Fall Guide 2026

International Route 66 Mother Road Festival

Win Tuesday Lunch Takeover with Papa John's

Route 66 100 Year Anniversary Guide

Save big on your favorite Springfield places with Springfield Real Deals!

Upcoming Events

Saturday, October 10th-11th- Carve For the Carillon
Friday, October 23rd- 24th- Zoolie Ghoulie

Music

1 day ago in Entertainment, Health & Wellness, IL State News, Music

Lionel Richie is taking a break from performing following a heart procedure

Manchester, Tennessee USA - 06-14-2014: Lionel Richie and his band perform at Bonnaroo Music Festival

Richie was scheduled to perform with Earth, Wind & Fire Saturday in San Francisco, Sept. 30 in Chicago and Oct. 3 in Columbus, Ohio.

2 days ago in Entertainment, Music

How Ella Langley’s ‘Choosin’ Texas’ became the longest-running No. 1 hit of all time

Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas," a simmering, midtempo, country-and-then-some heartbreak song released last October, is indisputably 2026's biggest hit.

3 days ago in Entertainment, IL State News, Lifestyle, Local, Music

‘Riverdance’ coming to UIS PAC next year

"Riverdance 30 - The New Generation" will perform at the UIS PAC in April, 2027.

Riverdance has been entertaining audiences for 30 years now.

4 days ago in Entertainment, Lifestyle, Local, Music, Pet of the Week

‘I Beg Your Parton’ fundraiser honors late country singer, and dogs

Newport, Rhode Island, USA - July 27,2019: Dolly Parton performs at The Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island.

Saluting Dolly while helping get adoptable pets taken care of and in to new homes.

1 week ago in Entertainment, Music

Karol G, Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso, Rosalía and Drexler are the most nominated for the Latin Grammys

A fight of titans is coming up for the 27th edition of the Latin Grammys with singers Karol G, Rosalía, Jorge Drexler and hip hop duo Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso as the most nominated artists revealed on Wednesday.

1 week ago in Entertainment, Music

Ed Sheeran’s tour in trouble after opening acts drop out in solidarity with rapper Macklemore

Ed Sheeran's tour of North and South America was plunged into chaos Tuesday when four of his supporting acts abruptly quit in solidarity with the rapper Macklemore, who was dropped for making pro-Palestinian comments onstage.

1 week ago in Entertainment, Food Scene, History, IL State News, Lifestyle, Local, Music, National, Route 66 100th Anniversary Guide

International Route 66 Mother Road Festival — Get the details here!

The biggest festival yet celebrating the 100th anniversary!

1 week ago in Entertainment, Music

Celine Dion thrills fans with emotional comeback concert after overcoming rare illness

She hit the high F, held it, then blew out a breath and turned to look back at the band — a quick, disbelieving glance toward her musical director. Some 30,000 people read it before they had finished screaming: Celine Dion did it.

Lifestyle

5 hours ago in Fall Guide, Food Scene, IL State News, Lifestyle, Local, Route 66 100th Anniversary Guide

Major League Cozy Dog eating will be a part of the International Route 66 Mother Road Festival this weekend

Patrick Bertoletti shows off his Nathan's Hot Dog Eating championship belt in Chicago, his home town.

Professional eaters from all over North America will take part.

1 day ago in Education, Entertainment, History, IL State News, Lifestyle, Local, Route 66 100th Anniversary Guide

New book focuses on Central Illinois’ role in Route 66 history, untold stories

Cover of "Stories from Route 66 in Central Illinois"

"Stories from Route 66 in Central Illinois" is out now.

2 days ago in Lifestyle, Local

Lead concerns prompt soil testing at Taylorville park

Manners Park Dining Hall in Taylorville, which is currently closed.

Officials say Park Field 1 is off-limits while additional soil samples are tested.

2 days ago in IL State News, Lifestyle, Local

Illinois’ 8 interstate visitor information centers to close at month’s end

The visitor information center at the Prairie View Rest Area off Interstate 57 is one of the eight sites set to close at the end of the month. The rest stops in those locations will continue operating. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Maggie Dougherty)

The state says the centers’ role has evolved over time as travelers’ needs change.

3 days ago in Entertainment, IL State News, Lifestyle, Local, National

Bill to keep AM radio in cars passes U.S. House, goes to Senate

Close up of car infotainment screen with Bluetooth option. Toronto, Canada - February 19, 2026.

Car manufacturers say "no" to AM Radio, while radio says "yes."

3 days ago in History, Lifestyle, Local

Rock Creek Cemetery clean up this Sunday

Grave with flowers decorated grave, in cemetery, with grave, flowers, with stone, metal texture, from a close-up perspective, with pink, green accents, and serene respectful mood, clear detail.

Rock Creek Cemetery is getting freshened up on Sunday

3 days ago in Education, History, IL State News, Lifestyle, Local

Illinois History Conference at the ALPLM

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

The two-day conference features women's history, and bicycles.

3 days ago in Lifestyle, Local, Pet of the Week

Meet Britney — Meow Mobile Cat of the Week

A "ginger and white beauty."

Features

3 days ago in Features

Fat Bear Week opens for Alaska’s heavyweight crown. Can Chunk, the 1,200-pound champ, win again?

After a summer spent packing away sockeye salmon, Alaska's heftiest brown bears are ready to throw their weight around. Online voting began Tuesday for Fat Bear Week, the annual contest that pits the rotund residents of Katmai National Park and Preserve against each other for the title of most oversized ursine.

3 weeks ago in Features

At 91, Dale ‘Grey Beard’ Sanders reclaims record as oldest hiker to complete the Appalachian Trail

Dale Sanders, whose trail name is Grey Beard, first set the Appalachian Trail record in 2017 at age 82. Four years later, his 83-year-old friend M.J. Eberhart, aka Nimblewill Nomad, took the title. But within months, Sanders announced his plan for a comeback.

Entertainment News

1 day ago in Education, Entertainment, History, IL State News, Lifestyle, Local, Route 66 100th Anniversary Guide

New book focuses on Central Illinois’ role in Route 66 history, untold stories

"Stories from Route 66 in Central Illinois" is out now.

1 day ago in Entertainment, Health & Wellness, IL State News, Music

Lionel Richie is taking a break from performing following a heart procedure

Richie was scheduled to perform with Earth, Wind & Fire Saturday in San Francisco, Sept. 30 in Chicago and Oct. 3 in Columbus, Ohio.

2 days ago in Entertainment

Robert Pattinson brings ‘To Catch a Predator’ to life in new film ‘Primetime’

When Robert Pattinson first got the script for "Primetime," a dramatization of NBC Dateline's "To Catch a Predator" and the controversial sting operation that would lead to its cancellation, he was amazed it hadn't been made into a movie already.

1 day ago in Entertainment, Fall Guide, Local

Springfield Park District annual ‘Night Glow Festival’ is next week

It's a pretty unique site

2 days ago in Entertainment, Music

How Ella Langley’s ‘Choosin’ Texas’ became the longest-running No. 1 hit of all time

Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas," a simmering, midtempo, country-and-then-some heartbreak song released last October, is indisputably 2026's biggest hit.