DeKalb County Convention and Visitors Bureau

Brunch with Mission & Victor E.
2025-10-04 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Chicago) | Altgeld Hall, 116 Altgeld Hall, Dekalb, IL, 60115, United States
The Fifth Annual Brunch with Mission and Victor E., hosted by the NIU Alumni Association and NIU Foundation, will take place from 9-11 a.m. on Saturday. Oct. 4 in NIU’s historic and picturesque Altgeld Auditorium.

There will be plenty of opportunities to take pictures with our favorite mascots, Mission III and Victor E. Huskie, so wear your Huskie gear!

Each registration includes a full buffet of scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon, sausage, fresh fruit, biscuits and gravy, assorted pastries, coffee and juice. Guests who are over 21 years old will receive one ticket for a Dawgma beer from Pollyanna Brewing & Distilling or a Bloody Mary. Additional tickets for Dawgma and Bloody Marys will be available to purchase for $7.50.

Parking is available in the lot on the north side of the lagoon, as well as in the art building parking lot, which are both located off of College Ave.

Following the brunch, keep the festivities going and head over to Mission’s Grove before the Huskie football team takes on Miami (OH). Kickoff is at 2:30pm.

Questions? Please contact the alumni events team at alumnievents@niu.edu or 815-753-3528.

All sales are final. No refunds will be given. RSVP Today.

Mutt Strut 5K (Dog Friendly Walk/Run)
2025-10-04 09:00 - 12:30 | Hopkins Park, 1403 Sycamore Road, DeKalb, IL, 60115, United States
Join Tails Humane Society for the 2025 Mutt Strut, where every step you take makes a difference for homeless pets in need! Whether you run or walk the 5k route, you’re supporting Tails’ mission to care for and find loving homes for animals. There is also a 1 mile walk option available.
Bring your furry friends along – dogs are more than welcome to join in the fun!
Mutt Strut benefits Tails Humane Society and the 2,350 homeless pets that they care for each year. The proceeds from this event go directly to caring for their animals. It helps with their day-to-day care from food and litter to medicine and surgical procedures!
1 Mile Walk & 5K Walk/Run
Saturday, October 4, 2025
9:00 AM Start
Hopkins Park
1403 Sycamore Road
DeKalb, IL

2025 Genoa Harvest Festival
2025-10-04 09:00 - 15:00 | Downtown Genoa, Genoa, IL
The City of Genoa’s 5th Annual Harvest Festival is taking place on October 4th in Downtown Genoa!

Come enjoy rides, kids’ crafts and activities, community organization booths, and OpenDoor’s Fall Makers’ Market!

Fall Vintage Shop Hop
2025-10-04 09:00 - 18:00 | DeKalb County, illinois
Explore DeKalb County’s vintage and antique shops during this fall edition of the Vintage Shop Hop! Each shop offers specials and fun inside their store–you’ll find plenty of activities in each shop you visit during the event. Participating locations include:

This & That Collectibles (520 E Lincoln Highway, DeKalb, IL 60115)

35:35 Makers Collective & Vuur Lont Candle Co. (265 W Peace Rd., Sycamore, IL 60178)

Blumen Gardens (403 Edward St, Sycamore, IL 60178)

Made Just for You Gifts (338 W State St, Sycamore, IL 60178)

Painted Lady Collection (303 W State Street, Sycamore, IL 60178)

Sandwich Antique Mart (2300 US-34, Sandwich, IL 60548)

TOFT vintage home (113 S Main Street, Sandwich, IL 60548)

Halloween in The Crib
2025-10-04 10:00 - 16:00 | The Crib, Studio of Valerie Weberpal, 16521 Swanson Road, Sycamore, Illinois, 60178, United States
Check out vintage goods, art, and Halloween items in The Crib in Sycamore, IL!

Mission's Grove
2025-10-04 11:00 - 14:00 | Oderkirk Field, 213 N Annie Glidden Rd., DeKalb, Illinois, 60115, United States
Wear your red and black, get ready to cheer for the Huskies, and join us before the football game at Mission’s Grove.

NIU Homecoming Football Game vs Miami (Ohio)
2025-10-04 14:30 | Huskie Stadium, 1245 Stadium Drive South, DeKalb, 60115, United States
Pack Huskie Stadium for our 118th Homecoming when the Huskies will be taking on the Miami RedHawks!

You Raise Me Up: Songs that Inspire Us with Maureen Christine
2025-10-04 18:30 - 19:30 | DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St, DeKalb, IL, 60115, United States
Award-winning vocalist Maureen Christine brings her crystal-clear voice to deliver an uplifting after-hours concert in the library’s main lobby! This event features Maureen’s heartfelt renditions of inspiring songs including Wind Beneath My Wings, You Raise Me Up, Because You Loved Me, and You Light Up My Life. She will also sing classic gems such as Over The Rainbow, What A Wonderful World, Morning Has Broken, and You’ll Never Walk Alone. You’ll also hear some lighter songs including L-O-V-E, Sunny Side of the Street, Love Will Keep Us Together, and more.
Maureen Christine is a celebrated Broadway-style entertainer. She delights audiences throughout the country with her “natural melodious, expressive voice” (AllMusic Guide) and is heralded as a “singer worth crowing about” by the Chicago Tribune for her thoughtful interpretations of great American standards, romantic ballads, and original compositions.
Maureen will be joined by Michael Bazan, a highly regarded woodwind player. As a professional musician, Michael has played saxophone, flute, and clarinet, with several musical legends, including Billy Eckstine, Cab Calloway, Bob Hope, Jerry Lewis, Frankie Valli, and more. Michael has also performed in various symphony orchestras, including the Rockford Symphony Orchestra and the Galesburg Symphony. An active musician, he continues to learn and perform in the Chicago area and throughout the Midwest.
Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. and music will begin at 6:30 p.m. No registration is required.
For additional information, please contact Samantha at samanthah@dkpl.org or at (815) 756-9568 ext. 1701.

Chonda Pierce Live
2025-10-04 19:00 | Egyptian Theatre, 135 North 2nd Street, DeKalb, IL, 60115, United States
It’s Chonda Pierce Live! Grab your girlfriends and get ready for an evening of guilt-free laughter, real talk, and stories you swear she pulled straight from your group text. With her signature Southern charm and wit, Chonda brings the kind of humor that leaves your cheeks hurting and your soul feeling a little lighter. You might know her hit specials “Laughing in the Dark” and “Enough” — Chonda takes life’s hardest moments to its most ridiculous, and knows how to turn it all into something worth laughing about. Don’t miss this show!

The Haunt - Jonamac's Haunted Corn Maze
2025-10-04 19:00 - 22:00, 2025-10-10 19:00 - 22:00, 2025-10-11 19:00 - 22:00 | Jonamac Orchard, 19412 Shabbona Rd, Malta, IL, 60150, United States
Get Lost In Terror

When the sun sets on the farm, an eerie shadow is cast upon the maze inviting guests to explore the 10-acre labyrinth in our corn field.

Pathways twist and turn through miles of rustling leaves where terrifying creatures and spooky surprises are lurking behind the stalks.

Enter if you dare… but BEWARE!Strongly recommended to purchase tickets beforehand!What You Need To Know

All children under the age of 16 need to be with an adult chaperone. Children are not permitted to enter the maze alone or without adult supervision.

The time on your ticket is your ENTRY TIME. For example, if you select 6:30-7:30PM, you need to redeem your tickets by 7:30PM or the tickets will no longer be valid. Last group in at 10:30PM, then the entrance is closed.

No Halloween Masks or costumes are permitted in the maze, sorry!

Guests are ideally broken up into groups of 4-5 (or fewer) people and metered into the maze by our staff to keep groups separated. Large groups do not get as great of an experience!

It takes about 30-45 minutes to get through the maze, and we have staff to help you if you get lost.

No Alcohol is permitted in the maze.

Flashlights will not be allowed in the Haunted Maze, only glowsticks or pen lights.

Our Scare Actors are not permitted to touch guests, and guests are not permitted to touch or hit Scare Actors, or they will be asked to leave the maze.

Please be advised, the haunted maze does contain strobe lights, flashing lights, loud noises, and dirt pathways.

Unlike other years, this year the entire maze is Haunted. We will not have 1/2 un-haunted and 1/2 haunted.

The Crafty Farmer's Open Air Market
2025-10-05 09:00 - 15:00 | Hy-Vee, 2700 Dekalb Ave., Sycamore, Illinois, 60178, United States
Check out The Crafty Farmers Open Air Market! The 2025 season starts Sunday, May 4th and occurs every other Sunday until October 5th.

Senior Coffee Hour
2025-10-05 13:30 - 14:30 | Sycamore Public Library, 103 E State St, Sycamore, Illinois, 60178
Have you been wanting to meet new people? Drop by the Sycamore Public Library on the first Sunday of the month for free coffee, games, and conversation.

“Etched in Stone,” Ellwood Cemetery Walk
2025-10-05 13:30 - 14:30 | Ellwood Cemetery, 901 S. Cross St, Sycamore, Illinois, 60178, United States
Ellwood Cemetery, meet at the mourning house

$5 per person (cash at the event)

DeKalb County is home to a wide variety of interesting local history stories. One great way to discover some of these unique stories is by visiting area cemeteries. The DeKalb County History Center is hosting their annual Cemetery Walk, “Etched in Stone” on Sunday, October 5 at 1:30 p.m. Don’t miss this great opportunity to discover some little-known Sycamore history.

The program starts at the Mourning House with a welcome and overview of Elmwood Cemetery’s history. Then, visitors are led to different stops through the cemetery to discover these fascinating stories led by the Sons of Union Veterans.

Egyptian Theatre Horror Film Series
2025-10-07 19:00 - 20:30 | Egyptian Theatre, 135 North 2nd Street, DeKalb, IL, 60115, United States
Step into the chilling world of cinematic terror with the Horror Film Series at the historic Egyptian Theatre this fall. From the heart-pounders to the bone-chilling, this series offers something for every horror lover! Join us for all of the thrills and chills on the largest movie screen in DeKalb County!

Film Schedule:September 30 – Night of the Living Dead (1968)October 7 – The Monster Squad (1987)October 14 – The Lost Boys (1987)October 21 – Shaun of the Dead (2004)October 29 – Trick ‘r Treat (2007)

ICASH Unclaimed Property & CUB Utility Bill Analysis Event
2025-10-08 14:00 - 18:00 | DeKalb Township Board Room, 2323 S 4th Street, DeKalb, Illinois, 60115, United States
Representatives from ICASH—a division of the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office—and staff from the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) will be at DeKalb Township, located at 2323 S. 4th St. in DeKalb, to assist local residents in person. ICASH representatives will help attendees identify whether they are entitled to any part of the $2 billion in unclaimed property currently held by the state. They will also assist with filing claims for any funds owed.
Meanwhile, CUB staff will review residents’ utility bills (including gas, electric, phone, and cable) to look for billing errors, overcharges, and offer ways to lower monthly costs through available programs and initiatives.
This is a walk-in event—no appointment is needed. Attendees are encouraged to bring a valid photo ID and copies of recent utility bills (gas, electric, phone, cable).
This event is free and open to all. For more information, contact Kimberly at DeKalb Township at 815-758-8282.

Sycamore Witches Night Out
2025-10-09 16:00 - 20:00 | Downtown Sycamore, Sycamore, Illlinois, 60178
Join this WICKED event!

Grab a few of your favorite witches for a fun shopping event in Downtown Sycamore on October 9 from 4 to 8pm.

Your ticket will include a spell card (list of businesses), a wine goblet and a bewitching evening! Visit all participating businesses, leave your spell card at your final stop and you will be entered to win one of the Witches Night Out Raffle Baskets (valued at over $600), or Two complimentary tickets to the 2025 Winter Chocolate Walk event in December, or Two complimentary tickets to the 2026 Taste of Spring event in April, or Two tickets to next year’s Witches Night Out!!

Registration begins at 4pm at Blumen Gardens (403 Edward Street, Sycamore). There you will pick up your goblet, and spell card. Stop at every location for a surprise sale, giveaway, tasty treats and more!

Traveling by broom is optional.

Visit all participating merchants from 4-8 pm for fun & specials

Dessert & Dialogue
2025-10-09 18:30 | Ellwood House, 420 Linden Place, DeKalb, IL, 60115, United States
Understanding shared history starts with open conversation, and sometimes, a little dessert! On Thursday, October 9 at 6:30pm, join the DeKalb County History Center and Ellwood House Museum for “Dessert and Dialogue.”

“Dessert and Dialogue” is an evening of community-building, storytelling, and racial healing. This month’s discussion, with the theme “Building Bridges,” will give DeKalb County residents the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of our shared history.

This event takes place at the Ellwood House Museum’s Visitor Center, 420 Linden Place in DeKalb. While the event is free, it is recommended to register ahead of time on the DeKalb County History Center’s website dekalbcountyhistory.org. For more information call 815-895-5762.

“Dessert and Dialogue” events are part of the Arts in Action Project, a collaboration between the Ellwood House Museum and DeKalb County History Center that seeks to tell an inclusive and accurate account of local history. Before the program, view the newest Arts in Action exhibit from 5:30-6:30pm in the Ellwood House Museum galleries.

Open Studio
2025-10-10 18:00 - 22:00 | Artifex Studio, 235 E. Lincoln Hwy., DeKalb, Illinois, 60115, United States
Visit the gallery and studio of fine artist Elisa R. Boughner at Artifex Studio in downtown DeKalb to experience her latest work. Enjoy an evening filled with color, creativity, and conversation!

Creepy Campfire at Sycamore Park District
2025-10-10 18:30 - 20:30 | Sycamore Park District Good Tymes Shelter
Get ready for Sycamore Library’s 5th Annual Creepy Campfire event featuring a night of ghost stories, songs, and s’mores!
Adults and accompanied teens can join Library staff at Sycamore Park District’s Good Tymes Shelter off Airport Road from 6:30-8:30pm. Bring your camping chairs, blankets, and your spookiest stories!
Registration optional. Hot chocolate, apple cider, and s’mores provided.

Evil Intentions Haunted House
2025-10-10 19:00 - 23:59, 2025-10-11 19:00 - 23:59, 2025-10-12 19:00 - 22:00 | Evil Intentions Haunted House, 45W050 Beith Rd, Maple Park, Illinois, 60151, United States
Evil Intentions Haunted House has relocated to Forsaken Hollow! In this new, larger, and more terrifying home, Evil has taken on a new life. Prepare yourself for an unforgettable experience filled with unexpected scares and surprises. Come see what awaits and discover why all roads end here!

Attractions include:

Corn Trail – A cornfield packed with scares, screams, and evil lurking in the dark.

20,000 Sq. Ft. of Evil! – A massive, nonstop nightmare, 20,000 square feet indoor haunted house with terror around every corner.

Midway – More than just a haunted house. Food, games, and freakish fun to keep the horror going all night.

Hygge ‘HOO-gah’ Happiness
2025-10-11 10:00 - 12:00 | DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St, DeKalb, IL, 60115, United States
“In Denmark, winters are especially long, yet Danish people are considered some of the happiest in the world. They embrace the dark winter months with the joyful practice of Hygge (pronounced ‘HOO-gah’) meaning coziness, candlelight, nature, and meeting with friends.” – Emma Mitchell from Making Winter: a Hygge-inspired Guide to Surviving the Winter Months.
Enjoy an immersive experience, lit by candlelight, focusing on intentional happiness and community with Scandinavian-inspired arts and crafts, meditative coloring, peaceful music, a crackling fireplace, and hot beverages (bring your own mug, if desired.) You’ll gain some tips to create “hygge,” and choose from a selection of library books to bring home which inspire joy and relaxation.
Hygge events are sponsored by the Friends of the Library. A special limited edition Hygge tea blend will be provided by downtown DeKalb’s Thyme ‘N Again Apothecary. Local honey for tea provided by Big Red’s Heavenly Honey.
For September, create watercolor postcards, gratitude magnets, and Zentangle-inspired patterns.
In October, paint papier-mâché masks, do folk art with stickers, and make a spooky candle decoration.
November’s event will feature three craft options: a stenciled tote bag, flannel lap warmer, and scented warmer discs.
This program is intended for adults. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Registration is not required. First come, first served while supplies last.
For more information, please contact Susan at susang@dkpl.org or (815) 756-9568 ext. 2114.

Gambling: The Dazzling Art of the Con
2025-10-11 14:00 - 15:00 | DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St, DeKalb, IL, 60115, United States
Gambling generates more revenue than spectator sports, theme parks, cruise ships and recorded music combined. Las Vegas casinos bring in an average of 5 billion dollars of revenue in a year. With all that money flying around it might occur to someone to cheat. It has, they do, and John P. Hopkins will show you some of the ways that it’s done.
John presents a fascinating and often hysterical look at crooked card games, dice hustles, pickpockets, prop bets, and con games. He will give you an inside peek at these scams with actual demonstrations. Through John, you will meet advantage players, dips, and con artists such as George Devil (who worked the Mississippi River boats for over forty years), Elijah Skaggs, “Titanic Thompson” and Madame Mustache.
See the dazzling art of the “advantage” card player and the ace pick pocket. Get an inside look at some of the classic swindles such as “3 Card Monte”, “The Old Army Game” and “Short-Change Routines.” Find out the secrets of rigged carnival games and learn the truth behind the phrases, “You can’t cheat an honest man” and “There’s no such thing as a free lunch!”
This program is free and open to all; no registration is required.
For additional information, please contact Samantha at samanthah@dkpl.org or at (815) 756-9568 ext. 1701.

H.O.O.F.
2025-10-11 15:00 | Egyptian Theatre, 135 North 2nd Street, DeKalb, IL, 60115, United States
Hands Off Our Fest (H.O.O.F.) is a music festival celebrating the women, femmes, and thems of the Chicagoland punk scene, featuring the finest drag queens, kings, and things. It’s a mix of live music, stand-up comedy, drag performances, queer expression and joy, and feminine rage, all washed down with plenty of beer. On a mission to solidify the femme and queer community within the Chicagoland punk scene while creating an inclusive and healing environment, Sweetie frontwoman Birdy Vee created H.O.O.F. in 2023, now coming back for its third year. The event is all ages. *viewer discretion advised*

A Performance of Music from the Middle East
2025-10-11 18:30 - 19:30 | DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St, DeKalb, IL, 60115, United States
The DeKalb Public Library is delighted to host an evening of cultural songs, both traditional and new compositions, after-hours in the library’s main lobby!
Aboud Agha was born in Syria and immigrated to Boston Mass at the age of twelve. He is an accomplished performer and composer of Arabic and Middle Eastern music. Aboud is a master of the Oud (Middle Eastern lute) and of many vocal styles from this part of the world. He has a master’s degree in musical performance from Northern Illinois University and a doctorate in ethnomusicology from UCLA in California. He now teaches at the American University in Dubai.
Aboud has performed his music solo, in ensembles and with orchestras in America, Europe and the Middle East. He returns to visit the Midwest this summer after a concert at the library of congress in Washington D.C. Click here to see Aboud’s many Instagram posts.
Aboud will be accompanied on percussion by DeKalb native Sven Oscar Hansen. Sven was born to Norwegian immigrants in the American Midwest, where he raised four children and owned a greenhouse and florist shop. Sven has lived and studied in Norway and India and is a certified yoga teacher and sound healer. He creates and performs events incorporating music, poems, and sound healing. Sven has studied Vedic science and holds a degree in world literature from Maharishi International University in Fairfield, Iowa. He lives in DeKalb Illinois.
The evening also includes a brief discussion of this ethnic music and their interpretation of it. There will be an opportunity after the show to meet and chat with the artists.
This concert is free and open to all. Doors will open at 6:00 and music will begin at 6:30 p.m. No registration is required.
For additional information, please contact Samantha at samanthah@dkpl.org or at (815) 756-9568 ext. 1701.

KSO Opening Fall Concert: Petrushka and “Moor”
2025-10-11 19:30 | Music Building, Boutell Memorial Concert Hall, 550 Lucinda Ave, DeKalb, IL, 60115
The season opens with the Fall Concert: Petrushka and “Moor” on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at 7:30 pm. A pre-concert talk with Linc Smelser, KSO music director, begins at 6:30 pm. This concert is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council and is sponsored in part by Ann and James Tucker.

The concert features:

Petrushka by Igor Stravinsky, the colorful ballet suite, a four-part musical rollercoaster

Symphony No. 25 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart—familiar to many from the film Amadeus

Viola Concerto by Béla Bartók, with special guest soloist Teng Li, newly appointed principal violist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Romance Book Club
2025-10-13 19:00 - 20:00 | DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St, DeKalb, IL, 60115, United States
Prepare for swoon-worthy reads and lively conversations with fellow romance lovers! We meet each month to discuss our latest romantic read– sharing thoughts, feelings, and favorite moments along the way. From steamy westerns and eerie sci-fi love stories to sweeping historical romances, our carefully chosen selections span the full spectrum of the genre. Whether you’re a longtime romance reader or just starting to explore, you’ll find your perfect match here!
September: Secretly Yours by Tessa BaileyOctober: That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly LemmingNovember: The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava
Books are available in Adult Services. No registration is required. This book club is intended for adults.
For additional information, please contact Amy at amyf@dkpl.org or call (815) 756-9568 ext. 2150.
