Business can help you remodel your home, from bottom to top Lanark event has liberty and fun for all Live music roundup The land is in good hands, thanks to a conservation group
A Lake Carroll resident and her friend turn their cookie creativity into a business
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JUNE 2026
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A friendship of give and bake
A pair of pals with plenty of experience in the gym have found another game they’re good at: Creating cookies.
Home remodeling, from bottom to top A Freeport business helps turn clients’ ideas into a place they’ll be happy to call home.
With liberty and fun for all It’s a tradition that’s as old as the hills, and Lanark invites you to stop by, settle back, and enjoy a few days full of fun.
Sounds of summer If you’re a fan of bands, then summertime will be music to your ears, and there’s a lot to listen to in and around Lake Carroll.
In land we trust The land is in good hands in Jo Daviess County, thanks to a group that’s preserving and conserving the beauty that surrounds them.
Real Estate Listings
PAGES 50-55
and for sale at farmers markets.
Julie SchroederRanz (left) of Forreston and Laura Miller (right) of Lake Carroll are the coaches behind Coaches Cookies, baking cookies for parties, special occasions,
A pair of pals with plenty of experience in the gym have found another game they’re good at — and it’s one that two can play:
Creating cookies
ometimes, creativity is simply a matter of inspiration. Sometimes, it takes a little coaching.
For a Lake Carroll resident and her Forreston friend, it’s a little bit of both.
Laura Miller of Lake Carroll, and her longtime friend Julie Schroeder-Ranz of Forreston, have used their creative and culinary expertise to cook up a business, Coaches Cookies, to make their own place in the cookie world.
The cookiers, who taught and coached sports together at Sterling Public Schools for nearly 20 years, whip up recipes in their kitchens to create cookies with tastes that delight and colorful frosting with a silky smooth sheen that shines.
By CodyCutter
Baking cookies has given the two a creative outlet to explore, and they’ve made plenty of friends, customers — and even some “fun money,” they said, from their business. For Miller, it’s given her an opportunity to re-explore some of the creative baking she once did as a child and in 4-H programs.
“I like the challenge,” Miller said. “I’ve been very crafty my whole life. I like the challenge when people come up with things, figuring out how we are going to make this happen, and to make it work when it’s something we haven’t done.”
COOKIES cont’d from page 5
Custom orders make up a large part of their business, and they’ve been up to pretty much any creative task they’ve been asked, Miller said. Both make their cookies at home.
The pair’s cookie connection began when Schroeder-Ranz made some for a friend’s ugly sweater Christmas party, and it became like a gift that kept on giving. The cookies were a hit, and that got Schroeder-Ranz thinking about turning cookies into cash. She shared her idea with Miller, but it wasn’t until the coronavirus pandemic caused shutdowns in spring 2020 — and their coaching commitments to dwindle — that they started giving serious thought to building a business.
“We were teaching PE together at the time, and I was watching a Christmas cookie show on The Food Network,” Schroeder-Ranz said. “I always wanted to be a cake decorator, but had zero art ability. I started watching videos and hooked up with this one person on Facebook who had a $40 class. Because I was bored and wasn’t coaching basketball, I just started playing with it.”
Like perfecting a 3-point basketball shot or slamming a volleyball kill in the right zone, it took time and practice to get the cookies looking the way they wanted. They knew they were getting better when Laura’s husband, Scott, noticed he wasn’t getting as many tastes of their trial and errors.
“We had a lot of mistake cookies when we first started,” Miller said. “About a year after we were in business, my husband would tell me, ‘I never get a cookie anymore.’”
COOKIES cont’d to page 7
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Each of the cookie’s decorations involves a careful process of layering, outlining and detailing to create crisp, colorful designs, using a variety of kitchen tools and a bit of technology. Stencils are made with a Cricut machine, and Miller has a 3D printer that she’s used to make more than 1,000 different cookie cutters. For more colorful cookies, frosting is applied in layers, one at a time.
To give the cookies their flavor, emulsions are used instead of extracts that some cookie makers use. Emulsions, Schroeder-Ranz said, “bake out because they’re water-based. Extracts don’t bake out, so the flavor is much stronger with an emulsion than using an extract.”
An assortment of flavors and mix-ins are available, with chocolate chip M&M and vanilla almond being best sellers, Miller said. Some flavors are seasonal, such as a fall favorite with graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate chips mixed in.
New ideas come up all of the time, and much of the inspiration comes from online workshops and groups they frequent.
“Online and on Facebook there are tons of cookie groups,” Miller said. “Between the two of us, we’ve joined live cookie groups. That’s where you get a lot of ideas, and you learn from each other in those groups because a lot of people ask questions. People in the cookie world are really willing to share because there’s always a demand and no one is really competing with each other.”
cont’d to page 9
COOKIES
COOKIES
Flowers, superheroes, holidays — there’s not much the coaches haven’t put on a cookie, and if a customer has a special requests, they’ll give it a shot, like the family who wanted water tower cookies for a tyke who was fascinated by the big tanks. “We’ll figure it out.” said Miller.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY COACHES COOKIES
cont’d from page 7
Cookies come individually wrapped and labeled with ingredients and the date made. They have made their way to all sort of parties, including baby showers and weddings. Holidays and graduation season are busy times.
So far, Miller said, there hasn’t been an idea from a customer that has stumped them.
“We get a lot of people who have grandchildren, and they call and say they want ‘this’ theme,” Miller said. “We might have never heard of that, but we’ll figure it out. We’ll Google. We’ll find the characters and see what we can do.”
One of their more interesting challenges came in 2023, when a family wanted water tower-themed cookies for their child.
“We had a four-year-old from Milledgeville who was having a water tower birthday party — he loved water towers,” Miller said. “I thought, ‘How am I going to do a water tower and make it look good?’ I got online and looked at pictures of the water towers at different places, because they’re all a little bit different. I tried to mimic those and found other pretty cool looking water towers, and they turned out pretty cool.”
In addition to selling their cookies, the pair also holds occasional cookie decorating classes in Lake Carroll and Sterling. The most recent one in Lake Carroll was Feb. 24 at the Clubhouse, where attendees decorated pre-made cookies in a snowflake theme. Classes in Sterling are at the Sterling Schools Foundation’s Alumni Center. More classes are planned later this year.
The two met in 2004 while teaching and coaching in Sterling. Miller taught for 30 years before retiring in 2021, but occasionally substitutes in Sterling; and Schroeder-Ranz is still teaching, having recently wrapped up her 33rd year. Both have coached a variety of sports in Sterling and around the area through the years.
cont’d to page 11
THE 65TH ANNUAL 2026 SEASON
COOKIES
COOKIES
Still teaching
... In addition to selling their cookies, Miller and SchroederRanz — who’ve got more than 60 years’ experience as educators between them — hold occasional cookie decorating classes in Lake Carroll and Sterling.
Boathouse
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY COACHES COOKIES
Find Coaches Cookies on Facebook to learn more about the business. Email coachescookies.yummy@ gmail.com or message it on Facebook for ordering information. COOKIES cont’d from page 9
The Millers moved to Lake Carroll in 2024 from Sterling after Scott retired from his job. They’re getting to know their new community well, and much of that has to do with the business’s presence at the Lake Carroll Farmers Market during the summer. They are at the market on select weeks, and also make Livengood Barn’s Backroads Sale in Chadwick, and Sterling’s Sights and Sounds Christmas Walk part of their annual vendor appearances.
Craving some cookies?
“I’m meeting people up here who come to the market,” Miller said. “We’ve done fairly well there and have gotten some orders from it, and I’ve got to meet some of our neighbors. I joined the Women’s Club here, and they were like, ‘You’re the cookie lady at the market!’ That also gets the word out a bit.”
Schroeder-Ranz said she also enjoys what the part-time business has done for her socially, including getting to know people in Lake Carroll.
“A lot of the fun is to watch what we create,” she said. “Our friendship has grown, and just the fun to go out with other people and have them like our product, that’s fun, too.” n Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.
Kitchens, bathroom, floors ... if it’s a home remodeling project, Shaun O’Connor and his team at Floor to Ceiling in Freeport can help. “We can pretty much do anything,” said O’Connor, who took over the business from its former owner, and Lake Carroll member, Doug Wagner, this past November. CODY
WWhen homeowners look at their house, they see more than just walls, floors and empty rooms. They see potential.
When a Freeport business looks at a house, they see an opportunity to help the owners to live up to, and in, that potential.
Floor to Ceiling has built its business around helping homeowners re-imagine their spaces from the ground up, offering kitchen and bathroom remodels, flooring, cabinetry, countertops and window treatments. Inside its 13,000-square-foot Freeport showroom, customers can browse a wide range of products — including custom blinds and budget-conscious design systems that balance style, durability and affordability — while working with a team equipped to handle nearly every stage of a home update.
Like a blank canvas, homes can be a place where inspiration and ideas meet owners’ preferences and personal comfort, and Shaun O’Connor can help bring them all together.
O’Connor, owner of Floor to Ceiling, said the business has grown around being able to handle nearly every major piece of a home renovation.
“We do a lot of home remodels,” he said. “We sell a lot of kitchens, a lot of cabinets, and a lot of bathroom remodels — we can do tub surrounds and ceramics. Anything that anybody needs flooring-wise, we can do. Cabinets. Countertops. We can pretty much do anything.”
Whether customers arrive with a fully formed plan or a vision that needs more focus, O’Connor and his team guide them through the remodeling process, from consultation to product selection. Staff members schedule appointments, visit homes to measure spaces and assess project needs, then bring customers into the showroom to explore materials and finishes. Customers often take samples home so they can see how products look in their own lighting before making a decision.
REMODELING cont’d from page 13
O’Connor said demand has recently grown for newer waterproof and scratch-resistant floating flooring options, which have become more affordable and reliable as manufacturers refined their products. Ceramic products are also seeing renewed popularity, particularly in back splashes, as design trends cycle back toward more classic finishes.
“Most of them are updating,” O’Connor said. “We’ll have the occasional flood or fire damage customers where they have to redo something, but our bread and butter is the remodels. Sometimes a lot of people get tired of having the same cabinets, especially with a lot of houses that aren’t the newest, when people move in and want a new kitchen.”
Designer Tracey Humphrey brings 33 years of experience to her job helping customers find what they’re looking for, from matching colors to keeping up to date on current trends. Lately she’s seen people’s preferences for new cabinets shift from navy blues to more greens and creams. She’ll visit homes to take measurements and take note of what’s around the room to make sure everything blends well.
REMODELING cont’d to page 15
With more than three decades’ of experience, designer Tracey Humphrey has developed a knack for knowing how to help clients get just what they want from their home improvement projects. It’s a talent that customers have come to appreciate, said O’Connor — and so does he. “If anyone comes in and wants cabinets, countertops or flooring, she’s just got an eye for it … She’s pretty good,” he said
REMODELING cont’d from page 14
“You can throw out to me everything that you want to do,” Humphrey said. “I’ll take pictures and measurements and come back to the store, and I’ll make pictures to make them see what the end result is going to look like. I’ll have a table laid out with all kinds of different colors and textures.”
That level of design support, Humphrey said, is part of what keeps customers returning for projects both large and small.
“We’re a one-stop-shop place. You can pretty much get anything you need here,” Humphrey said. “They lean on us for everything. We’ve had customers who have been around the area for years and years, and they come back to us and we continue to help them with the process.”
REMODELING cont’d to page 18
O’Connor credited much of that customer confidence to Humphrey’s design instincts and ability to simplify what can otherwise feel like an overwhelming decision-making process.
“If anyone comes in and wants cabinets, countertops or flooring, she’s just got an eye for it,” O’Connor said. “She’ll have a table where she’ll set samples, and most of the time when customers get to that table, they don’t ever leave because everything she picked out they’ll be in love with. She’s pretty good.”
O’Connor grew up and still lives in Roscoe, and worked for 19 years as a Union carpenter from the Rockford Local. After an injury, he did carpentry work on his own for four years, and was a subcontractor for Floor to Ceiling’s previous owner, Doug Wagner. When Wagner, a Lake Carroll member, was looking to sell the business that had been in his family for nearly 40 years, he had faith in O’Connor to keep the place going. O’Connor, who thought he was going to be “crawling on floors” for the rest of his life, decided to take over the business this past November, and has been enjoying the transition from subcontractor to owner.
“I was doing some of their installs, and then Doug called me one day and told me he was looking to get out, and he asked if I was interested,” O’Connor said. “And the rest is history.”
During his time in the profession, O’Connor experienced the housing boom of the mid2000s, as well as its sudden bust later that decade. The coronavirus pandemic gave him plenty of work, as homeowners sought larger homes and took advantage of historically low mortgage rates. The projects have leveled off in the first few years since the height of the pandemic, but new house projects are slowly on the rise again. In the first seven months of ownership, Floor to Ceiling has done about 15 new installs at existing Lake Carroll homes, and has helped with four new homes there as well, working with TAS Enterprises in Freeport.
REMODELING cont’d to page 19
REMODELING cont’d from page 18
“It seemed like people were freely spending money, and then we went through 2008 when it declined a lot, but now we’re back on the upswing,” O’Connor said. “I think a lot more people are careful to spend since everything’s gone up in price. People might look at a price and think they’ll want to wait another year. People are a lot more cautious.” But, he added, “when people are ready, it goes pretty smooth.”
As the business continues under his ownership, O’Connor said he remains focused on the same formula that built Floor to Ceiling’s reputation over decades, one that’s centered on experienced design guidance, a wide range of remodeling services, and hands-on support from consultation to final install. For him, the most rewarding part of the job comes after the work is complete and customers see their vision come to life.
“I enjoy the phone call when they say they had good service here,” O’Connor said. “Everyone here treats every customer exceptionally and goes above and beyond. Even on the subcontract side, they still represent us. I want them to come here and know that I will take care of any issue, if there is an issue, and go out and make sure that it is resolved and taken care of. I want them to feel good with knowing that I can take care of it.” n
Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.
Floor to Ceiling, 701 E. South St. in Freeport, is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. Find it on Facebook, go to floortoceilingfreeport.com, email ftc@ftcfreeport.com or call 815-233-5667 to start a project or for more information.
mall-town traditions often survive because each generation decides some things are worth repeating — a parade route, a beer tent, a child clutching a balloon animal, or the sound of live music drifting across a park.
Some are events that fill the streets with smiles and some are fleeting moments between a few friends, others are a chance for families to share special times — but stitched together they become the shared memories that can bring communities closer together, the rituals they look forward to revisiting.
And in Lanark, they are Old Settlers Days, a tradition almost as old as the town itself.
Returning June 26-28, the annual festival features food, vendors, a parade, live music, kids activities, races, a beer garden — and this year, celebrations honoring America’s 250th birthday, a fitting addition to the itinerary, given the event’s origins, born of a show of patriotism and pride.
The event’s first celebration reaches back to 1874 — about a decade after the town’s founding — held to honor local veterans of the Civil War. Except for a 20-year period in the 1960s and 1970s, the event has been an annual tradition in Lanark that has gone through several changes, while still keeping the goal of creating an event that’s fun for all.
OLD SETTLERS cont’d to page 23
Coordinating the historic festival is the responsibility of a nine-person committee, led by co-presidents Alisha Metz and Marissa Giedd. Metz grew up in Lanark and the event’s been part of her life for nearly 45 years, having attended her first one as a young child. She remembers a time when it was “cool,” for kids to have an Old Settlers Day button on their shirt (which was also at one time a ticket for admission). Her children enjoyed it years ago, and she’s seeing her grandchildren like it just as much, she said.
Button sales are a thing of the past now, and most events are free.
“Old Settlers Days is about community, families and fun,” Metz said. “It’s about getting everyone together in Lanark just to enjoy each other’s company, and hopefully other people from other counties will come in and enjoy it. I remember all of the fun we used to have, and now we’re trying to bring some of those things back this year, especially with it being the big 250th.”
One of Metz and Giedd’s goals this year is to make the event fun for all age groups, having identified some areas where activities weren’t as appealing for younger ages. They’ve added new activities to the schedule to fill those gaps, including a treasure hunt where children can dig through large sand piles to find toys.
OLD SETTLERS cont’d to page 24
PHOTO PROVIDED
BY MARISSA GIEDD
“One of the things that people have told us is about how we didn’t have things for all ages,” Giedd said. “This will be the first year where we’ll absolutely have things for every single age. There’s something for everyone to participate.”
Like Metz, Giedd has fond memories of the event, and she hopes to be able to help her own two children create the same. She’s lived in Lanark since she was a child, and at 34 is the youngest person on the festival’s committee.
“I want them to come participate and remember those things,” Giedd said, adding that she looks forward to hearing her kids grow up
and say “Remember when we used to do this …”
It’s special, she said, “Being able to reminisce with people on what it was, how it’s changed.”
The weekend of activities begins at 3 p.m. June 26 with food and craft vendors, and a large bounce house for kids at the park. The beer garden under the Eastland Motorsports Main Tent also opens at 3 p.m. that day and runs until midnight. Exotic animal shows from Scales and Tales of Chicago will be at both 5 and 7 p.m. Paint in the Park is from 5 to 7 p.m. when participants create paintings on canvas board to later be posted throughout the park (canvas cost is $5). A quarter-mile fun run for kids is at 5:45, with registration beginning 15 minutes earlier. Laser tag for the older kids is from 7 to 10 p.m., and 3 On the Tree will play from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Tent. An after party will be at Lanark’s bars from midnight to 2 a.m.
OLD SETTLERS cont’d to page 25
Wally's is the PLAYce to be!
OLD SETTLERS cont’d from page 23
PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARISSA GIEDD
Saturday morning’s events kick off at 8 a.m. with the Stronger Together Raging Road Rally 5K run. Proceeds from registration support local residents Carlee Tessendorf and Callie Plager, who are battling breast cancer; registration is at 7 a.m. at On the Move Community Fitness Center, 125 W. Locust St. Prizes will be awarded to attendees who wear pink during the run. A car show will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the streets surrounding the park, with 3-D Sound of Dixon providing music; about 60 cars were showcased last year. Food and craft vendors open for the day at 9 a.m.
The “Happy 250th Birthday America” parade begins at 11 a.m. and runs along Broad Street south of downtown; the beer garden also opens at the same time. The treasure hunt begins at 11:30 a.m. at 213 W. Carroll, a block south of the park. Face painting by Ms. Rosie will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
OLD SETTLERS cont’d to page 26
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Several events begin at noon Saturday, including a petting zoo, axe throwing, kids games, Bingo, a kiddie tractor pull, balloon animals from Pickles the Clown, and the bounce house. Kiddie water fights begin at 1 p.m., a Happy Hour with music by Charlie Rae is from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Tent, and more music continues there from 7 to 11 p.m. with The Beaux. The night concludes with another after party at the town bars. Sunday’s events begin with a church service at the Tent from 10 to 11 a.m. by the Eastland Council of Churches, followed by pork chops and dessert from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.. The festival concludes with an antique tractor pull at Eastland Motor Sports, 110 state Route 64, at noon.
Some events held in recent years, such as a pony show and Chicken Drop Bingo — where prizes are determined by a number where a chicken deposits its droppings — are not returning to the itinerary this year.
OLD SETTLERS cont’d to page 28
The vendor shows will have plenty of young entrepreneurs, up to high school ages, in addition to established ones in the community. For some of the kids, it’s an opportunity to learn how to sell, market, practice customer service and explore their’ interests, Giedd said.
“They’ll be able to showcase their things,” Giedd said. “We have a lot in our community. They get to know what it takes to set up and tear down. There are a lot of things they can learn from it.”
The festival committee puts on fundraisers to support the event; some recent ones include Donuts with Friends in January, a donut decorating event for kids who shared in the fun with costumes cartoon characters such as Bluey, Skye, Spider-Man and Olaf; and Egg My Yard in April, where it sold plastic Easter eggs with treats and scattered them throughout the yards of those who bought them for their kids to have an egg hunt.
Other annual events put on by the committee include a Kids Market from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 1, the Fall Festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 11, the Lighted Christmas Parade at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 28 and Santa’s Workshop from 9 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 4 p.m. Dec. 5.
For Metz, Giedd and others involved, Old Settlers Days represents something larger than just a schedule of attractions or annual fundraising efforts — it is a way to preserve traditions that once shaped their own childhoods and pass those same
experiences on to a new generation. In a town where many families have attended the festival for decades, they hope that today’s children will one day look back on these weekends with the same fondness their parents and grandparents do now.
“I want to keep traditions going in Lanark,” Metz said. “They’re fun family traditions that I remember as a kid, and now I’m a grandma, so I want my kids to come.” n
More info
Old Settlers Days is June 26-28 in Lanark, with most activities at the town’s park, 200 W. Claremont St. Find “Old Settlers Days Lanark, IL” on Facebook or email lanarkosd@yahoo.com for more information.
Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.
If you’re a fan of bands, then summertime will be music to your ears: Whether it’s barns blasting tunes, parks swelling with symphonic sounds, or hills coming alive with music, there’s a lot to listen to in and around Lake Carroll
ummer has a way of sounding different. Sometimes it arrives in the polished swell of brass instruments warming up beneath a park band shell. Other times, the crackle of guitar amps echo across a hillside amphitheater, the hum of a crowd gathering inside a theater, or the soft sounds of stings being tuned in the glow of candlelight (or, in Lake Carroll’s case, the tuning of strings at Candlelight).
Across the area, live music becomes part of the rhythm of warmer months, and there’s no shortage of in and around Lake Carroll. A Thursday in Dixon might mean lawn chairs unfolding near a band shell. A Friday in Mount Morris could bring tribute bands and concessions beneath an open sky.
In Savanna, music and spoken word fill a museum room transformed into an intimate nightclub atmosphere. Rural venues tucked into rolling hills or inside restored barns invite audiences to trade city noise for stars and stage lights. Some performances celebrate tradition, with marches and patriotic favorites — appropriate for America’s 250th birthday this year — or big band standards played by longstanding community ensembles. Others lean into nostalgia through tributes honoring artists such as Prince, Led Zeppelin, Roy Orbison, Supertramp, Amy Winehouse and the Eagles. Elsewhere, nationally touring Americana, indie, country and rock acts find their way to stages in small towns and countryside venues.
On the following pages is a roundup of upcoming live music scheduled as of press time. While many places are still finalizing their summer line-ups, the list is a good place to start for fans of live music. And if you want to take a road trip, but your favorite watering hole or event venue isn’t on the list, start your search engine and see what you can find. In the meantime, here’s some music to your ears … Note: Schedules are subject to change; check venues before going.
Live music at Lake Carroll brings several Midwest acts just around the corner. Most weekends from Memorial Day to the end of August feature live music at either Candlelight Inn or Lake Carroll’s Common Event Area next to the Clubhouse. At Candlelight, the live music series kicked off May 29 with Justin Terry, followed by the Joe Buckley Band on June 6. Other acts coming to Candlelight are high-energy country rock band Southbound (7 to 10 p.m., June 20), country and Americana musician Jesse Bauman (7 to 10 p.m., June 26), and rock and pop cover acts Blue Steel (7 to 11 p.m., July 24) and Scarlett’s Fire (7 to 10 p.m., Aug. 22).
Outside, the green, green grass of home will host bands in the Common Event Area, with its first concert this year from 7 to 10 p.m. June 13, featuring horn-driven blues, funk and soul from The Jimmy’s. Also performing there this summer are country and rock blends from the Semple Band (7 to 10 p.m., July 3), and Lobbin Robbins and Back Country Roads during Lake Carroll Fest (5 to 10 p.m., Aug. 1). The Infinity Band concludes the season at Lake Carroll from 7 to 10 p.m., Aug. 15 with its tribute to 1980s rock.
Aaron Newsome plays at the Lake Carroll Farmers Market in 2024. CODYCUTTER/CCU
Go to golakecarroll.com or find Candlelight Inn on Facebook for more information.
Municipal bands are a longstanding summer tradition throughout the region, offering free outdoor concerts. They are often composed of volunteer musicians, educators and area performers playing marches, patriotic standards, Broadway tunes, pop arrangements and big band classics.
The Dixon Municipal Band plays at the band shell at Page Park next to Dixon High School, 300 Lincoln Statue Drive. Concerts are at 7:30 p.m. each Thursday from June 4 to Aug. 6 — with the Independence Day week’s patriotic performance taking place at 7 p.m. July 3 at the Old Lee County Courthouse
Lawn, 200 S. Ottawa Ave.
The Sterling Municipal Band plays at the Grandon Civic Center band shell (photo at right) at Central Park, 300 E. Fourth St. Concerts are at 7:30 p.m. each Wednesday from June 3 to Aug. 5. Pre-concert entertainment begins at 6:15 each concert day. A food court is available.
The Freeport Concert Band plays at the Koenig Ampitheater at Krape Park, 1799 South Park Blvd., at 7 p.m. each Sunday in June and July. The opening concert on June 14 also will feature a Touch-a-Truck event geared toward children, with large construction and emergency vehicles.
The River City Municipal Band in Clinton, Iowa, plays its concerts at the Riverview Park Bandshell, 251 Ball Park Drive. The band shell also will host a performance by the Clinton Symphony Orchestra on June 7 for its annual Riverfront Pops performance, featuring film scores, Latin party music and tunes from John Phillip Sousa. Go to clintonsymphony.org for more information.
Find each of the concert bands on their respective Facebook pages for more information.
Bimini
Music at the Museum has grown into one of Savanna’s signature arts traditions, transforming the Savanna Museum and Cultural Center into an intimate live music venue on the final Friday of each month from January through October. Now in its fifth year, the concert series pairs local and Chicago-area musicians with candlelit ambiance, wine, coffee and audience interaction.
Hosted by Poetry Slam founder Marc Kelly Smith, performances also feature spoken word, poetry readings and interactive games that encourage creativity and community participation.
Performers are announced about a month in advance on the Savanna Museum and Cultural Center’s Facebook page, so the summer
lineup wasn’t available as of press time, but so far this year, the series has already hosted Celtic-American, classic rock, country, folk, and bluegrass performances.
Concerts for the Savanna Cultural Center and Museum’s Live Music series begin at 7:30 p.m. on the final Friday of the month from January to October at the museum, 406 Main St. A $10 suggested donation helps support the series. The museum is open from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday May through October. Find it on Facebook, go to savannamuseum.org for more information about the music series or the museum.
Mount Carroll’s Marques Morel performs during Music at the Museum on Jan. 30 at the Savanna Museum and Cultural Center.CODYCUTTER/CCUTTER
Mount Carroll resident Reid Law’s grassroots movement led to a premier entertainment venue on his property, in a place some people might call the “middle of nowhere.” But that “nowhere” has become somewhere unique: an outdoor amphitheater in the rolling hills of Carroll County that has only been around for just a little less than a decade but which has attracted some pretty big names in the world of music.
Nestled into the natural hillsides, Rhythm Section Amphitheater (photo at right) offers a countryside concert experience with seating built into the landscape, designed to provide both strong acoustics and clear views of the stage. Its rural setting is a major part of its identity, combining large-scale performances with a more intimate atmosphere than many urban venues. A bar, concessions, and artist green room are housed in repurposed grain silos, while a renovated hog shed now serves as the Heritage Pub. Many materials throughout the property are made from reclaimed materials, including barnwood, railroad bridge beams, and planks from a historic local bridge.
stars without light pollution. Onsite camping is also available, allowing visitors to turn concerts into overnight stays and fully enjoy the rural setting.
This year’s schedule includes a Country Tribute Night on June 20, featuring musical tribute acts playing songs from country artists Chris Stapleton, Eric Church and Lainey Wilson. JJ Grey and Mofro returns to the Amphitheater on July 25 for their Top of the World Tour (named for their newest single), playing their mix of southern soul, funk, blues and rock..
Did you know actor Kevin Bacon also is a singer? He and his brother Michael are The Bacon Brothers, and are coming to the Amphitheater on Sept. 12 to play their blend of folk, rock, soul and country, which they aptly describe as “Forosoco.” Special guests Miles Nielsen and The Rusted Hearts and Myron Elkins will also perform.
A signature feature is the venue’s planned “blackout” moments, when lights are shut off so guests can experience the night sky and
Rhythm Section Ampitheater is located at 13137 state Route 78 in Mount Carroll. Go to therhythmsectiononline.com for an updated schedule and ticket information.
Synchrony
ALEX T. PASCHAL/APASCHAL@SHAWMEDIA.COM
COMING ATTRACTIONS
... The Dixon Historic Theater opened in 1922 as a vaudeville and movie house, and has undergone several extensive renovations in recent years — and along with those, has brought several national acts to its small-town stage.
The Country Legends Tribute Tour comes to The Dixon on June 27, celebrating three of the biggest names in country music with performers honoring Garth Brooks, Shania Twain and Toby Keith.
Marshall Charloff and The Purple xPeRIeNCE, performing Aug. 1, is a nationally touring Prince tribute show founded in 2011 by Minneapolis musician Marshall Charloff and Prince’s former keyboardist Matt Fink, from The Revolution. The group is known for recreating Prince’s music, has toured internationally and built a strong following among Prince fans.
Richrath Project REO, performing Aug. 14, celebrates the catalog of Illinois rock icons REO Speedwagon. On Aug. 15, “Vandenberg: My Whitesnake Years,” led by Dutch guitarist Adrian Vandenberg, revisits the musician’s years with hard rock band Whitesnake from the late 1980s-90s. Country singer-songwriter Keith Anderson, coming to The Dixon on Aug. 21, rose to prominence in the 2000s with hits such as “Pickin’ Wildflowers,” “Every Time I Hear Your Name” and “I Still Miss You,” blending contemporary country with Southern rock influences. Supertramp tribute act, Breakfast in America, performs Aug. 28, bringing arena rock songs such as “The Logical Song,” “Take the Long Way Home” and “Give a Little Bit,” in the style of the progressive pop-rock band. Dear Amy honors the music and legacy of Amy Winehouse on Aug. 29 through a live tribute, highlighting songs such as “Rehab,” “Back to Black” and “Valerie.”
The Dixon Historic Theater is located at 114 S. Galena Ave. in Dixon. Go to dixontheatre.com for an updated schedule and ticket information.
BLOSSOMS AND PETUNIAS
... The Petunia Festival has been part of Dixon’s entertainment scene for over 60 years. Named for the city’s signature bloom, the festival offers four days of family fun, including a carnival, games, arts, and more — and a big part of that “more” is music. The downtown Dixon event brings more than a dozen acts to its stages, covering an eclectic range of genres, from local bands to big names playing rock, pop, country, funk and punk, hiphop and more. Last year’s lineup included ’90s hitmakers Blind Melon, and this year will bring an encore of ’90s nostalgia, with headlining act The Gin Blossoms, whose hit “Hey Jealousy” was a staple of ’90s radio.
This year’s festival runs July 2-5. The musical lineup can be found at petuniafestival. org/music-lineup/.
Darren Walker (left) and Mark Murtha of Head East perform during at 2023 concert at the Dixon Historic Theatre.
PHOTOS:
The Mount Morris Jamboree is a free summer music series held at the Warren G. Reckmeyer Bandshell in Mount Morris, featuring various bands, concerts, and concessions on Friday nights. It was organized in 2012 when local resident Larry Ubben aimed to expand what was originally a single communi ty concert into a full summer series focusing on contemporary and regional talent of folk, rockabilly, country and classic, as well as tribute bands.
This year’s series is from June 12 to Aug. 28 with concerts starting at 7 p.m.. The lineup of acts will be announced on the Mount Morris Jamboree Facebook page. Acts from last year’s lineup included tributes to Roy Orbison, The Rolling Stones, Eagles and Creedence Clearwater Revival, alongside classic rock, blues, jazz, bluegrass and oldies acts such as Rick Lindy, Rocks Off, Brass From the Past, The Jimmys, Grass Attack and Captain Rat and the Blind Rivets.
In addition to popular music, the bandshell also hosts Wednesday evening concerts by the Kable Concert Band in June and July, playing a range of styles from classic to big band to pop music. Concerts start at 7:30 p.m.
The bandshell is at 100 S. Wesley Ave. Go to the Facebook page to learn more about the Jamboree.
George and Nancy Poe of Monut Morris dance during a 2025 Mount Morris Jamboree.
IN MAQUOKETA ... Known for its barn setting, hayrack rides, camping and intimate atmosphere, Codfish Hollow Barnstormers’ off-the-beaten-path charm has hosted touring acts that range from indie darlings to established Americana and rock names. It’s a distinctive live music destination inside a rustic barn tucked into the Driftless Area’s southern hills outside Maquoketa, Iowa, about an hour’s drive west of Lake Carroll.
Old 97’s, known for blending roots rock, punk energy and sharp songwriting, brings a high-octane live show to the venue June 24. July leans heavily into Americana, indie and roots-based music. The Heavy Heavy (July 1) brings a retro-inspired rock sound with 1970s harmony and groove, followed by longtime Americana folk-rockers The Jayhawks (July 3). Bluegrass-influenced group Pert Near Sandstone (July 9) adds string-driven energy, while Southern rock outfit Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ (July 17) delivers a louder guitar-forward set later in the month. The venue also welcomes artists with distinct vintage flair and genre-bending appeal. Pokey LaFarge (July 23) mixes swing, blues and early rock influences into an old-school Americana, while Nick Shoulders (July 26) brings country, folk and yodel-infused songs. The Talbott Brothers, an Oregon-based duo known for heartfelt folk-rock harmonies and blue-collar storytelling, shares the bill Aug. 8 with Wolfskill and The Wild, an emerging act rooted in indie-folk and Americana.
Codfish Hollow Barnstormers is located at 5013 288th Ave. in Maquoketa. Go to codfishhollowbarnstormers.com for an updated schedule and ticket information.
MORE NEAR MAQUO-
KETA ... The Ohnward Fine Arts Center serves as a regional hub for concerts, theater productions, dance recitals and community events. It regularly hosts tribute concerts, touring musicians, local productions and educational programming. The Drew Art Gallery also is on site with rotating exhibits.
The Wichita Lineman (June 20) pays tribute to the music of Glen Campbell, featuring vocalist Carl Acuff Jr. Country fans can also catch The Legendary Ladies of Country Music (July 18), starring Molly Brown, which is a production honoring iconic female artists such as Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette.
Later in the season, Rick Lindy presents A Black and White Night (Aug. 15), a salute to Roy Orbison inspired by Orbison’s famous 1987 concert special. Heartache Tonight – The Music of the Eagles (Sept. 12) is a tribute recreating the harmony-driven sound and enduring catalog of the Eagles, from “Take It Easy” to “Hotel California.”
The Ohnward Fine Arts Center is located at 1215 E. Platt St. in Maquoketa. Go to ohnwardfineartscenter.com for an updated schedule and ticket information.
Formed in 2003, the Philadelphia-based group has built a national following by performing Zeppelin’s catalog with six musicians. Rather than impersonating the original members, the group focuses on musical precision and an immersive concert experience, performing hits such as “Stairway to Heaven,” “Kashmir” and “Whole Lotta Love.” The band is scheduled to perform July 10 at Coronado Performing Arts Center in Rockford (photo above).
PHOTO: ENJOYILLINOIS.COM
meant to resemble an open-air courtyard. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the venue underwent a major restoration in the early 2000s. Today, it hosts concerts, Broadway tours, comedians, films and community events.
The Coronado Performing Arts Center is located at 314 N. Main St. in Rockford. Go to coronado. rockfordlive.com for an updated schedule and ticket information.
Opened in 1927, the Coronado was designed with Spanish and Italian influences, decorative ceilings, grand chandeliers and a lavish interior
From sacred resting places to habitats buzzing with activity, the land is in good hands in Jo Daviess County, thanks to a group dedicated to letting nature take its course, preserving and conserving the beauty and the history that surrounds them
Some land asks to be left alone.
Some asks to be restored.
Across Jo Daviess County, protected prairies, forests and wetlands are becoming both a refuge for wildlife and places where people can rediscover the value of open space.
Making it all possible: The Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation. Established in 1993, the nonprofit protects roughly 1,500 acres throughout the rolling landscape of Jo Daviess County; preserving land, water, wildlife habitats and indigenous cultural sites while connecting the public to nature through recreation, education and research.
For Jillian Jablonski, the foundation’s senior director of land stewardship, its mission is more than just owning land. Her work focuses on ecological restoration and long-term management, helping preserve and rebuild the species and ecosystems that once defined the region.
“We are a conservation land trust, so our primary focus is preserving, protecting and restoring natural communities throughout northwest Illinois,” Jablonski said. “It’s all about conserving, restoring and protecting all of these resources that we have. Some of our preserves have remnant oak savannas or remnant prairies. They’re part of the original ecosystems that were here and have been unchanged, and they are pretty rare and pretty special. We need to protect those areas from being degraded.”
Casper Bluff Land and Water Reserve
The foundation’s restoration work includes rebuilding native ecosystems and improving habitat quality for fish, birds, pollinators and other wildlife, while also providing practical benefits such as flood control and agricultural pollination support. At Casper Bluff Land and Water Reserve south of Galena, land once primarily pasture has been reseeded with locally sourced native plants to help restore its historic landscape.
“Casper Bluff was mostly pasture, and when we acquired the property most of it was seeded with locally sourced native seed to essentially recreate this natural community,” Jablonski said. “It’s about conserving these remnant, original populations that we may have. It’s conserving native species that we have through the restoration of properties, and it’s also taking a broader lens not just at the land itself, but to the fish and wildlife that require a certain level of quality habitat.”
JO DAVIESS cont’d to page 44
The nonprofit also stewards sites with Indigenous significance, including burial mounds and ceremonial grounds, while partnering with the Ho-Chunk Nation to ensure culturally appropriate care. Those relationships help reconnect tribal communities with ancestral lands throughout the Driftless Region. In addition, the foundation maintains an education and outreach branch that visits schools and hosts events connecting residents with local ecosystems and environmental stewardship.
Jablonski said the work benefits more than wildlife.
“It’s good for us as humans,” Jablonski said. “Having green space is incredibly beneficial for many reasons. There’s a mental health aspect of just being out in nature, and just being able to go on a walk. When Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation was first formed, there was a pretty minimal amount of public land to access and to get out to recreate in the county. We’re able to offer a great number of outdoor recreation trails and spaces for people spread throughout the county.”
In Galena, Buehler Preserve offers visitors an uncommon mix of habitats along the Galena River, east of its historic downtown. The preserve’s location, where river and land, meet creates a unique ecological corridor
that attracts wildlife not often found elsewhere.
“You get a lot of different wildlife species that you might not have otherwise,” Jablonski said.
JILLIAN JABLONSKI
“There are birds that you are more likely to see around river corridors, and there are beavers that build lodges somewhere in the area. In the spring, we have a Frog Walk out there because there are a lot of wetland areas, and we have kids who go out and look for frogs. At Buehler, you have this interface between the land and the river, and it’s special for that reason.”
Casper Bluff blends scenic overlooks with deep cultural history. The site contains a series of Indigenous burial mounds, including the last remaining Thunderbird effigy mound in Illinois, shaped like the powerful spiritual figure found in Native cosmology. The site also features Mississippi River views, and will host insect educators and scientists from the Field Museum on July 25 for a presentation showcasing insect collections.
The foundation works alongside the Ho-Chunk in stewarding Casper Bluff, preserving the mounds and educating visitors about the people who once inhabited the land.
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ROCK FALLS, IL
STAY - PLAY - EXPLORE
MAY
5/14-17 | ST. ANDREWS CARNIVAL
5/30 | TOUCH-A-TRUCK OF ROCK FALLS
5/30 | ROCK RIVER JAZZ BAND CONCERT
AUGUST
8/1 | GEORGE FEST
8/8 | EATS ‘N’ BEATS @ THE DISTRICT
8/15-16 | AQUA PALOOZA/ROCK FALLS RIVER CHASE
8/22 | ROCK RIVER JAZZ BAND CONCERT
8/29 | ART IN THE PARK SCULPTURE WALK/OUTDOOR ART GALLERY
JUNE
6/6 | BELLSON MUSIC FEST/DRUM CLINIC
6/13-14 | SALUTE TO AMERICA 250 6/13 | ROCK RIVER JAZZ BAND CONCERT
SEPTEMBER
9/12 | TASTE OF FIESTA 9/19 | FIESTA DAY PARADE 9/26 | TACO THROWDOWN FESTIVAL 9/27-28 | FALL & FANTASY FESTIVAL
JULY
7/2 | INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION 7/11 | ROCK RIVER JAZZ BAND CONCERT 7/18 | EATS ‘N’ BEATS @ THE DISTRICT
“These are essentially the equivalent of cemeteries, and we manage those to be culturally sensitive,” Jablonski said.
Horseshoe Mound, another Galena-area preserve, is best known for its panoramic views, which include views from the top of its bluff that reach as far as Iowa and Wisconsin. The preserve includes a council ring overlook with built-in seating and serves as a popular destination for astronomy enthusiasts, including its annual Meteors on the Mound event held around the peak of the Perseid meteor shower in mid-August.
Big Sky Preserve near Stockton is the foundation’s largest preserve at roughly 900 acres and includes the Valley of Eden grassland habitat. The preserve has become a success story for restoring declining bird populations in the region. Its location near the Mississippi Flyway also makes it a
prime stopover for migratory birds.
“One of the best stories of Big Sky is the grassland bird population,” Jablonski said.
“Valley of Eden is an important bird area specifically because grassland birds, and there is a very healthy population of Henslow’s sparrows, bobolink and a bunch of other grassland bird species that were in significant decline until not too long ago. Their populations are starting to rebound and level off; bobolink populations are still a big concern nationwide. You can go into the grasslands there and there are grassland birds everywhere.”
Near Warren, Rutherford Refuge contains one of the county’s last remaining sedge meadows, along with a diverse blend of wetland, creek, prairie, woodland and savanna. The preserve is undergoing ecological restoration while showcasing seasonal wildflowers and hosting an annual spring wildflower walk each May.
Schurmeier Teaching Forest south of Elizabeth offers a quieter experience, with wooded walking trails and informational signs that create a self-guided educational tour focused on local flora.
Horseshoe Mound
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PHOTO: RICH MATTIS
Wapello Land and Water Reserve, south of Hanover, combines restored prairieland with archaeological significance. The site preserves Native cultural history while also supporting rare species’ habitats, including the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee.
Also near Hanover, Witkowsky State Wildlife Area is operated jointly with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and features 10 miles of trails. The property contains remnants of the former Hanover Earth Station, once an AT&T satellite communications facility active during the 1970s and 1980s that handled long-distance telephone calls via satellite.
Galena Gateway Park, operated in partnership with the City of Galena, offers visitors scenic glimpses of the city while serving as
another example of the foundation’s col laborative stewardship work throughout the region.
Most preserves are open to the public year-round and offer hiking, wildlife viewing and educational opportunities. Exceptions include Mąą Pįį, also known as Good Earth, and Keough Effigy Mounds, both near Galena. Good Earth hosts occasional public events, while Keough is currently undergoing maintenance. Mąą Pįį (pronounced “mon-pee” in the native Ho-Chunk language) features multiple burial mounds, restored prairie, and ongoing forest and woodland restoration, while also serving as a traditional fasting site used to facilitate solitude, spiritual reflection and connection with nature. The site will host an open house June 20.
The foundation relies entirely on donations, memberships and volunteer support rather than tax dollars. Community members can contribute financially, purchase memberships to stay connected with the organization’s work, or volunteer during preserve workdays and restoration projects.
FOUNDATION
Wapello Land and Water Reserve
Foundation executive director Steve Barg said that donor and volunteer support has allowed the organization to preserve and maintain spaces that might not otherwise exist as public destinations in Jo Daviess County.
“For 33 years, our nonprofit foundation has dedicated itself to preserving and caring for unique natural areas in northwest Illinois,” Barg said. “Since Jo Daviess County lacks a tax levy to establish and maintain parks and recreational spaces, JDCF fulfills this role without the use of local tax funds. Beloved locations like Casper Bluff and Horseshoe Mound exist solely due to the generosity of over 1,000 donors and volunteers who support us.”
Those efforts, Jablonski added, ultimately ensure residents and visitors alike have nearby places to experience nature, wildlife and quiet outdoor recreation.
“I like being able to have these spaces to enjoy,” Jablonski said. “It’s an element to the joy and happiness of where I live, and have areas where I can go out and get outside, hear birds, see wildlife and experience nature close to home, and are well maintained. Being able to see how our preserves support healthy populations of wildlife species and sustaining them is so important.”
In preserving prairies, wetlands, forests and culturally significant landscapes, the foundation has built a network of spaces that serves both ecological and human needs. It is protecting what makes Jo Daviess County naturally distinct while ensuring future generations can experience it for themselves.
“In this area, it’s so special to have these places,” Jablonski said. “We’re in a beautiful area.” n
Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.
Take a stroll
The Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation operates the following preserves in Jo Daviess County:
• Buehler Preserve, 102 Jefferson St., Galena
• Big Sky Nature Reserve and Valley of Eden Bird Sanctuary, 5557 S. Massbach Road, Stockton
• Casper Bluff Land and Water Reserve, 870 S. Pilot Knob Road, Galena
• Galena Gateway Park (jointly operated with the City of Galena), 9300 Powder Hill Road, Galena
