Oct 1 – Spider Hill – Recurs weekly on Friday, Saturday from 6:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. at Three Sisters Park. Call (309) 274-8837. Admission: $8.00 per person. Spider Hill is located at Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe, IL and is open every Friday & Saturday night in October.
Oct 1 – The Progressive Business Group of Peoria is hosting its 5th annual PBG Wines & Experience Auction to benefit Children’s Hospital of Illinois. Samples of wines from the major wine regions of the world, delicious hors d’oeuvres & unique, one-of-a-kind experience packages to bid on during a live auction. Mt. Hawley Country Club, 7724 N. Knoxville. $80 per person. Call 309-453-7504.
Oct 1 – Peoria Players Theatre will hold its semi-annual Vintage Clothing and Collectibles Sale from 8:00 a.m. to noon. Many unique items from all eras will be available — costumes, accessories, and other collectibles. The sale will be held in the Peoria Players front lobby.
Oct 1 – Sew Special ’11 featuring Linda Lee & others. Includes fiber arts, quilting, machine embroidery, and sewing demos, lectures, workshops, vendor sales, & Illinois State Make It With Wool contest & style show. Presented by the Central Illinois/Peoria Chapter of the American Sewing Guild from 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at 1913 W. Townline Rd., Peoria. Registration required. Members: $50/Non-members: $60/Students: $35. Continental breakfast, lunch, & door prizes included. Call (309) 245-4884 or gschuman93@gmail.com.
Oct 2 – 61st annual St. Mary’s Sausage Dinner at Expo Gardens. 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Raffles and Country Store!
Oct 2 – The St. Martin Chamber Players in Concert will feature the TazWood Dance Company. The event will be at 3:00 p.m. at the Universalist Unitarian church, 3000 W. Richwoods Blvd. An offering will be accepted. A reception will follow. Call 682-8977 for more info.
Oct 3 – Peoria Symphony Chamber Players at 7:00 p.m. – Bertha Frank Performing Arts Center, Morton, IL
Oct 5 – Local employers invited to attend the 2011 Central Illinois Healthcare Cost Containment Conference at the Par-A-Dice Hotel. This event will help employers learn how to be compliant with new federal and state regulations, how to control healthcare costs and bring quality care to employers. For more info or to register visit www.ilchamber.org, or call 217-522-5512 x223.
Oct 5 – The League of Women Voters of Greater Peoria invites the public to hear a panel of local speakers talk about their experience with education standards & federal requirements for education funding from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. in the HvVee Club Room at the HyVee Store, in Sheridan Village.
Oct 6 – Menold Construction & Restoration’s Family Open House will showcase Red Cross Preparedness from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. The event features: free food, Central IL Fire Safety House tours for kids, Morton Police Dept.’s sobriety tests, OSF Life Flight helicopter, & much more!
Oct 6 – 9 – UKC Dog Show – Recurs daily at Exposition Gardens Opera House
Oct 7 – CIAO First Friday Open Studio Night from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. @ Murray Center for the Arts, The Mill, and 5 other Peoria locations! FREE! Offers an intimate look at studios, galleries and arts organizations. Meet artists, musicians, neighbors & collectors. Painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, glass, woodworking, and more will be on display. For info, visit http://www.ciaopeoria.com/
Oct 7 – 16 – “Over the River and Through the Woods” – Recurs every two weeks on Sunday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from 7:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m. at Peoria Players Theatre, 4300 N. University. Call (309) 688-4473. Admission: $12 (adults); $9 (18 and under).
Oct 8 – Fiesta en el Rio – at Peoria’s RiverFront
Oct 8 – The Authors of the Heartland sponsors an Author’s Fair from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Peoria North Branch Library. A rhyming workshop, basic drawing workshop, and ghost story reading sessions are planned for children. Authors will donate 20% of their sales to “Friends of the Library.”
Oct 12 – Community Make a Blanket Day to benefit Project Linus at JONES SEWING MACHINE CO., 3410 N. Prospect Rd. anytime from 10:00 a.m.. – 2:00 p.m. Sewing machines & fabric squares provided. Fleece provided for those not wanting to sew. Bring your favorite notions, such as scissors, pins, etc. and bring your own lunch!
Oct. 13 – The Peoria County Genealogical Society general meeting will be held at the new North Branch of the Peoria Public Library, 3001 W. Grand Parkway. Jon C. Neidy, Associate Director of Continuing Education at Bradley University, will present info on their “Exploring Your Deep Ancestry” program. This involves research efforts using DNA technology. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m.
Oct 14 – 2011 Bradley University Cross Country Classic at 4:00 p.m. at the Newman Golf Course, 2021 W. Nebraska Ave. Call 309-677-2643.
Oct 14 – Moonlight Cruises – Boarding at 7:30 p.m.; Cruise from 8:00 – 10:00 p.m. at 100 NE Water St. Admission: $15 adults/$13 seniors/$9 children.
Oct 14 – 15 — Howl-Zoo-Ween – at the Peoria Glen Oak Zoo. Calling all ghosts & ghouls for this annual event. Come enjoy this family-friendly event from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. Call 309-686-3365.
Oct 15 – 16 – Used Book Sale at UU (Universalist Unitarian) Church – Fellowship Hall at 3000 W Richwoods Blvd from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Sunday hours are noon – 3:00 p.m. Come for coffee and shop for books, audio books, CD’s, DVD’s, tapes, records, videos and magazines. Sunday:$5 per brown paper bag or be green and bring your own cloth bag.
Oct 15 – 15th Annual Punkin Chuckin at Morton, IL. Call 309-266-5135. Admission is $5 to park your car. Event runs from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the Corner of Allentown and Springfield Roads, 16339 Springfield Rd., Pekin. Bring lawn chairs and sense of adventure.
Oct 15 – 16 – Universalist Unitarian’s Used Book Sale – Fellowship Hall, 3000 W Richwoods Blvd Come for coffee & shop! Sat. hrs: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Sun. hrs: noon – 3:00 p.m. On Sunday, the books will be sold for $5 per brown paper bag or be green and bring your own cloth bag.
Oct 16 – Fall Foliage Brunch Cruise – Board at noon; cruise from 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. at 100 NE Water
Oct 19 – Authors of the Heartland will meet from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. in the McKenzie Room at Peoria North Branch Library.
Oct 21 – 30 – Wildlife Scary Park – recurs weekly on Sunday, Friday & Saturday at Wildlife Prairie State Park
Oct 22 – Classics 2 – Peoria Symphony at 8:00 p.m. at the Grace Presbyterian Church. (309) 671-1098. For Ticket information: call 309/671-1096. The PSO commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. Ticket info: call 309/671-1096 or www.peoriasymphony.org.
Oct 23 – Peoria Symphony Chamber Players at 4:00 p.m. – Lakeview Museum of Arts & Sciences
Oct 26 – Diversity Business Symposium – sponsored by Par-a-Dice Hotel Casino. FREE. For more info got to: paradicecasino.com and click on Diversity Symposium.
Oct 30 – Giant Flea Market at Expo Gardens Youth Building.