The Northwest Illinois Calendar
What’s Happening
154 upcoming festivals, concerts, markets and main-street traditions across all four counties.
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Put It on the Calendar
Festivals, fundraisers, live music, farmers markets — if it happens in Carroll, Lee, Ogle or Whiteside County, we want it here. It’s free.
Outdoor RecreationGolf Cart Tours8:00 AM – 10:00 AMIngersoll Wetlands Learning Center · ThomsonExperience the beauty of the Mississippi River wetlands on a guided Golf Cart Tour at the Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center. Offered from May through October, these relaxed, small-group tours provide a unique way to explore the landscape while learning about native birds, wildlife, and the surrounding ecosystem.
- Outdoor RecreationNachusa Grasslands Fall Festival10:00 AMNachusa Grasslands Visitor Center · Franklin GroveA free open house at The Nature Conservancy’s 4,000-acre tallgrass prairie, with guided hikes, bison-range tours, hands-on activities and live music — this year marking the preserve’s 40th anniversary.
Outdoor RecreationSpooktacular Halloween Lighted Golf Cart & UTV Parade6:30 PM – 8:00 PMDowntown Rock Falls · Rock FallsGet ready for a festive fall favorite in Rock Falls! The Spooktacular Halloween Lighted Golf Cart & UTV Parade returns on October 17, 2026, bringing glowing rides, creative costumes, and plenty of Halloween spirit to the streets.