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Comedy show, beer school and more: 5 things to do in Springfield this weekend

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Comedy show, beer school and more: 5 things to do in Springfield this weekend


Despite cold temperatures on Wednesday, Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog who earlier this month forecasted warm weather, was right about missing his shadow as Springfielders have another warm weekend on tap.

If internet surfing for weekend plans is coming up short, the State Journal-Register has you covered with these five events.

More: These are Illinois’ best companies to work for in the US, according to Forbes

Some Kinda Comedy Show

Looking for a night out with a date but struggle to make them laugh? Been there.

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Hosted by The Gin Mill & Lounge on S. 5th St., host Richard Bailey is welcoming residents to a Friday night of laughs and entertainment with ‘Some Kind of Comedy Show’. 

Featuring comedians Joe Blanco of Peoria and Springfield performer Jadey, the night will feature two special guests from down south in St. Louis with Doug Morris and Ellie Kirchhoefer.

The audience can sit back and enjoy dry humor and dry wine from show start at 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. close, all for just $8 a ticket at the door. 

Walking Group at Lincoln Park

This is for all the ladies who want to work out but don’t have anyone to go with. The group Illinois Women in Leadership is bringing the opportunity to get some exercise with company one step at a time. 

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On Saturday, the group is having a public walking group around Lincoln Park. Walkers can meet at 8 a.m. at the Funshop at the park, before getting some fresh air and great conversations with other women in the community. 

Founded in July of 2004, Illinois Women in Leadership promotes professionalism and develops members’ management and leadership abilities through education, mentoring, networking, participation, encouragement and support.

Beer School 101

Beer isn’t just a pastime at Obed and Isaac’s Microbrewery & Eatery, it’s a research subject – an extensive research subject. 

Luckily for Springfielders, this college course into the buzzed brew has no tuition fees attached. Class starts this Saturday at exactly 10 a.m. so don’t be late and prepare to park 10 minutes prior behind the building. Tardiness may be tolerated but forgetting your binder (or drinking glass) will reflect on the test at the end. 

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Students will tour around the brewing facility to get an idea of what goes into beer making. Showcasing different styles and techniques that are involved in the brewing process, all in a real operating setting. Through the brief introduction to brew creation, the final exam will be a breeze to pass for astute students—sampling some of the microbrewery’s own blends.

All students for the class must be over 21, wear clothes toed shoes and acknowledge they are visiting a work environment with wet surfaces. Tuition is free, but a limited spot for the class must be reserved online at Obed and Isaac’s website or Eventbrite page.

Crochet for Beginners with B’s Creative Studio

Ever been interested in learning a new craft? With B’s Creative Studio located at 1305 Wabash Ave., the threads have no limit.

This Friday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., join artist Ash to learn basic crocheting methods you can take home. Any artist 10 years or older can attend the event and learn how to make a granny square, which is a simple square fabric made by crocheting circles from the center outward. Granny Squares typically take under an hour to complete, but time ranges by experience. 

Tickets are $35 per person and can be found online at B’s Creative Studio’s website and Eventbrite page. 

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Guided Tour of the Dana-Thomas House

When was the last time you experienced your architectural heritage? That is the question the Illinois Department of State Historic Sites asks Springfielders to take a Sunday morning to remember the historical importance of their streets.

Guided tours of the Dana-Thomas house are available to the public free of charge most days of the week and for any architecture nerd, the Dana-Thomas house is a must-see since photography isn’t permitted inside the building.

Part of the Frank Lloyd Wright Trail, the Dana-Thomas house was designed in 1902 by Frank Lloyd Wright for Susan Lawrence Dana, a socialite living in Springfield. The building designed by Wright contains the largest collection of site-specific, original Wright art glass and furniture. The home has 35 rooms in the 12,000 square feet of living space which includes 3 main levels and 16 varying levels in all, according to the Dana-Thomas House.

Reservations can be made online at dana-thomas.org.



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Illinois has already broken the record for number of tornadoes in a year — and it’s only June

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Illinois has already broken the record for number of tornadoes in a year — and it’s only June


Illinois has seen more tornadoes in 2026 than in any year on record.

Following several more tornadoes confirmed this week across the state, Illinois has recorded 143 tornadoes so far in 2026, beating the previous record of 142 tornadoes set in 2024. With reliable records dating back to 1950, Illinois averages just 54 tornadoes per year. But in recent years, the state has experienced many more:

  • 2023: 121
  • 2024: 142
  • 2025: 126
  • 2026: 143 and counting

Unlike 2024, when a record two-day tornado outbreak accounted for a large share of the year’s tornadoes, the activity in 2026 has been spread out across several months.

On Thursday, June 11, a tornado outbreak brought at least 21 confirmed tornadoes to northern Illinois and northwest Indiana, 13 of them in Illinois. Two tornadoes that day — in Streator, Illinois, and Hebron, Indiana — reached rare EF-3 intensity, with winds over 135 miles per hour. Numerous injuries were reported from the storms, but there were no fatalities.

Confirmed tornadoes from June 11:

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  • Long Point to Streator, IL: EF-3
  • Wenona/Osage Township, IL: EF-1
  • Graymont to Dwight, IL: EF-1
  • Lee, IL: EF-U
  • Harpster to Elliott, IL: EF-0
  • Pembroke Township (Leesville), IL: EF-U
  • St. John to Schererville, IN: EF-0
  • Paxton/Loda, IL: EF-1
  • Merrillville to Hobart, IN: EF-2
  • Ludlow, IL: EF-1
  • Cedar Lake, IN: EF-0
  • Schneider to Hebron, IN: EF-0
  • Watseka, IL: EF-0
  • Hebron to Kouts, IN: EF-3
  • Wellington/Prairie Green Township, IL: EF-1
  • Bartlett, IL: EF-1
  • Boswell to Atkinson, IN: EF-1
  • Ade to Mount Ayr, IN: EF-0
  • Naperville to Lisle, IL: EF-0
  • Hickory Hills to Garfield Ridge: EF-2
  • Morocco, IN: EF-0

Though most of the Chicago area dodged severe weather from storms this week, the National Weather Service confirmed a brief tornado touchdown Wednesday night in Lake County near Grayslake. The EF-0 tornado had estimated winds of 80 miles per hour and was on the ground for about a quarter-mile. Damage consisted of several downed or split trees and sporadic minor roof damage along a narrow corridor in the Saddlebrook Farms subdivision.

Four more tornadoes were confirmed Wednesday in western and central Illinois. NWS crews are still surveying damage in central Illinois, and more tornadoes may be added to the count in the coming days.

With 143 tornadoes so far this year, Illinois leads the nation in tornado count for the third time in the last four years — a remarkable statistic for a state not typically thought of as being in Tornado Alley.

The recent increase in tornado activity across Illinois and the Midwest fits research showing a shift in tornado-favorable environments away from parts of the traditional Plains Tornado Alley and farther east into the Midwest and South. Climate change is one likely factor, as warming temperatures are expected to make the Plains hotter and drier overall, shifting tornado ingredients eastward toward the Mississippi River. 

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Pedestrian fatally struck by Metra train in Palatine, Illinois

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Pedestrian fatally struck by Metra train in Palatine, Illinois



A person was fatally hit by a Metra train in Palatine, Illinois, early Friday morning. 

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Around 5:10 a.m., Metra said Union Pacific Northwest train No. 602 hit a pedestrian at Baldwin Road and Northwest Highway.

Metra confirmed the person died at the scene. The victim has not been identified. 

Metra said train service on the Union Pacific Northwest line is suspended. 


This is a developing story. CBS News Chicago will continue to provide updates. 

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Beecher City farm suffers heavy damage following ‘wicked storm’

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Beecher City farm suffers heavy damage following ‘wicked storm’


BEECHER CITY, Ill. (WAND) – Farms were damaged in Effingham County Wednesday evening when a powerful storm swept through at around 8 p.m.

The McKay Farm in Beecher City was heavily damaged when the rapidly moving storm hit.

“Two buildings were totally destroyed,” Dan McKay told WAND News on Thursday. “We’ve got five grain bins and they’re all damaged.”

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The buildings collapsed onto farm equipment and a semi that were parked in the structures. A utility pole was snapped and ripped out of the ground.

In nearby Shumway, another farm was hit. A barn collapsed, with a grain bin being ripped apart and debris traveling several hundred feet through a nearby corn field. A house on the property was also damaged.

There were no injuries on either farm.

“It was a really wicked storm,” McKay stated.

Copyright 2026. WAND TV. All rights reserved.

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