Find your Real Getaway in Northwest Illinois
Map of NW Illinois
Welcome to NW Illinois

100 miles due west of Chicago lie the rolling hills, old growth forests and the pristine rivers of the Blackhawk Waterways in Northwest Illinois. With its quaint cabins and darling bed & breakfasts, it's the perfect weekend getaway in Illinois. Every mile is steeped in history, surrounded by outdoor beauty and dotted with charming villages. The Blackhawk Waterways is what your vacation getaway looks like...
In Real Life.

John Deere

Historic Site

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photo: Jack Hughes

Mississippi Palisades

State Park

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photo: Jack Hughes

Nachusa Grasslands

Bison Herd

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De Immigrant Windmill

working windmill

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LIVE MUSIC | Music Under the Stars | Sterling

Wednesday, Jul. 13, 2022 6:00 pm until Wednesday, Jul. 13, 2022 9:00 pm
LIVE MUSIC | Music Under the Stars | Sterling

Music throughout the Summer

The Sterling Municipal Band invites the community and visitors to the 2022 Music Under the Stars summer concert series.

Wednesdays from June 1-Aug. 3 | Two Sat. dates, too.

These FREE, all-ages performances are held every Wednesday night from June 1 through August 3 in the beautiful family-friendly environment of Grandon Civic Center in downtown Sterling.

Local musical groups perform first

Each concert will begin at 7:30 pm with a pre-concert performance by talented local musical groups beginning at 6:15 pm. Seating is available on the park benches but you may bring your own chairs/blankets to sit on the lawn area of the park.

Please free to bring your own snacks or purchase refreshments at the gazebo. For more information and up-to-date schedules please visit the website link at the top of this event.

2022 Schedule

June 1 - Summer Music Under the Stars Season Opener - Pre-Concert entertainment Finding Home
June 8 - Madeline Geil, Vocal Soloist - Pre-Concert entertainment - Mariachi Camprianos
June 15 - Theme Concert, Night on Broadway - Pre-Concert entertainment - Truman’s Ridge
June 22 - John Lauff, Guest Conductor - Pre-Concert entertainment - Who Drank all the Tequila
June 25 – Josh Duffee Orchestra (Saturday Night Concert)
June 29 - Fourth of July Celebration - Pre-Concert entertainment - String-Alongs
July 6 - Theme Concert, Conductors Night Out - Pre-Concert entertainment - Hitz City
July 13 – Guest Conductor, Dr.Charles Menghini - Pre-Concert entertainment - Robbie LaBlanc and the Real Live Show
July 16 – Illinois Brass Band (Saturday Night Concert)
July 20 – Guest Conductor, Dr. Anthony Marinello - Pre-Concert entertainment - Chameleon
July 22- Kidz Concert - Pre-Concert entertainment - Spontaneous Combustion
August 3 – Season Finale Concert - Theme Concert - An Evening with Frank Sinatra with Jason Richards and the Josh Duffee Quintet - Pre-Concert entertainment -           Monarch


Event repeats

NW Illinois Travel Blog

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    April 10, 2023
    From an old piano factory to a one-of-a-kind shopping experience While visiting the Blackhawk Waterways region of northwest Illinois (Carroll, Lee, Ogle, and Whiteside Counties), a shopping mecca straight out of the 70s must be put on your itinerary. Conover Square Mall is a historic shopping center in Oregon, Illinois,…
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