Illinois Local

12/06/2025

🩰🎄✨ Opening Day – The Nutcracker! ✨🎄🩰

It’s Nutcracker opening day for the Springfield Youth Performance Group at Sacred Heart-Griffin!

A very special moment: Bella-Rose, a senior from Williamsville High School, is dancing her final Nutcracker performance today at 2 PM and 6 PM, and again at 2 PM tomorrow. 💃🌟

Limited tickets are still available, so if you’re planning to watch this magical holiday tradition, grab yours ASAP! Tickets are available on the website. Link in comments.

Congrats to all of SYPG’s Nutcracker cast, the staff, and volunteers on what is sure to be yet another spectacular show. Let’s come together to support local arts! 🎶❤️

Support the Arts / Illinois Local / Springfield IL /Springfield Youth Performance Group / The Nutcracker

12/05/2025

❄️🩰Don't sleep on purchasing your Springfield Youth Performance Group Nutcracker tickets for this weekend! ❄️🩰

Performances at SHG High School; Saturday 2pm and 6pm, Sunday 2pm.🎄💜

Link in comments!

SYPG / Illinois Local / The Nutcracker / Springfield Illinois / Support the Arts

12/05/2025

🎄✨ The Brinkerhoff Mansion Christmas Market – This Weekend! ✨🎄

🎁Get into the holiday spirit at the Christmas Market in Springfield, IL this weekend! 🛍

Support local vendors, enjoy delicious treats, and share the local love this holiday season. Don’t forget to say hi to Tammy and Gordon Fidler, the wonderful owners and caretakers of this much-loved historic mansion—now a stunning events venue for residents and visitors of the Capital City. 🏛️❤️

📸 Photos by Kate Spencer Photography

Come for the shopping, stay for the holiday magic! 🌟

Illinois Local / Support Local / The Brinkerhoff Mansion / Springfield Illinois / Christmas Market

12/04/2025

🍰✨ Support Local This Holiday Season – Sunflour Bakery! ✨🍰

If you missed Sunflour Bakery at the Holiday Market—or haven’t stopped by Heather’s stand in Rochester yet—now’s the perfect time to give this gifted baker some love!

We tried her red velvet cinnamon rolls and wow… they were absolutely delicious—a real treat! 😋❤️

Learn more about Heather, her business, and what drives her passion for keeping things local and independent on the Illinois Local website news feed, where we feature so many of our amazing members.

📸 Photos by

Support local / Taste local / Celebrate local / Illinois Local / Sunflour Bakery / Buy Local / Shop local 🌟

12/03/2025

❄🩰🎄✨ The Nutcracker is Here! ✨🎄🩰❄

Don’t miss the Springfield Youth Performance Group this weekend at Sacred Heart-Griffin High School! Performances are Saturday, December 6, and Sunday, December 7.

A special treat: Senior, Jane F as The Sugar Plum Fairy 💜— don’t miss her final Nutcracker performance with ! 🌟

🎟If you haven’t booked your tickets yet, make sure to visit the SYPG website (link in comments) and secure your spot.

Let’s come together to support the arts and enjoy a magical holiday tradition! 💃🎶

Illinois Local / Springfield Youth Performance Group / The Nutcracker / Springfield Illinois / Love Illinois / Support the Arts

12/02/2025

📸✨ Impressions Design — First Official Studio Photos! ✨📸

We had so much fun in the studio with the team for their first-ever official photos!

These guys are seriously awesome, and their energy made the entire shoot a blast. 🙌

If you’re in Central IL—or even if you love to shop online—be sure to check out their Facebook, Instagram, and website. Their work is incredible, and we honestly can’t wait to spend more time with the Impressions Design crew!

💛 Got an Impressions Design piece of apparel? Drop your photos in the comments below! Let’s help spread the word about this amazing small business right here in Chatham, Illinois.

Support local. Love local. Wear local. 💛👕

Photos by Kate Spencer Photography

Illinois Local / Shop Local / Support Local / Buy Local / Love Local / Love Illinois / Impressions Design

12/01/2025

❄️💙🐾 Help Us Find This Adorable Bluey & Bingo Fan! 🐾💙❄️

We’re on the lookout for the cutest little Bluey and Bingo fan who visited this year’s Holiday Market!

This sweet kiddo and their amazing parents braved what turned out to be the heaviest November snowfall in Illinois history just so their youngster could meet their heroes — and we’d love to get in touch with them!

✨Please share this post so we can connect with this little fan's parents and pass along this special memory!

Support Local / Buy Local / Bluey and Bingo / Illinois Local / Shop Local

12/01/2025

🩰💻 Happy Cyber Monday! 💻🩰

🌟Today is the perfect day to grab your tickets for Springfield Youth Performance Group’s The Nutcracker — coming to the stage Saturday, December 6 and Sunday, December 7 at Sacred Heart-Griffin! 🎄

🎭 As you shop today’s deals, we’re grateful for everyone who chooses to support local arts, nonprofits, and youth organizations. Your support keeps our community’s creativity thriving and helps young performers continue to shine onstage. ❤️

✨If you’ve been thinking about attending this magical holiday classic, today is a GREAT day to make it happen.

Pictured Alina J; Clara and her Nutcracker.

🎟️Secure your seats, support a wonderful cause, and enjoy a beautiful tradition brought to life by talented local youth.

Thank you for continuing to support local businesses and organizations—not just today, but all year long. We couldn’t do this without you!

Link to tickets in comments.

📸 Photos by Kate Spencer Photography

CyberMonday / SYPG / TheNutcracker / SupportTheArts / SupportLocal / NonprofitArts / SpringfieldIL / HolidayTraditions / Illinois Local

11/30/2025

❄️✨Ok folks, let’s make this the best Small Business “Sunday” and Cyber Monday for our favorite local independent businesses! 🎉🎄

‼️Tag your business (or businesses you would like to see others support) and tell us where you are located, when you’re open, and how people can make purchases online. ❤️

💙Thanks in advance for supporting local, small, and independent businesses across our great state of Illinois! 🥰

Support Local / Support Small / Small Business Sunday / Cyber Monday / Illinois Local

11/30/2025

❄️✨We want to thank everyone that braved the snow today to support our vendors on Small Business Saturday! 🎄✨

❤️Springfield showed up despite the weather. We had performances from Springfield Youth Performance Group and Dayna's Dance Revolution, 50 amazing vendors (from across central IL - some traveling up to two hours each way), Bluey & Bingo, a face painter, children’s play area courtesy of Little Lincoln's Toy Shop, kids’ crafts, and so much more.

Vendors you are the backbone of our communities and we will continue to support and celebrate you!

We have one more ask… please continue to support local independent businesses this holiday - and always!

If you weren’t able to join us today, many of our vendors offer online options, have brick and mortars, or will be at fellow markets and pop-ups over the coming weeks.

Once again, thank you, for the bottom of our ❤️s.

Illinois Local / Holiday Market / Small Business Saturday

11/29/2025

Thank you Springfield Youth Performance Group for kicking off our Small Business Saturday Holiday Market!

Make sure you book your tickets for The Nutcracker on December 6 & 7 at SHG!

Support Local / Illinois Local / Small Business Saturday/ SYPG / The Nutcracker

11/29/2025

Stay safe, but if you’re braving the cold, come out to the Expo Building at the IL State Fair and shop the 50 vendors here!!

Dayna's Dance Revolution is performing its annual Holiday Extravaganza here at 2pm!

The downtown Springfield tree lighting ceremony scheduled for this afternoon has been postponed due to inclement weather.

St. Nicholas Day and Market at Cathedral Church of St. Paul has been canceled.

The Jerome Festival of Trees has been canceled for today but will have extended hours (12-6 p.m.) on Sunday.

The Small Business Saturday Holiday Market at the fairgrounds is still a go.

Email [email protected] if your event has been canceled or rescheduled, and keep an eye on our online calendar at illiniostimes.com for the latest updates.