There’s so much to do in our region! Here’s a look at upcoming lectures and educational enrichment.
November
FHN Festival of Trees Holiday Movie Series
Through Nov. 30, 10 a.m. Sat. Special family movies hosted by FHN and Classic Cinemas Lindo Theatre. All children get a gift; limited seating; no advance ticket sales. Nov. 16: Thor: The Dark World; Nov. 23: Labyrinth (free); Nov. 30: Frozen. Lindo Theatre, 115 S. Chicago Ave., Freeport, (877) 600-0346×901.
Holiday HouseTours
Through Dec. 30, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. See this grand, 26-room restored Italian villa-style mansion house dressed in all the holiday splendor of a bygone era. Elaborate holiday decorations of the period and engaging stories offer a glimpse into the grand lifestyle of the Tallman family, from the Civil War to the White Tree of 1915. $8 /$7.50 seniors/$4 children/members free. Lincoln-Tallman House, 440 N. Jackson St., Janesville, (608) 756-4509.
MAC Holiday Silent Auction
Through Dec. 14, Nov. 23 kick-off 6-7:30 p.m. opening reception; 7:30 p.m. concert. Start of this fundraising event for Monroe Arts Center. Hundreds of items: original artwork; home décor; gourmet meals; sports memorabilia; more. Refreshments. Concert: $25/$20. Auction runs from Nov. 23 with viewings Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Contact MAC for booklet of items; bid in person, by phone, or by email. Monroe Arts Center (MAC), 1315 11th St., Monroe, Wis., (608) 325-5700, monroeartscenter.org.
December
Documentary Screening: Free the Mind
Dec. 2, 7-9 p.m. Follows a group of combat veterans with PTSD learning to manage their emotions at Project Welcome Home Troops at UW-Madison. Veterans Memorial Hall, Rockford.
The Violent History of the Holiday Cookie
Dec. 3, at 6 p.m. Dr. Anita Bravo, RVC history instructor, discusses “Global Trade & the Quest for Ingredients in the Early Modern World (1450-1800).” First Tuesday lecture series. Student Center Atrium, Rock Valley College (RVC), 3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, rockvalley.edu.
Digital Stories Festival
Dec. 3, 10 a.m. & 2 p.m. Film viewings of winning entries of Digital Storytelling Contest. Wilson Theatre, Mayer Hall, Beloit College, Beloit, beloit.edu.
Introduction to Federal Grant Proposals
Dec. 5, 8:30-11:30 a.m. This NICNE workshop will provide participants with an understanding of how the federal grant system works and what steps to take to apply for a federal grant. 5100 Building, Rockford University, 5050 E. State St., Rockford, (815) 394-4384, rockford.edu.
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Dec. 6, 1&7 p.m. Classic Film Series. A brief introduction before and a discussion following. Lindo Theatre, Freeport, (815) 233-0025.
Santa Lucia Day
Dec. 6, 7 p.m. A festival celebrated in Swedish homes and schools teaches hospitality and the value of sharing. Children’s choir performs traditional Swedish and English songs. Free will offering. First Lutheran Church, 225 S. 3rd St., Rockford, (815) 963-5559, swedishhistorical.org.
Northwest Illinois Jingle Bell Run/Walk
Dec. 7, Registration: 7 a.m.; Walk/Run: 8:30 a.m. Competitive 5K with chip-timing; one-mile Family Fun Walk. Activities, health expo, Santa. Benefits the Arthritis Foundation. Family YMCA of Northwest Illinois, 2998 W. Pearl City Road, Freeport, (815) 971-6380.
Pearl Harbor Day Observation
Dec. 7, 3-4:30 p.m. Mark Finnegan of VetsRoll, Inc. will present a program about the mission of honoring veterans and “Rosie-the-Riveters” by taking them to Washington, D.C. Beloit Public Library, 605 Eclipse Blvd., Beloit, Wis., (608) 364-2905, beloitlibrary.info.
The Spirit of Christmas Past
Dec. 7-8, 14-15, 12-4 p.m. Stroll this 19th-century Wisconsin village, decked out for the holidays. OWW, Eagle, oldworldwisconsin.org.
Victorian Christmas Celebration
Dec. 7, 1-4pm View the Victorian-style decorated trees, eat cookies, sing songs, listen to music, hear Christmas stories and see Santa. Free. Geneva Lake Museum, 255 Mill St., Lake Geneva, Wis., (262) 248-6060, genevalakemuseum.org.
30th Annual Ethnic Holiday Dinner
Dec. 7-8, 14-15, 4:15-7 p.m. Yankee, German, Irish and Scandinavian holiday traditions in Wisconsin in the 1800s, with food, decorations, music and entertainment. OWW, Eagle, oldworldwisconsin.org.
Scholarship Fair
Dec. 10, 5-8:30 p.m. Representatives of Rockford-area organizations that provide scholarships; inf on financial aid process, FAFSA, online scholarship application for Community Foundation of Northern Illinois. Nordloff Center (formerly Sullivan Center), 118 N. Main St., Rockford, rockfordpubliclibrary.org.
Girls’ Night Out
Dec. 10, 5-7:30 p.m. How about some refreshments, beauty treatment, a massage and a mammogram? Reserve a block of appointments for your group’s annual mammogram. Women will also enjoy a free chair massage, beauty treatment, refreshments and trunk. A mammogram appointment for each member of your group is required for participation. Other than cost of mammogram, Girl’s Night Out is free. Renaissance Pavilion, SwedishAmerican Hospital, 1340 St. Charles St., Rockford, (815) 395-8070, swedishamerican.org.
“Our Town: Rockford Enters the 20th Century”
Dec. 12, 7 p.m. Local historian John Molyneaux explores the social, political and economic issues in Rockford at the turn of the 20th century and Rockford’s evolution into a thriving industrial city. Free. Rockford Art Museum, 711 N. Main St., Rockford, (815) 968-2787, rockfordartmuseum.org
The Twains Shall Meet: An Evening with Mark Twain and Olivia Clemmens
Dec. 13th, 7 p.m. Mark Twain nd his lovely wife Olivia will dispense invaluable advice that you can get nowhere else in the world! He will also discuss the wisdom he has gleaned over his many years on this earth. Mature audiences only. Tinker Swiss Cottage, Rockford, tinkercottage.com.
MAC Holiday Silent Auction Finale
Dec. 14, 7:30 p.m. Bidding closes with a concert by Mt. Zion Gospel Choir singing jubilant gospel and holiday songs. $10/$5 students/Free MAC members. MAC, Monroe, monroeartscenter.org.
Rockford Christmas Bird Count
Dec. 14. Northwest Winnebago County. Annual census to better understand the populations and problems of birds, locally and nationwide. $5 fee to defray Audubon Society data management costs. Beginners welcome. To participate call Dan Williams, (815) 979-8335.
Cheers! Holiday Open House
Dec. 16, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Get ready for the holidays by tasting wines, sampling food and wine pairings, choosing wines as gifts and learning about Famous Fossil Holiday Wine Packages. Famous Fossil Vineyard and Winery, 396 W. Cedarville Road, Freeport, (815) 563-4665, famousfossilwinery.com.
FHN Festival of Trees Holiday Movie Series
Dec. 18, 1 p.m. & 7 p.m. Enjoy the special holiday movie White Christmas. Limited seating; free-will offering and/or a food drive contribution. Lindo Theatre, Freeport, (877) 600-0346×901.
Kishwaukee Christmas Bird Count
Dec. 21. Southern Winnebago and northern Ogle counties. To participate call Barbara Williams, (779) 537-3352.
January 2014
“Birds and Whales”
Jan. 9, 7 p..m. Monthly meeting of NCIOS features speaker Jack Armstrong, who will talk about birds and whales of San Diego, Calif., and Baja, Mexico. Visitors welcome. Severson Dells Nature Center, 8502 Montague Road, Rockford, ncios.org.
Exploiting Twitter
Jan. 10, noon-1 p.m. Lunch and Learn: Bring your bag lunch and a covered drink and take a trip through the world of social media. Norloff Center, Rockford, rockfordpubliclibrary.org.
MakerSpace Lego Masters
Jan. 15, 4-6 p.m. Are you a Lego Master? Do you think you are up to the challenges librarians can come up with? Come to MakerSpace Lego Masters and show off your mad skills on a monthly challenge. Your works of art will be put on display until the next monthly meeting. Lego Masters moves around the city to a different Library each month. Check the online Webcalendar for other locations. Ages 9 to 13. RPL Montague Branch, Rockford, rockfordpubliclibrary.org.
S&P Capital IQ NetAdvantage-Presentation
Jan. 15, 6-7:30 p.m. Dan Sovocool with S&P Capital IQ will S&P’s NetAdvantage, an online service available at all RPL locations, for both in library and remote access use. RPL East Branch, 6685 East State St., Rockford, (815) 965-7606, option 2, rockfordpubliclibrary.org.
Finding Grants for a Non-Profit Organization
Jan. 16, 2-3:30 p.m. Learn how to search the Foundation Directory Online to find grants for a non-profit organization. This is not for finding grants for businesses or individuals. A phone number or email address is required. Must be proficient using the Internet. Spaces are limited. RPL Main Branch, Rockford, rockfordpubliclibrary.org.
Paranormal Tour
Jan. 17, 7-10 p.m. 7-8:30 Lecture from investigator, 8:45-9:30 tour of the cottage with captured audio clips. Tinker Swiss Cottage, Rockford, tinkercottage.com.
Fresh and Local Organics
Jan. 18, 2-4 p.m. Meet with a local food expert for tips and tricks on organics, so you’ll know what you put on the table is honestly healthy. RPL East Branch, Rockford, rockfordpubliclibrary.org.
“I Have A Dream” Day
Jan. 20, 2:30-4:30 p.m. Learn about African American leader and hero Martin Luther King Jr. Stories, crafts, puppet show. All ages. RPL, Lewis Lemon Branch, 1988 Jefferson St., Rockford, (815) 965-7606, option 2, rockfordpubliclibrary.org.
The British and the Partition of India
Jan. 21, 6 p.m. Dr. Beth Ingle, RVC history professor, discusses the policies, procedures and decisions made by the British as they executed the partition of India into two countries during their final months in power in 1947. First Tuesday Lecture Series. RVC, Rockford, rockvalley.edu.
MakerSpace Craft Lit
Jan. 25, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Show your “stuff” and use RPL’s tables and large space to craft your day away with others. Knitting, sewing, quilting, card making, stamping, painting, anything you can carry is welcome. Ages 13 and over. RPL East Branch, Rockford, rockfordpubliclibrary.org.
Murder Mystery Night
Jan. 25, 6-8 p.m. Theme TBA. A night of intrigue and murder. Popular event sells out quickly. Includes light dessert and punch. Tinker Swiss Cottage, Rockford, tinkercottage.com.