October 2008

Oct 2 – Living Healthy - Series of lectures addressing important healthcare topics. This 2nd session at 6:30 p.m. is entitled: “Am I Sad or Depressed? Learn to identify depression before it becomes a problem! Tim Bruce, PhD will present. University of IL College of Medicine.$5.Call 671-8490;

Oct 3 – Nov 1 – Spider Hill - Biggest haunted house festival in Central Illinois features three haunted attractions: Massacre Mansion haunted house, Trail of Terror walking trail and Haunted Express wagon ride - plus the family-friendly Boo Barn. Fri. & Sat. nights. Three Sisters Park 7:00.-11:00 p.m. $8 per attraction. Call 274-8837.

Oct 4 – Thunder in the Valley - An intercultural celebration of percussion. Drums of many cultures & faiths will be featured. Door prizes & concessions. Seven Circles Heritage Center, 8817 W Southport Rd. Noon – 5:00 p.m. Free. Call 637-1046.

Oct 4 – 12 – Spoon River Valley Scenic Drive - 1st two weekends in October in Fulton County, IL. Foods, arts, crafts, antiques, & collectibles. Saturdays & Sundays. Call 647-8980.

Oct 4 – Dayton Avenue Baptist Church will host a free community harvest festival from noon - 4:00 p.m. Free food, carnival-type games and fun for everyone at 3707 N Dayton Avenue @ War Memorial. Call 688-6639.

Oct 5 – The Italian American Society of Peoria will host two events celebrating Columbus Day & Italian Heritage. The tribute to Christopher Columbus is at the Columbus monument in Laura Bradley Park with the Knights of Columbus Honor Guard placing a wreath at the monument. At the Apollo Theatre at 4:00 p.m. the Academy Award winning Italian film “Cinema Paradiso” will be shown. Entertainment prior to the movie will be Mike Dentino. Door prizes! Italian desserts will be served after the film. $5.00 Children under 12 free. Call 697-2282.

Oct 8 – The Counseling Center at Proctor Hospital will present “Self-Esteem and Why it’s so Important” from 6:30 -8:00 p.m. The determinants of happiness and the payoffs of self-esteem will be discussed.Proctor Professional Building. Call 689-6008.

Oct. 8 – “Make a Blanket Day” to benefit Project Linus at: JONES SEWING MACHINE CO. between 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Sewing machines & fabric squares provided; fleece provided for those not wanting to sew. Bring favorite notions and your own lunch.

Oct 9 – “Healthcare Decisions: Who Decides?”This OSF sponsored event will be held at RiverPlex from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. FREE! To sign up, call 1-888-627-5673

Oct 10 – Free Breast Health Fair – sponsored by The Boys & Girls Club & Bradley University’s Chapter of NAACP. and will be at Bradley University’s Student Center from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Breast health info, health related presentations, women’s health issues & free health screenings! The Red Cross will be on site for blood donations. Door prizes will be raffled every 30 minutes.

Oct 10 – Nov 15 – Pet Portraits - An invitational show of artists who specialize in painting pet portraits.Peoria Art Guild; Admission: $2; Call 637-2787.

Oct 10 – 11 – Duryea Days in Peoria Heights! Old fashioned festival for family fun! Features a cruise-in of classic cars, great music, food, and a beer tasting/beer tent. Great array of antique book dealers & local authors.Call 691-1500.

Oct 11 – Work-at-Home Mom Job Fair & Convention, Shirk Center, Bloomington – www.wahmjobfair.com

Oct 11 – 12 — BOOK SALE at the Universalist Unitarian Church of Peoria in Fellowship Hall on Sat.from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and on Sun. from noon – 4:00 p.m. Shop for books, CD’s, DVD’s, tapes, records, videos and magazines. On Sunday, books will be sold for $5.00 per brown paper bag. Call 686-0677 for more info.

Oct 14 & 18 – Join Hong Ji for tea tasting & learn about the different types of Chinese teas and their health benefits. 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. on the 14th and 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. on the 18th. RiverPlex Wellness and Recreation Center. $10.00 per class. Call 282-1605.

Oct 15 – Peoria Knit & Crochet Guild meets from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. in the Preview Room of the downtown Peoria Public Library.

Oct 17 – 19 – Wildlife Scary Park - Safe Halloween event with no nightmares! “Merry, not so Scary Park” from 5-7 p.m. reserved for pre-schoolers. Wildlife Prairie State Park, 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. (Fri, Sat & Sun only); Admission: $5.50 per person. Call 676-0998

Oct 17 – Nov 2 – Chrysanthemum Show - Hundreds of colorful chrysanthemums fill the conservatory at the Luthy Botanical Gardens. Admission: $2 adults; $1 child. Call 686-3362.

Oct 18 – 19 – Morton 12th Annual Punkin Chunkin - Pumpkin food, fall decorations, children’s activities, and inventive contraptions. @Allentown & Springfield Roads, from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. $5.00 Parking fee. Call 266-5135.

Oct 19 – Pioneer Days - Come experience firsthand the daily life of rural Peorians in the mid-19th century!W.H. Sommer Park. Admission: $2/person. Call 691-8423.

Oct 21 – Gospel Jubilee - Celebration of music with a message. Two hours of awesome gospel music! Riverside Church, 207 NE Monroe from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Call 681-0696

Oct 22 – Peoria County Triad presents their Senior Safety event from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at Itoo Society Hall. Seniors will learn how to protect themselves from scams and other crimes. Free lunch for all attendees. Free File of Life Cards. Proctor Hospital will offer free blood pressure screenings & flu shots for $30. Safe Shred will shred unwanted documents. Call 697-7855 or 494-8309

Oct 23 – Dress for Success Peoria 6th Annual Fundraiser - Celebrate the faces of success through photography. Photographed by local artists, the exhibit highlights women in the Dress for Success Peoria program. Music, silent auctions and program highlights will be featured. Peoria Contemporary Arts Center, 305 SW Water Street. Admission: $35; Call 671-5200, ext 11.