Ottawa, IL - The Middle of Everywhere

Memorial Day Parade & Ceremonies
2026-05-25 08:00 - 11:30 (America/Chicago) | Downtown Ottawa
Parade Route: Fox River Bridge on E Main St to Columbus St North to Washington Sq
Fox River Bridge – Navy Mothers Ceremony (8:30 to 9:15 am)
Creedon Parking Lot – Shepherd Band Line-up (9:00 to 9:45am)
Memorial Day Parade – Route above (9:30 to 9:45am)
Washington Park – Ceremony Honoring Veterans (10:00 to 11:00am)

Escape the Study Room: Mission to the Moon
2026-05-25 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-26 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-27 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-28 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-29 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-30 09:00 - 17:00 | Reddick Public Library, 1010 Canal Street, Ottawa, IL, 61350, United States
It’s T-45 before launching to the Moon. Can you and your crew solve the
riddles before liftoff? Walk in or reserve a room in advance to play the
game and win a prize!

Ready, Set, Read!
2026-05-26 10:00 - 10:45 | Reddick Public Library, 1010 Canal Street, Ottawa, IL, 61350, United States
Join us every Tuesday for stories, songs, and a craft! Stay and play
after the craft if you have time. Find each week’s theme on the events
calendar on our website. This event is for children ages 3-5 years.

Yappers Book Club
2026-05-26 16:30 - 17:30 | Reddick Public Library, 1010 Canal Street, Ottawa, IL, 61350, United States
Need a place to study after school or somewhere to hang out with
friends? There’s no pressure here, just friends, snacks, and time to get
something done at the library.

LEGO Club
2026-05-26 17:00 - 18:00 | Reddick Public Library, 1010 Canal Street, Ottawa, IL, 61350, United States
Play with the library’s LEGO pieces with friends and display your creations
afterward! This month’s theme is setting of a story.

Shake, Rattle, Read!
2026-05-27 10:00 - 10:45, 2026-06-03 10:00 - 10:45, 2026-06-10 10:00 - 10:45, 2026-06-17 10:00 - 10:45 | Reddick Public Library, 1010 Canal Street, Ottawa, IL, 61350, United States
Join us every Wednesday for stories, songs, and a craft! Stay and play
after the craft if you have time. Find each week’s theme on the events
calendar. This event is for children ages birth to 3 years.

Kid’s Book Club (Grades K-3)
2026-05-28 16:30 - 17:15 | Reddick Public Library, 1010 Canal Street, Ottawa, IL, 61350, United States
At this month’s book club, we will be discussing “What’s Inside a Flower”
by Rachel Ignotofsky and learn about the parts of a flower while dissecting
them!

AI and Deepfake Scams with SOCU
2026-05-28 17:30 - 18:30 | Reddick Public Library, 1010 Canal Street, Ottawa, IL, 61350, United States
Learn how artificial intelligence is being used in scams, including
deepfake phone calls, videos, and messages. This free presentation will
explain how these scams work, how to spot warning signs, and what you can
do to protect yourself. Additionally, other prevalent scams affecting
individuals today will be discussed.

Improving Online Health Literacy: A Digit-Ill Training
2026-05-29 14:00 - 15:00 | Reddick Public Library, 1010 Canal Street, Ottawa, IL, 61350, United States
The Digit-Ill program provides an informative presentation by a WIU
professor on utilizing electronic resources to sustain and enhance your
health. Participants will learn how to locate reliable health information
online, explore virtual support groups, and establish personal health records.

Farmers and Makers Market
2026-05-30 08:00 - 12:30, 2026-06-06 08:00 - 12:30, 2026-06-13 08:00 - 12:30 | Jackson St, Ottawa, IL, 61350, United States
Hosted by the Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce, the Ottawa Farmers & Makers Market is a vibrant, family-friendly event that brings together local growers, makers, and artisans in the heart of downtown Ottawa, Illinois.

Location: Jackson Street, south side of Washington Square Park(Barricades will block access at LaSalle Street and Columbus Street)
Market Hours: Saturdays from 8 am-12:30 pm.

Crafter Hours: Embossed Terra Cotta Pots
2026-05-30 10:00 - 11:30 | Reddick Public Library, 1010 Canal Street, Ottawa, IL, 61350, United States
Join us to make a DIY Embossed Terra Cotta Pot. Registration is required as
spots are limited due to the availability of supplies. To register for this class,
visit our events page, call the library at (815) 434-0509, or stop by the
Circulation Desk.

The Loop Group
2026-05-30 13:30 - 15:30, 2026-06-06 13:30 - 15:30, 2026-06-13 13:30 - 15:30 | Reddick Public Library, 1010 Canal Street, Ottawa, IL, 61350, United States
Learn to knit or crochet in a friendly environment with knowledgeable people.

Transformational Festival
2026-06-05 - 2026-06-07 | Camp Tuckabatchee, 1973 N 35th Road, Ottawa, IL, 61350, United States

VFW Motorcycle Run
2026-06-07 16:00 - 18:00 | IL
More details TBA!

Night of Remembrance
2026-06-12 18:30 - 20:30 | Washington Square Park, 100 West Jackson St, Ottawa, IL, 61350, United States
A Pride Night of Remembrance event will be held in the north end of Washington Park, downtown Ottawa, on Friday, June 12, 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Sponsored by Open Table United Church of Christ, the Night of Remembrance will honor members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies who have lost their lives to violence, suicide, AIDS, and other causes related to navigating life as marginalized populations. A ribbon memorial will be available for participants to add the names of those they wish to remember, and will bear the names of persons publicly known to have died because of violence in the past twelve months.

A program at 7:00 p.m. will pay tribute to those being remembered, including short elegies, readings, and prayers from various traditions. Musician Justin Dixon will be the guest presenter in word and song.

Songs of the Illinois Freedom Road
2026-06-12 19:00 - 20:30 | The Abbey, 113 E. Lafayette St., Ottawa, IL, 61350, United States
Chris Vallillo performs songs, stories, and struggles of the Illinois Underground Railroad. This powerful evening highlights historical songs sung by people who were enslaved, to inspire and share knowledge among themselves. Come, enjoy and celebrate with the Historical & Scouting Heritage Museum, as they welcome the soon-to-roll-out new museum documentary: JOHN HOSSACK: NO APOLOGIES.
Doors open at 6:30 pm. Tucjets are for sale at the Ottawa Historical & Scouting Heritage Museum (1100 Canal St). $10 per person, cash or check.

Rusty Halo Mini Market
2026-06-13 09:00 - 16:00 | Rusty Halo, 3277 E. 18th Road, Ottawa, IL 61350, Ottawa, IL, 61350, United States
More details TBA! Parking available in the little town. All vendors will be inside the main Rusty Halo building. Enjoy a unique shopping experience setting in a 1920’s town.

Ottawa Family Pride Festival 2026
2026-06-13 10:00 - 16:00 | Washington Square Park, 100 West Jackson St, Ottawa, IL, 61350, United States
Ottawa Family Pride Festival will have 100 vendors again, plus Broadway Star, and Internationally known Drag Superstar, Nina West is our Grand Marshall in the Annual John Fisher Dann Memorial Parade.
Parade kicks off the day at 10am, and we are back to our original setup of Washington Park and Jordan Block.

Reptile Show, Magic Show, Balloon Art, Roaming Mime, Jugglers, and more. Drag Show in Washington Park at noon.

June 20th–Comedian Patti Vasquez and Friends are coming to the Ottawa Performing Arts Center for a Stand Up Fundraiser for HumanKIND Initiative. Ticket link and information is:

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/standup-for-humankind-comedy-fundraiser
