Calendar

Sign up for a plant sketching class led by local artist and educator Belinda Beccue. You will have the opportunity to learn techniques that capture details which bring your sketches to life. This is an opportunity to bring home your own work of art, that you create, influenced by our unique Central Illinois habitat. There are ten spots each day, totaling only 40 open spots to join. Supplies are included and you will bring home materials to continue to fill the provided sketchbook! Make sure to reach out to Eric Mollahan at ericmollahan@landconservationfoundation.org and reserve your preferred day and time now - it's only $20 to attend.

Join us as we celebrate an anniversary milestone! Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 19, 2026, as Compass for Kids celebrates 10 incredible years as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, empowering youth in our community at our Annual Back to School Brunch Fundraiser!

Gather with fellow supporters at Erin’s Pavilion for a meaningful morning featuring a delicious brunch buffet, shopping at the Compass marketplace, and inspiring program updates showcasing the past 15 years! This milestone celebration isn’t just about looking back; it’s about fueling the next chapter of empowering young lives.

Your presence and support make all the difference in helping local children navigate toward brighter futures. Tickets are on sale now. Secure yours today and be part of this special celebration!

Date: Saturday, September 19
Times:
10:00 am – doors open
11:00 am – meal is served
11:45 am – program begins
12:30 pm – event concludes

Citizen City Learning Series: Good Neighbor

Join us for an interactive event centered around what it means to be a good neighbor. Participants will explore simple ways we all contribute to a positive community. We’ll engage in team-based activities that highlight making thoughtful choices about where we live and how we connect with others. This will be a hands-on, fun event for children interested in building connections and strengthening our community spirit.

Saturday, September 19, 2026, at 10:00-11:30 a.m. or 1:00-2:30 p.m. in the ALPLM Library Classroom. This is a free event, but advance registration is required.

Attend 5 of the 6 Programs to Earn:
A Citizen City Founding Citizen Certificate
An invitation for you and your family to an exclusive Founding Citizens Preview Celebration, where you'll be among the first to experience the new Citizen City exhibit before it opens to the public.
At your first program, you'll receive your Citizen City Stamp Card. Bring it to each session to collect a stamp as you build your citizenship skills and work toward becoming one of Citizen City's very first Founding Citizens.

In recognizing Constitution Day, the Center for State Policy and Leadership (CSPL) is partnering with the Performing Arts Center (PAC) for their production of What The Constitution Means To Me. The performance on Constitution Day, September 17th, will convene a panel discussion to follow, which will include Dr. Lindsey Cormack who visited Springfield last year to discuss her book How to Raise a Citizen. We invite friends and partners of CSPL to use this code to purchase tickets during this pre-sale time period. You will not want to miss this event!

What does the Constitution mean to you? The Constitution isn’t just history—it’s personal. Part memoir, part history lesson, and part lively conversation, What the Constitution Means to Me brings America’s founding document to life in unexpected ways. Funny, moving, and engaging, it’s theatre that sparks conversation long after the curtain falls.

Playwright Heidi Schreck’s boundary-breaking play breathes new life into our Constitution and imagines how it will shape the next generation of Americans. Fifteen-year-old Heidi earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions across the United States. In this hilarious, hopeful and achingly human new play, she resurrects her teenage self in order to trace the profound relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives.

Presented by: UIS Performing Arts Center in partnership with the UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership

What the Constitution Means to Me is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.

GRIEFSHARE grief recovery and support group will meet at the Parish Hall at Trinity Lutheran School, 515 S. MacArthur Blvd., Springfield. The fall session will begin on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm and meets weekly for 13 weeks. GriefShare features nationally recognized experts on grief recovery topics including "Is This Normal?," "The Challenges of Grief," "Grief and Your Relationships," "Why," and "Guilt and Anger." Thanks to a grant from Thrivent Financial, the workbook fees for this session will be waived.
This event is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required to ensure there are enough materials for everyone.
For more information or to pre-register, please call 217.899.9418 or register at trinitygriefshare@yahoo.com.

The Springfield Area Arts Council invites the community to attend its 4th Annual Trivia Night! Doors will open at 5:30 PM, with trivia beginning at 6:30 PM. Proceeds will support the Arts Council’s free programs and services. The night will feature ten exciting rounds of art-themed general trivia, a silent auction with unique items and experiences, and a variety of opportunities to support the arts in our region. Arts Council members receive free tickets as part of their annual membership benefits and tables may seat up to 10 participants. More event details are on the Art Council's website.

Art @ the Market provides a free weekly, make-it, take-it art/craft activity to the public each week. Our activity booth will be at the Bloomington Farmers' Market (near the intersection of Jefferson and Center Streets). This activity is for youth to the young-at-heart adult. Our volunteers will be there to help with the activity which will take about 15 minutes. Drop by during the scheduled time to participate. If the weather is poor, the activity will be held in the lobby just outside our gallery in the Monroe Center.

The Annual Artisan Market is a curated event of regional artists and artisans who are chosen based on their original and handcrafted works. Attendees can browse unique items, including a wide variety of artwork, photography, jewelry, home goods, bath and body products, apparel and accessories, specialty foods and cottage goods, fiber arts, and much more.

The 3rd Annual Artisan Market is being held on Saturday, September 26, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM, at the Orr Building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds (enter at Gate 9). This family friendly event hosts over 100 artists and artisans from Illinois and Missouri, food trucks, and a creative corner for children ages 3-12.

Admission is free with a donation of a non-perishable food or toiletry item (1-2 items per person suggested). This year’s donations are being collected by area Girl Scout troops and will benefit the Central Illinois Foodbank.

For more information, visit AnnualArtisanMarket.com or follow on Facebook at /AnnualArtisanMarket.

GRIEFSHARE grief recovery and support group will meet at the Parish Hall at Trinity Lutheran School, 515 S. MacArthur Blvd., Springfield. The fall session will begin on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm and meets weekly for 13 weeks. GriefShare features nationally recognized experts on grief recovery topics including "Is This Normal?," "The Challenges of Grief," "Grief and Your Relationships," "Why," and "Guilt and Anger." Thanks to a grant from Thrivent Financial, the workbook fees for this session will be waived.
This event is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required to ensure there are enough materials for everyone.
For more information or to pre-register, please call 217.899.9418 or register at trinitygriefshare@yahoo.com.

Art @ the Market provides a free weekly, make-it, take-it art/craft activity to the public each week. Our activity booth will be at the Bloomington Farmers' Market (near the intersection of Jefferson and Center Streets). This activity is for youth to the young-at-heart adult. Our volunteers will be there to help with the activity which will take about 15 minutes. Drop by during the scheduled time to participate. If the weather is poor, the activity will be held in the lobby just outside our gallery in the Monroe Center.