Calendar

Join us for a month-long celebration of new vegan dishes all over Springfield! Businesses across the area will showcase exciting special vegan menu items, giving everyone the opportunity to explore creative plant-based dishes crafted by talented local chefs.

How It Works:
- Visit participating restaurants throughout Springfield
- Try their exclusive vegan offerings.
- Share your experience—vote, comment, post photos of your favorite meals, and tag us at @veganchefchallengeMW
This event is open to everyone—not just vegans! It’s about bringing our community together to celebrate incredible food and support Springfield chefs.

Get Involved:
Looking for ways to connect? Volunteer with us! We’re seeking passionate individuals to help with outreach, event promotion, and community building throughout the month. It's a great way to meet like-minded people and make a difference! Volunteer using this link: TinyURL.com/VOLVCC
Join us in making Springfield an even more inclusive, vibrant, and compassionate community.
For details on participating businesses, menus, sponsorship opportunities, and more, visit our website at veganchefchallenge.org/Springfield

The outing will be held October 9, 2026, with a 1:00 p.m. shotgun start, at Brookhills Golf course (5350 Old Jacksonville Rd, Springfield IL). 100% of the proceeds from the outing go directly toward funding a student-athlete scholarship at Sacred Heart-Griffin High School in Springfield. A full 18 hole event, with glow golf games and other games, 50/50, silent auction, free food, live music, goody bags for golfers, after party, and more! Sponsorship opportunities available.

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.

Join us for a month-long celebration of new vegan dishes all over Springfield! Businesses across the area will showcase exciting special vegan menu items, giving everyone the opportunity to explore creative plant-based dishes crafted by talented local chefs.

How It Works:
- Visit participating restaurants throughout Springfield
- Try their exclusive vegan offerings.
- Share your experience—vote, comment, post photos of your favorite meals, and tag us at @veganchefchallengeMW
This event is open to everyone—not just vegans! It’s about bringing our community together to celebrate incredible food and support Springfield chefs.

Get Involved:
Looking for ways to connect? Volunteer with us! We’re seeking passionate individuals to help with outreach, event promotion, and community building throughout the month. It's a great way to meet like-minded people and make a difference! Volunteer using this link: TinyURL.com/VOLVCC
Join us in making Springfield an even more inclusive, vibrant, and compassionate community.
For details on participating businesses, menus, sponsorship opportunities, and more, visit our website at veganchefchallenge.org/Springfield

Join us for the Gethsemane Church Community Yard Sale as we come together to raise funds toward paying off our parsonage!
📍 Gethsemane Church
600 State St., Pekin, IL
📅 October 9th & 10th
🕗 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Come shop a great selection of household items, clothing, décor, books, toys, and more. All proceeds from the yard sale will go toward paying off our parsonage!
Have something you would like to donate to the sale? We would greatly appreciate your help! All donated items must be received by October 8th so we have time to organize and prepare everything for the sale.
At Gethsemane Church, we do not pass an offering plate during our services, and we have no paid employees. Our ministry is supported through the voluntary generosity of those who choose to give, and every donation helps us continue the work God has given us to do.
If you would rather simply make a financial contribution toward paying off the parsonage, you can give securely online here:
👉 Make a Donation go to our website www.TGC1611.org or copy this link below to go directly to donate: https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/...
Please share this event, invite your friends, and come find some great deals while helping us reach our goal! ❤️
Gethsemane Church — 600 State St., Pekin, IL
Come grow with us!

We’re so excited to announce our Inaugural Flute Day!!!
Hosted by the Bloomington-Normal Flute Club
Sponsored in part by The Music Shoppe, Inc.
Saturday, October 10th, 8:30am-6pm
St. Luke’s Union Church
2101 E. Washington St. Bloomington, IL

Featuring Dr. Kyle Dzapo, Sue Gillio, Rachel Bailey, & Anne Badger

~ Masterclass
~ Technique classes
~ Flute choir reading session
~ Emergency Repair Tips for Flutists and Teachers
~ Flute exhibits
~ Faculty & student recital

All ages and ability levels welcome!

Registration Fees
Ticket fee for the day - $45 (includes Faculty and Student Recital)
Optional Jimmy John’s lunch (includes sandwich & chips) - Additional $10
Faculty & Student Recital at 5pm (non flute-day participant entry fee) - $10

For questions, please contact Rachel Bailey, flute instructor at The Music Shoppe:
rachelbailey.flute@gmail.com
815.916.5355

Join us for Ponies & Pies, TM Horse Haven’s annual fall fundraiser, on Saturday, October 10 from 9 a.m.–noon in Tolono!

Spend a fall morning at the barn enjoying pony rides, wagon rides, horses, Amish-baked pie, and family-friendly fun.

Ponies & Pies is more than a fun day at the barn—it’s one of the ways we invite our community into what we’re building at TM Horse Haven while raising support for the animals and the place they call home.

TM Horse Haven is a local nonprofit dedicated to providing a welcoming space for people to rest, restore, and renew.

Come enjoy the ponies, stay for the pie, and spend a beautiful fall morning at the barn with us!

Tickets and event details are available at TMHorseHaven.org.

Springfield Area Arts Council, in partnership with Downtown Springfield Inc., hires local musicians to provide live music at the Old Capitol Farmers Market, Farmers Market Brunch, and Farmers Market Street Dinner.

Hanger Clinic and Springfield Clinic providers invite all individuals with limb loss or limb difference to join us for a day of fun and community! Enjoy activities like running, biking, rock wall climbing, painting, yoga and more. Prosthetists, physicians, chiropractors and physical and occupational therapists will be on-site to provide support and services.

This will be an empowering day full of new things to try and new hobbies to explore.

“As a local prosthetic care provider in the Springfield community, we know how critical finding ways to adapt hobbies and sports is for our patients’ holistic well-being,” said Hanger Clinic’s Chad Knapp, CPO. “Events like this are also critical in helping amputees connect with their community and find peer support.”

This event began thanks to the collaborative efforts of Chad Knapp and Dr. Gary Stover. Their vision was to offer a local opportunity for learning, peer support, inspiration and the chance to discover the power of shared experiences. Springfield Clinic and Hanger Clinic have partnered locally for four years and continue to work together to empower people in the community with greater knowledge and access to the resources they need to improve their lives.

Our hope is that you leave today feeling energized and hopeful about the activities you can participate in moving forward—opening your eyes to new ways of facing and overcoming the obstacles life has placed in your path.

Food Not Bombs will share a free meal, fresh produce, and basic needs supplies. No documentation required, all are welcome.