Sep 16 Tuesday
The history and restoration of military Civil War soldiers' headstones will be presented by Paul Golladay. He will discuss the work of cleaning and restoring the headstones by volunteers of the not-for-profit Sucker State Preservation Foundation which spends many days working at Oak Ridge and other cemeteries. Golladay serves with the Army National Guard and serves as manager of the officer candidate school. He previously worked for the National Park Service at Lincoln's Home and was the assistant curator for the Illinois State Military Museum.
As a part of the UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership's Constitution Day events, this panel discussion with Lindsey Cormack, author of How to Raise A Citizen, will explore the "future of our democracy" and raise awareness within our community about politics and government.
Panel:Dr. Lindsey Cormack, Author, How to Raise a CitizenDr. Terrence Jordan, Springfield Public Schools District 186Senator Doris Turner, Illinois General AssembleyAlderman Shawn Gregory, Springfield City Council
Moderator:Randy Eccles, General Manager, NPR Illinois
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 2, 2025 from 6:30 pm - 8:30 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.
Sep 17 Wednesday
The 2025 UIS Center for Policy and Leadership Annual Showcase will highlight the work of the Center's units as it connects to politics, government, and the U.S. Constitution. Special guest Lindsey Cormack, author of How to Raise a Citizen, will speak about the importance of being engaged in democracy. Please register below.
This special Constitution Day panel moderated by Sean Crawford of NPR Illinois will discuss freedom of the press, the state of journalism, and the First Amendment. Panelists include Don Craven of the Illinois Press Association and Tim Franklin of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
Sep 18 Thursday
Join the Illinois State Museum Society for a relaxing day trip to St. Louis on Thursday, September 18! We’ll start by visiting the “Tuskegee Airmen: America’s Freedom Fighters” exhibit at the Soldiers Memorial Military Museum. Next, we’ll explore the historically significant and newly restored rooms at the Old Courthouse, which was the site of the important Dred Scott and Virginia Minor cases. Afterward, our comfortable motorcoach will take us to lunch, followed by a trip to East St. Louis to visit the House of Miles and learn how the legendary Miles Davis continues to inspire youth to blow their own trumpets of success!
REGISTRATION IS CLOSED
NPR Illinois and Sangamon Experience kick-off a celebration of 50 years of public radio at the University of Illinois Springfield with an opening event including special guest Michel Martin from NPR's Morning Edition. It will be followed by a cocktail hour at First Presbyterian Church across the street from the library.
The exhibit chronicles the first half-century of the station's history. "Radio That Listens to You: 50 Years of NPR Illinois" explores the hardships and joys of keeping local news reporting alive.
Sep 19 Friday
North America's largest interactive comedy murder mystery dinner theatre show is now playing in Springfield, IL! Solve a hilarious true crime murder mystery while you feast on a fantastic dinner. Just beware! The culprit is hiding in plain sight somewhere in the room, and you may find yourself as a Prime Suspect before you know it!
Join us for an event that is very different from a traditional mystery dinner show. Our actors are not dressed in costume and are hidden in the audience! This results in a fun, social and interactive evening suitable for all adults.
Each ticket includes our signature award-winning mystery dinner theatre show, along with a full plated dinner, waitstaff gratuity, and plenty of surprises during the show.
Happens on the following Dates:Sep 13, 2025, 6:00pm to 9:00pm Timezone: CDTSep 27, 2025, 6:00pm to 9:00pm Timezone: CDTOct 4, 2025, 6:00pm to 9:00pm Timezone: CDTOct 17, 2025, 7:00pm to 10:00pm Timezone: CDTOct 31, 2025, 7:00pm to 10:00pm Timezone: CDT
Sep 20 Saturday
Float on down the river and join the ALPLM’s Education Team on Saturday, September 20, 2025, from 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library for a splashing good time! This fun and interactive program explores different modes of transportation in Lincoln’s time — by land, water, and more. We’ll dive into the exciting story of young Abraham Lincoln’s flatboat adventure and discover how it helped shape his journey toward leadership. Perfect for curious learners and history explorers!
This is a free program, but advance registration is required. The program is for third through fifth graders only.