Compiled by Jon Weaving – jweaving@illinoisouth.org
St. Nicholas Landmark – At 189 years old, the Landmark Building is one of the oldest and most iconic places in Chester. In its storied history, the Landmark has played host to Mark Twain and Charles Dickens, along with other early leaders of Illinois. Most recently, the building sat vacant for nearly a decade before undergoing renovations – and just a few months ago, the Landmark was brought back to life as a brew pub. The folks at St. Nicholas Brewing Company opened the St. Nicholas Landmark as its second location – offering unique pub fare, great beer, and a one-of-a-kind experience in this historic building on the banks of the Mississippi River. For more information on their menu and hours of operation, find them on Facebook or online at stnicholasbrewco.com/chester/
Opera House Brewing – Built in the 1800s, the Hillsboro Opera House is undoubtedly a storied landmark in Hillsboro. Unfortunately, it did sit vacant for over four decades until two local couples bought the building and started the restoration process. Troy and Jennifer Marcolini teamed up with fellow Hillsboro residents Jeremy and Jami Schmidt, to turn the building into the Opera House Brewing Company.
In August of 2018, Opera House Brewing Company opened for business – showcasing craft beer collaborations with other local brewers. For more information regarding Opera House Brewing Company, you can find them on Facebook.
Vandalia Bicentennial – 2019 is a big year for Vandalia, as the state’s second capital turns 200! One of the many unique things about Vandalia, is that from its inception – it was already predetermined that it would be the state’s capital city. The land where Vandalia sits was donated by Congress to the new state of Illinois, and five commissioners were tasked to travel the land and choose the location for the new capital city.
This year, Vandalia will celebrate the 200th anniversary of its founding from June 13th-16th. City leaders have planned several events for the celebration including a window and storefront decorating contest, Good Old-Fashioned Bargain Days, Sidewalk Sales, and a Celebration Parade on Saturday, June 15th. For more information on Vandalia’s Bicentennial Celebration, you can find them on Facebook or visit vandaliaillinois.com/2019-bicentennial/
Clark County Bicentennial – Bicentennial birthday celebrations are also in motion for Clark County this year! At the time of its formation in 1819, Clark County included about a third of the state of Illinois and extended as far north as the present state of Wisconsin. Clark County was named for George Rogers Clark, the older brother of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and an officer of the army of Virginia that captured the Northwest Territory from the British during the Revolutionary War.
The folks in Clark County have several events planned throughout the year to celebrate the county turning the big 200. For more information on events, or to volunteer to help with the events – please contact any Chamber of Commerce in Clark County.
Wayne County Bicentennial – It’s also a special year for Wayne County, which is celebrating its 200th birthday as well! When Wayne County was established in 1819, it formed from Edwards County. The County is named after General “Mad Anthony” Wayne, an officer in the Revolutionary War and Northwest Indian War.
Celebrate Wayne County’s Bicentennial during Founder’s Festival in Fairfield on June 15th! Hit the downtown square on Main Street for music, art, history, food, local business deals, crafts and activities for all ages.
Pop-Up Shop – Pop-up shops have exploded in popularity recently, and for good reason. Pop-ups allow retailers to connect with customers face-to-face and build awareness for their brands. On top of that, launching a pop-up shop is 80 percent cheaper than a traditional retail store.
In late 2018, the Department of Community Development in Columbia capitalized on the pop-up shop craze – turning one of its vacant properties in a highly visible and well-traveled area on Illinois Route 3, into POP-UP SHOP Columbia.
POP-UP SHOP Columbia offers tenants a low-cost, short-term agreement that engages customers and helps build retail in Columbia. For more information on shopping, or applying to be a vendor – find the POP-UP SHOP Columbia on Facebook, or at popupshopcolumbiaillinois.com
O’Fallon Station – A new and exciting addition to downtown O’Fallon adds a farmer and artisans’ market, additional private event opportunities, community festivals and crafty classes. The O’Fallon Station, located at 212 East 1st Street, will be the home of the Vine Street Market, scheduled for the second weekend in May through the third weekend in October. The market will feature local producers, culinary vendors and a variety of artisans from 8-noon for 24 weeks spring through fall. In addition to the market, the new brick building, reminiscent of yesteryears train depots, boasts eight beautiful, oversized glass garage doors and space large enough to host ample sized events. Outside of the market, the city of O’Fallon will utilize the building for a variety of community events and festivals, and it will also be available for private rental. As an added layer of community outreach, the O’Fallon Station will host an assortment of art and craft type classes which will be held in the facility throughout the year.
For information regarding the Vine Street Market visit ofallonstation.com or contact Sarah Burton at sburton@ofallon.org. For private rental information contact O’Fallon Parks and Recreation at parks@ofallon.org or 618-624-0139
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