The Metro East Messenger 3.18.22 Issue

Inside: Upcoming Local Spring Events, A Simple Spring Dessert Recipe, Coupons and More!

Upcoming Local Events

NOTE: Events are subject to change, cancel or be rescheduled due to Covid.

Outdoor Goshen Winter Market, March 19th & April 18th, 10am-12pm. Downtown Edwardsville. Join us, and some of your favorite vendors, the third Saturday of each month through April from 10-12 in the expansion parking lot downtown.

Moonlight Hike At The Nature Institute, March 19th, April 17th 8:30pm at The Nature Institute, 2213 South Levis lane, Godfrey. Hike under a full moon with Nature Institute staff! Hikes will be moderately strenuous and about 2 miles.

Admission: $5/person non-members, Free for members. For more info, go to thenatureinstitute.org.

Micro Market, Mar.26th, April 9th & 30th, 9am-12pm at Vine Street Market, O’Fallon. We are kicking the season off with Micro Markets, an abbreviated version of the regular season farmer's market. Micro Markets will be held indoors unless Mother Nature decides to play nice on this day, allowing us to expand outdoors. Expect your favorite food vendors with artisans dabbled throughout. A great way to get back into eating fresh and local from farmers and producers you know!

JSC Brisket & Brews, March 19th, 6:30-11pm, Edwardsville Moose Lodge, 7371 Marine Rd, Edwardsville. The Junior Service Club of Edwardsville/Glen Carbon is excited to introduce our newest fundraising event Brisket and Brews presented by EXO! Enjoy a tasting style experience from some diverse BBQ restaurants, live music & more. Mechanical Bull Riding, BBQ, Beer, and Bourbon tastings with many surprises along the way. For tickets, go to events.handbid.com/auctions/jsc-brisketbrews-2022.

2nd Annual Greater Metro East Home & Garden Show, Mar. 25-27th, McKendree Metro Rec Plex, 205 Rec Plex, Dr, O’Fallon. Tickets: $10. We will be featuring a multitude of vendors from landscaping services, custom deck builders, siding repair, indoor flooring, window replacement, and many more!

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Upcoming Local Events Spring Vintage Market Belle-Clair Fairgrounds, Mar. 25-27th, 3pm, Belle Clair Fairgrounds & Expo Center, 200 S. Belt East, Belleville. A Weekend of Shopping for Vintage Finds, Industrial, Garden, Repurposed, Boutique, Jewelry, Gourmet Foods & More! Live Music. An event for the entire Family. Children 12 and Under are Free. 1st Pick Friday is $10 and Sat, Sun $5.

Tickets Can Be Purchased at the Door.

2022 ABOB Spring Vendor Fair, March 26th, 9am-3pm, Alton High School. Join us at Alton High School for our annual Spring Vendor Fair supporting the instrumental music program in the Alton School District! Shop for Easter, Mother's Day, Graduation, Spring/Summer events, birthdays or just find something special for you. Lunch options include Chicken Salad Chick and Firehouse Subs. Admission fee $1.

Mother and Son Nerf War, March 26th, 4-6pm, Tri-Township Activity Center, Troy. Come out for a night of fun only for mothers and sons! Bring your own NERF guns and safety glasses and be ready to play. Mothers include any significant female role model - sisters over 18, aunts, grandmothers, family friend. Pre-registration required at tritownshippark.recdesk.com.

Chamber's Got Talent 2022, April 1st, 5-10pm, Gateway Convention Center. The Troy/Maryville/St. Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce will be hosting our annual dinner auction & fundraiser at the Gateway Convention Center. Special guest Bryan White - who will perform his hit songs from the 90’s, - a community awards night - which will honor individuals and businesses from the surrounding communities for their hard work and dedication, - silent and live auctions and a delicious meal from Cygan-Delaney Catering. For more info and tickets, go to troymaryvillecoc.com/chambers-got-talent. www.metroeastmessenger.com

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Upcoming Local Events Easter Party, April 2nd 10am-2pm, Finley Flooring, 908 Broadway, Highland. Free pictures with the Easter Bunny, face painting, Easter basket raffle, BBQ, and petting zoo with Full Moon Farms.

April Skyview Craft Fair, April 2nd, 10am-3pm, Skyview Drive-In Movie Theater, 5700 N Belt W, Belleville. Outdoor, social distanced craft fair/food truck gathering. There is no entrance fee for shoppers.

Wheels & Walk Festival, April 2nd, 11am-3pm, SIUE Campus, Edwardsville. Bike, skateboard, roller blade, long board or walk to enjoy live music by Matt Taul, outdoor games, and awesome food and drinks. $5 food truck voucher with food pantry donation. Walk begins at SIUE campus and ends at Iron Works. For more info and registration, go to cityofedwardsville.com/681/Wheels-Walk-Festival.

Easter Egg-Stravaganza Egg Hunt, April 2nd, 2-4:30pm, Christ Church, 339 Frank Scott Pkwy E, Fairview Heights. Christ Church Easter Eggstravaganza is a FREE outdoor event that will engage the entire family! It will boast Easter egg hunts, food trucks, DJ, bounce houses, balloon animals, bag decorating, face painting, yard games and more. Join us for an eggciting afternoon of family fun!

Adult Easter Egg Hunt, April 2nd, 6pm, Marine. This is a fundraiser for hot air balloons over Marine. Adult only Easter egg hunt! Registration begins at 6 PM with the egg hunt to follow at 7 PM limited space get your registrations in early. This is a BYOB we will have some music playing and hoping people will stay around and get to know the members of the community and of the hot air balloon committee.

Spring Word Search The words of this difficult spring word search are hidden in every possible direction – horizontally, vertically and diagonally: forwards and backwards.

Good luck!

BIRDS BLOSSOM BUGS BUNNY BUTTERFLY CALF CATERPILLAR CHICKS

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FLOWERS FROG GARDEN GRASS HATCH INSECTS LADYBUG LAMB

NATURE NEST RABBIT ROBIN SNAIL SPRING SPROUT TULIP WORM

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Upcoming Local Events Easter Bunny at the Firehouse, April 3rd, 9am-12pm, Highland Fire Department. Stop by the Public Safety Building and see the Easter Bunny! This year the Easter Bunny will be at our new facility, located at 12990 Troxler Ave. The Easter Bunny will be available for pictures and to meet & greet with visitors.

Spring Fling, April 3rd, 11am-3pm at Equus Rescue, 8743 Le Pare School Rd, Millstadt. Bring the family (and your Easter baskets!) for a day of fun at the farm! Your cash donation includes an Easter egg hunt with the kids, treats and refreshments, and professional photos with the Easter Bunny and our Easter Horse. For more info, go to equusrescue.org.

Granite City Senior Social Club Bingo, April 3rd & May 1st, Granite City Township Hall, 2060 Delmar. Doors open at 12:30pm and Bingo starts at 1:30pm. $1 for admission and $1 for 4 cards. Masks recommended! Must be 50 or older or disabled to play. Questions call 618-444-6771.

Breakfast with the Bunny, April 9th, 8am at Edison’s Entertainment Complex, Edwardsville. All-Access passes are for play from 8am-11am, and they include the breakfast buffet. $18 in advance, $20 at door. Buffet only - $10 in advance/$12 at door. Kids 3 and under eat free! Prices do not include tax or gratuity. Please call (618)307- 9020 for reservations.

Breakfast with the Easter Bunny 2022, April 9th, 8-11am, Evangelical United Church of Christ, Highland. Sponsored by the Highland Civic Woman’s Club. Enjoy a fun “Eastery” breakfast with crafts, raffles, face painting and an opportunity for a photo with the Easter Bunny. All you can eat pancake and sausage breakfast featuring Chris Cakes. Tickets are $10 at the door. www.metroeastmessenger.com

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Upcoming Local Events Easter Egg-Stravaganza, April 9th, 10am at Bellevue Park Stone Lodge, Belleville. The eggs collected will be turned in for prizes. Take your picture with the Easter Bunny who will be hopping around the event. Appropriate for ages 8yrs old and up. $3 per child. Pre-registration required by April 1st. Call (618) 233-1416 or go to Belleville.net/currentactivities.

Easter Egg Hunt, April 9th, 10am at Central Park, Wood River. The Wood River Recreation Department invites all Wood River Residents to the 35th annual Easter Egg Hunt at Central Park. The Wood River Library will provide free crafts. The Easter Bunny will be here for pictures from 10:00-11:30. Parents are encouraged to bring their cameras to capture the moment!

Edwardsville Paws in the Park, April 9th, 11am, Edwardsville City Park. Why should kids have all the Easter fun? Our inaugural event was so much fun in 2021 that we decided to bring it back bigger and better. Over five times as many eggs!

More Prizes! Vendors. Registration goes towards cost of event. ALL profits will be donated to Metro East Humane Society. $5 per dog if pre-registered ($8 day of event). Register at cityofedwardsville.com/188/Parks-Recreation.

Community Easter Egg Hunt, April 9th, 1-3pm, Tri-Township Park District, grassy area by pavilion 1. There will be bounce houses, face painter, balloon artist, and vendors. Please bring a canned good to enter into our raffle prizes.

Adult Easter Egg Hunt, April 9th, 4pm at Collinsville VFW. The Collinsville Post 5691 Auxiliary is hosting our 1st Adult Easter Egg hunt, Deal or No Deal Style! Registration begins at 4 and the hunt starts at 5. Lots of prizes, cash and fun! $20 for eggs and must be 21 and over. All proceeds to benefit local veterans' organizations!

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Upcoming Local Events Annual Easter Egg Hunt, April 9th, 2pm on the Square, Downtown Highland. Even is sponsored by Lisa Sauer State Farm Insurance.

MEHS Music Trivia, April 9th, 6pm at Edwardsville Moose Lodge, 7371 Marine Rd, Edwardsville. Join MEHS for a night of music trivia with Trivia Riot! Rounds will cover multiple genres and decades of music, so there's something for everyone!

Cash bar. Outside food and nonalcoholic beverages are welcome. $20 per person or $150 for a table of 8. Limited spaces are available, so reserve yours ASAP so you don't miss out on the fun! mehs.org/events/music-trivia.

7th Annual Maryville Fire Depart. Mouse Races, April 9th. Tickets are $20 a ticket or $35 a couple. Beer, soda & water included. Silent auction, 50/50 and cash bar.

A Night in Paris - A Valen’tails Gala Benefit for Partners 4 Pets, April 9th, 5-11pm, Leclaire Room@ Lewis & Clark N.O. Nelson Campus. Please join us for an evening of fine Bella Milano dining, open cocktail bar, live music, dancing, and silent & live auctions. We will celebrate with a Parisienne theme to make the evening extra special! This special gala is our largest fundraiser to benefit homeless pets in our community, your support saves lives. For tickets, go to partnersforpetsil.org/events.

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Upcoming Local Events

NOTE: Events are subject to change, cancel or be rescheduled due to Covid.

Marine Firefighters’ Auxiliary Easter Egg Hunt, April 10th, 1pm at Marine Fireman’s Park. Age groups 0-8years. Rain date April 16th.

Pictures with the Bunny, April 10th, 1-4pm, Hart House, 524 Belle St, Alton. Bring yourself, kiddos, family friends, pups and have your picture taken with the bunny. One digit copy provided, and additional photos can be purchased for a donation to the photographer. Free Event Sponsored by: Karylle Wike at Cross Country Mortgage.

4 Legs & Eggs, April 16th, 10am at Belleville Dog Park-Rotary Park. Eggs filled with dog friendly treats will be hidden and scattered around the park for fido to find. Be sure to bring your fur baby in their best clothes, there will be a prize for best dressed pup!

Egg My House, April 16th. The Metro East Community Rotary will hide candy and toy-filled eggs in your front yard on the evening before Easter day. Deliveries will take place between 6 and 9 pm. Orders my be placed by Wed, April 13th. We will be serving residents in the Edwardsville school district. To order, go to forms.gle/m8ph3hPKzZnAferC8 or find us on Facebook: Metro East Community Rotary Club.

Easter Egg Hunt, April 16th, 11am at Roxana Public Library. Kids up to 13 are welcome to joint the fun. You don't have to live in Roxana or have a library card to join in the fun. We will have over 3,500 eggs and lots of other goodies to win!

Easter Egg Hunt, April 16th, 1pm at Alhambra Fireman & Legion Park, Alhambra. The Alhambra Jaycees are excited to be hosting the Annual Easter Egg Hunt! The Easter Bunny will also be visiting and will be available for photos! www.metroeastmessenger.com

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Upcoming Local Events Maryville Village Wide Yard Sales, April 22nd & 23rd, 7am-3pm. Brought to you by the Troy/Maryville/St.Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce. To register your yard sale and/or see the interactive map of yard sales throughout Maryville, go to https://www.troymaryvillecoc.com/.

2nd Annual Kids & Cops Doughnut Run – 5K & 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk, April 23rd, 8am at Wilson Park, Granite City. Hosted

by Children’s Home & Aid and Granite City Police Department. For more info and registration, go to childrenshomeandaid.org/event/kids-cops-5k-doughnut-run/.

Spring Beer Fest, April 23rd, 11am-9pm, Edwardsville City Park. Sponsored by Global Brew Tap House. Mark your calendars because Spring Beer Fest is on the way! Saturday, April 23 at City Park in Edwardsville. Follow their Facebook page for more information.

Earth Day Celebration 2022, April 23rd, 7:30am-1pm, Watershed Nature Center, 1591 Tower Ave, Edwardsville. The Watershed Nature Center in Edwardsville, Illinois invites you to participate in our 2022 celebration of Earth Day! The day’s events include a 5k & fun run, native plant sale, and educational activities for children. Participants and visitors will enjoy music, refreshments, and an opportunity to spend time at one of Edwardsville’s natural gems! To learn more, go to watershednaturecenter.org.

Got an upcoming event? Place it here free!

Email: metroestmessenger@gmail.com

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Upcoming Local Events Spring Fling Brunch & Auction, April 23rd, 9am-12pm at Doubletree Hilton by Hilton Hotel, 100 Eastport Plaza, Collinsville.

Hosted by Delta Epsilon Collinsville Educators. Come join us for a delicious brunch served with Bananas Foster, bacon, fruit, and a cash bar. Have fun participating in 50/50 drawing, silent auction, oral auction, $5 grab bag, wine raffle, and a raffle drawing for a $300 Buckley Moss framed print, $200 Cardinal Promotional Basket. $100 Southwest Gift Card, and $75 Bello Milano Gift Card. Contact Patsy Conway at pwconway@yahoo.com or Jan Mattea at jmattea2@gmail.com to purchase raffle tickets and to make your brunch reservations by April 12.

Fishing Derby, April 29th, 5:45-7pm, O’Fallon Family Sports Park , South pond. Fishing poles and bait will be provided but you are welcome to bring your own! Meet at the South Pond from 5:45-7p. Register for this free event at bit.ly/35XIIj9.

Spring Fling Barn Dance, April 29th, 7-10pm, Willoughby Heritage Farm and Conservation Reserve. Enjoy a bonfire, have a few brews and dance to your country favorites. Instructional dance 6:30-7pm. Cash bar provided, and A Fine Swine BBQ truck will be there. Pre-register-$8, at the door $10. Register now at www.willoughbyfarm.org.

Collinsville City-Wide Garage Sale, April 29th & 30th, 7am-3pm, rain or shine. Shop 'til you drop all around the City during Collinsville's Spring 2022 City-Wide Garage Sale! City residents can register by calling the City of Collinsville's Parks & Recreation department at 618-346-7529 by April 22nd to be listed in a Garage Sale Guide that will be posted on the City's website and Facebook Page.

Tour De Belleville, April 30th. Join us "Down on the Farm" for games, food, & fun! This year’s bike ride will begin and end at Eckert’s Country Store & Farms. For more info and registration, go to tourdebelleville.com. www.metroeastmessenger.com

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Jumbo Whole Wings

$2.79per lb.

Limit 10 lbs.

804 S. Main St. Troy, IL (618) 667-6268

Must present coupon.

Expires 3/27/22

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Upcoming Local Events Mother’s Day Tea Party, April 30th, 10:30am-Noon, The Rec Complex, Fairview Heights. Bring your moms, daughters, grandmas, and aunties for our Mother’s Day Tea Party. Enjoy family photos, make a special Mother’s day craft, and enjoy some light refreshments at your table. Register by April 15th at recfh.com.

Community Block Party, April 30th, 11am-3pm, MML Insurance, 2166 Pontoon Rd., Granite City. Come have fun at the annual Community Block Party! We’ll have a DJ, food, Classic Car Exposition, antique firetruck, bounce house for the kids, a variety of vendors, prizes drawn throughout the event, and more! For more info visit facebook.com/MMLinsurance.

Pop-Up Clothes Swap, May 1st, 12-4pm, Mineral Springs Mall, 3014 E. Broadway, Alton. Clean out your closet and join us at Mineral Springs Mall - bring gently used clothing, shoes & accessories that you no longer want and trade up for as many new pieces for your wardrobe as you can carry out. It’s just $5 to attend if you bring clothes to swap, or $10 to attend empty-handed. Leftover clothing will be donated to local charities to help those in need. Also, bring your worn-out & shabby clothing, blankets, fabric, towels, etc. in any condition which will be recycled with Remains Inc. (Clothing Swap drop off day is April 30th, 4-6pm.)

Alton Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market, Every Saturday 8am-12pm, Alton. The 2022 season of the Alton Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market will begin on Saturday, May 7th in the parking lot at the corner of Landmarks Blvd. & Henry Street in Downtown Alton. The market will be in session, rain or shine, every Saturday morning from 8:00 a.m. until Noon through Oct 15th. www.metroeastmessenger.com

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A Simple Spring Dessert When celebrating with family, there is nearly nothing better than passing a light and sweet dessert around the table. These Simple Macaroons are crisp, dipped in decedent chocolate and a completely scrumptious. Simple to make and easy to eat, this sweet dessert is a crowd favorite. With a fresh kick of lemon zest and crunch of shredded coconut, they are a bite-sized, delicious way to end your meal. Find more recipes at Culinary.net.

Simple Macaroons Recipe adapted from marthastewart.com.

Yield: 15 macaroons Ingredients: 1 large egg 2 1/4 tablespoons honey 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract grated lemon zest 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 cups shredded coconut 5 ounces dark chocolate, melted Directions: Preheat oven to 375 F. In bowl, whisk egg. Add honey, vanilla, lemon zest and salt; whisk. Stir in coconut until completely coated with egg mixture.

Using 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, make 15 balls, transferring each to parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.

Bake macaroons 10-12 minutes, rotating halfway through, until coconut starts to brown on edges.

Transfer sheet to wire rack and let cool.

Before serving, drizzle with melted chocolate or dip bottom sides of macaroons in melted chocolate to cover bases. Refrigerate 15 minutes to set.

Did you try this recipe?

Share your pics on our Facebook or Instagram page!

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Buy One Entrée, Get One Half Off Must Present Coupon Expires 3/27/22