck tours, a reptile show, free blood pressure checks from Riverside Healthcare, and live music from the band, “Champagne Experience”.
Visit the Elks Lodge at 111 North Third Street in Watseka on Sunday, September 13th for an afternoon of Bingo. The doors open at 1pm and it’s $20 for a packet of 10 sheets. All proceeds will benefit Options CIL, providing programs for people with disabilities living in Iroquois County.
The Chebanse American Legion will hold its annual “Pull in the Park” event at Legion Park on Sunday, September 13th. A patriotic opening ceremony takes place at noon. Milner Media’s Mike Ruble will emcee the Kids’ Pedal Tractor Pull, then Art Downs and Tom Theesfield are your announcers for the Barnyard Farm Stock Tractor Pull. Food and drinks will be available and admission is free. Children can also enjoy a bounce house, face-painting and a petting zoo.
The “Wright at Twilight” event will take place on Tuesday, September 15th from 5 to 8 pm at Frank LLoyd Wright’s famous B. Harley Bradley House on South Harrison Avenue in Kankakee. Enjoy live entertainment on the lawn from Vincent Rink and Ryan Leggott. The Kankakee Valley Theatre Association will perform some selections from “Dream Girls” in the courtyard, and the Limestone Township Public Library will be hosting an indoor display about libraries past, present, and future. There will be “make and takes” for adults, the Bennett-Curtis House food truck, and the gift shop will be open. Your $10 ticket will include a complimentary glass of wine or water and a bag of popcorn. Purchase them at “Wright 1900 (dot) org (slash) Events” or by calling the office at (815) 936-9630.
The 58th annual Francesville Fall Festival will be taking place on Friday September 18th, Saturday September 19th and Sunday September 20th in Francesville, Indiana. Admission is free and so is the popcorn. Enjoy fun for the whole family with carnival rides and games, an arts, crafts and flea market, entrepreneurs, a food extravaganza, music on the streets, the Veterans Wall, a fish fry, parade, car show and much more. Get all the information at “Francesville Fall Festival (dot) com”.
The Bradley Lions Club will be hosting an all-you-cat-eat breakfast on Saturday, September 19th inside the Bradley Community Center at 428 West Broadway Street from 7:30 until 11am. They’ll have pancakes and sausage with biscuits & gravy along with breakfast beverages. The cost is $8 per person but kids 5 and under can eat for free. Funds raised at this month’s breakfast will support Manteno’s Vintage Purse Museum in its mission to create meaningful employment, job opportunities and job training for adults with disabilities. Starlight Dance Studio will also be on site selling baked goods. To have 5 or more breakfast orders delivered to you locally, please call (815) 932-9180. There is no delivery fee.
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 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”.
Kankakee Community College will host a College and Transfer Fair on Tuesday, September 22nd from 6pm until 7:30 in the College Center, inside the main entrance. More than 50 public and private colleges and universities will be in attendance to share information with prospective students and their families. You can stop by KCC’s booth to explore local degree, certificate, and transfer options or receive information on the financial aid process. Learn more at “KCC (dot) EDU”.
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.