The weekend brings Cinderella and a Pet Ice Cream Social, along with fundraisers, live music and more to the Galesburg area.
Cinderella
What: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella tells the timeless story of a young woman whose kindness and courage change her life forever. Packed with laughter, romance and beloved songs, Cinderella is for dreamers of every age.
When: 7:30 p.m. July 17-18 and July 24-25; 2 p.m. July 19 and July 26
Where: Prairie Players Civic Theatre, 160 S. Seminary St., Galesburg
Cost: $16; $10 for students
Youth Manners Camp
What: Children age 7-11 will build confidence, while learning conversation skills, forming friendships and practicing everyday etiquette from public manners to thank-you notes and dining skills. The workshop concludes with a dress-up, multi-course dining event in which campers showcase what they have learned.
When: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. July 17
Where: Carl Sandburg College, 2400 Tom L. Wilson Blvd., Galesburg
Cost: $40
Science Saturday: Underwater Magic Sand
What: Come play with magic sand.
When: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. July 18
Where: Discovery Depot, 128 S. Chambers St., Galesburg
Cost: Included with admission
Ice Cream Social
What: The Henderson Township Fire Dept. Ice Cream Social includes food for purchase, games, fire hats for the little ones, plus a chance to climb in a fire truck.
When: 4 p.m. July 18
Where: Henderson Township Fire Dept., 215 S. Main St., Henderson
Cost: Free admission
Date Night at the Flower Farm
What: Enjoy dinner, dessert, live entertainment and flowers. Noah Soper will perform from 5:30-6:30 p.m. U-Pick will be open for picking and the Eatery will be open from 5-7 p.m. with the full menu for dinner. Pick any spot across the farm for a quiet picnic or grab a table at The Shed.
When: 7-9 p.m. July 18
Where: The Centennial, 1119 Blaze Road, Knoxville
Cost: $5 cover fee; cover fee waived for you and date when buying a cup of posies ($30)
Firsthand: Democracy Community Conversation
What: July 4, 2026, marked the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Join WTTW and Tri States Public Radio for this screening and discussion event centered on “Firsthand: Democracy,” the docuseries produced by WTTW. Through firsthand accounts, this series shares stories of five Chicagoans who are tapping into the power of community-driven work to get back to the basics of democratic action and improve their communities. See an episode, then listen to a panel discussion moderated by executive producer Dan Protess. Hear from local leaders whose daily work shapes the state of local, state and national democracy.
When: 7:30 p.m. July 18
Where: Orpheum Theatre, 57 S. Kellogg St., Galesburg
Cost: Free
Lacy’s Ditch’s Summer Party
What: Come for a night of live music, smoked BBQ, beer and dancing as Lacy’s Ditch brings the backroad party to the stage.
When: 8-11 p.m. July 18
Where: Big Catz BBQ, 221 E. Main St., Knoxville
Pet Ice Cream Social
What: On National Ice Cream Day, come get free ice cream samples and toppings for both dogs and cats at this pet ice cream social. There will be free root beer floats for the humans and several deals on products for people and animals.
When: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. July 19
Where: Dante and Dory’s Pet Emporium, 354 E. Main St., Galesburg
Cost: Free samples
Sista and the Misters
What: Enjoy an afternoon of food, drinks and live music. Between songs, Fig will be attempting balloon animals, Tim will be conducting free personality assessments, Todd will be offering lawn chair placement consulting and unsolicited grilling tips and Amy will be demonstrating advanced crowd-motivation techniques and possibly organizing spontaneous group activities.
When: 2-6 p.m. July 19
Where: Gimpy’s on 150, 285 Knox Hwy. 2, Rio
Coming next week
Toddler Plus Tuesday
What: This program is in collaboration with ROE #33 educators for toddlers plus their families and is offered after hours. Special developmental activities will be available.
When: 5:30-7 p.m. July 21
Where: Discovery Depot, 128 S. Chambers St., Galesburg
Cost: $6.50; free for members
Throwback Thursday: Field of Dreams
What: See this PG-rated film about an idealistic Iowa farmer, who comes from a family with deep baseball roots. He has spent years searching for a way to ease the unspoken regret of his late father. When Ray hears a mysterious voice whispering, “If you build it, he will come,” in his cornfield, he faces a race against time. To protect his family’s livelihood and unlock a magical second chance, Ray must pull off the ultimate leap of faith: carving a pristine baseball diamond out of his crops to summon the ghosts of legendary players.
When: 2 and 7 p.m. July 23
Where: Orpheum Theatre, 57 S. Kellogg St., Galesburg
Cost: Free admission
See a Juggler, Be a Juggler
What: First you see a juggler, then you become one. Join Jason Kollum for this fast paced, interactive comedic juggling and variety show, with an edge-of-your-seat finale. Immediately after the show, kids in attendance will try their own balancing skills using easy-to-balance peacock feathers. This event is open to kids of all ages together with their grownups.
When: 6-7 p.m. July 23
Where: Galesburg Public Library, 264 W. Main St., Galesburg
Cost: Free
Kathi Edwards is a freelance contributor to the Galesburg Register Mail.
This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: ‘Cinderella’ and ice cream social among 9 weekend events in Galesburg area
Reporting by Kathi Edwards, Special to the Galesburg Register-Mail / Galesburg Register-Mail
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Kathi Edwards, Special to the Galesburg Register-Mail | USA TODAY Network
