Upcoming Local Events
NOTE: Events are subject to change, cancel or be rescheduled due to Covid.
Maryville Village Wide Yard Sales, April 22nd & 23rd, 7am-3pm. Brought to you by the Troy/Maryville/St.Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce. To register your yard sale and/or see the interactive map of yard sales throughout Maryville, go to www.troymaryvillecoc.com 21st Annual Maryville Fishing Derby, April 23rd, 10am-2pm, Drost Park in Maryville. Sponsored by the Maryville Parks & Rec. and Steel City Bassmasters. Free event, 15 years and under, no fishing license require. Box lunch, awards, and prizes! Spring Beer Fest, April 23rd, 11am-9pm, Edwardsville City Park. Sponsored by Global Brew Tap House. Mark your calendars because Spring Beer Fest is on the way! Cornhole tournament and live music. Music lineup includes Gavin M., Mike Sonderegger and Destroy The Future. For more info, visit their Facebook page. Earth Day Celebration 2022, April 23rd, 7:30am-1pm, Watershed Nature Center, 1591 Tower Ave, Edwardsville. The Watershed Nature Center in Edwardsville, Illinois invites you to participate in our 2022 celebration of Earth Day! The day’s events include a 5k & fun run, native plant sale, and educational activities for children. Participants and visitors will enjoy music, refreshments, and an opportunity to spend time at one of Edwardsville’s natural gems! To learn more, go to watershednaturecenter.org.
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Upcoming Local Events JSC Kidmania, April 23rd, 8am at Edwardsville High School. KIDMANIA is a community wide "garage sale" that is held every year allowing shoppers to browse through multiple vendor's items at one location. All items are for children and proceeds from ticket sales go back to the community to help families and other organizations that help to make Edwardsville and Glen Carbon a better place to live. General Admission & VIP Tickets, go to bit.ly/3MTzDsj. Spring Fling Brunch & Auction, April 23rd, 9am-12pm at Doubletree Hilton by Hilton Hotel, 100 Eastport Plaza, Collinsville. Hosted by Delta Epsilon Collinsville Educators. Come join us for a delicious brunch served with Bananas Foster, bacon, fruit, and a cash bar. You will have fun participating in 50/50 drawing, silent auction, oral auction, $5 grab bag, wine raffle, and a raffle drawing for a $300 Buckley Moss framed print, $200 Cardinal Promotional Basket. $100 Southwest Gift Card, and $75 Bello Milano Gift Card. Contact Patsy Conway by email at pwconway@yahoo.com or Jan Mattea at jmattea2@gmail.com to purchase raffle tickets and to make your brunch reservations by April 12. Senior Health Fair, April 27th, 9am-12pm, Brightly Senior Living, 200 Brightly Way, Glen Carbon. Vendors, free screenings, free yoga class, music Steve Davis (Elvis impersonator), live cooking demo and more. Call the center to register for screenings at (618) 656-0300. Fishing Derby, April 29th, 5:45-7pm, O’Fallon Family Sports Park at the South pond. Come out to the O’Fallon Family Sports Park at the South pond for a fun evening of fishing. Fishing poles and bait will be provided but you are welcome to bring your own! Meet at the South Pond from 5:45-7p. Please register for this free event at bit.ly/35XIIj9. www.metroeastmessenger.com
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Buy One Entrée, Get One Half Off Must Present Coupon Expires 5/8/22
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HISTORY
HISTORY Cinco de Mayo (translated “Fifth of May”) is a Mexican holiday that celebrates the first Battle of Puebla, Mexico where the Mexican army defeated the French during the U.S. Civil War on May 5, 1862. Most people mistakenly think it is Mexico’s Independence Day, but that is not true (it’s on September 16th.) In Mexico, it's not even a federal holiday, and most of the celebratory parades and events are limited to the state of Puebla. Cinco de Mayo celebrations became popular in the 1960’s on the West coast and is now a widely known throughout the US as a day of celebrating Mexican heritage with traditional Mexican food and drinks. For everyone in the Metro East, it’s a great opportunity to support small Mexican owned businesses. In this issue we’ll tell you about three locally owned Mexican restaurants that we love to get your Cinco de Mayo celebration started right.
OAXACA MARGARITA BAR & RESTAURANT Oaxaca Margarita Bar and Restaurant (pronounced “wa-HA-ka”), is located at 6185 Bennett Dr, Edwardsville, on the north side of the Trace on the Parkway. The first thing you’ll notice when you walk in is the bright colorful décor and lively sounds of everyone having a good time. This fun, trendy spot has been a hit since it opened its doors in January, so don’t be surprised if there’s a wait. We suggest you make your way to the bar and enjoy one of their 20 specialty margaritas while you wait for your table. If you’d rather have a sampler, they also do margarita flights (top left). Their showstopper appetizer, the volcano dip (bottom right), will whet your appetite and get the celebration started. Oaxaca’s specialty dish is their Tlayudas. A famous street food in Oaxaca, Mexico, Tlayudas are large, thin, corn tortillas smeared with black beans, topped with cabbage, quesillo (Oaxacan cheese), homemade salsa and filled with chicken or steak. They are toasted to perfection over an open flame to give it a crispy finish. Don’t worry, Oaxaca also carries your favorite traditional Mexican dishes as well. If you’re looking for a fun, modern and upbeat atmosphere with great food and service, we recommend Oaxaca for your Cinco de Mayo celebration. Check out their menu at oaxacamargaritabar.com.
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TIENDA EL RANCHITO If you’re someone who enjoys very authentic Mexican food, you must go to Tienda El Ranchito. This family-owned restaurant is at 2565 N 32nd St in Fairmont City. This is one of the larger, long standing Mexican restaurants in the area. There are two large dining rooms with bars and an outdoor patio. It has beautifully painted murals on the walls and rustic wood table and chairs. The menu at the “Little Ranch Store” is filled with typical dishes such as burritos, tacos, tamales, chili rellenos, but their food is not typical at all. It is always fresh and bursting with authentic flavors. I recommend trying their Queso Fundido, a Mexican cheese fondue made with their homemade chorizo, topped with Oaxaca cheese and served on a sizzling skillet. If you’re with a group, try their Parillada El Ranchito. It’s a combination of marinated skirt steak, chicken breast, chorizo, shrimp, grilled cactus, jalapenos and green onions. It feeds at least 4 people. However, all their entrees have generous portions, so you’ll likely need “to go” boxes. There is also an attached Mexican grocery store with stocked shelves, a deli counter and handmade sweets and pastries. We like to peruse the candy aisle and buy Mexican candy for the car ride home. If you haven’t visited Tienda El Ranchito yet, you are in for a real treat. It’s a must see for any Cinco de Mayo celebration. See their full menu at tiendaelranchito.com.
AGAVERO GRILL & CANTINA Agavero Grill & Cantina is another newer restaurant in the Metro East that we recommend visiting for Cinco de Mayo. They opened their doors in December 2021 at 604 N. Bluff Rd in Collinsville. The owners did a major overhaul on this former Ruby Tuesdays building. The interior now feels very inviting and upscale, but with an old-world charm. The high back leather booths and chairs create an intimate dining experience. The vibe at Agavero is a little more subdued than the other two restaurants, but their cuisine is anything but. The food always comes out hot and fresh and they have an extensive menu filled with all your favorites dishes and specialty margaritas. We suggest ordering the Agavero Flaming Margarita. Then try the Molcajete, a sizzling hot Mexican bowl filled with steak, chicken, shrimp peppers, onions, tomatoes, cheese and special red sauce. It is to die for. Visit their Facebook page to see updates and their full menu. With a growing Hispanic community around us, the Metro East is very fortunate to have several Mexican restaurants to choose from. These 3 restaurants are our top picks, but don’t be afraid to try something new! We hope you continue to support small local businesses in the Metro East and enjoy a safe Cinco de Mayo celebration with your friends and family!
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Upcoming Local Events Spring Fling Barn Dance, April 29th, 7-10pm, Willoughby Heritage Farm and Conservation Reserve. Enjoy a bonfire, have a few brews and dance to your country favorites. Instructional dance 6:30-7pm. Cash bar provided, and A Fine Swine BBQ truck will be there. Pre-register-$8, at the door $10. Register now at www.willoughbyfarm.org. Collinsville City-Wide Garage Sale, April 29th & 30th, 7am-3pm, rain or shine. Shop 'til you drop all around the City during Collinsville's Spring 2022 City-Wide Garage Sale! City residents can register by calling the City of Collinsville's Parks & Recreation department at 618-346-7529 by April 22nd to be listed in a Garage Sale Guide that will be posted on the City's website and Facebook Page.
Micro Market, April 30th, 9am-12pm at Vine Street Market, O’Fallon. We are kicking the season off with Micro Markets, an abbreviated version of the regular season farmers’ market. Micro Markets will be held indoors unless Mother Nature decides to play nice on this day, allowing us to expand outdoors. Expect your favorite food vendors with artisans dabbled throughout. A great way to get back into eating fresh and local from farmers and producers you know! Tour De Belleville, April 30th. Join us "Down on the Farm" for games, food, & fun! This year’s bike ride will begin and end at Eckert’s Country Store & Farms. For more info and registration, go to tourdebelleville.com. Touch A Truck, April 30th, 10am-2pm, 305 Jacob St, St. Jacob. Come join us at St. Jacob Elementary School for our Touch A - Truck event! Let the kids explore fire trucks, police cars, and even a Rescue Helicopter along with other various vehicles. We hope to see you there- rain or shine.
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Upcoming Local Events Mother’s Day Tea Party, April 30th, 10:30am-Noon, The Rec Complex, Fairview Heights. Bring your moms, daughters, grandmas, and aunties for our Mother’s Day Tea Party. Enjoy family photos, make a special Mother’s day craft, and enjoy some light refreshments at your table. Register by April 15th at recfh.com. Community Block Party, April 30th, 11am-3pm, MML Insurance, 2166 Pontoon Rd., Granite City. Come have fun at the annual Community Block Party! We’ll have a DJ, food, Classic Car Exposition, antique firetruck, bounce house for the kids, a variety of vendors, prizes drawn throughout the event, and more! For more info visit facebook.com/MMLinsurance. Spring Market, April 30th, 11am-4pm, McKendree Metro Rec Plex. We will have over 50+ local vendors ranging from gifts, children and women boutiques, handcrafted Jewelry, homemade wreaths and décor, beef jerky, fresh produce/flowers, candles to makeup and more! Please note that we do not have an ATM onsite and not all vendors take cards. We will have a cash bar available along with some concessions. Riverbend Earth Day, April 30th, 11:30-4pm, The Old Bakery Beer Company, Alton. Riverbend Earth Day is back in full force this year with booths from over 40 local earth friendly artisans and environmental organizations! From pottery and jewelry to native plants and baked goods, there will be a great selection of locally produced wares and ideas for how to make your home a little greener! Live music all day. Bands include Earth Sounds, Salt of the Earth, and Raw Earth. 2nd Annual Mother's Day Market At Route 66 Creamery, May 1st, 12-4pm at Route 66 Creamery, 11 S. Old Rt 66, Hamel. 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!
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Upcoming Local Events Pop-Up Clothes Swap, May 1st, 12-4pm, Mineral Springs Mall, 3014 E. Broadway, Alton. Clean out your closet and join us at Mineral Springs Mall - bring gently used clothing, shoes & accessories that you no longer want and trade up for as many new pieces for your wardrobe as you can carry out. It’s just $5 to attend if you bring clothes to swap, or $10 to attend empty-handed. Leftover clothing will be donated to local charities to help those in need. Also, bring your worn-out & shabby clothing, blankets, fabric, towels, etc. in any condition which will be recycled with Remains Inc. (Clothing Swap drop off day is April 30th, 4-6pm.)
Granite City Senior Social Club Bingo, May 1st, Granite City Township Hall, 2060 Delmar. Doors open at 12:30pm and Bingo starts at 1:30pm. $1 for admission and $1 for 4 cards. Masks recommended! Must be 50 or older or disabled to play. Questions call 618-444-6771. Village of St. Jacob Garage Sales, May 6th-7th, 7am-2pm. Brought to you by the Troy/Maryville/St.Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce. To register your yard sale and/or see the interactive map of yard sales throughout Maryville, go to www.troymaryvillecoc.com. The Melting Pot Market, Begins May 7th, Civic Park, Downtown Granite City. The Melting Pot Market venue features local art and crafts, an assortment of collector's items, locally grown fresh produce, baked goods, jams, jellies, and other assorted food items. Kid's activities, and family friendly activities add to the festival atmosphere. To become a vendor, contact Kim at 618-570-9806. Future dates: June 4th, July 2nd, Aug. 6th, Sept. 3rd, Oct. 1st. www.metroeastmessenger.com
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Upcoming Local Events Alton Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market, Every Saturday 8am-12pm, Alton. The 2022 season of the Alton Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market will begin on Saturday, May 7th in the parking lot at the corner of Landmarks Blvd. & Henry Street in Downtown Alton. The market will be in session, rain or shine, every Saturday morning from 8:00 a.m. until Noon through Oct 15th. School of Rock The Musical, May 12-15th, at SIUE Dunham Hall Theater. School of Rock is a rock musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Glenn Slater and a book by Julian Fellowes. Based on the 2003 film of the same name, written by Mike White, the musical follows Dewey Finn, an out-of-work rock singer and guitarist who pretends to be a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. Presented by Curtains Up Theater Company. Tickets can be purchased at schoolofrocktickets.com or curtainsuptheater.com (Do Not Contact SIUE Box Office). Art On The Square, May 13-15th, Downtown Belleville. Art on the Square is a nationally-ranked, juried fine art show featuring the original work of over 100 accomplished artists from around the world, fantastic musical and stage performance as well as delicious local food and drink. Children will enjoy Art on the Square’s extensive interactive Children’s Art Garden where they will create their own take-away art projects. For more info, go to artonthesquare.com. Founders' Day, May 14th, 8am-12pm, Vine Street Market at O’Fallon Station. Celebrate O'Fallon, Illinois, and its history through the first annual Founders' Day event! 168 years ago, almost to the day, a parcel auction was held very near the current O'Fallon Station. The town lots auctioned helped create our current downtown O'Fallon. In honor of that, we are recreating the auction and selling O'Fallon experiences, proceeds to benefit the O'Fallon Historical Society. Additional activities include horse and trolley rides, a championship pie bake off contest and historic kids’ games like hoop and stick and sack races. www.metroeastmessenger.com
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Upcoming Local Events St Jacob UCC Strawberry Fest, May 15th, 11am-4pm, St. Jacob Township Park. Strawberry desserts, grilled brats, hotdogs, and pork burgers. Homemade German potato salad and baked beans. Get your lunch/food at church 207 W Main St. Then eat at the park with live entertainment, crafts, and rides/jump houses. Lots of good food and family fun.
Village of Marine Garage Sales, May 20th & 21st, 7am-3pm. Brought to you by the Troy/Maryville/St.Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce. To register your yard sale and/or see the interactive map of yard sales throughout the town, go to https://www.troymaryvillecoc.com/. City of Troy Garage Sale & Craft Fair, May 21st, 7am-3pm, at Tri- Township Park, Troy. Free and open to the public. Crafters, antiques, and yard sale booths. Brought to you by the Troy/Maryville/St.Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce. For more info, contact Marissa@tritownshippark.org. Spring Craft Fair, May 21st, 9am-4pm, at the grounds of Anderson Hospital, Maryville. Over 40 crafters, food, raffle, kettle corn. Benefitting Anderson Hospital Auxiliary. Kids Fishing Clinic, May 21st, 12-3pm, 12027 Sportsman Rd, Highland. Sponsored by Highland Moose Lodge 2479. From 12 to 1pm we will be having 3 different Fishing Stations. Learn how to: tie on hooks, bait hooks and cast. Then from 1 to 3pm there will be open fishing! Hotdogs, chips, and drinks are provided. What to Bring: Fishing poles, chairs, and willingness to have some FUN!! Cost: free. Open to all ages. For more information contact Sherry (618) 420-6185. Memorial Day Parade, May 29th, 1pm, Troy. Parade will begin at Rt. 162 Uptown at City Hall, then march to the memorial park. For more info, contact Brett at (618) 610-3121. Memorial Day Fireworks Celebration, May 29th, 2-10pm, Collinsville Aqua Park. Celebrate the beginning of summer with live music, children's activities, vendors, and food. Everyone is invited to Eastport Plaza to enjoy! Food trucks will be on site to allow the purchasing of food and drinks. No outside coolers will be allowed. Live music will begin at 4:00 pm. The fireworks show will follow the National Anthem at 9:15pm. Details will be updated as the event nears. The Collinsville Aqua Park will be open to the public until 5:00 pm. Memorial Day Parade, May 30th, 10am-11am, Belleville. Parade starts at north 3rd Street. International Horseradish Festival, June 3rd & 4th, 11am-10pm, W. Main St, Collinsville. Come to Collinsville, Illinois to be a part of the fest devoted to all things horseradish celebrated the first weekend in June in Uptown Collinsville on Main Street. Where else can you learn how to prepare your own horseradish, join in any of the classic Horseradish Festival Contests, visit the Craft Village, or just sample the food and listen to the Live music? Admission, musical entertainment, and parking are free. For more event info, go to internationalhorseradishfestival.com. Belleville Shriners’ Parade, June 3rd. Parade Route North 3rd Street to West A Street to South 6th Street to West Washington Street to South 3rd Street to Main Street - moving East to Forest Avenue. Movie in the Park- Sing 2, June 4th, Drost Park, Maryville. Free event. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets. Movie begins at dusk. Hosted by the Maryville Parks and Recreation. Back on the Farm, June 5th, 1-4pm, Granite City Township Hall. Hosted by the Granite City Seniors Social Club. Doors open at Noon. Enjoy a catered meal, comedy show, 50/50, prizes, raffle, and vendors. Performance and dancing with instruction to follow. Everyone is welcome! Members $13, nonmembers $15. For tickets, call Diana (618)444-6771 or stop by the Granite City Senior Club, bingos, or township office. www.metroeastmessenger.com
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Chipotle Chicken If you’re a big fan of Chipotle Mexican Grill, like we are, you know that dining there on the regular can get expensive very quick. Here’s an easy at home recipe for Chipotle Chicken marinade that’s fast and easy on the wallet. The secret ingredient is chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, pictured below. This little can of sweet, smokey, spicy magic packs a flavorful punch and will completely transform any dish you add it to. Be sure to safe the extra peppers and sauce in a food storage bag and keep in the freezer. Break off a tablespoon and add it to any marinade, soup, Mexican dish, or even make your own chipotle mayo. The possibilities are endless!
INGREDIENTS: 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, diced into ¾ inch pieces ½ cup beer or chicken broth 1 chipotle chili pepper in adobo sauce 1 tablespoon of the adobo sauce from the can 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice 2 teaspoons chili powder ½ teaspoons ground cumin ½ teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper DIRECTIONS: To make the marinade: combine beer or broth, chili pepper, adobo sauce, 2 tablespoons canola oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper in blender until smooth. In a large food storage bag or large bowl, combine chicken and marinade; marinate for at least 4 hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade. Preheat a large skillet to medium heat. Add remained 1 tablespoon canola oil. Add chicken to cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is completely cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. When chicken has finished cooking, serve immediately in your preferred way: bowl, burrito, taco or quesadilla. Or let it cool and store in the refrigerator for future lunches or dinners. Did you try this recipe? Share your pics on our Facebook or Instagram page!
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