Free Visits with Santa
2025-12-20 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-12-21 10:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | Downtown Genoa, Genoa, IL
Visit Santa for free at the corner of Route 72 and Monroe Street in downtown Genoa! Furry friends are welcome.

Visits with Santa
2025-12-20 11:00 - 13:00 | Downtown DeKalb, DeKalb, IL, 60115, United States
Bring your Christmas spirit to life with a visit to Santa in his cozy house! Share your holiday wishes, snap a festive photo, and drop off your Christmas list straight into Santa’s hands. Don’t forget to take home a sweet candy cane as a special treat! Santa’s house is free to attend.

Santa Visits at DeKalb County Courthouse
2025-12-20 11:00 - 14:00, 2025-12-21 11:00 - 14:00 | DeKalb County Courthouse, 133 W State St, Sycamore, IL, 60178, United States
Santa takes time off from his workshop to vacation in Sycamore during the holiday season. His “vacation home” is located on the courthouse lawn and is open for visitors starting December 6!

Santa House Hours:Saturdays and Sundays 11 a.m. -2 p.m.

Santa’s House has a personal mailbox! Be sure that Santa receives your wish list this year by delivering it yourself.

Winter Solstice Celebration
2025-12-20 14:00 - 15:30 | DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St, DeKalb, IL, 60115, United States
Gather by the fire as the DeKalb Public Library celebrates the winter solstice with engaging storytelling, activities, and crafts!
The winter solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. They will celebrate the return of light and the promise of warmth and growth in the coming months.
This program will be first come, first served, as space and supplies are limited. For ages 4-13.
For additional information please contact Stormy at stormye@dkpl.org or at (815) 756-9568 ext. 3310.

Kishwaukee Concert Band Holiday Concert
2025-12-20 15:00 - 16:00 | Boutell Memorial Concert Hall at Northern Illinois University, 400 Lucinda Ave, DeKalb, IL
The Kishwaukee Concert Band is an all-volunteer adult community band composed of experienced musicians from DeKalb and surrounding communities. Get into the Christmas spirit at their holiday concert at NIU Boutell Memorial Concert Hall on Saturday, December 20.

DeKalb County's Largest Holiday Office Party
2025-12-23 17:00 - 22:00 | Fatty’s Pub and Grille, 1312 W Lincoln Hwy,, DeKalb, IL, 60115
Be at Fatty’s for the 18th AnnualDeKalb County’s Largest Holiday Office Party!Sponsored by the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce and 102.3FM The Coyote

The event starts at 5pm with a Free Appetizer Buffet from 5pm-6pm!

“Office Party” Santa will be here around 6pm passing out wrapped gifts for Adults (T-Shirts, Gift Cards & Other Prizes)Live music at 5pm from Craig Mathey

This is a great event especially if you have a small office.

Make this event Your Holiday Office Party!Don’t miss one of the best events of the year!Open to the public!

Led Zepplin Tribute - Kashmir
2025-12-27 20:00 - 22:00 | Sandwich Opera House, 140 E Railroad St, Sandwich, IL, 60548
Kashmir is the definitive Led Zeppelin tribute of the Midwest, and they are performing live in Sandwich, IL at the historic Sandwich Opera House on Saturday December 27, 2025. Get your tickets today to catch the band authentically recreate the look and sound of Zeppelin, while performing all their most loved songs like Rock & Roll, Immigrant Song, Dazed and Confused, When the Levee Breaks, Ramble On and Stairway to Heaven.

Doors Open at 7:00pm – Show Begins at 8:00pm – This is an All-Ages Event

Noon Year’s Day Countdown & Confetti Toss
2025-12-31 11:30 - 12:00 | DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St, DeKalb, IL, 60115, United States
The DeKalb Public Library is waddling into the New Year in style with a penguin-themed Noon Year’s bash! As the clock approaches 12:00, they’ll celebrate its advent with a countdown and confetti toss. Listen to a short story, have some festive fun as they make penguin hats and confetti poppers, then grab noisemakers and parade through the department, ending in the Story & Activity Room to begin the countdown and release a flurry of confetti.
Registration is not required. This drop-in program is for children of all ages, but children under age 8 must be accompanied by an adult.
For additional information, please contact Theresa at theresaw@dkpl.org or at (815) 756-9568 ext. 3350.

Fatty's New Years Eve
2025-12-31 19:00 - 2026-01-01 01:00 | Fatty’s Pub and Grille, 1312 W Lincoln Hwy,, DeKalb, IL, 60115
Fatty’s is your destination for two ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve!

7:00 PM – Early New Year’s Eve with Back Country Roads brought to you by 102.3fm The CoyoteKick off the night with a special Early NYE celebration featuring a live performance by Back Country Roads.

102.3fm The Coyote will be here signing people up to win a pair of tickets to Country Thunder 2026!

BCR will help do an early countdown with a Champagne Toast at 10:00 PM—perfect for anyone looking to celebrate without staying out late.

No Cover!

10:00 PM – Close: New Year’s Eve Dance PartyRing in the New Year with our late-night NYE Dance Party featuring DJ Ray Gooden, spinning all night long. Celebrate in style with party favors, a photo opportunity, and a Champagne Toast at Midnight as we officially countdown to 2026.

Celebrate early, party late!

Sycamore Winter Farmers Market
2026-01-03 10:00 - 13:00, 2026-01-17 10:00 - 13:00 | Flowers by Emelia and Prairie Wildflowers, 1126 E. State St, Sycamore, Illinois, 60178, United States
Shop honey, wool, bread, crafts, teas, and more at the Sycamore Winter Farmers Market every 1st and 3rd Saturday November-March from 10am-1pm in their greenhouse!

Valentine’s Day Market on February 14th.

Screening of movie "The Invisible Mammal"
2026-01-04 13:00 - 15:00 | DeKalb County Farm Bureau, 1350 W Prairie Drive, Sycamore, Illinois, 60178, United States
The Invisible Mammal is a feature-length documentary film about bats, infectious disease, and women in science. Combining nature, science, and adventure, The Invisible Mammal will immerse you in the world of bats and forever change the way you feel about these amazing little creatures.

Fiber Arts Club
2026-01-04 14:00 - 15:30 | DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St, DeKalb, IL, 60115, United States
Welcome back to the Fiber Arts Club!
To celebrate the 250th anniversary of America, local fabric shop owner Rachael of MAD Fabric + Studio will present on the history of feed sacks and how they were repurposed. A staple in rural economic sewing, feed sacks are cotton bags used throughout the mid-19th century until the 1950s to transport dry goods such as grains, animal feed, soap, tobacco, and more. Rachael will bring reference examples of feed sacks and some materials for attendees to make a small quilt block with authentic feed sack pieces.
All skill levels are welcome to learn a new technique or bring your own project to work on. This club is an open format to try out different fiber arts and form a community of fiber friends! Enjoy tea or coffee and comforting background music. Intended for teens and adults. No registration is required.
For more information, please contact Emily at emilyk@dkpl.org or (815) 756-9568 ext. 6106.

Countdown to the Oscars Film Series
2026-01-06 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-01-13 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-01-20 19:00 - 20:30 | Egyptian Theatre, 135 North 2nd Street, DeKalb, IL, 60115, United States
Join the Egyptian Theatre’s countdown to the Oscars with this film series celebrating Academy Award nominees and winners through the decades. Shown on the largest movie screen in DeKalb County, you don’t want to miss this exciting lineup.

Tuesdays at 7:00 PMJanuary 6 – Les Misérables (1935)January 13 – Spellbound (1945)January 20 – Mister Roberts (1955)January 27 – Thunderball (1965)February 3 – The Man Who Would Be King (1975)February 10 – Witness (1985)February 17 – Apollo 13 (1995)February 24 – Good Night, and Good Luck (2005)March 3 – Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)March 10 – Anora **2025 Best Picture Winner**

American-made Board Game Party
2026-01-09 14:30 - 16:30 | DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St, DeKalb, IL, 60115, United States
Did you know that most of the board games you love were created in the United States? Kick off a year-long celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary with games including Monopoly, Life, and Ticket to Ride. Drop in for a quick game or spend two hours exploring different games.
This program is intended for teens in grades 6-12. All participants will receive a snack. No registration is required.
For more information, please contact Steven at (815) 756-9568 ext. 3400 or at stevenm@dkpl.org.

Are You Ready for It? A Taylor Experience
2026-01-10 19:30 - 21:30 | Sandwich Opera House, 140 E Railroad St, Sandwich, IL, 60548
Join Traci and her band as they recreate the Eras Tour – featuring all 11 eras and all the costume changes. Guaranteed to be a night of fun! More info and tickets at SandwichOperaHouse.org

2026 Soup-er Sundays
2026-01-11 12:00 - 13:00 | Glidden Historical Center, 921 W Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL, 60115, United States
The highly anticipated Soup-er Sundays lecture series returns for its fourth year in 2026. You won’t want to miss these!

Be a Part of History: Become a Citizen Archivist
2026-01-11 14:00 - 15:00 | DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St, DeKalb, IL, 60115, United States
Interested in the JFK assassination records? What about federal records about UFOs? The National Archives needs help transcribing original documents to make them easier for the public to access. Learn how to decipher cursive and create keyword tags in a short presentation before getting hands-on experience in contributing to the transcription process.
Creating a login using two-factor authentication for the National Archives will be required to contribute.
This program is limited in spaces and is first come, first served. Laptops will be provided. All ages are welcome.
For questions and more information, contact Emily at emilyk@dkpl.org or (815)756-9568 ext. 6106.

NIU STEM Café: Robotics
2026-01-15 17:00 - 18:30 | DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St, DeKalb, IL, 60115, United States
In partnership with NIU STEAM, monthly Teen & Family STEM Cafés are back in the new year!
This session will feature a presentation by the NIU Robotics club followed by hands-on activities related to robotics.
This free presentation is for teens, but open to all ages. Free pizza is available to those who attend. No registration is required.
For additional information, please contact Steven at stevenm@dkpl.org or (815) 756-9568 ext. 3400.

Advance Directive Workshops
2026-01-16 13:00 - 16:00 | DeKalb Township, 2323 S. 4th St., DeKalb, Illinois, 60115, United States
DeKalb Township is making it easy to start the new year off on the right foot!

They are hosting Advance Directive Workshops every Monday & Friday in January featuring Northwestern Medicine‘s Doctor of Nursing, Annette Meares. Come learn about Living Wills, Powers of Attorney for Healthcare, & POLST Forms. Complete your forms and walk out of the workshop with your executed documents in-hand, a and a smile on your face. Workshops begin at 1 PM, 2 PM, & 3 PM on January 16th!

This FREE offer makes it easy to complete your advance directives without the need to hire an attorney.
Anyone over the age of 18 can participate. Simply call 815-758-8282 to sign-up.

Dinosaur Dimensions Expedition Show
2026-01-16 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-01-17 14:00 - 15:00 | Sandwich Opera House, 140 E Railroad St, Sandwich, IL, 60548
Imagine meeting dinosaurs up-close and personal? Well, wait no more! Dinosaur Dimensions’ Expedition Show is coming to the Sandwich Opera House! Family Packages available – SandwichOperaHouse.org

Step into a vibrant jungle laboratory with Professor Curt Courteous and his research team as they transport dinosaurs from the past right onto the stage in an imaginative experience like no other! Featuring seven different realistic-looking dinosaurs, this is an on-stage Jurassic encounter that will thrill audiences of all ages. Experience fast-paced antics, science experiments, clean humor, child participation, and see why Dinosaur Dimensions is a crowd favorite for entertainment, education, and straight-up Dino-fun!

A special after-show meet and greet offers all brave explorers the chance to get a picture with a new dinosaur friend. Don’t miss this entertaining and memorable adventure, live on stage.

Clash of the Tribute Bands - Journey vs. Foreigner
2026-01-16 19:30 | Egyptian Theatre, 135 North 2nd Street, DeKalb, IL, 60115, United States
Band to Band combat! The suspense of the competition will keep fans on the edge of their seats and wanting more! These two legendary bands will engage in a musical “shoot out of the hits” featuring nationally recognized tribute bands, LP Vinyl’s Escape – Ultimate Journey Show, and Feels Like The First Time – America’s #1 Tribute To Foreigner. Alternating power sets with the two bands coming together on stage for an amazing encore makes this show a once-in-a-lifetime event.

A unique blend of arena rock, stadium rock, and balladry defines this live performance. Infectious, hooky tunes, wrapped in meticulously crafted sound – crunching riffs, melodic leads, stratospheric vocals, sly synthesizers, and a driving groove, will have you sing along and dance to your favorite rock hits from the ’70s and ’80s! You’ll hear all the classics such as “WHO’S CRYING NOW”, “COLD AS ICE”, “STONE IN LOVE”, “URGENT”, “DON’T STOP BELIEVING”, “HOT BLOODED”, “LIGHTS”, “I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS”, “LOVIN’, TOUCHIN’, SQUEEZIN”, “JUKE BOX HERO”, and so many more! The suspense of the competition will keep viewers on the edge of their seats, and the results will leave them wanting more!

WinterFest 2026
2026-01-17 09:00 - 15:00 | Russell Woods Forest Preserve, 11750 IL-72, Genoa, 60135, United States
Join staff and volunteers of the Natural Resource Education Center in Genoa for a full day of winter fun in the woods! Learn birding tips and tricks, explore the preserve with a guided forest hike, discover nature topics, test your knowledge during the nature trivia game, and enjoy crafts and facepainting. Also, can you complete the Un-natural Nature Trail or the Scavenger Hunt?
Festivities begin at 9 AM. Celebrate the season, connect with nature, and make lasting memories! See website for more details.

Dolly Parton Imagination Library Birthday Celebration
2026-01-17 10:00 - 11:00 | DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St, DeKalb, IL, 60115, United States
Dolly Parton will be 80 years old this month, and the library is celebrating in style! Bring your little ones for a fun-filled event featuring cookies, crafts, dancing, and storytelling. You can also take your picture with a Dolly Parton life-sized cardboard cutout!
Parents can register their children (ages 0-4) to receive free books every month through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, an incredible early literacy program.
Don’t miss this chance to encourage a lifelong love of reading and celebrate books together with friends and neighbors!
Thank you to the Friends of the DeKalb Public Library, Lehan’s, BASICS DeKalb County, Altrusa International DeKalb County IL, and the DeKalb County Community Foundation, for sponsoring The Dolly Parton Imagination Library in DeKalb County.
This event is intended for families with children. No registration is required.
For additional information, please contact Theresa at theresaw@dkpl.org or at (815) 756-9568 ext. 3350.

Free Legal Consultations
2026-01-20 12:00 - 16:00 | DeKalb Township, 2323 S. 4th St., DeKalb, Illinois, 60115, United States
DeKalb Township will be hosting Prairie State Legal Services once a month throughout 2026 to ensure qualifying residents have access to FREE legal services.
If you are a tenant with questions regarding a housing matter; If you are being forcibly discharged from a nursing home; If you were recently denied public benefits or if your benefits were reduced; If you have an employment-related legal question; If you or someone you know has been the victim of elder abuse, please call the DeKalb Township today to schedule an appointment and determine if you are eligible to receive these FREE services.
For additional details or to check your eligibility, call the DeKalb Township at 815-758-8282.
