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07/10/26
Third Thursday Concert Series 2026
The Grove at the Hegeler Carus Mansion
Concerts will take place from 6:30pm-8pm (gates open at 6pm)
Third Thursdays, May-September.
Each concert will feature live music, Thyme Craft Kitchen Food Truck, a guest emcee, a 50/50 raffle, and new this year, popcorn for sale at each concert! Bring your chairs, blankets, and your favorite people for an awesome time under the tree canopy.
2026 Lineup
July 16 th – Harmonix Duo
August 20th -Steve Sharp
September 17th -Big Uproar
Unique Add-ons this Year!
Crescendo Tour: Trip to the Stars September 17 th -Join us after the concert for a special trip to the highest point of the Mansion: the cupola. This “night cap” will last 10-15 minutes and be the high point of your evening! Cost: $15/Person Wine Down On June 18th, July 16th, August 20th, after the concerts, Wine Down in the Mansion. This 15-minute tour takes participants down into the Wine Cellar to see what treasures lie beneath the Ground Floor. Cost: $15/Person
“The concerts are back with even more to explore,” said Laura Walker, Hegeler Carus Foundation Executive Director, “you won’t want to miss it!”
Admission to each concert is $5 a person at the gate or online at our website hegelercarus.org. Buy your tickets in advance and make your plans!
About the Hegeler Carus Mansion: The Hegeler Carus Mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995, and designated a National Historic Landmark in 2007, a prestigious designation granted by the U.S. National Park Service. The Mansion is located at 1307 Seventh Street in LaSalle. For information and to register for these events and others, visit website at www.hegelercarus.org or Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/hegelercarus/. 1307 7th St. * La Salle, IL * 815-224-6543 * info@hegelercarus.org
STREATOR AREA UNITED WAY ESCAPE ROOM FUNDRAISER
Looking for a fun challenge while supporting a great local cause? The Streator Area United Way invites you to experience our exciting new fundraiser, “The National Treasure Escape Room!”
Gather your friends, family, coworkers, or civic group and put your puzzle-solving skills to the test. Inspired by the adventure and mystery of a national treasure hunt, participants will search for clues, solve puzzles, uncover hidden secrets, and race against the clock to complete their mission before time runs out.
The escape room is located at 122 North Bloomington Street in Streator and will be open June 1st through August 30th. All proceeds benefit the Streator Area United Way and help support local programs and services that improve lives throughout our community.
Reservations are recommended. Whether you’re an experienced escape room enthusiast or trying one for the first time, this unique fundraising event offers fun for all ages while making a difference right here at home.
For more information or to reserve your adventure, contact the Streator Area United Way today at 815-672-6721. Don’t miss your chance to unlock the mystery and help unlock opportunities for our community!
The Streator Area United Way Escape Room—where every clue helps a cause.
VCC to host volleyball, basketball summer clinics
The area’s young athletes will get a chance to meet and learn from experienced coaches and players during Illinois Valley Community College’s basketball clinics this summer.
The four-day basketball clinic on July 27-30 is open to students from second to eighth grade. Head Coach Chris Herman and his team will coach shooting, ball handling, passing, team play and defensive concepts.
Participants in grades 2-4 will meet from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. each day and grades 5-8 will meet from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
The clinic is held in the IVCC Gym. Visit https://www.ivcceagles.com/community-outreach/athletic_clinics for more information and to register.
Putnam County Community Theatre Presents Shrek the Musical
Granville, IL–Putnam County Community Theatre returns to the stage this summer with Shrek, a musical take on the familiar movie. This funny, family-friendly musical features over 40 cast members from LaSalle, Bureau, and Putnam counties. Shrek takes the stage at Putnam County Community High School, 402 E Silverspoon Ave, Granville, IL. Show dates are July 17-19 and 24-26. Friday and Saturday showtimes are 7 pm; Sunday shows are at 2 pm. All tickets are $15 and may be purchased at the door or reserved in advance by 815-310-0320 (leave a message) or e-mailing pccommunitytheatre@gmail.com.
Putnam County Public Library District’s McNabb Branch Announces Early July Programs
Docs & Dialogue: Route 66: The First 100 Years – Wednesday, July 15th, 4:00 p.m. A centennial documentary tracing the history, landmarks, and stories of America’s most iconic highway through Oklahoma. Free and open to the public; approximately 27 minutes, not rated, made possible by PBS.
All programs are free and open to the public. For more information, call the Library at 815-339-2038. The McNabb Branch is located at 322 W. Main, McNabb.
Putnam County Public Library District’s Condit Branch Announces Early July Programs
Docs & Dialogue: Chicago Time Machine – Thursday, July 16th, 3:00 p.m. WTTW host Geoffrey Baer peels back 14,000 years of strange and fascinating Chicagoland history. Free and open to the public; approximately 1 hr. 22 min, not rated, made possible through PBS.
One Giant Leap: A Family Space Celebration – Thursday, July 16th, 4:30 p.m. Celebrate the 1969 Moon Landing with a reading of Max Goes to the Moon, a Moon-themed art project, and a NASA-inspired activity demonstrating how lunar craters form. Free and open to the public; designed for families with children ages 6 and up, all materials provided.
All programs are free and open to the public. For more information, call the Library at 815-339-2038. The Condit Branch is located at 105 N. Center Street, Putnam.
Putnam County Public Library District’s Granville Branch Announces Early July Programs
Docs & Dialogue: Revolutionary War Weapons – Tuesday, July 14th, 1:00 p.m. A film exploring the weapons that helped the colonies win independence, from the Brown Bess musket to the world’s first military submarine. Free; approximately 53 minutes, rated PG, made possible through Kanopy.
Dino at Dusk: A Silhouette Art Workshop – Tuesday, July 14th, 4:00 p.m. Paint a fiery sunset sky, then layer black dinosaur, tree, and bird silhouettes on top to create a prehistoric scene to take home. Free and open to the public; recommended for ages 10 and up, all materials provided.
Voices of the Revolution: From Screen to Sources – Tuesday, July 14th, 5:00 p.m. Watch a reel from Ken Burns’ documentary The American Revolution, then transcribe real colonial-era documents as a Library of Congress virtual volunteer through the By the People program. Free; recommended for ages 13 and up, bring a laptop or tablet with charging cord (approx. 1 hr 15 min).
One Giant Leap: A Family Space Celebration – Thursday, July 16th, 11:00 a.m. Celebrate the 1969 Moon Landing with a reading of Max Goes to the Moon, a Moon-themed art project, and a NASA-inspired activity demonstrating how lunar craters form. Free and open to the public; designed for families with children ages 6 and up, all materials provided.
All programs are free and open to the public. Call the Library for more information at 815-339-2038 or visit 214 S. McCoy Street, Granville.
CONVOY AGAINST CANCER BIG TRUCK SHOW
A familiar summer event returns Saturday, July 18 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Main Street in Ladd. It’s the 22nd “Convoy Against Cancer” BIG Truck Show. Vehicle owners and enthusiasts will get a close-up look at a variety of polished up and ready to show big vehicles, while benefiting a good cause—the American Cancer Society Relay For Life.
As in previous years, Ladd’s main street is host to all makes and models of new and restored, BIG trucks including truck cranes, fire trucks, wreckers, as well as pickups and farm tractors—new and antique- from all over the North Central Illinois area. “The idea is to show off all the working vehicles that are important to their owners, and to all of us, for the part each plays in our day-to-day living,” says Phil Hocking, event organizer.
All entrants will receive a dash plaque donated by Graphic Electronics of Spring Valley. The entry registration fee is a donation to the American Cancer Society.
There will be entertainment for the whole family with music by D. J. Gary Swanson, door prizes, a 50/50 drawing, food, and event T-shirts for sale. Local businesses have donated plenty of door prizes items ranging from toys to motor oil. Admission to the show is free to the public.
Hocking says, “We’re grateful to all the local businesses and individuals who’ve supported the Convoy Against Cancer BIG Truck Show over the years. We’ve gotten to know a lot of people that come out every year with their trucks and entries. So many are here in memory or in honor of a loved one effected by cancer. Everyone is welcome to come out and spend some time; check out the great vehicles and help this cause.”
There will be no shortage of vehicles in Ladd this year, as A & B Garage will host a Cruise-In Coffee and Doughnut Car Show starting at 9 a.m. on the north end of Ladd’s Main Street. For car show information call 815-303-3120 or a_bgarage@yahoo.com.
Over $125,000 has been raised since the “Convoy Againt Cancer” in 2003. Hocking hopes that the weather will cooperate to help bring out young and old for another year. “Every dollar raised at the show will bring us a little closer to a cure for cancer.”
For entry and general information call 815-488-8245, 815-894-2092, or hocking4@comcast.net. All proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society Relay For Life.
The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by saving lives, diminishing suffering and preventing cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. For the most up-to-date cancer related information and to join the fight against cancer, call 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.
At Central Bank, our favorite part of the community is you!
Bring the whole family to our Peru branch
Friday, July 24th from 11 to 1
For a Customer Appreciation Event that includes a free summer style cook out PLUS
Get your cameras ready, because MARIO and PRINCES PEACH will be there live for an exclusive character meet-and-greet!
It’s our way of saying thank you for letting us be your community bank.
Central Bank. Where our central focus is YOU!
Sky Explorers Registration Launches at the Putnam County Public Library District
Thanks to a $33,892 grant from the Illinois State Library’s Project Next Generation initiative, the Putnam County Public Library District will offer Sky Explorers, a free, six-week backyard astronomy program for youth ages 11–14, this fall.
Sky Explorers is part of the Library’s broader “From Soil to Stars: Discover Science All Around” initiative, which also included the Earth Explorers summer program. Sky Explorers is a distance-learning program that lets participants explore both daytime and nighttime skies right from home, using genuine scientific equipment — including telescope and binocular kits — along with activities focused on light pollution. Participants will build real observation skills while growing comfortable with hands-on scientific tools.
The program concludes with an all-expenses-paid field trip to the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, including transportation, admission, sky show tickets, and lunch, for participants who complete all six weeks of activities.
Sky Explorers is free and open to the public for youth ages 11–14.
- Registration:July 13–31
- Program dates:August 2 – September 12
- Field trip:September 19(Adler Planetarium, Chicago)
- Limited to 12 participants
To register, or for more information about Sky Explorers, please contact Rachael Blomquist, Project Director and Mentor, at the Putnam County Public Library District, Granville Branch, at 815-339-2038 or rblomquist@putnamcountylibrary.org.
The Granville Branch is located at 214 S. McCoy Street, Granville, Illinois. Funding for Project Next Generation is provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Secretary of State/Illinois State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).