Carbondale Rocks Revival

Musicians from all over the country come together for a weekend concert series spanning over 30 Carbondale venues. Whether you're into bluegrass, blues, country or hard rock, you're certain to find a concert to enjoy.

CITY: Carbondale

Balloon Fest

A fun filled family weekend featuring over 40 hot air balloons, balloon glows Friday and Saturday, entertainment throughout each day, fireworks, car show, craft fair, children's activity area and more.

CITY: Centralia

Stang Arts Studio & Gallery

Stang Arts Studio & Gallery features art classes for both children and adults, along with holding various events throughout the year. The artist, Jamie Stang, also specializes in "paint parties." These parties are great for a group, as they feature great food, drinks, music and art. Jamie helps visitors discover their inner-artist while relaxing in a chic studio-style atmosphere. Check out her gallery while you're there too.

CITY: Effingham

Bob Saget Live

The legendary Bob Saget, best known for playing Danny Tanner on "Full House," and hosting America's Funniest Home Videos, will be performing an "R" rated stand-up act at the Effingham Performance Center at 8 p.m. on Friday June 21. Don't forget to buy tickets and enjoy a night of raunchy comedy!

CITY: Effingham

Young Lincoln's Wilderness Capital Street Pageants

Street Corners in downtown Vandalia will be the stage for short performances that re-create historic moments. For example, a young Abraham Lincoln will meet Stephen Douglas at the Statehouse. What a fun way to learn about the past!

CITY: Vandalia

Heritage Days

Heritage Days is a delightful backyard-outdoor picnic festival. There will be entertainment, surrey rides, heritage crafts, vendors, great home-made food, flea market, rummage sales throughout town, games for the kids and much, much more!

CITY: Okawville

Smallville Superfest

This festival celebrates the spirit of everyone's favorite SuperHero and what he stands for. Warner Brothers and DC Comics chose Plano, IL to represent “Smallville” in the 2013 Superman movie "Man of Steel", a special place where a certain “super hero” came to Earth and spent his childhood days. It was here in Smallville that a “mild-mannered” boy learned the value of Truth, Justice, and the American Way.

CITY: Plano

Cowden Pioneer Days

This family friendly festival is set in the city park with plenty of carnival rides, craft vendors, flea market, foods, etc. There is also an IPRA sanctioned rodeo that takes place Friday and Saturday. A demolition derby takes place on Sunday. You can also enjoy the Horseshoe tournament or the arm wrestling. There will also be a large parade Saturday morning. Tour the historical cabins set in the park along with collections.

CITY: Cowden

Fishing For Freedom

The Quincy area hosts Veterans from the War on Terrorism for a weekend of fishing the Mississippi River with a volunteer boater to take part in a bass and catfish tournament on Sunday. The public is invited to the Saturday evening banquet at 6pm at the Oakley Lindsay Center, with comedian Longhorn, silent auction and meal for $10. Spectators can enjoy the big fish weigh in on Sunday in Clat Adams Park along with entertainment and vendors.

CITY: Quincy

Schuyler County Fair

Join us at the fair for the talent contest, Little Miss & Mr. and Queen pageants, kiddie tractor pull, tractor pull, harness races, demo derby, livestock shows, food and much more! And make sure to get tickets for Friday, July 6 at 9pm, for the live performance by Florida Georgia Line.

CITY: Rushville

Malta Days!

Malta Days Festival! Come share the family fun! June 7th,8th, & 9th in downtown Malta, Illinois. You'll find something for everyone, including a carnival, food booths, crafters, business booths, sound stage, pancake breakfast, a car ahow, 5K walk/run, auction and a beer garden. Free stage entertainment all weekend!

CITY: Malta

NIU Footbal - Akron vs NIU Huskies Homecoming Game!

Cheer on NIU Footbal at the Akron* vs NIU Huskies Homecoming Game! Saturday, October 12th at NIU, Mid-American Conference Game.

CITY: DeKalb

Blacksmith Demonstrations and Tours

Live blacksmith demonstrations and tours at the Joseph F. Glidden Homestead June 9th and 23rd from Noon to 4:00 pm. and on the second and fourth Sunday of each month.

CITY: DeKalb

Bike MS Tour De Farms

Thousand of cyclists to participate in Bike MS: Tour De Farms on June 22 & 23, 2013, in DeKalb. Bike MS: Tour de Farms is one of the largest fundraisers of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Greater Illinois Chapter. Children under 12 years old are invited to participate in a special Bike MS course exclusively for junior riders, on Saturday, June 22, at 3 p.m. All children must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older and submit a $15 registration fee. Also on Saturday, five Chicago-based bands will perform from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Residents of DeKalb and the surrounding communities are invited to attend. Registration for Bike MS is open to individual riders, teams, volunteers and virtual riders.

CITY: DeKalb

35th Annual Sunset Concert Series

The weekend begins on Thursday evening in Carbondale during the summer, as hundreds gather to attend the welcoming, relaxing and fun tradition that is the Sunset Concert series. Attendees bring everything from beer-pong tables and barbecue grills to pop-up tents and couches. The concerts rotate between two beautiful venues, with the more contemporary acts on the Steps of Shryock Auditorium and the mellower, more traditional bands playing under the Lenus Turley Park gazebo.

CITY: Carbondale

Deerfield's Annual Fine Arts Festival

Fun for the whole family featuring art from across the U.S., live music, catered festival food, kid's art activities and more! Artists representing media such as painting, photography, jewelry, fiber, sculpture, mixed media and ceramics hail from 20 states will be exhibiting. New this year will be Dancing in the Streets with the Big Band Sound of Deerfield, featuring Bob Gand, followed by Blue Road Band, featuring Special Guest Shirley King.

CITY: Deerfield

Illinois State HOG Rally

Come join us for a ride through roughly 250 miles of majestic Illinois scenery. The journey begins in the "Gem City" of Illinois, Quincy and follows the mighty Mississippi down to a city voted "the most haunted city in America", Alton. After a pit stop in Alton, the journey continues down Old U.S. Highway 40 passing through Vandalia, Illinois' first capitol, and ending in "The Crossroads of Opportunity", Effingham. The Effingham stop will feature a biker blessing, poker stops, a Moonshine run, a ride-in bike show, and to cap it all off, a "Legacy Bash," Saturday evening. Come out to Legacy Harley Davidson to join in all the fun!

CITY: Effingham

Kansas City Barbeque Society Cook-Off

This fun state-sanctioned cook-off has now become a great annual event! The BBQ Pros will compete for a $6,000 pay out. Come and enjoy great BBQ, drinks and live music every night!!

CITY: Effingham

Effingham County Fair

The annual county fair offers a variety of events for residents and visitors. 4-H and open shows of agricultural products and animals, Queen pageants, horse racing, talent contests, rodeo, demo derby, tractor pulls, and professional entertainment are some of the events you can enjoy while at the County Fair.

CITY: Altamont

A Hog in Dog Heaven - Celebrating 20 Years of Walldogs

The Walldogs, a group of wall muralists and sign painters from around the globe, are celebrating their 20th birthday. We invite you to join in the celebration this summer in Kewanee, Illinois during this five day event. Watch over 190 artists paint 15 historical murals on downtown buildings. Be part of history and join in the fun!

CITY: Kewanee

8 Seasons in Sapmi Exhibit

Step into the northernmost reaches of Europe! The indigenous Sápmi are a people whose nation spans Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. The Sapmi heritage is explored through their artwork and artifacts, and photographs of their traditionally nomadic lifestyle. We invite you to view garments, jewelry, musical instruments and more. Take the back roads this summer and experience our Utopian on the Prairie, Bishop Hill.

CITY: Bishop Hill

Greenville Graffiti Car Show

The Greenville Graffiti Car Show is a nostalgic day of classic cars, Hollywood stars, oldies music, and great food. Donna Douglas, who played Elly Mae Clampett on "The Beverly Hillbillies," one of the most popular television series in the 1960s, is the featured celebrity at this year's event. She will sign autographs, participate in a special question and answer session with fans and serve as a celebrity judge. The car show (open to 1985 and older cars and trucks), features a variety of contests, food and fun. Also appearing is Ronnie Rice, lead singer of the group New Colony Sic. The group was founded in Chicago and went on to success when they signed with Mercury Records.

CITY: Greenville

Summer Solstice Indie Music and Craft Beer Festival

"Summer Solstice", the ultimate pairing of ground to glass brewed beverages and independent minded musicians on the cusp of greatness. The scenic Fox River will serve as the backdrop for this unique event in historic downtown Yorkville.

CITY: Yorkville

Street Machine Nationals

The grounds will swell with beautiful, high-performance street machines, hot rods and street trucks from across nation. Plus, witness the tuned-up Performance Marketplace for the latest aftermarket parts, burnout competition, dyno challenge, meet the editors of Car Craft, Miss Street Machine contest and more.

CITY: Du Quoin

Cool Cars Under the Stars 2013

DuPage County, Chicago's Western Suburbs - Wednesday nights, head to Elmhurst City Centre for Cool Cars Under the Stars. Every week is a different theme, including Ford Night, military, and so much more. Rev up your engines, and cruise into the heart of downtown Elmhurst for this family-friendly, weekly classic car show featuring some of the hottest wheels in town.

CITY: Elmhurst

Aurora Puerto Rican Heritage Festical

This festival is more than music and food, it is the celebration of Puerto Rican heritage. Traditional Puerto Rican music attracts island traditionalists, while the more modern music entertains the youth. The festival is a family event providing a social atmosphere for families to mingle and enjoy authentic foods while allowing time for the kids to play games. The main focus is the parade which provides an opportunity for the Puerto Rican community and friends to celebrate its culture.

CITY: Aurora

Brown County Fair

Fun and entertainment for all. Events include Little Mr. & Miss and Queen Pageants, horse races, tractor pull, demo derby, food, carnival rides, livestock, and expo building displays. The Whistle Stop Depot Museum and Ferguson School will be open each evening.

CITY: Mount Sterling

Burgoo and Bluegrass at the Reservoir

Join us at the Roodhouse Community Park Reservoir for some great music. Don't miss out on the food including burgoo, fried chicken, and buffalo fish.

CITY: Roodhouse

Greene County Fair

Join us at the fair, June 15 - 23. This traditional county fair has been around since 1856 and continues to provide fun for the whole family! Don't miss the great food, entertainment, the annual Queen and Little Miss pageants, carnival rides, animal judging, demolition derby, harness racing, commercial vendors, and live music! Admission fee is collected at the gate.

CITY: Carrollton

Half Century of Progress

Static displays, parts vendors, flea market and of course the nearly 200 acres of cropland to be harvested and tilled during the Half Century of Progress make this a show that has to be seen! Nowhere else can you see vintage machines strut their stuff in real life field conditions as they were built to do, and not just for a few minutes at a time. From the earliest days of tractor power to the horsepower explosion of the 1970's, it will all be represented here and at work in the field, not just sitting and looking pretty.

CITY: Rantoul

Northern Illinois Art Show

Kishwaukee Valley Art League is proud to present the 42nd Annual Northern Illinois Art Show, located on the DeKalb County Courthouse Lawn. You'll find ceramics, fine art, folk art, jewelry, leather crafts, mixed media, oils/acrylics paintings, photography, pottery, sculpture, textiles and woodworking.

CITY: Sycamore

Dave Foley at UP Comedy

Join us for a night of stand-up with Kids in the Hall alum, Dave Foley. After the successful television run of Kids in the Hall, Dave signed onto the long running NBC series, Newsradio. In between seasons, he forged a feature film career that is still very active today. In addition to his comedic work, Foley has also been seen in HBO’s critically-acclaimed mini-series From the Earth to the Moon.

CITY: Chicago

Ian Bagg at UP Comedy

Do not miss your chance to see Ian. After moving to New York City, he quickly became a regular at all the major comedy clubs. After a short three years in New York, Ian had made three appearances on NBC’s “The Conan O’Brien Show”, rocked HBO’s “Aspen Comedy Festival”, and destroyed “Just For Laughs Montreal Comedy Festival”. He has worked as a correspondent for MySpace, hosted Ripe TV’s “The Hollywood Burn” and even had his own live talk show “The Ian Bagg Show”. He’s added credits like NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”, CBS’s “Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn” and CBS’s “The Craig Ferguson Show”. He was able to be apart of a half hour comedy special, “A Comic’s Climb” from HBO and “Comedy Central Presents Ian Bagg." In love with the art of stand up, he was thrilled when The History Channel asked him to be a part of their special, “The History of the Joke”.

CITY: Chicago

Christopher Titus at UP Comedy

Employing what he’s labeled “hard funny,” Christopher Titus has released three comedy albums in as many years and has had three one-hour comedy specials on Comedy Central. After years of experimentation with dark and personal storytelling, he debuted his one-man show “Norman Rockwell is Bleeding” at the Hudson Theater in Los Angeles. It was from this performance that the dark comedy, “Titus,” was born on Fox. The show earned Titus a Writer’s Guild nomination as well as an Emmy nomination, and Newsday called him “TV’s most original voice since Seinfeld.” After watching Christopher Titus perform live, there is no doubt that he is one of the best comics working today. With the complete package of comedy, acting and writing, there hasn’t been someone like him in a long time.

CITY: Chicago

Loni Love at UP Comedy

Just how funny is comedian and actress Loni Love? Ask both Variety and Comedy Central, both of which have named her among their Top 10 Comics to Watch, or Campus Activity magazine, which honored her as its Hot Comic for 2009. Love is not only one of the most hilarious and lovable comics performing stand-up on the comedy club and college circuits but also a busy TV host, guest and actress who has also appeared in films and dramatic plays. Love starred in her own half-hour special for Comedy Central in 2007 and has also been seen on the channel’s “Premium Blend,” “Weekends at the DL” and “Chocolate News”. Her many television appearances include “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn,” “The Best Damn Sports Show Period”, VH1's “I Love the 70's/80's/90's,” “Vh1's The Great Debate” and “Comics Unleashed” among numerous others.

CITY: Chicago

$5 Friday Summer Concerts: Changes in Latitudes

The first concert of the season will feature Changes in Latitude - a tribute to Jimmy Buffett. Tickets are $5 per person. Changes in Latitude is known as one of the country’s premier tribute bands to Jimmy Buffett. The band has 10 members including Steve Kareta (vocals, guitars), Allen Stevens (guitars/vocals), Amy Sullivan (vocals, Jon Berman (saxophone), Clark Seibold (drums), Bob Casinghino (keyboard/vocals), Brandon Marger (percussion), Jason Roseman (steel pan drums) Mark Neveu (bass) and Don Hemmer (pedal steel guitar). For more information call (800) 258-6645 or visit www.riverfrontamphitheater.com.

CITY: Alton

Alton/Godfrey Fireworks on the Mississippi

Alton's spectacular fireworks display are a must see in Alton! With the Clark Bridge as a backdrop over the Mississippi River, this fireworks show is always a crowd pleaser. For more information, call (618) 465-6676.

CITY: Alton

Jersey County Fair

Food, merchandise, vendors and more. A week-long annual county fair offering rare glimpses of livestock, agriculture competitions mixed with nightly entertainment. Don't miss the NTPA tractor and truck pulls, a monster truck challenge, demo derby and Queen competitions. General admission is $2 per person, children under 13 free. Separate pricing for grandstand events.

CITY: Jerseyville

Brown Bag Concert Series

Grab a lawn chair, pick up lunch from a local eatery and head to the Town Square Pavillion for Carbondale Main Street's Brown Bag Concert! Every Wednesday local musicians come together to put on a free show in the heart of downtown Carbondale. Everyone is welcome, but the event emphasizes a family-friendly atmosphere.

CITY: Carbondale

Southern Illinois Music Festival

The 9th annual Southern Illinois Music Festival features over three-dozen performances in venues all over the Southern Illinois region. In addition to the New Chicago Chamber Orchestra, musicians from throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia perform orchestral music, chamber music, opera, ballet, and jazz in an informal and inviting atmosphere. This year’s Festival, titled “Swarm of B's,” runs June 3-23 and features some of our favorite composers that start with the letter "B"—Bach, Brahms, Barber, Bartok and Beethoven to name a few.

CITY: Carbondale

B.B. King Blues Festival

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer B.B. King with opening act, The Stone Electric, will be performing live at the Effingham Performance Center! The event starts at 7:30 p.m. Get your tickets today and take a trip down memory lane with the legendary blues man himself!

CITY: Effingham

Bluegrass Festival

Rives Lake in Greenfield is a beautiful backdrop to enjoy the bluegrass music at this annual festival. Bands play Friday night and twice on Saturday. Food vendors will be on site. A church service will be held Sunday. Camping is available. Follow signs from the town square to Lake Rives.

CITY: Greenfield

July 4th Celebration

Bring the family and enjoy the best views of the fireworks over the Mississippi River at this family-friendly event. There will be magicians, jugglers, face painters and more on hand to entertain. This is a no-alcohol event with 24 hours security.

CITY: East St. Louis

Windmill City Festival

Windmill City Festival has long been a staple of the community and has become a tradition for many families. This 3 day event includes a carnival, 5k race, pet parade, and an ice cream eating contest. Every member of the family is sure to find a new favorite activity! This year's festival will be held Friday, July 12 through Sunday, July 14 at the Riverwalk in downtown Batavia. Admission is free.

CITY: Batavia

Pork Day U.S.A.

The day includes a colorful parade in the morning followed by entertainment, pageants, drawings for pork products, games, kids tractor pull, contests, raffles and vendors. The best traditional food: pork burgers, barbecue pork, bratwurst, pork chops, chicken and more to help stave off the hunger!

CITY: Albion

Boone County Fair

Come to one of the finest fairs in the state, where you'll enjoy animal shows, antique tractors, tractor pulls, entertainment, a carnival, food and much more.

CITY: Belvidere

Old Capitol Blues & BBQs

Two days of award-winning BBQ with local and national Blues talent. Free childrens activities, come to watch the IL Central Blues Club Challenge. An entertainment filled weekend for everyone.

CITY: Springfield

Petunia City Quilters Fall Show

The Petunia City Quilters will be displaying their quilts during "Quiltapalooza" at the Northside Baptist Church in Dixon. This event will also feature vendors, raffle baskets, appraisals, bake sale, raffle quilt, handcrafted items and a Pink Breast Cancer Challenge by members.

CITY: Dixon

Alexian Brothers Tour of Elk Grove

Prestigious Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Designation. Athletes from around the world come to compete in the tour. Includes some of the richest pro cycling purses in the world. Food, exhibits, cycling vendors, & entertainment.

CITY: Elk Grove Village

Say Cheese Tour

Enjoy a leisurely drive through the rolling hills of Stephenson County and stop at local cheese stores, cheese plants and a winery. Participants include the Cheese Market, Freeport; Miller's Country Cheese, Inc. and Wengers Springbrook Cheese in Davis; Torkelson Cheese Co. in Lena and Famous Fossil Winery in Cedarville. Visit all five locations for a chance to win some great prizes (drawing will be held at 4 pm at Famous Fossil). Stop in at the Freeport/Stephenson County Visitors Center for your map.

CITY: Freeport

Galesburg Railroad Days

The 36th annual celebration of railroad history in downtown Galesburg. There are several events including a carnival for the kids, rail yard tours, rib cook-off, the Blick 5K & 10K run, plus so much more!

CITY: Galesburg

Oak Brook Polo

Polo has been played for more than 80 years at the historic Oak Brook Polo Grounds and everyone is invited to come out and watch the exciting "game of kings!" Polo is an exciting team sport played on a large grass field. Players on horseback attempt to score by driving a small ball into the opposing team's goal using a long-handled wooden mallet. The Oak Brook Polo Club has six match dates scheduled for 2013.

CITY: Oak Brook

Tony Rock at UP Comedy

American actor and stand-up comic Tony Rock, the younger brother of actor Chris Rock, grew up in Bedford-Stuyvesant, one of the toughest neighborhoods in Brooklyn. His first big break came when he booked some comedy gigs in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and soon after he was named one of the hot young talents to come out of New York in 'The Hollywood Reporter.' In April 2001, he starred in the pilot for the ABC series "Me and My Needs" and later he got a job hosting the short-lived game show "Can You Tell?" Tony has lent his voice to the show "Battle Bots," and he is best known for his role as Dirk Black in the CW series "All Of Us."

CITY: Chicago

National Road Music Festival

Pretend you're on a train going from California to New York. Along the way, you'll hear music from Rock n' Roll to Country to Gospel...and that's exactly what will happen at this festival in Historic Downtown Vandalia. Both days, there will be craft and food vendors of all kinds and constant entertainment.

CITY: Vandalia

Blues on the Fox

The 17th Annual Blues on the Fox is the City of Aurora's annual festival that celebrates the city's rich history of the Blues. In the late 1930's literally hundred's of Blues recordings were made in Aurora's downtown at the Sky Club at the top of the Leland Hotel. Join us at RiverEdge Park to experience six amazing blues music acts over one incredible weekend.

CITY: Aurora

Champaign-Urbana Folk & Roots Festival

The fifth annual Champaign-Urbana Folk and Roots Festival will be held throughout downtown Urbana on November 1st and 2nd, 2013. This all-volunteer-run, grassroots festival will present over 80 free and low-cost all-ages/abilities participatory activities and high-quality folk performances running continuously in businesses, cultural institutions and arts centers. The festival will include dances, instructional sessions, jams, song-circles, storytelling and hands-on workshops. The festival delights in presenting unique and cutting-edge forms of folk art and music, especially those that break down the barrier between audience and performer and increase the accessibility of that form. At the same time, the festival also provides the occasion to preserve local traditions and histories through thoughtful collaborations with existing area folk arts organizations, cultural institutions, arts organizations and the University of Illinois.

CITY: Urbana

Country Antique Market, Bishop Hill

Join in the gathering of 60 exceptional proprietors showing and selling their wares on the Colony School lawn. Look and peruse through a vast variety of hard to find specialty collectibles and antiques from early country, primitives, folk art, pottery and textiles. This market is the the place you are longing to explore.

CITY: Bishop Hill

Sawyer Brown at Riverfront Amphitheater

Watch nationally-known country band Sawyer Brown at the beautiful Alton Riverfront Amphitheater. Borderline will also be performing. Gates open at 7 p.m. with music starting at 8 p.m. Admission is $20. To order tickets, go to http://www.tacopresents.ticketfly.com/.

CITY: Alton