The Metro East Messenger 2.24.23 Issue

Upcoming Local Events

Live Music Every Weekend at The Cabin at Judy Creek, 3730 S. State Rte. 157, Glen Carbon. Upcoming music: 2/24Double Wide Duo, 2/25- Other-Mothers Bros, 2/26- Blake Fultz. Follow their Facebook page for more updates.

Family Film Series, Fridays 4pm & Saturdays 9:30am, Lory Theater, Highland. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT! We are trying something new this year to bring some fun as we wait for summer movie season. Starting this Friday 2/10 & Saturday 2/11 we will be showing a different family favorite film each week for the next 8 weeks! he best part? Tickets are only $3! Tickets are now on sale for all 8 films on our website, thelorytheater.com

Movie Trivia, Feb. 28th, 7-9pm, Collinsville VFW. Do you know everything about movies? Or maybe you just want to come hang out with some friends? Either way, join us on February 28th at 7pm for Movie Trivia at the Collinsville VFW! This movie quiz is all about the movies you love! From opening lines, to the Oscars, to movie musicals, this quiz has everything. No minimum for a team, with a max of 8 players. Please bring food to share with your team, but all drinks must be purchased at the bar.

Micro Market, Mar. 4th, 9am-12pm, Vine Street Market at O’Fallon Station. Micro Markets are a mini version of the summer weekly season, similar to a soft opening. They are held indoors until the weather is nice enough to move outside and are a shorter time from, 9-noon. Follow their Facebook page for updates on vendor lineup. Upcoming Micro Market dates: Mar. 18th, Apr. 1st, Apr. 15th, Apr. 29th .

Upcoming Local Events

24th Annual “Top of the Morning” 5k Run/Walk, Mar. 5th, 8am, Shiloh. Please join us at the Metro East's Largest attended 5K event sponsored by Toolen’s Running Start. We will be using CHIP TIMING! Your chip will be given to you at packet pick-up. Fun Run immediately following 5k race. Refreshments, attendance prizes, pancakes, pizza, Irish entertainment following the race. Don't forget to stick around for the best attendance prizes you will have the opportunityto win! For more info and a printable entry form, go to toolensrunningstart.com

Moonlight Hike, March 7th, 7:30pm, The Nature Institute, Godfrey. Join the Nature Institute on a night hike through the woods! On the trails of the Mississippi Sanctuary and Olin Nature Preserve the terrain is light to moderate (may include some elevation change) and is appropriate for families. You can expect the hike to be about 2 miles, and it will include stops along the way. Keep an eye out for nocturnal animals like owls, white-tailed deer, raccoons, opossums, and more! Admission is free for member, $5 for non-members. Learn more at thenatureinstitute.org/events/moonlight-hike-28/. Future dates: April 5th and May 5th .

Hard Road Theatre Production of Jimmy Buffett's Escape to Margaritaville at Old Wicks Factory, Mar. 10th-19th, Highland. Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville is a musical comedy featuring the most-loved Jimmy Buffett classics, including “Cheeseburger in Paradise”, “Margaritaville,” “It’s Five O’clock Somewhere,” “Fins,” “Volcano,” and many more. With a book by Emmy Award winner Greg Garcia (“My Name is Earl,” “Raising Hope”) and Emmy nominee Mike O’Malley (“Survivor’s Remorse,” “Shameless”), this hilarious, heartwarming musical is the party you’ve been waiting for! Tickets at hardroad.org/buy-tickets or at the door. For more information visit hardroad.org, our Facebook page, or email at hrtptix@gmail.com

Upcoming Local Events

Lucky Leprechaun 5K, March 11th, 9am, Belleville Main St. Your 2023 East-Side St. Patrick's Day Celebrations get a head start in Belleville with the Lucky Leprechaun 5K! The 5K run will start at Union United Methodist Church, run through the streets of Belleville and finish back at Union United Methodist Church. Runners can then head to the parade route to enjoy with family and friends before heading to the St. Patrick's Day Block Party! Register at runsignup.com/Race/IL/Belleville/5KLuckyLeprechaun.

Saint Patrick's Day Block Party, Mar. 11th, 11am-7pm, Main St, Belleville. Get your green on and celebrate all things Irish and the coming of spring with your friends in Downtown Belleville! We will have Live Music, DJs, Food Trucks, Food Vendors, and a family friendly area all open following the Ancient Order of the Hibernians Parade! For more info and updates, go to facebook.com/BellevilleSaintPats

Downtown Alton St. Pat’s Pub Crawl, Mar. 11th, 11am-7pm. Downtown Alton is gearing up to celebrate St. Patrick's Day! There will be a FREE shuttle available providing transportation to participating bars and restaurants throughout the day. Stop in and sample all the food and drink specials from the participating locations! Each bar or restaurant will have set pricing for their St. Pat's special. For more info and full list of bars and restaurants, go tostpatsalton.com.

Daddy Daughter Dance, Mar. 11th, 6-9pm, Tri-Township Park District, Troy. Ticket includes dinner, dancing and photo booth. $30 per couple, $10 for each additional child. Register atbit.ly/3X4pgqh.

Upcoming Local Events

O’Fallon’s 2nd Annual St. Patrick’s Day Grub Crawl, Mar. 17th, 5-8pm, Downtown District, O’Fallon. Come out in your greenest green and make your way around downtown O’Fallon, Illinois to the participating pubs! They’ll each be offering a different Irish dish around $5 and a lucky drink special. New this year, Stein Holding Competition! Look for the green tent downtown to compete and take your chance at the Leprechaun’s Pot O’ Gold!

St. Patrick's Day Party, Mar. 17th, 6-8:30pm, Korte Rec Center, Highland. Bring the family out for a fun night with a bounce house, craft, games, and swimming. Wear green to be entered into the attendance prize drawing! Members FREE, non-members daily rate. No Pre-registration required. Sponsored by the Highland Parks & Recreation. For more info, go to highlandil.gov.

Sham-ROCKED, Mar. 17th-19th, Woodland Park, Collinsville. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Collinsville Parks and Recreation Department and shake off those winter blues by searching for Sham-ROCKS at Woodland Park March 17th-19th, 2023. CPRD will be placing 100 St. Patty’s themed painted rocks throughout Woodland Park, but we need your help! Help us by painting rocks to be sham-ROCKED and “hiding” them throughout the park. Take your family and friends hiding and hunting for Sham-ROCKS to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! If you’re interested in helping with this free event, register at bit.ly/3HQn2EA.

Goshen Winter Market, Mar. 18th, 8am-12pm, 100 St. Louis St, Edwardsville. The monthly Winter Market will be held on the 3rd Saturday of the month, starting in November and ending in April. It will be outside in the market expansion lot. We will still have the EBT, credit, and debit card machine available just like during the normal season, and we will have Goshen merchandise to purchase too!

Upcoming Local Events

Family Discovery Days At The Nature Institute, Mar. 18th, 10am-12pm, The Nature Institute, Godfrey. Bring out the entire family for a morning in nature! Parents/guardians are required to attend with children. $7/person for nonmembers, $5/person members. Pre-registration is required. March 18th: Right On Target (ages 8 and up) - Learn to shoot an arrow on our archery range! Must be age 8 or older. All supplies and instruction provided by TNI. Limited spaces are available. May 6th: Something’s Fishy - Head to Cypress Pond to try your hand at fishing (4 and up)! Poles and bait are provided by TNI. After, complete a fish craft back at the Lodge. To register, go to thenatureinstitute.org/familydiscoveryday.

2023 Mother & Son Dance, Mar. 18th, 6-9pm, New Baden Civic Center. This dance isn’t just for Mommies and Sons. We are accepting of all Family situations (grandmas, aunts, sisters, cousins, friends, etc.) Cost is $25 per pair, and $5 per extra person. You DO NOT have to be from New Baden to attend! All are welcome. For more info and registration, go to bit.ly/3W9heem.

2023 Alton Spring Vendor Fair, Mar. 25th, 9am-3pm, Annex Building at Alton Middle School.

2023 Father/Daughter Dance, Mar. 25th, 6-9pm, New Baden Civic Center. This dance isn’t just for Daddy’s and Daughters. We are accepting of all Family situations (grandpas, uncles, brothers, cousins, friends, etc.). Cost is $25 per pair, and $5 per extra person. You DO NOT have to be from New Baden to attend! All are welcome. For more info and registration, go to bit.ly/3QCancq.

Upcoming Local Events

JSC Main Street Carnival Crawl, Mar. 25th, 7pm, Edwardsville. Join the ladies of Junior Service Club of Edwardsville/Glen Carbon as we stroll the night away on our Main Street Carnival Crawl. Tickets will include a souvenir shirt and a night of carnival-themed specials and entertainment with our 5 featured local hot spots all within walking distance. Visit all 5 and be entered into to win one of our great prizes. Tickets will be on sale at edglenjuniorservice.org

Drive-Through Breakfast, Mar. 26th, 8am-12pm, Highland-Pierron Fire Department. Join us for a drive-through breakfast hosted by Highland-Pierron Fire Department Auxiliary! They will be serving from 8am until noon, as supply allows. For $10, each to-go box will include sausage, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, and scrambled eggs.

Granite City Senior Social Club Spring Dance, Mar. 26th, 2-4:30pm, 2060 Delmar Ave, Granite City. Featuring Frankie and the Housekeepers. Refreshments included. Advanced tickets sales (Feb.1st – Mar. 19th): $8 per person, $15 per couple, or $10 per at door. For more info or tickets, call the GC Township Office at (618)877-0513.

Collinsville's 2023 Adult Egg Hunt, Mar. 31st, 6-9pm, Willoughby Heritage Farm, Collinsville. Bring a basket and a flashlight to our first ever Adult Easter Egg Hunt at beautiful Willoughby Farm in Collinsville. Starting at 7pm, participants will search for eggs in designated areas, then bring them back to the Bank Barn to see if they’ve won a prize! There's a $10 registration fee per participant (ages 18+). Registration is limited to the first 300 participants. A Cash Bar for participants ages 21+ will be provided by the City of Collinsville Catering Department. To register, call 618-346-7529 or go to bit.ly/3Im0lK1.

Upcoming Local Events

GYSSD Annual Trivia Night, March 31st, 7pm, Collinsville VFW. Tables of eight are available! Select from our general tables and our VIP tables, which include preferential seating and a waiter! We are also accepting round sponsors, event sponsors, silent auction items, and cooler of booze items! Contact sam@gyssd.org for more information. Cash bar & bring your own snacks! (must be 18yrs or older) For more info and tickets, go to bit.ly/3vQVERh.

Breakfast with the Easter Bunny 2023, April 1st, 8-10:30am, EVUCC, Highland. Enjoy a fun, all you can eat pancake and sausage breakfast along with crafts, a raffle, face painting, petting zoo and a photo with the Easter Bunny! Presented by the Highland Civic Woman’s Club. $10 admission, kids under 1 year free.

Annual Adult Easter Egg Hunt, April 1st, 12-4pm, The Weingarten, Belleville. This event will be held rain or shine! This is a ticketed event. You must have a ticket in order to participate. Registration & Check-In will begin at 12pm. Egg Hunt begins at 1pm. Please bring a basket or something to carry your eggs in. Every ticket will receive at least 1 prize with a chance to win additional prizes! Live music by The Steady Grinders from 3pm-6pm and Kay's Caricatures will be on-site & ready to make a memorable picture for you! For tickets, go to bit.ly/3xNDsc0.

2023 Kellsie's Hope Pub Crawl Bellegaritaville Back to the 80's, April 1st, 6pm, Downtown Belleville. Pub Crawl- $20 per person ($25 after Mar. 11th), includes crawl shirt, stadium cup, and one complimentary drink ticket. VIP Pre-crawl Party - $45 per person ($50 after Mar 11th), The Quarter 4-6:00 pm, includes appetizers, two complimentary drink tickets, crawl shirt, souvenir cup, goodie bag, and chance to win great prizes. For tickets, go to bit.ly/3Ky5H6e.

Upcoming Local Events

Twigs “From the Ground Up” Gala, April 1st, 6:30-9pm, Post Commons, 300 Alby St, Alton. This is not an April Fool’s joke; Twigs is finally hosting its first annual Gala and we need your help! We are requesting your support of the Twigs Gala as we build “From the Ground Up.” The proceeds from this year’s event will help build Twigs a new storage and fulfillment facility while continuing to provide lunches for our neighboring children who are at risk of hunger. Doors open at 6 p.m. Dinner served at 6:45 p.m. Sponsorships spots still available! For more info about Twigs, go to www.twigsforkids.com. For Gala tickets, go to bit.ly/41jsUiv.

Adult Glow In The Dark Easter Egg Hunt, April 7th, 6:30pm, Eckert’s Belleville Farm. Hop to it, let’s have some fun like the kids do! Join us for our first-ever Adults ONLY Glow-in-the-Dark Easter Egg Hunt. Head out to our Cider Shed to kick off the night with a signature cocktail. Once everyone is checked in, we’ll take a wagon ride to hunt over 3000 glow-in-the-dark eggs which will be scattered throughout the farm. Bring a flashlight and basket to gather as many eggs as possible. Each egg will contain a special prize such as coupons, treats, adult beverages, and gift certificates. Once back in the cider shed enjoy a flight of our OG Hard Cider & snack pack while listening to live music. This event is for those 21+. To register, go to eckerts.com/event/adult-glow-in-the-dark-easter-egg-hunt/.

Yappy Hour, April 15th, 12pm, Rock Springs Park, O’Fallon. There will be food and drinks from Hi-Pointe as well as different foster agencies so you could possibly be going home with a new best friend! You can register in person at the Katy Cavins Center or on-site the day of the event. Ages 12+. $10/person with dog on fixed leash. $5/person.

Upcoming Local Events

MEHS Music Trivia at the Moose, April 15th, 7pm, Edwardsville Moose Lodge. Join MEHS for a night of music trivia with Trivia Riot! Rounds will cover multiple genres and decades of music, so there's something for everyone! $25 per person or $150 for a table of 8. Limited spaces are available, so reserve yours ASAP so you don't miss out on the fun! Cash bar. Outside food and nonalcoholic beverages are welcome. Silent auction, barrel of booze raffle, and more ways to support MEHS will be available as well. For more info and tickets, go to mehs.org/events/musictrivia.

Earth Day Farmers Market, April 22nd, 9am-12pm, Fireman’s Park, Maryville. Join us for our pre-market season for local farm goods, plants, handmade goods, coffee and bakery items, recycle reuse opportunities, free seed swap, kids' activities and more! We are excited to test some concepts to incorporate into our weekly market to better serve the community!

Goat yoga @ Ray Schon Park Glen Carbon, April 22nd, 10am-11:30am. Did someone say baby goats? Start your Saturday off with some Relaxation and refueling your body, mind, and spirit with Goat Yoga of Southern IL at Ray Schon Park in Glen Carbon. This event is unique, but I guarantee you will have an amazing time and leave with a smile on your face. This is relaxation with laughter. The best way to get some self-care. ABSOLUTELY no yoga experience needed. Come expecting to have an amazing time! Bring your mat or a beach towel or rent one for $5. Register at bit.ly/3INO7tB

Upcoming Local Events

Saturday Night Special with Legynds 77 and Special Guest Jeremiah Johnson, April 22nd, 6:30-10pm, Miner’s Theatre, Collinsville. Swain Productions and the Historic Miners Theater proudly present: “A Saturday Night Special” featuring Legynds 77 “A Tribute To Lynyrd Skynyrd” with guest Jeremiah Johnson. Join us for a 1970’s live Lynyrd Skynyrd experience. They play all the classic hits we all know and love with a handful of deep cuts that will leave any diehard Skynyrd fan jaw dropped. Taking the stage first is Ruf Records Recording artist and 2022 Blues Music Award nominee, Jeremiah Johnson. For tickets, go to bit.ly/3x6npWH.

The Illinois Elvis Festival, April 27-30th, Gateway Convention Center, Collinsville. Calling all ELVIS fans! Join us this April as we come to the great state of Illinois. 3 days of headliner shows paying tribute to the greatest entertainer that has ever lived. Featuring Bill Cherry, Dean Z, Cote Deonath and more of your favorite Elvis Tribute artists! For more info and tickets, go to illinoiselvisfestival.com/illinoistickets.

Collinsville’s 2023 City Wide Garage Sale, April 28 & 29th. Interested in having a Garage Sale at your house? City residents can register by calling the City of Collinsville's Parks & Recreation department at 618-346-7529 by April 21st to be listed in a Garage Sale Guide that will be posted on the City's website and Facebook Page. If you call to register after April 21st, you will be directed to City Hall to apply for a regular Yard Sale permit and will not be included in the City-Wide Garage Sale Guide. Hours for each day are 7am-3pm, rain or shine.

Troy Fire Association Spring ’23 BBQ and Gun Raffle, May 6th, 11am-4pm, Troy Fire House. Save the date! BBQ pulled pork, pork steaks, bratwurst, and jumbo beef franks. Platters include baked beans and potato salad.

3rd Annual Mother’s Day Market, May 6th, 12-4pm, Route 66 Creamery, Hamel. Join us for a beautiful spring day of shopping, snacks, and ice-cream! Local vendors will be in the Creamery's parking lot offering crafts, plants, jewelry, art, and more! Surprise mom with a day shopping local and have some classic Route 66 fare and a cold treat after!

Spring Fling 2nd Annual Event (Cub Scout Pack 103), May 7th, 11am-3pm, St. Elizabeth Catholic School, Granite City. This will be an indoor and outdoor vendor event. With all the shopping you need for Mother’s Day gift, Birthdays or even for yourself. If you get hungry, no worries we will have food as well. Admission and parking are free. Consider stopping by and support our local Cub Scout Pack 103. For questions, email daphelaine@yahoo.com

Downtown Alton Pup Crawl 2023, May 20th, 1-6pm, Downtown Alton. What's a pup crawl? It's a pub crawl with dogs! Pet-related vendors, activities, and animal welfare charities will be at several locations where space allows. The Alton Dog Park will be free and open to the public all day on this event. Your $10 ticket gets you a themed bandana for your pet (or you!), food and beverage specials, and the chance to win prizes! All participants can follow a guide passport showing participating businesses and will be put into a drawing for each business from which they purchase food, drinks, or merchandise. The Alton Pup Crawl has included nearly two dozen businesses spanning downtown Alton and in Godfrey. Most locations have outdoor seating and pet-friendly patios. Snag your ticket today and bring the doggo along for an afternoon of fun, drinks, and eats! For more info, go to downtownalton.com/events/pupcrawl.

St. Jacob UCC Strawberry Festival 2023, May 21st, 11am-3pm, Township Park, St. Jacob. Save the Date! Music, crafts, and kid entertainment! Strawberry desserts, brats, pork burgers, and hotdogs!

It doesn’t take the Luck O’ the Irish to throw a great St. Patrick’s Day party. These tips and recipes will help you throw a festive celebration you’ll enjoy as much as your guests including make-ahead corned beef and a minty-green cookie recipe both adults and little leprechauns will love. For more St. Patrick’s Day recipes, check out www.McCormick.com.

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, food color and peppermint extract; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Stir in chocolate chips.

2. Drop by heaping tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.

3. Bake 10–12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute. Remove to wire racks; cool.