BloNo Digest.
This Weekend Around
Bloomington-Normal
Fri, Sep 11 – Sun, Sep 13
Here are a few things worth leaving the house for.
Fri, Sep 11 · 4:00 PM
DESTIHL Brewery, Normal
German-style beers, food, live bands, vendors, and activities like stein-holding contests, a best-dressed dachshund race, Pilates & Pretzels, axe throwing, and makers market across multiple days — good for folks who want a lively, family-friendly festival vibe with themed contests and exclusive beer releases.
| Friday, September 11 |
10am-1pm · Bone Student Center, Normal · Free!
For students, meet employers recruiting accounting interns and new grads, get resume feedback, and pick up a free headshot while you chat with firms about openings and next steps. Career Services staff and advisors will be on hand with prep tips and accommodations info.
9/11 Memorial Battle of the Badges
6:30pm · Normal CornBelters · $10
Local police and firefighters face off in a charity softball game supporting nonprofits tied to both departments, with proceeds helping groups that back first responders. Expect lighthearted rivalry, community spirit, and a chance to cheer on hometown heroes.
Live @ Connie Link Amphitheatre with Dan Hubbard and Matthew Pittman
7pm · Connie Link Amphitheatre · Free!
Singer-songwriter Dan Hubbard plays a free outdoor set at the Connie Link Amphitheatre—acoustic, Tom Petty–influenced tunes from a musician with nine studio albums and two decades of touring behind him. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and enjoy an easy summer evening.
7:30pm · Smashhouse Tavern, Bloomington · $14 General Admission
Short 10-minute plays staged in a bar setting, so the action happens up close while you sip and socialize—more like a night out that happens to include live theatre than a formal show. Good for casual theatergoers and groups.
8pm-11pm · Jazz UpFront, Bloomington · $8 in advance; $10 at door
Guitarist David grew up on Mancini and British blues-rock before diving deep into American blues, and now fronts his own band, showcasing originals and fresh arrangements on albums like Hues of Blues and Rooted in the Blues.
Pokey LaFarge - Rent Money Tour
7pm Doors; 8pm Show · The Castle Theatre, Bloomington · $35
Pokey LaFarge brings his blend of twanging roots, swinging rhythms, and heartfelt songwriting on new material from Rent Money, mixing vintage American sounds with candid, often wry social commentary — a soulful, genre-blurring set for fans of old-school Americana done with modern honesty.
| Saturday, September 12 |
2-4pm · Normal Public Library, Normal · Free!
Drop into the library’s gaming night to race in Mario Kart, brawl in Super Smash Bros., try a VR game, or play board games—open to all ages and no registration needed.
Downtown Bloomington Outdoor Farmers’ Market
7:30am-12pm · Downtown Bloomington · Free!
The Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market returns outdoors with local produce, meats, baked goods, honey, eggs, plant starts and artisan items from regular vendors and newcomers. Expect live music most weekends, kids’ activities, and an info table about the LINK Match program.
ISU Horticulture Center Autumnal Festival 2026
9am-4pm · Horticulture Center, Normal · $10 ages 13+; $5 ages 3-12
A family-friendly fall festival celebrating nature and campus groups with hayrack rides, s’mores, a gourd egg hunt, student art, live music, and booths from sustainability, birding, archaeology, bee-keeping and gardening groups—good for anyone who likes outdoor activities and learning about local wildlife.
PaintFest! Community Sidewalk Painting Festival
10am-4pm · Normandy Village, Normal · Free to attend; $20 to paint
Artists of all ages set up temporary tempera paintings on Normandy Village grounds along Route 66; spectators can watch, chat with painters, buy work, grab food from Bay Area Mexicana, and listen to live music. Participants 13+ can register for a reserved square (registration fee).
10am-4pm · McLean County Fairgrounds, Bloomington · $10/child; Adults Free
Kids get to sit in and actually operate bulldozers, excavators and other heavy machines under professional supervision, plus see construction, farming, utility, military and emergency vehicles, play in a huge sandbox and grab food and souvenirs. Tickets for kids include a souvenir hard hat; adults free.
White Oak Brewing's 2nd Annual Oktoberfest
1pm-8pm · White Oak Brewing, Normal
They’re tapping seasonal pours (an Oktoberfest and a Dunkelweizen called Hayrack Ride) and a specialty called Kraut Jokes Are the Wurst, with live polka from Eddie Korosa Jr. & the Boys (5:30–7:30) and Pizza Payaa’s Detroit‑style pizza on site.
Oktoberfest Dachshund Races 2026
3pm-5pm · DESTIHL Brewery, Normal · $10 per dog; Free to watch!
Short-legged speedsters sprint for the finish at DESTIHL’s dachshund races during Oktoberfest Weekend — prelims and finals with a Best Dressed contest beforehand. Dogs must pre-register ($10) and have one handler to release and one to receive; spectators welcome.
5th Annual Further Jazz Festival
4pm-9pm · Connie Link Amphitheatre, Normal · Free!
Outdoor jazz sets from five local groups with more than 30 musicians, spread across the evening at Connie Link Amphitheatre. Bring a chair or blanket for relaxed listening; the festival runs 4–9 p.m. and is free to attend.
LIVE @ Uptown Circle with Brett Conlin & Jeff Schaller
6:00 PM · Uptown Circle · Free
A free, all-ages outdoor concert on the Uptown Circle featuring a mix of punk and Americana. Come early to browse shops and grab food from nearby spots, then settle in for live music as part of Normal LIVE’s summer series.
6-9pm · Children's Discovery Museum, Normal · $100
An adults-only evening at the Children’s Discovery Museum where grown-ups can try elevated play and “weird science” — think silent disco, mixology, adult big-wheel races, giant coloring, hands-on activities, plus heavy hors d’oeuvres and cash bars. Proceeds support the museum.
Friends of the BCPA Trivia Night
7pm-10pm · Bloomington Center For The Performing Arts · Tix starting at $25
Test your brain with an old-school trivia night in the BCPA Ballroom—bring a team, your own snacks, and buy drinks at the concession bar while rounds cover a mix of questions.
Adelitas Way - Speak My Mind Tour live at The Castle Theatre
7:00 PM · The Castle Theatre · $22+
Hard-rocking Arizona alt-rockers Adelitas Way bring their Speak My Mind tour to The Castle with support from Kingdom Collapse and 3 Pill Morning — expect cathartic, radio-ready rock songs like “Invincible” and “Notorious” and a loud, full-band show for 18+ (minors ok with a guardian).
Street Science Radio DJ Cantone
8pm · Jazz UpFront, Bloomington · $5
Phillip Larrieu (DJ Cantone) spins a genre-mixing set—Hip Hop, R&B, Pop, Funk and old-school classics—drawn from his Street Science Radio work. Expect interactive crowd requests during his live set.
| Sunday, September 13 |
2pm-4pm · Bloomington Public Library · Free!
Bring the family to the library’s Children’s Department for a low-key game day of board games, card games, and puzzles; staff from Red Raccoon Games will demo kid-friendly titles and teach how to play.
ISU Horticulture Center Autumnal Festival 2026
9am-4pm · Horticulture Center, Normal · $10 ages 13+; $5 ages 3-12
Day 2 of the fun!
10am-2pm · DESTIHL Brewery, Normal · Free!
Browse a lawn market of handcrafted goods from local artisans while live acoustic music plays from noon–2pm. It’s a relaxed chance to find unique gifts or keepsakes; several makers are already confirmed and vendor spots are still open.
TourBus Concert Series: Erin Connolly
12pm-2pm · DESTIHL Brewery, Normal · Free!
Singer-songwriter Erin Connolly plays originals and covers spanning Americana, country, soul, bluegrass and blues on the outdoor stage during the Oktoberfest Makers Market. Bring a lawn chair or blanket—patio and lawn seating are first-come, free.
2pm-3pm · DESTIHL Brewery & Beer Hall, Normal · Free!
Kids race in sack-sack fashion by age group (5–7, 8–10, 11–13) with heats of five and a final to decide each bracket’s winner; winners are announced right after their race. Pre-registration is required and each bracket caps at 20 kids.
7pm · Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, Bloomington · Tix starting at $91
Melissa Etheridge brings her raspy, rootsy rock — acoustic and electric guitar with confessional lyrics — to town, with $2 from each ticket going to her Etheridge Foundation supporting research into plant medicines for opioid use disorder.
7:30pm · Smashhouse Tavern, Bloomington · Tix starting at $14
Local actors perform a series of short, 10-minute plays staged right in a bar, so you can sip while watching intimate, up-close scenes where every seat feels part of the action. Good for casual nights out with friends.
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