Metro-east calendar: Concerts, fish fries, Farmers Markets are on the schedule

Noon Thursday, July 23, was the deadline to appear in next week’s What’s Happening. We must receive your event in writing with a contact phone number for questions. Due to the large number of submissions, events may run only one time in print, will be edited and appear in the week before the event date.

Email: lifestyle@bnd.com. Mail to: Lifestyle, Belleville News-Democrat, P.O. Box 427, Belleville, IL 62222-0427. Questions, call Jennifer Green at 618-239-2643.

Farmers Markets

▪ F.R.E.S.H. Farmers Market — 8:30 a.m. to noon Thursdays. East Side Health District, 638 N. 20th St., East St. Louis. Fresh local produce, spices and more. Social distancing and face mask guidelines will be in place. Customers can drive by, walk up or call in orders. Cash, credit, debit and EBT accepted. 618-271-8722, ext. 102.

▪ Swansea Farmers Market — 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays. Rural King parking lot, 2801 N. Illinois St., Swansea. Behind Burger King. Fresh local produce, baked goods, jams, jellies, honey and more. Social distancing guidelines will be in place. Signs will be posted. Have monetary denominations of $10s, $5s and $1s available; no change will be given. Wear masks, keep your distance. facebook.com/SwanseaFarmersMarketInc

▪ Monroe County Farmers Market, Columbia — 3-6 p.m. Thursdays. Schnucks parking lot, 1000 Columbia Center, behind McDonald’s and Taco Bell, Columbia. Cash sales. Items available include bedding plants, bread, jams and much more. Social distancing practices will be present to keep both vendor and customer safe. Vendors will be wearing masks and sanitizing hands and surfaces frequently. Vendors will be handling their produce for customers. facebook.com/Monroe-County-IL-Farmers-Market-316315321779010

▪ Maryville Drive-Thru Farmers Market — 5-6 p.m. Thursdays. Maryville Village Hall, 2520 N. Center St., Maryville. Pre-orders and pre-pay. Customers place orders through Facebook before noon Thursday and pay online. When arriving for pick-up, give your name, remain in your vehicle, then drive up to each farm. Your order will be placed in your trunk/vehicle. Select items available for last-minute, onsite purchase when picking up orders. facebook.com/MaryvilleILFarmersMarket or maryvilleilfarmersmarket.org

▪ Sparta Farmers Market — 2-5 p.m. Fridays. Corner of Broadway and St. Louis streets, Sparta. Social distancing guidelines will be followed. facebook.com/farmersmarketspartail

▪ Millstadt Farmers Market — 3-6 p.m. Fridays. Millstadt VFW Post 7980, 200 S. Veterans Drive, Millstadt. Featuring produce, plants, baked goods, kettle korn, jam, jewelry, honey, Avon and much more. Directed by St. Clair County Health guidelines. 618-476-3037 or facebook.com/MillstadtFarmersMarket

▪ The Ste. Genevieve Farmers Market — 7 a.m. to noon Saturdays. 600 Market St., Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. A weekly fresh selection of locally-produced vegetables, fruits, eggs, honey, canned goods, vinegar, jams, jellies and freshly baked goods. facebook.com/SteGenevieveFarmersMarket

▪ Monroe County Farmers Market, Waterloo — 7:30-11:30 a.m. Saturdays. The Family Video parking lot, 100 Plaza Drive, Waterloo. Cash sales. Items available include bedding plants, bread, jams and much more. Social distancing practices will be present to keep both vendor and customer safe. Vendors will be wearing masks and sanitizing hands and surfaces frequently. Vendors will be handling their produce for customers. facebook.com/Monroe-County-IL-Farmers-Market-316315321779010

▪ Belleville’s Old Town Farmers Market — 7:30 a.m. to noon Saturdays. First block of S. Charles St., between E. Main and E. Washington streets, Belleville. Food and agricultural products only at this point. Do not attend if sick. Only one family member should attend. Let vendors select and bag goods. Masks and 6 feet of social distancing required by all. Exact change requested; no change will be offered. Link/SNAP/EBT accepted. facebook.com/Belleville-Old-Town-Farmers-Market-930383016993451

▪ Alton Farmers & Artisans Market — 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays. Parking lot at the corner of Landmarks Blvd. and Henry St., Alton. Fresh produce, plants, meat, cheese, eggs, honey, baked goods and other edible products will be available. Social distancing measures will be in place. Pre-ordering is encouraged. Electronic payment preferred. Cash accepted; bring small bills. Vendors advised not to give change. facebook.com/AltonFarmersMarket

▪ Land of Goshen Community Market — 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays. Downtown Edwardsville, St. Louis St., Edwardsville. Open rain or shine. Social distancing measures will be in place. The Market will only include sales of food and hygiene items to limit the number of vendors and allow for at least 10 feet of space between all stalls. The Market asks customers to send only one shopper per family/household. Customers are asked to wear masks. facebook.com/goshenmarket

▪ Vine Street Market — 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays. O’Fallon Station 212 E. First St., O’Fallon. Online pre-orders and pre-pay still available. Orders can be placed with individual vendors online. Vendor availability and order deadlines vary. Market guidelines for onsite shopping include masks, social distancing, not touching products at vendor stands. For details and information: ofallonstation.com/vine-street-market or facebook.com/vinestreetmarketofallon

▪ Drive-Thru Vine Street Market — 5:30-6 p.m. Tuesday, July 28. O’Fallon Station 212 E. First St., O’Fallon. Online pre-orders and pre-pay only, no walk-ups. Orders can be placed with individual vendors on Facebook. Vendor availability and order deadlines vary. For details and information: facebook.com/vinestreetmarketofallon

▪ Land of Goshen Online Market — 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, July 29 (for pick-up). 222 Artisan Bakery, 222 Main St., Edwardsville. Online orders accepted Friday, July 24, through Monday, July 27. Order at goshenmarket.org/shop. Call 618-659-1122 for curbside pick-up. goshenmarket.org/shop

Events

▪ Madison County Historical Society: ‘One Hundred Years of Cooking’ — Now online at madcohistory.org/online-exhibits. The new exhibit focuses on cooking-related items in the MCHS collection, describing what the items were used for and sometimes telling the stories of the owners of the artifacts. The exhibit includes a combination of recipes and trivia in addition to history for an interesting read. madcohistory.org/online-exhibits

▪ O’Fallon Garden Club Photography Contest — Now through 11:59 p.m. Friday, July 24. Entries must be submitted online at ofallongardenclub.com/contest. Photos must be taken in 2020, either in the Garden Club’s Community Garden at State and Smiley streets, or at any of the public parks in O’Fallon. Photos may be of landscapes, plants or non-domesticated animals (no pets). For additional information: facebook.com/OfallonILgardenclub

▪ YWCA of Alton Get Out the Vote Project: Madison County Candidates Forum — 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 23. Haskell Park, 1211 Henry St., Alton. The following candidates have been invited: County Board Chair-Kurt Prenzler (R) and Bob Daiber (D); State’s Attorney- Crystal Uhe (D) and Tom Haine (R); and Circuit Clerk- Tom McRae (R) and Amy Gabriel (D). A moderator will ask questions of each candidate pair and take questions from the audience. Attendees are requested to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets. altonywca.com

▪ STL History Live — 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 23, and 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 28. Online via Zoom. The Missouri Historical Society is offering a series of free online programs featuring fascinating stories about St. Louis. These programs will include a 20- to 30-minute presentation followed by a brief Q&A. For a schedule and Zoom links: facebook.com/events/871507613359456

▪ St. Louis Area Food Bank Mobile Market — 8-10 a.m. to noon Friday, July 24. Abraham Lincoln Elementary, 820 Royal Heights Road, Belleville. Mobile Markets available to anyone who needs a helping hand. Unlike a typical food pantry, no ID is needed for the Mobile Market service. In an effort to maintain social distancing and no-contact service to keep you, the volunteers, and workers safe we ask that people who arrive by vehicle open their trunk and then stay in their vehicle. The food will then be placed in the trunk/cab. If you do not have a vehicle, please check with the organization hosting the mobile market to find out if they are accepting walk-ups. stlfoodbank.org/events

▪ Friends of the Fairview Heights Library Book Sale — 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, July 24, and Saturday, July 25. Fairview Heights Public Library, 10017 Bunkum Road, Fairview Heights. Both days $5 bag sale. The sale will be in the basement of the library which is accessible through the back side of the building. Park in the rear parking lot behind the library and enter through the back entrance. Masks are required. Exact change preferred. facebook.com/events/649415482344436

▪ School Rocks Backpack Giveaway Event — 1-4 p.m. Sunday, July 26. TCC, 1108 Collinsville Crossing Blvd., Collinsville. Families of Collinsville and across Illinois are invited to visit their local TCC stores to pick up backpacks for their children, while supplies last. Each participating store location will follow the CDC’s social distancing and state guidelines to ensure the safety of employees and event attendees. tccrocks.com

▪ St. Louis Area Food Bank Mobile Market — 8-10 a.m. Thursday, July 30. Uni-Pres Kinder Cottage, 564 Veronica Ave., East St. Louis. Mobile Markets available to anyone who needs a helping hand. Unlike a typical food pantry, no ID is needed for the Mobile Market service. In an effort to maintain social distancing and no-contact service to keep you, the volunteers, and workers safe we ask that people who arrive by vehicle open their trunk and then stay in their vehicle. The food will then be placed in the trunk/cab. If you do not have a vehicle, please check with the organization hosting the mobile market to find out if they are accepting walk-ups. stlfoodbank.org/events

Club News

▪ National Alliance on Mental Illness Southwestern Illinois (NAMI SWI) — 7-8:30 p.m. Thursdays. Online via Zoom. Virtual support meetings for family members and other caregivers of individuals with mental illness. Meetings are peer-led and rely on the knowledge and experiences of the group to help one another. Registration is required in order to receive the link to these meetings. For more information or to register, contact Pat Rudloff at silverlining6@charter.net.

▪ Knitting and Crochet Night Hosted by Millstadt Library — 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Online via Zoom. Catch up on your yarns and your yarns with this online event. If you need more yarn, contact the library for curbside delivery. Join Zoom meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84698279230. For information: facebook.com/events/599781230796266

▪ Parents of Addicted Loved Ones — 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Breese Activity Center, 419 S. Clinton St., Breese. The PAL group provides education, support and hope to family members and loved ones of someone who has an addiction of substance use disorder. If you have questions, please call/text 618-567-6095 or email craigloddeke@yahoo.com. palgroup.org

▪ O’Fallon Sunrise Rotary Meeting — 6:45 a.m. Wednesdays. O’Fallon Township Building, 801 E. State St., O’Fallon. ofallonsunriserotary.org

Theater/Concerts

▪ Grafton Downtown Gazebo Concert Series: George Portz & Friends — 7-9 p.m. Thursday, July 23. The Grove Memorial Park, corner of Market and Main streets, Grafton. Bring lawn chairs and enjoy a free concert. 618-535-9922.

▪ ‘Freud’s Last Session’ — 8 p.m. Friday, July 24. The Gaslight Theater, 358 N. Boyle Ave., St. Louis. Limited seating. Tickets $15 available through ticketmaster. For additional information and performance dates: gaslighttheater.net

▪ Something Spoken: Tennessee Williams On the Air – ‘This Property is Condemned’ — 5 p.m. Saturday, July 25. On the air on Classic 107.3 FM. Enjoy a fully produced Williams’ one-act play along with interviews with scholars, directors and actors. Broadway legend and St. Louisan Ken Page will narrate and noted Williams scholar Tom Mitchell will offer commentary. Broadcast will stream online at classic1073.org through Aug. 7. twstl.org/something-spoken

▪ ‘Water is Life’ Concert — 7-8 p.m. Sunday, July 26. Facebook Live performance online at facebook.com/watershednaturecenter.org. A new collaboration between Edwardsville Community Symphony and the Watershed Nature Center will take place to bring together music and the outdoors. Featuring Edwardsville Community Symphony’s concertmaster and a quartet of string section principals, performing nature-inspired chamber music accompanied by the evening sounds of a Watershed sunset. The event is free for all to experience, but viewers will have the opportunity to donate directly online during or after the event. All donations received will support the Center and its 45 acres of wetlands, woodlands, prairies, and trails. For information: watershednaturecenter.org

▪ ‘Keyboards Galore’ with Charles Metz — 7 p.m. Monday, July 27. Virtual concert. A live, interactive event featuring keyboard artist Charles Metz. Program features movements from Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, music by Scarlatti, D’Anglebert and Byrd performed on various keyboards, and a Beethoven trio for violin, cello and fortepiano. If you are holding tickets from the 2019-20 CMSSL Season for the April 11 “Keyboards Galore” concert, your tickets will be honored for the July 27 date and you will receive an invitation to watch the 7 p.m. concert. Tickets must be ordered before Friday, July 24. chambermusicstl.org

Food

▪ Belleville/Swansea Moose Lodge Wings & Things — 4:30-7:30 p.m. Thursdays. Belleville/Swansea Moose Lodge, 2425 N. Illinois St., Swansea. Carry-out only. Must call to order. 618-233-2600 or 618-233-1450. facebook.com/BellevilleSwanseaMooseLodge1221

▪ O’Fallon Fish Fry — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. Fridays. Knights of Columbus Hall, 402 E. U.S. 50, O’Fallon. Eat in or carry-out/call-in. Credit cards accepted. 618-632-6229.

▪ Swansea Fish Stand – 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. 216 Service St., Swansea. Cod, walleye, catfish, shrimp and more. Saturday: fried chicken. Open for carry-out and call-in orders. Swansea Improvement Hall and Bar are open. 618-222-7171. facebook.com/swanseafishstand

▪ Millstadt Fish Fry and Jam Session — 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays. Millstadt VFW Post, 200 Veterans Drive, Millstadt. Eat-in or carry-out. 618-476-1180.

▪ Collinsville American Legion Fish Fry — 3-7:30 p.m. Fridays. Collinsville American Legion, 1022 Vandalia St., Collinsville. Drive-thru/Curbside service only. Cash or check only. Place an order by calling 618-345-2508 or 618-345-5557. Last orders taken at 7:15 p.m.

▪ Highland Fish Fry — 4-7 p.m. VFW Post 5694, 1900 VFW Road, Highland. Fish, chicken, shrimp, sides. Carry-out and limited dine-in available. No call-in orders. facebook.com/vfwpost5694

▪ Collinsville Fish Fry — 4-7:30 p.m. Fridays. Knights of Columbus Hall, 1 Columbus Plaza, Collinsville. Limited menu. Drive-thru and limited dine-in. No call-in orders. Cash only. facebook.com/KC1712

▪ Troy VFW Fish Fry — 4-8 p.m. Friday, July 24. Troy VFW Post 976 and Auxiliary, 123-A W. Market St., Troy. Cod, catfish, jack salmon, baked fish, chicken strips, shrimp. Call-in and carry-out only. 618-667-8387.

▪ Mascoutah Fish Fry — 5-8 p.m. Fridays. Mascoutah VFW Post 7682, 620 Donaphan St., Mascoutah. No grilled items or pizza offered at this time. Call 618-566-2288 to order.

▪ Belleville/Swansea Moose Lodge Fish Fry — 4:30-7:30 p.m. Fridays. Belleville/Swansea Moose Lodge, 2425 N. Illinois St., Swansea. Dine-in or carry-out. 618-233-1450. facebook.com/BellevilleSwanseaMooseLodge1221

▪ Glen Carbon American Legion Post 435 Fish Fry — 4:30-7:30 p.m. Fridays. American Legion Post 435, 190 S. Main St., Glen Carbon. Limited menu of dinners and sandwiches, catfish, cod, Alaskan white fish and chicken strips, slaw and fries. Dinners: $11, sandwiches: $8, sides: $2.50 each. Curbside/Carry-out service. 618-288-7119.

▪ St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Drive-Up Chicken Dinner — 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday, July 26. St. Joseph’s Parish Center, 6 N. Alton St., Freeburg. Carry-out and limited menu. Half chicken (breast, thigh, wing, leg) or half chicken plate (no meat substitutions) with mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, and corn. Sides can be substituted or ordered separately. Orders taken in person or by calling 618-539-4720.

▪ Taco Tuesday at the Millstadt VFW — 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays. Millstadt VFW Post 7980, 200 Veterans Drive, Millstadt. Serving up tacos, burritos and taco salads all day. Clubroom opens at 11 a.m. There is a chairlist located at the back entrance and goes down into the dining room with access to the clubroom. facebook.com/events/630200127710685

▪ St. Gregory Armenian Church ‘Blessing of Grapes’ Picnic — 12:30-3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16. St. Gregory Armenian Church, 1014 W. Pontoon Road, Granite City. Lamb, chicken and pork kebab plates, vegetarian plate, two kinds of pilaf and salad. Bake sale of Armenian pastries. All orders should be placed online by Monday, July 27. For information: 618-451-7884 or stgregorychurch.net

Reservations Required

▪ Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center Blood Drive — 2:30-6:30 p.m. Friday, July 24. Advanced Ankle & Foot Surgeons, LLC, 4905 Stone Falls Center Drive, O’Fallon. Appointments are required. 866-448-3253 or bloodcenterimpact.org.

▪ Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center Blood Drive — 3-6 p.m. Friday, July 24. Dupo High School, 240 S. 5th, Dupo. Appointments are required. 866-448-3253 or bloodcenterimpact.org.

▪ Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center Blood Drive — 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 25. Sam’s Club, 1350 W. U.S. 50, O’Fallon. Appointments are required. 866-448-3253 or bloodcenterimpact.org.

▪ Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center Blood Drive — 1-5 p.m. Monday, July 27. Walgreens, 100 Admiral Weinel Blvd., Columbia. Appointments are required. 866-448-3253 or bloodcenterimpact.org.

▪ Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center Blood Drive — 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, July 28. The Journey Metro East Platelet Drive, 200 Dapron Drive, Belleville. Appointments are required. 866-448-3253 or bloodcenterimpact.org.

▪ Night at the Zoo — 5:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, July 30. Saint Louis Zoo, 1 Government Drive, St. Louis. Adults ages 21+ are invited to spend an exclusive, limited-attendance evening among the animals at the Saint Louis Zoo. Enjoy Zoo exhibits and complimentary admission to special attractions, two complimentary drink tickets, a free animal-themed mask, and special discounts at food outlets and gift shops. Advance tickets cost $25/member, $30/non-member and are required. No tickets available at the door. stlzoo.org/nightatthezoo

▪ University of Illinois Extension Seed Saving Webinar — Noon to 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7. Online event. Participants will learn the basics of saving seeds, from pollination and fertilization to differences in open-pollinated and hybrid varieties. Other topics will include; when and how to harvest seeds, how to clean, dry, and store collected seeds, and how to determine if stored seeds are still viable. extension.illinois.edu/events/2020-08-07-seed-saving

▪ Saint Andrew’s Book Fair — Thursday, Aug. 6, through Saturday, Aug. 8, by appointment only. St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 406 Hillsboro Ave., Edwardsville. The summer book fair will be held with the number of patrons at any given time limited to 15 shoppers. Entrance will be from the back of the building with exit through what is normally the entrance door. Cash/Check only. Masks required. To make an appointment, visit signupgenius.com/go/9040548afa92aa4fa7-standrews.

▪ University of Illinois Extension’s Everyday Environment Webinar Series: Solar Energy for the Home — 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13. Online event. As renewable energy production has grown in popularity, solar panels are now more accessible and affordable for homeowners. Energy & Environmental Stewardship Educator Erin Garrett will cover the basics of solar energy including what makes a home suitable for solar panels and options for homeowners. For information and registration: https://extension.illinois.edu/global/everyday-environment-webinar-series

▪ 2020 Walk to End Alzheimer’s – Belleville — Saturday, Oct. 3. Virtual event. The Belleville Walk to End Alzheimer’s continues, but instead of hosting a large gathering, the Alzheimer’s Association is encouraging participants to walk as individuals or in small groups on sidewalks, tracks and trails across the community. On Walk day, an Opening Ceremony will feature local speakers and a presentation of Promise Flowers to honor the personal reasons participants join together to fight Alzheimer’s and all other dementia, all delivered to participants’ smartphones, tablets and computers. For more information or to register: alz.org/walk

Worth the Drive

▪ BALANCE: The Concept and Exhibit — Exhibit open through Sunday, Aug. 16. Jacoby Arts Center, 627 E. Broadway, Alton. BALANCE is a colorful, uplifting exhibition that explores balance in a playful and joyful way through the works of four area artists. Using paint, fiber and clay, the show’s artists express the concept of “balance” in a variety of works, both visual and functional, abstract and literal. The artists are Mark Witzling, abstract painter; Garry McMichael, realist painter; Diane Tessman, fiber artist; and Jerry C. Williams, ceramics artist. There will be a reception 6-8 p.m. Friday, July 24 at the Arts Center. A cash/credit bar will be available. For more information: jacobyartscenter.org

This story was originally published July 22, 2020 at 7:30 AM.