Looking for something to do this weekend in Central Illinois? Here’s the list.

Published

2 years ago

February 22, 2024

Press Room

Looking for something to do this weekend in Central Illinois? Here’s the list.

Check out our roundup of the latest special events, music, theater, nightlife and kids events.

To submit an item, send an email to features@pantagraph.com.

Special events

Bloomington-Normal

IHSA Wrestling;Â all day Feb. 23-24, Grossinger Motors Arena, 101 S. Madison St., Bloomington; $9.Â

Free Fridays in February; all day Feb. 23, Miller Park Zoo, 1020 S. Morris Ave., Bloomington.Â

Kiwanis Pancake Days; 7:30 a.m. to noon Feb. 24-25, Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, 600 N. East St., Bloomington; $8-$10.Â

Bloomington Polar Plunge; 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 24, Miller Park, 1020 S. Morris Ave., Bloomington.Â

Try Hockey for Free Day; 4:20-5:10 p.m. Feb. 24, Bloomington Ice Center, 201 S. Roosevelt Ave., Bloomington; free.Â

The Barrel Room Wedding Experience; 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 25, The Barrel Room at Destihl Brewery, 1200 Greenbriar Drive, Normal; $10.Â

Cirque Mechanics – Zephyr; 3-5 p.m. Feb. 25, Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, 600 N. East St., Bloomington; $27-$55.Â

ISU Women’s Basketball; 2-4 p.m. Feb. 25, CEFCU Arena, Campus Box 2660, Normal.Â

ISU Men’s Basketball; 7-9 p.m. Feb. 29,Â CEFCU Arena, Campus Box 2660, Normal.Â

IHSA Girls Basketball State Finals; all day Feb. 29-March1,Â CEFCU Arena, Campus Box 2660, Normal.Â

Wine, Body, & Spirit – Meditation & Wine Tasting; 6:30-8 p.m. Feb. 29, The Barrel Room at Destihl Brewery, 1200 Greenbriar Drive, Normal; $30.Â

Central Illinois

Official Spring Home Show; Feb. 23-25, Exhibit Halls at Peoria Civic Center, 201 SW. Jefferson Ave., Peoria; $3-$7.Â

Dead is Forever Murder Mystery; 5:30-7:30 p.m. Feb. 23, Wild Harvest Honey Farm, 9122 Bucks Road, Heyworth; $25.Â

Bradley Men’s Basketball vs Illinois State; 7 p.m. Feb. 24, Peoria Civic Center Arena, 201 SW. Jefferson Ave., Peoria; $12+.Â

Bradley Men’s Basketball vs Southern Illinois; 7 p.m. Feb. 28, Peoria Civic Center Arena, 201 SW. Jefferson Ave., Peoria; $12+.Â

Music

Bloomington-Normal

Tropidelic with Ballyhoo!, The Palmer Squares; 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22, The Castle Theatre, 209 E. Washington St., Bloomington; 18+; $20.Â

Hip Hop Comedy Upfront ft. Thurston Stevenson & V8 Vast Change;Â 7 p.m. Feb. 22, Jazz Upfront, 107 W. Front St., Bloomington.Â

Thaddeus Tukes; 8 p.m. Feb. 23,Â Jazz Upfront, 107 W. Front St., Bloomington.Â

Municipal Waste with Ghoul, Nectro, Dead Heat, Brainsqueeze Tour 2024; 7 p.m. Feb. 24,Â The Castle Theatre, 209 E. Washington St., Bloomington; 18+; $27.50+.

Dexter O’Neal & Funk Yard; 8 p.m. Feb. 24,Â Jazz Upfront, 107 W. Front St., Bloomington.Â

Straight Ahead Sunday with U of I Concert Jazz Orchestra; 5 p.m. Feb. 25,Â Jazz Upfront, 107 W. Front St., Bloomington.Â

Open Stage w/ Maestro; 8 p.m. Feb. 28,Â Jazz Upfront, 107 W. Front St., Bloomington.Â

Three Dog Night – Sold Out;Â 7:30-10:30 p.m. Feb. 29,Â Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, 600 N. East St., Bloomington.Â

Juke Box Thursday; 8 p.m. Feb. 29,Â Jazz Upfront, 107 W. Front St., Bloomington.Â

Central Illinois

Krannert Uncorked with Haki N’ Dem; 5 p.m. Feb. 22,Â Stage 5 at Krannert Center, 500 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana; free.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra; 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22,Â Stage 5 at Krannert Center, 500 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana; $10-$100.Â

University of Illinois Symphony Orchestra; 7:30 p.m. Feb. 23, Foellinger Great Hall at Krannert Center, 500 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana; $4-$10.Â

Cabin Fever with Revel in Red; 6-11 p.m. Feb. 24, Five Points Washington, 360 N. Wilmor Road, Washington; $20-$225.Â

Phil Wickham – I Believe Tour; 7 p.m. Feb. 24, Peoria Civic Center Theater, 201 SW. Jefferson Ave., Peoria; $35+.Â

Chelsea Guo, Soprano and Piano; 3 p.m. Feb. 25,Â Foellinger Great Hall Salon-Style at Krannert Center, 500 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana; $5-$90.Â

University of Illinois Philharmonia Orchestra; 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28,Â Foellinger Great Hall at Krannert Center, 500 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana; $4-$10.Â

Krannert Uncorked with Nadirah Shakoor; 5 p.m. Feb. 29,Â Stage 5 at Krannert Center, 500 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana; free.

University of Illinois Wind Orchestra and Hindsley Band; 7:30 p.m. Feb. 29,Â Foellinger Great Hall at Krannert Center, 500 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana; $4-$10.Â

Theater

Bloomington-Normal.Â

ISU School of Theatre and Dance presents Space Girl;Â 7:30-10 p.m. Feb. 22-23, Westhoff Theatre, 401 S. School St., Normal; $10-$12.Â

Macked, Hammered, Slaughtered and Shafted; 7 p.m. Feb. 22,Â Normal Theater, 209 W. North St., Normal.Â

Sometimes I Think About Dying; 7 p.m. Feb. 23-25 and 3 p.m. Feb. 24-25,Â Normal Theater, 209 W. North St., Normal.Â

The Muppets; 7 p.m. Feb. 26,Â Normal Theater, 209 W. North St., Normal.Â

Central Illinois

Mean Girls; 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22, Peoria Civic Center Theater, 201 SW. Jefferson Ave., Peoria; $44+.Â

Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue; 7:30 p.m. Feb. 29, Peoria Civic Center Theater, 201 SW. Jefferson Ave., Peoria; $46.50+.Â

Airness; 7:30 p.m. Feb. 29-March 2, Fat City Bar and Grill, 505 S. Chestnut St., Champaign.Â

Studio Dance 2024; 7:30 p.m. Feb. 29-March 2, Studio Theatre at Krannert Center, 500 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana; $10-$60.Â

For Kids

Bloomington-NormalÂ

ECK: Shapes & Animals (Pickup); 9 a.m. Feb. 22, Children’s Discovery Museum, 101 E. Beaufort St., Normal; ages 2-5.Â

PLG: Shapes & Animals; 4-5 p.m. and 6-7 p.m. Feb. 22; 9:15-10:15 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Feb. 23, Children’s Discovery Museum, 101 E. Beaufort St., Normal; ages 2-4.Â

Early Explorers: Shapes & Animals; 9:15-10:45 a.m. Feb. 24,Â Children’s Discovery Museum, 101 E. Beaufort St., Normal; ages 4-5.Â

PLG: Shapes & Animals (Members Only); 9:15-10:15 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Feb. 26,Â Children’s Discovery Museum, 101 E. Beaufort St., Normal; ages 2-4.Â

Central Illinois

Baby Shark’s Big Broadwave Tour; 6 p.m. Feb. 27-28, Peoria Civic Center Theater, 201 SW. Jefferson Ave., Peoria; $24+.Â

To submit an item, send an email to features@pantagraph.com.

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Advocates, opponents seek to sway Gov. JB Pritzker on medical aid in dying legislation passed by Illinois General Assembly

Published

9 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Advocates, opponents seek to sway Gov. JB Pritzker on medical aid in dying legislation passed by Illinois General Assembly

Illinois could soon join a growing list of states where terminally ill patients would be allowed to take life-ending medication prescribed by a doctor.

The Illinois Senate narrowly approved the “medical aid in dying” legislation in October, after the Illinois House passed it in May, and the legislation is now sitting on Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk.

Pritzker has not said if he’ll sign it, and the controversial legislation has people on both sides trying to bend the governor’s ear.

Medical aid in dying, also called assisted suicide or dying with dignity, is legal in 12 states, with eight others considering similar legislation.

If Pritzker allows the “End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act” passed by the Illinois General Assembly to become law, Illinois could be the first state in the Midwest to allow medical aid in dying.

Suzy Flack, whose son Andrew died of cancer, is among the advocates urging the governor to sign the bill.

Diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2017 in his home state of Illinois, three years later Andrew moved to California, where medical aid in dying is legal, and chose to end his life in 2022.

“He died on his own terms, peacefully. We were all there to see it and embrace him at that moment, and it was really a beautiful thing,” Suzy said. “His last words were, ‘I’m happy. Please sign this. Allow people in Illinois this option.’”

Illinois is on the brink of joining a growing number of states that allow doctors to prescribe a mixture of lethal medication for terminally ill patients.

Outside the governor’s Chicago office on Thursday, many disability advocates, religious leaders, lawmakers, and doctors have called on Pritzker to veto the bill that would legalize what they call state-sanctioned suicide

“The question becomes where do you draw the line in the medical ethics dilemmas?” one physician who identified himself as Dr. Pete said. “We don’t need to go to this crossing of a red line of actually providing a means to directly end life.”

Republican Illinois state Sen. Chris Balkema said he “would really appreciate it if the governor would veto this bill.”

“My plea is that we veto this; come back with language that is constructive on both sides,” he said.

Pritzker has he is reviewing the legislation and is listening to advocates on both sides before deciding whether to sign it.

“It’s a hard issue, and I don’t want anybody to think making up your mind about this is very easy. It’s not. There’s a lot to consider, but most of all it’s about compassion,” he said. “There’s evidence and information on both sides that leads me to think seriously about what direction to go.”

The Illinois legislation would require two doctors to determine that a patient has a terminal disease and will die within six months. The medication provided to terminally ill patients would need to be requested both orally and in written form, and would have to be self-administered.

The bill was sent to Pritzker on Nov. 25, and he has 60 days from then to either sign it, amend it and send it back to lawmakers, veto it, or allow it to become law without his signature.

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Illinois

Two rounds of snow on the way to central Illinois – IPM Newsroom

Published

21 hours ago

December 11, 2025

Press Room

Two rounds of snow on the way to central Illinois – IPM Newsroom

Snow is making a comeback in Central Illinois.

IPM meteorologist Andrew Pritchard said A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for Champaign County and surrounding portions of east-central Illinois beginning Thursday at 3:00 p.m. to Friday at 6:00 a.m.

Snow will spread into Champaign-Urbana between 3-6 PM late this afternoon into the evening with periods of moderate to heavy snowfall continuing overnight. Snow should taper off around sunrise on Friday morning, with around 2-4″ of new snow accumulation expected across Champaign County.

Winds will blow out of the east around 5-10 mph, with minimal impacts from blowing & drifting snow. Still, snow accumulation on roadways could lead to hazardous travel conditions overnight into the Friday morning commute.

On Saturday, the National Weather Service in Central Illinois forecasted for snow to return on Saturday afternoon. The chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible. Temperatures will drop below zero across much of central Illinois both Saturday night and Sunday night with resulting wind chill values as cold as 15 to 30 below zero.

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Illinois

Woman facing charges 5 years after infant’s remains found in north suburbs, police say

Published

1 day ago

December 11, 2025

Press Room

Woman facing charges 5 years after infant’s remains found in north suburbs, police say

RIVERWOODS, Ill. (WLS) — A woman is facing charges five years after the discovery of a dead newborn in the north suburbs.

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Riverwoods, Illinois police say Natalie Schram gave birth to the baby in May 2020 and then dumped the baby’s body in a wooded area in the 1800 block of Robinwood Lane.

Schram was arrested earlier this month in Washington State and has now bee charged in connection to the crime, police said.

SEE ALSO | 2 charged after infant’s remains found buried at Wilmington home, Will County sheriff says

The suspect is expected to appear in a Lake County, Illinois courtroom on Thursday.

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