Tag: celebrations

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A Few Labor Day Weekend Events

There is a lot happening south of I-70 this Labor Day Weekend. Friday night lights and high school football action kicked off across the region. Special festivals, events, and farmer’s markets are scheduled this weekend. The DuQuoin State Fair wraps up on Labor Day as people across the nation debate whether or not they can wear white again until Memorial Day…

Below is just a fraction of the weekend info shared on the A Slice of Southern Illinois Facebook Page. Check it out for even more events, food, sports, and more.  Enjoy your weekend, and be safe!

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About that App…(and How to Find Southern Illinois Info)

Once upon a time, there was a free app that correlated with info on A Slice of Southern Illinois. Eventually, with the original app development company, it became too difficult too keep up with changing requirements for common app stores. So, I disabled the app–for now. I would eventually like to create a new one, but I am taking my time to jump into that process. 

Meanwhile, I still have pages accessible through the menu on this website for annual events, local  food  things to see, and more. I try to update these from time to time, but they are not likely going to be as current as the Facebook page.

As many of you know by now, my health is somewhat of a rollercoaster ride since covid did a number on me. (Yes, Long Haul Covid is a real thing, and I don’t wish it on anyone!) I am also doing some jewelry-making and crafting  now that are actually therapeutic for me. When possible, I participate in farmer’s markets and other venues. However, I have to do a lot of prioritizing and “energy budgeting”  for my health. With that being said, knocking myself out to keep the events page current as well as other changes can’t be my priority at this time. There is only so much energy, and after the whole near death/ventilator experience, I have a new perspective. Living life is a priority.

SO, I am attempting to make it easier to search on the A Slice of Southern Illinois Facebook Page. Hopefully, a series of hashtag terms (below) will help you to find info by town or type within Southern Illinois. It won’t be perfect (brain fog is real too,) and I may forget obvious hashtags and miss some things, but it’s a start. Even if no one else uses them, it will help me…

This is the link to the A Slice of Southern Illinois Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/asliceofSoIL?mibextid=ZbWKwL

This is how you use hashtags in the search bar to seek info or types of posts:

If you are seeking info on a Southern Illinois town, try searching the A Slice of Southern Illinois Facebook Page with a hashtag. (Example: #Carbondale )

The hashtags below are to seek out posts with the types of info listed:

SIbreweries breweries

SIclosures closings

SIcares good deeds, service and volunteer opportunities, good news

SIcoffee coffee

SIentertainment entertainment

SIevents regional events

SIeventvenue event venues

SIfurbabies pet related

#SIhistory regional history

SIkids for children

SIlodging local cabins, B&B’s, etc.

SImarket Farmer’s Markets & locally made products

SIshopslocal locally owned shops & businesses

SItastes restaurants, food trucks, food-related

SItea tea

SIthingstosee things to see in our region

SIweather weather-related post

SIwineries wineries

WatermelonFalls (by A Slice of Southern Illinois) handmade jewelry, upcycles, & giftables

These search terms are currently pinned in a post on the A Slice of Southern Illinois Facebook Page. It is always a work in progress…

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Christmas Lights, Cameras, Action!

We may not have those perfectly timed, big fluffy snowflakes falling on cue, but that’s OK. There are still plenty of Christmas movie-worthy adventures right here in Little Egypt. You don’t have to grab a flight to one of those places that never seem to be on actual maps to experience the wonder of the season.

Include your family and friends to create memories to be cherished for years to come. Snap photos to share with future generations. Throw in some of the obligatory Christmas movie elements like decorating cookies, Christmas pageants, caroling, and shopping for or making special gifts for loved ones. Hopefully, you can avoid the conflict or classic misunderstanding that is in pretty much any movie. (DISCLAIMER: If it’s a full blown rom com you want, that’s between you and God…)

You can build an evening, Day trip, or an even longer stay. Check the pages for links to some of the unique, locally-owned lodging, food, shopping, and more for a DIY Christmas movie-worthy experience.

From tree lighting ceremonies and sparkling light displays to small town festivals and ice skating, you can find it downstate. There are many beautiful and meaningful ways to celebrate the birth of Christ. Although some events took place before it was even time to start opening your Advent calendar’s little drawers, many are still to come. While keeping your Christmas traditions, you might just discover some new ones. May you, your family, and friends be richly blessed during this wonderful season.

Please check the links to many Christmas festivities from I-70 (including Effingham) to the southern state line via the Christmas in Southern Illinois page. It is a continual work in progress… Before heading out, you may wish to check the provided link for each for specific info or changes.

Christmas in Southern Illinois 2022 https://asliceofsouthernillinois.com/christmas-in-southern-illinois-2022/

Lodging

Food Truck & Street Cart Links

Local Shops

Tastes of Southern Illinois

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Easter Celebrations in Southern Illinois

Easter is quickly approaching. There are many celebrations planned in Southern Illinois. These range from special worship services on Resurrection Day to specialty Easter Egg Hunts.

One of the sure signs that Easter was coming as a little kid was that the candy isle in Tresslar’s at Salem filled with beautiful Easter candies and baskets. We may have had palm leaves at church for Palm Sunday to represent Jesus arriving in Jerusalem. We had Easter parties in elementary school, and our class Room Mothers always treated us well. (Perhaps I’m biased, but Selmaville School District had some of the best.)

As I got older, I became more aware of Lent, and the practice of giving up something to symbolize Jesus’ sacrifice. If you drive through Southern Illinois, or much of the United States during the 40 days before Easter, you might notice restaurants advertising fish on Fridays for those not eating other meat. Eggs may be on sale (and possibly sold out) during the week before Easter along with various types of food safe dye and likely vinegar. The smell of vinegar to this day reminds me of dying Easter eggs as a kid. We often had the egg dye kits with the little color tablets that dissolved in vinegar…

Some places will be closed on Good Friday, the day representing the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. Even more places will be closed Easter Sunday. I had always assumed it was this way everywhere until I visited my grad school roommate and her family in Costa Rica. Many people there have vacation during Semana Santa (Holy week.) On Good Friday, towns reenact Jesus carrying the cross with a parade and people portraying various characters. It is a beautiful and sobering experience. Not only are many things closed on Good Friday, some do not even drive that day. While we tend to close things on Easter Sunday in the United States to allow people time off to celebrate with family, many things reopen on Sunday there. This is because Ressurection Sunday is the day to rejoice again. Closing on Good Friday and reopening on Easter for some symbolizes a period of mourning followed by rejoicing in celebration of Christ’s Resurrection.

I can remember hearing about people gathering for Sunrise Services at Bald Knob Cross in Alto Pass for as long as I’ve been on this earth. My parents used to talk about how our postal carrier was one of the many people who helped in the initial building of the cross. We made trips to visit it many times. Although the little road leading to the cross was a bit scary, the view from the hill was gorgeous.

I’ve heard that the Easter morning services are beautiful–and sometimes a bit chilly up there. This year, there is even a concert planned at the cross the night before Easter.

It seems Good Friday 2019 will be a little cooler than some. In Southern Illinois, Easter weather can be pretty much anything. I can remember an Easter as a child visiting my aunt in the hospital at Flora. It was so hot that day that some of our candy in the car started melting. In a more recent year, my kids hunted Easter eggs with light snow in the air.

Although this is by far not an exhaustive list of Easter events in Southern Illinois, a few highlights are listed below. Links to events in Southern Illinois are listed in the Events section of this website as well as the ASOSI app.

ALTO PASS

4/20/19 Worship at the Crosshttps://www.facebook.com/events/1311521015664614/?ti=as

4/21/19 83rd Annual Easter Sunrise Service https://www.facebook.com/events/1311521015664614/?ti=as

CARBONDALE

4/21/19 #EasteratCornerstoneSI https://www.facebook.com/304723258405/posts/10156511171898406/

COBDEN

4/20/19 Adult Easter Egg Hunt at Starview Vineyardshttps://www.facebook.com/events/243137456640250/?ti=as

CRAINVILLE

4/20/19 Easter Egg Hunt at Love & Truth Churchhttps://www.facebook.com/events/382060802585678/?ti=as

DUQUOIN

4/21/19 Easter: Egg Hunt, BBQ,iPad & Xbox Giveaway, Three Bounce Houses at Sunfield Baptist Churchhttps://www.facebook.com/events/288297261865558/?ti=as

EFFINGHAM

4/20/19 Easter Eggstravganza

JOHNSTON CITY

4/20/19 Johnston City Easter Egg Hunthttps://www.facebook.com/events/2085667121524160/?ti=as

MARION

4/19/19 Breakfast with the Easter Bunny at The Vault Café on the Squarehttps://www.facebook.com/events/407081753462594/?ti=as

4/19/19-4/21/19 #EasteratCornerstoneSIhttps://www.facebook.com/304723258405/posts/10156511171898406/

4/20/19 Easter Fun with Franklin County 4-H at Black Diamond Harley Davidsonhttps://www.facebook.com/events/699596973789077/?ti=as

4/20/19 Easter Glow Egg Skate at Emery Brothers Skating Rinkhttps://www.facebook.com/events/2592037817479789/?ti=as

4/20/19 Easter Egg Hunt at Whiteash Free Willl Baptist Churchhttps://www.facebook.com/events/263642884579527/?ti=as

WEST FRANKFORT

4/20/19 West Frankfort Easter Egg Hunt https://www.facebook.com/events/200723847536342/?ti=as

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Sparkling Lights, Comforting Food, and Lots of Joy: It’s Christmastime in Southern Illinois

Have you ever wanted to step into one of those made for tv Christmas movies? You know, the ones with perfect snow, charming little towns, and cheerful Christmas decor? Perhaps the hero or heroine has a scene or two driving through a small blizzard with the perfect, handpicked Christmas tree, tied to the top of a vintage truck.

While there is no guarantee that any of the cafés will have a snowglobe with a track record of granting Christmas wishes, many of the things in those tv movies can be found right here in Southern Illinois. Hometown Christmas celebrations, parades, lighted Christmas displays and more are celebrated by many from I-70 by Effingham down to the Kentucky state line. Whether it snows or not (our weather can range from below zero to near 70 degrees in December–sometimes all in one week,) it’s a beautiful season.

One of the earliest kick offs to the season happened this year when “The Great Christmas Light Fight” visited Candy Cane Lane in West Frankfort to tape for airing in 2019. People have visited Candy Cane Lane for decades to see the brightly decorated neighborhood in West Frankfort. I can remember driving through with my family as a child when we were en route home to Salem from Christmas Eve dinner with family in Marion.

Many communities still have Christmas Tree Lighting ceremonies. Murphysboro will have theirs on November 30. Others also have community Christmas celebrations, such as Christmas in Carterville on December 7.

Besides Christmas Light displays, Southern Illinois also hosts beautiful Christmas parades. I was actually fortunate to be in the first Lights Fantastic Parade in Carbondale as part of the SIU Marching Salukis Color Guard. It was very cold, but a lot of fun. There turned out to be a learning curve to lighted parades. Some of the floats caught on fire that year. Meanwhile, we had adorned our flag poles with battery-operated light sets. They looked awesome. However, when we did slams, the lights did not fair so well… I love that the parade is now a community tradition. This year, the parade will be on December 1. There is also a Cookie Walk and Java Fest earlier the same day.

Some of the Christmas celebrations are listed by town with links to additional information under Events on the website and ASOSI app. You can also check out locally-owned food, lodging, and shopping opportunities to make it a Christmas vacation.

Annual Events