Upcoming Events
CCCC Fall Festival Coming September 24
To see the full flyer, click here!
Free entertainment, fall crafts and merchandise, food, an educational animal show, the smoke house, children’s games, and a business expo will be highlights of the Coal Country Chamber of Commerce 13th annual Fall Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 24, at the Benld City Park.
The Fifth Annual Tour de Coal bike ride will additionally be run in conjunction with the festival starting with a 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. registration at the Benld City Hall. Bicycling devotees from many parts of Illinois, Missouri and other states have preregistered for the bike ride from which they may choose the 15, 30 or 63 mile route. Registration is also allowed on the day of the race.
While the festival officially opens at 10 a.m. the free entertainment starts at 7:30 with Joe Powell serenading the many crafters, food vendors, and local business people who are setting up their booths. Powell’s performance is available to anyone who wants to sit in the entertainment pavilion and enjoy the peaceful early morning.
At 9:45 a.m. the Will Black Orchestra, led by local musician Bill Winkleblack, will perform, followed by the Heartland Band at 11:30. The Heartland Band features classic and modern country music and the State Champion Fiddler, 13 year-old Mikayla Roach. At 1 p.m. until 4, Steve Davis will present “Elvis” and his full band, the “Memories of Elvis”.
“That is 8 hours of first class entertainment that is free for all who choose to take part,” said Mickey Robinson, CCCC Executive Director. “We are trying to fulfill the Chamber goal of bringing people from outside the local Community District 7 area to our event that is family oriented and designed to be inexpensive fun for all ages.”
Robinson said visitors who attend the Fall Festival should bring lawn chairs with them. The only other available seating will be in the Food Court area.
New to the 13th Annual Festival will be live full-grown Reindeer with antlers. Children and adults can thrill to the sight of these creatures. They will be on display from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. near the children’s area of the festival. The reindeer also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic. Reindeer vary considerably in color and size. Both sexes grow antlers, though they are typically larger in males.
Another popular animal show is the Reptile Show shared with the Festival by Dr. Richard Crowell of the Biology Department of Blackburn College. Crowell brings a collection of native and exotic snakes and lizards. Persons attending the Reptile Show from around 1:30 until 2:30 p.m. will learn about various species as well as be able to handle some of the reptiles.
Another free exhibit for the children will be the Community Unit 7 Fire Protection District’s “Smoke House”, which is a scaled down version of a family home that is used to teach youngsters how to respond in the event of a house fire. During demonstrations with groups of children, the Smoke House will fill with non-toxic “smoke,” giving firefighters an opportunity to teach children how to safely exit the house.
Illinois State Police District 18 will again bring in the “Rollover Simulator” , a car model with human “Dummies” that shows persons what would happen to someone who is not wearing a seat belt when a car roles over.
Lettie Crays will again be sharing a children’s book that she has authored. This year’s book is the “just arrived” . For those who wish to purchase her book from this first edition, there will be the added advantage of having the author sign it.
The Macoupin County Safe Kids Coalition for Car Seat Check Up will be a feature that is returning to our festival this year. The Coalition’s goal is to help parents properly install and use children’s safety car seats.
The Macoupin-Montgomery Chapter of Crime Stoppers will offer free fingerprinting of children for identification purposes in the event a child is lost or abducted. Each set of fingerprints will be given to the children’s parents for safekeeping.
“Sometimes parents are afraid to have their children fingerprinted because they think that the prints will go into the police system,” Robinson explained. “Crime Stoppers takes the fingerprint and then hands it over to the parent. It does not make a copy of the prints.”
A traditional part of this Festival is the Craft area where this year will again be a wide variety of products for sale. Decorations and gifts that are appropriate for fall and the upcoming holiday seasons will brighten the day with color and design. Yard ornaments, pet items, knick knacks, Halloween, Christmas and Thanksgiving décor, books, children’s services, raffles, clothing, sports memorabilia, baskets, purses, cooking products and tools are just some of the many wares that will be available to shoppers.
In the Food Court, the Festival has brought back old favorites and new vendors as well. Available for purchase will be BBQ ribs, “Smokies”, ice cream products, snow cones, burgers, a variety of fish, corn dogs, Italian beef, hot dogs, pork steaks, kettle korn, funnel cakes, pretzels, sweet potato fries and other delicious foods that are on the menu.
The Festival gives local non-profit groups an opportunity to fund raise or just promote their services. Some of the groups that will participate in some way are Joyful Angels Community Toy Drive, the Illinois Valley “Barn in the Garden” Gift Shop, several church groups, Education Station Preschool, Macoupin County Public Health Department, and Macoupin County Military Support Group.
Health care related groups will take part in the Health Fair which is organized by Community Memorial Hospital of Staunton. The Health Fair will offer free blood pressure screenings and will offer information about health care opportunities in our area.
For local businesses, the festival is a way of attracting new potential customers from the immediate area as well as outside communities. The Business Expo will feature local Chamber members who will have displays of their products or services. Some are planning to register people for free drawings and to give away free gifts. The Expo gives them the opportunity for a relaxed venue to get to know new customers and socialize with their old friends and customers.
The Macoupin Center for Developmentally Disabled will again offer a variety of “kiddie” games for young children along with a “bouncy” house. Low-priced games will include a ring toss, bean-bag toss and duck pond. The games are a major fund raiser for MCDD’S Camp Goodtimes summer camp for clients.
“We hope that local folks and those from far away will all enjoy this day of much free entertainment, and a way to have a family adventure that is inexpensive and fun.” Robinson concluded.
If anyone still wants to have vendor or exhibitor space or to ride in the Tour de Coal, they should visit the chamber web site at www.coalcountrychamber.com or email mrer@madisontelco.com or call 217-710-5218.
Comments
Mt. Olive, IL — The vibrant community of Mt. Olive is proud to host the 4th Annual International Mother Jones Festival on Sunday, May 4th, celebrating the life and legacy of the legendary labor leader and activist, Mother Jones. The festival runs from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and will feature a variety of live music, engaging programs, and historic tours, culminating in a special tribute at Union Miners’ Cemetery, where Mother Jones is laid to rest.
Highlights of the Festival Include:
- Live Music: Enjoy performances by Casting Runes, Wildflower Conspiracy, and Piasa Canyon.
- Family Activities: Kids and the young at heart can participate in a magic and medicine show by Dr. Longhair, as well as a hands-on shoe-making activity inspired by Mother Jones’ famous footwear used in her miners’ strikes.
- Historical Reenactments: Loretta Williams, the only actress to portray Mother Jones in both her native Ireland (City Cork) and at her final resting place, will perform a special program at the library, bringing Jones’ story to life for audiences of all ages.
Special Events & Tours:
- A shuttle bus will be available to transport visitors between downtown and Union Miners’ Cemetery.
- Guided tours will be offered by docents at the cemetery and the Friends of Mother Jones Museum, providing insight into her life and enduring impact.
Food & Refreshments:
Kazoo Coffee will serve their signature Hell Raiser blend—created in honor of Mother Jones—along with B&K Bakery cookies, as well as a variety of food and beverages to keep festival-goers energized.
In Case of Weather Changes:
All downtown activities will relocate indoors to City Hall and the library, ensuring the celebration continues rain or shine.
Come celebrate the spirit of activism, history, and community at this meaningful event honoring one of America’s most influential labor leaders. Everyone is welcome to join the festivities!
For more information, contact the Mother Jones Museum at 618-659-8759 or email friendsofmotherjonesmuseum@gmail.com.
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The Friends of the Library are excited to invite the community to an exclusive “Snap-On Jewelry” demonstration hosted by jewelry artist Jodi Flack. The event will take place on Monday, May 5th, at 6 p.m. in the Gillespie Public Library.
During this engaging program, Jodi will showcase her beautiful collection of snap-on jewelry, featuring versatile necklaces and bracelets with interchangeable pendants. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore the various styles and options available, making it a perfect occasion to find a special gift or add a unique piece to their jewelry collection.
Jewelry will be available for purchase at the event, making it an ideal opportunity to find a thoughtful Mother’s Day gift or a special treat for yourself.
Don’t miss this chance to discover stylish, customizable jewelry and support the Friends of the Library. All are welcome!
Comments
The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that a 14-mile patching and resurfacing project on Interstate 55 from Litchfield to the Macoupin/Madison County line begins Monday, April 21. Work is expected to be completed by the end of September.
Additionally, ramps for Litchfield (exit 52), Mount Olive (exit 44) and Staunton (exit 41) will be resurfaced. Most of the work is expected to take place between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday nights through Friday mornings.
Lane closures are expected, and message boards will be used to direct traffic through the work zones. Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. Benefits of this project include a smoother driving surface.
To avoid the work area, when feasible, use of alternate routes should be considered. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to changed conditions and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits, refrain from using mobile devices and be alert for workers and equipment.
