IVCC to host Halloween thrill show

OGLESBY – “Terror in the Aisles!,” the Illinois Valley Community College theatre department’s annual Halloween thrill show takes the stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 in the Dr. Mary Margaret Weeg Cultural Centre for one “terrifying” night only.

A yearly tradition, Terror in the Aisles! is a combination of student and community actors and the IVCC Show Choir.

“What began as a storytelling workshop has, over the years, evolved into a show that’s a little hard to explain,” said director and choreographer Don Grant Zellmer. “It’s a unique combination of unsettling stories, performance pieces and dance.

“The Show Choir appears a handful of times performing some truly macabre numbers in an unexpected way, but the evening is really about ghost stories, urban legends and things that go ‘bump’ in the night,” Zellmer said.

Stories and performance pieces are original to the show and vary each year. While some are created by cast members, most are written by theatre instructor and published playwright, Dr. David A. Kuester, and professional storyteller Tricia Kelly. Both also direct the actors and workshop their stories.

Kuester said, “This year we are relying heavily on the theme of classic horror such as Dracula, werewolves and ghosts but we switch up the telling of these well-known tales to add backstories.

“Dracula’s Three Brides, for instance, bring the legend to life through their eyes and The Legend of the Werewolf, while very present and lurking somewhere in the darkened theatre, is told by a superstitious Gypsy woman.

“We’d love for people to come and see the spooky results of pointing creative minds in the direction of terror,” said Kuester.

Admission is $5 and tickets are available at the door beginning one hour prior to show time. The show is not recommended for extremely young children or those who are highly impressionable.

BC Fairgrounds schedules fun and frightening fall events

PRINCETON - The fall season will bring many events to Bureau County Fairgrounds in Princeton. Nightmare on Fairgrounds Road Haunted Attraction is open for their 14th year bringing thrills and chills and shrieks of fear. Tickets are sold from 7 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights through October. Mummies Cafe features great food and hot and cold drinks and is located right by the bonfire, so come out and enjoy the thrills.

The National Modena Pigeon Show will be held Saturday, Nov. 4 with free admission. Also on Nov. 4, boats, campers and RVs will be put into winter storage at the fairgrounds.

The Huge Winter Garage Sale returns on Saturday, Nov. 11. Spaces are being reserved now. The following weekend there are two events. Saturday, Nov. 18 will be the 11th annual Northern Illinois Model Train Fair and Farm Toy Show. Then on Sunday, Nov. 19, come back out to the fairgrounds for Walneck's Motorcycle Swap Meet.

Information on setting up for the sales and other events is available on the Fair’s webpage at www.bureaucountyfair.com under the “Other Events” tab.

The Bureau County Fairgrounds is located at 811 W. Peru St., Princeton.