BloNo Digest.
This Weekend Around
Bloomington-Normal
Fri, Sep 18 – Sun, Sep 20
Here are a few things worth leaving the house for.
Sat, Sep 19 · 12-4pm
Santas of Summer Parking Lot Party
Lil Beaver Brewery
An afternoon fundraiser at Lil’ Beaver Brewery with three live sets (Kyle Yap, Whiskey Seven, John Perry) and beer on-site; all money raised goes to Toys for Tots of McLean County to buy holiday gifts for local kids.
| Friday, September 18 |
2-4pm · Bloomington Public Library · Free!
Drop into the Innovation Lab to make a single fabric square for the library’s community quilt—no sewing experience needed; staff provide instruction and all supplies. Sessions are drop-in, one square per person, and finished quilt unveiled at a Nov. 14 art show.
12-1pm · Fell Hall 2nd floor
A casual, coffee-shop–style hour where international and domestic students can mingle over board games, stress-relief activities, crafts and snacks—this session features treats from South Korea. No RSVP; just drop by the OIE lobby on Fell Hall’s second floor.
1-7pm · Moose Lodge, Bloomington
A community garage sale hosted by the Humane Society of Central Illinois to raise funds for local animals — think secondhand bargains from donated items, plus chances to volunteer or drop off donations.
TourBus Concert Series: Zoofunkyou
6:00 PM · DESTIHL Brewery · Free!
Chicago’s Zoofunkyou brings a tight, bluesy-funk set to the lawn—think original grooves plus tasteful covers delivered by a 5–9-piece ensemble with horns and keys. Lawn and patio seating are first-come; bring a chair or blanket.
LIVE @ Connie Link Amphitheatre with 2FlightsDown
7-8:30pm · Connie Link Amphitheatre · Free!
A free, all-ages outdoor concert of classic rock by local band 2FlightsDown at the Connie Link Amphitheatre—bring a blanket or lawn chair and enjoy decades of rock ’n’ roll favorites under the stars.
Doors 7pm; Show 8pm · The Castle Theatre · $26
Joe Stamm Band plays rootsy, genre-blending “Black Dirt Country Rock” — roomy storytelling songs with big builds, gritty vocals, and a Midwest/Appalachian feel drawn from the Illinois River valley. Expect energetic live renditions of tunes from their new album Little Crosses.
7:30pm · Smashhouse Tavern · Tix starting at $14
Short plays performed in a bar setting where the audience is up close and part of the action; expect a series of winning 10-minute pieces that lean into the energy and character of neighborhood pubs. Great for people who like intimate, immersive theatre with a drink in hand.
8pm · Jazz UpFront · $5
DJ Love spins a night of contemporary and classic R&B at Jazz UpFront, with high-energy grooves and guest collaborators keeping the floor moving. Great if you like danceable slow jams and a lively late-night vibe.
| Saturday, September 19 |
2-3:30pm · Bloomington Public Library · Free
Make two cat kicker toys—one to donate to the Humane Society of Central Illinois and one to take home—filled with catnip; supplies are limited and it’s a drop-in, first-come-first-served program that may end early if materials run out.
Downtown Bloomington Outdoor Farmers’ Market
7:30am · Downtown Bloomington · Free!
The Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market returns outdoors with vendors selling produce, meats, baked goods, honey, eggs, plant starts and artisan items. Expect live local music most weekends, and kids’ activities.
9am-1pm · Comlara Park, Hudson · $10/group (up to 10 people)
Come to COMLARA Park for hands-on nature activities with Master Naturalists—pick sessions like owl-pellet dissection, native-plant and pollinator talks, trailside activity stations, tree-and-habitat hikes, or youth fishing, plus a visit from an Illinois Raptor Center great-horned owl. A $10 family/group fee includes a take-home hiking kit.
10am-1pm · Fairview Skate Park · Free!
Casual community skate sessions at Fairview Skate Park that mix skating with art, a local partner organization, and free food — all outdoors on the first and third Saturdays (Mar–Sep). It’s free, family-friendly, and aimed at building community resilience through shared public space.
10am-3pm · Prairie Aviation Museum · $5
On the third Saturday each month during summer and fall, the museum opens select cockpits for up-close exploration, lets kids and adults talk with pilots and crew, and keeps its indoor aircraft displays available to wander. Great for curious aviation fans and families.
ISU vs Eastern Illinois Home Football Game
2pm · Illinois State University Athletics Department
Illinois State hosts Eastern Illinois for Family Weekend football—an afternoon of college-game atmosphere at Hancock Stadium with fans decked in red. Gates open 1:00 PM Saturday; expect typical game-day cheering, crowd energy, and campus tailgating vibes.
Waiting Room Records Festival @ Connie Link Amphitheatre
5-9pm · Connie Link Amphitheatre · Free!
An evening of free, all-ages outdoor music at Connie Link Amphitheatre, featuring local bands presented by Waiting Room Records — a benefit combining live sets and a cat-themed fundraiser for Clovers Cat Club. Bring a blanket or lawn chair.
5-9pm · Miller Park Zoological Society · Tix starting at $150
An evening at the zoo with live entertainment, animal encounters, a silent auction, then dinner and a live auction at the historic Miller Park Pavilion — all raising funds for the Miller Park Zoological Society. Good for people who like animals and local conservation work.
LIVE @ Uptown Circle with Long Ladder Home
6-7:30pm · 11 Uptown Circle Normal · Free!
Bring a blanket or lawn chair and enjoy a free, all-ages outdoor set from two Central Illinois singer–songwriters serving upbeat, easy rock that leans hopeful and inclusive. Come early to browse Uptown Normal’s shops or grab dinner nearby.
6-9pm · DESTIHL Brewery & Beer Hall · Free!
Local guitarist Jim Conry (of Old Shoe) is playing outdoors with John Ganser (drums) and Stevie Manuel (bass), mixing originals and covers in a rootsy, groove-driven set. Lawn and patio seating are first-come—bring chairs or a blanket.
Justin Willman One for All Ages Tour: ISU Family Weekend 2026
7pm · Braden Auditorium · Tix starting at $35
Justin Willman performs a family-friendly magic show of all-new material (not the Netflix set) during ISU Family Weekend — sleight of hand, laughs, and audience-friendly tricks that work for kids and adults alike.
Free Movies at the Mural - Toy Story!
7:15pm · Red Raccoon Games · Free!
They’re screening Toy Story outdoors at the Red Raccoon mural—movie starts around 7:15pm once it’s dark enough. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and settle in on Jefferson Street for the family-friendly animated classic.
90's Fine: Pretty Women Love R&B
10pm · Cadillac Jack's · $15
A DJ set of ’90s R&B hits aimed at women who want to sing, dance, and relive the slow jams and uptempo favorites — DJ Shawn Da Don spins the classics. Ladies get free entry before 10:30 p.m.; men pay a cover at the door.
| Sunday, September 20 |
8am-4pm · Interstate Center · $7
Hundreds of dealers fill the Interstate Center with antiques, vintage finds, retro fashion, and handmade goods, so you can hunt for furniture, décor, or small treasures across a changing marketplace. It’s a longtime local tradition that draws collectors, casual shoppers, and day‑trippers looking for something with history and character.
ISU Symphony Orchestra presents United States at 250
3-4:30pm · Center for the Performing Arts · $12 GA; $6 Students
Three orchestral works—Jessie Montgomery’s reflective Hymn for Everyone, Joan Tower’s questioning Made in America, and Dvořák’s symphonic New World—explore American identity from pandemic-era introspection to immigrant-eyed hope, offering contrasting takes on melody, dissonance, and national meaning.
Superhero Trivia at Destihl Beer Hall!
5pm · DESTIHL Brewery · $5/person, up to 6 people per table
Test your knowledge of Marvel, DC, and all corners of the superhero multiverse in a themed trivia night—questions on heroes, villains, movies, comics, and TV. Teams (up to six) pay $5 per person; reservations required via email.
Icon For Hire: Scripted 15 Year Anniversary Tour live at The Castle Theatre
Doors 6pm; Show 7pm · The Castle Theatre · Tix starting at $22.50
Indie rock duo Icon For Hire plays Scripted front-to-back on their 15th-anniversary tour, plus surprises and special guests Elijah and Lauren Babic; expect high-energy riffs and candid lyrics about mental health and identity in a mostly standing-room show.
7:30pm · Smashhouse Tavern · Tix starting at $14
Another night of the same fun! Short plays performed in a bar setting where the audience is up close and part of the action; expect a series of winning 10-minute pieces that lean into the energy and character of neighborhood pubs. Great for people who like intimate, immersive theatre with a drink in hand.
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