More fish fries, clubs, classes featured in this week’s southwestern Illinois calendar
Noon Friday, March 3, is 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 number of submissions received, events may run only one time in print. Submitted event info will be edited and run 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.
Events
▪ OSF Lymphedema Education Meeting — 1-2 p.m. Thursday, March 2. OSF Saint Anthony’s Rehabilitation Services, Alton Square Mall, 228 Alton Square Mall, Alton. Amy Rivera, a nationally-recognized advocate, author, and speaker on Lymphedema and her life’s journey living with the disorder, will be the featured guest speaker. Additional information about the meeting can be obtained by calling 618-463-5171. To learn more about Rivera, visit amyrivera.com.
▪ Tri Township Library Book Sale — 9 a.m. to noon Friday, March 3. Tri Township Library, 209 S. Main St., Troy. Doors open at 9 a.m. Book donations accepted during the sale and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library. 618-667-2133.
▪ 45th annual Builders St. Louis Home & Garden Show — 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, March 3 and Saturday, March 4, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 5. America’s Center & The Dome, 701 Convention Plaza, St. Louis. See, learn about and buy the latest home products and services under one roof. Hundreds of local companies and countless experts will be on hand to answer questions, share ideas and provide inspiration to help you with all of your home and garden projects and improvements. Admission: $10 adults ($5 after 5 p.m.), $4 kids 6-12, 5 and under free. stlhomeshow.com
▪ Square Dance — 7-9:30 p.m. Friday, March 3. Caseyville Township Senior Center, 10001 Bunkum Road, Fairview Heights. Dandy Dancers invites people to join an evening of fun and exercise. Calling will be by Curt Braffit and cueing by Jacqui Landau. Want to learn? Ask about lessons. Contact Mike at 618-954-3487 or Mike at 618-234-1311.
Games
▪ Euchre — 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 3. Smithton Senior Center, 711 S. Main St., Smithton. Doors open at 6 p.m. Snacks welcome. Water, soda and coffee will be available for purchase. Masks not required. 618-791-8769 or 618-698-3785.
▪ Granite City Senior Social Club Bingo — 1:30 p.m. Sunday, March 5. Granite City Township Hall, 2060 Delmar Ave., Granite City. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. Cost: $1 admission and $1 for four cards. 618-444-6771.
▪ Belleville/Swansea Moose Lodge Sunday Night Bingo — 6:30 p.m. Sundays. Belleville/Swansea Moose Lodge, 2425 N. Illinois St., Swansea. Games start at 6:30 p.m. Early Bird at 6:15 p.m. Cards sold at 5 p.m. Open to the public. Bring a canned good for one free card.
▪ Metro Cribbage Club — 12:30 p.m. Mondays. American Legion Post 365, 1022 Vandalia St., Collinsville. For more information, contact Yvonne Bright, 618-344-1521 or ybrightmail@gmail.com.
▪ Troy Senior Center Bingo — 12:30 p.m. Mondays. Tri-Township Park, Wiesemeyer Building, 410 Wickliffe St., Troy. Includes light snack, cash prizes. No cost to play, no RSVP required. 618-667-2022.
▪ Zion Evangelical Church Trivia Night — 7 p.m. Saturday, March 11. Father Freund Parish Center, 423 W. Madison, Millstadt. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Silent auction and 50/50 drawing. BYO snacks and beverages. Soda available for purchase, popcorn provided. Cost: $15 per person, includes eight mulligans. Six to eight players per table. For reservations: Stacy Woehlke (call or text) 618-719-5512 or email trivia@zionmillstadt.com.
▪ Scotch Doubles Bowling Fundraiser — 9 p.m. Saturday, March 25. Camelot Bowl, 801 Beltline Road, Collinsville. Prizes for top three games and top three series. Every bowler receives an attendance prize. Cost: $32 per couple. Sponsored by Diamond Cats Ladies Softball Team. 618-345-1239 or sportyone58@yahoo.com.
Theater/Concerts
▪ Anita Jackson — 7 p.m. Saturday, March 4. Hettenhausen Center for the Arts, 400 N. Alton St., Lebanon. Soulful and swinging, one of St. Louis’ premier ladies of song, Anita Jackson, makes her debut on the Hett stage. Jackson has appeared as a background vocalist with Bette Milder, Patti Austin and Mariah Carey. She has been featured with several jazz, R&B, blues and gospel groups around St. Louis, leaving a lasting impact with her powerful voice and commanding stage presence. thehett.com
▪ Chamber Music Society of St. Louis: ‘From Baroque to Classical’ — 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 6. 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity Ave., University City, St. Louis. This concert features cellist Bjorn Ranheim in Haydn’s C Major Cello Concerto with music by Vivaldi, C.P.E. Bach and a Mozart symphony made famous in a movie. 314-941-6309 or chambermusicstl.org.
Clubs & Support Groups
▪ Diabetes Support Group — 4 p.m. Thursday, March 2. Frisse Conference Room, HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital Highland, 12866 Troxler Ave., Highland. Open to those with diabetes and their family members and/or caregivers. The group meets on the first Thursday of each month. Participants will be required to wear non-cloth, medical-grade masks, as masks are still required in health care facilities per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. Registration is required. 618-526-5743 or lisa.ketchem@hshs.org to register or for more information.
▪ St. Clair County Genealogical Society — 7 p.m. Thursday, March 2. Online via Zoom. Program: “Gems & Junk: A Beginner’s Guide to Online Research,” presented by Board-certified genealogist, professional researcher, writer and genealogical educator Alice Hoyt Veen. Explore the very best and worst of online genealogy research sources and resources available to the family historian. The meeting is open to the public, but space is limited. Reservation information is at stclair-ilgs.org/events or facebook.com/STCCGSIL.
▪ St. Luke’s Perpetual Help Sodality Luncheon & Card Party — Noon to 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 7. St. Luke Parish Hall, 226 N. Church St., Belleville. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. Lunch served at noon. Cards, bingo, games with prizes. Menu: Salisbury steak, buttered noodles with gravy, glazed carrots, cake, coffee, hot tea, iced tea and water. Cost: $10 per person. Bring a canned food item for the food pantry. In case of bad weather, an announcement will be made on the parish website. 618-236-1124.
▪ Republican Women of St. Clair County — 6 p.m. Monday, March 6. Bella Milano, 455 Regency Park, O’Fallon. Dinner at 6 p.m. with the meeting at 7 p.m. 618-550-5751.
▪ A Plethora of Pens — 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 6. Glen Carbon Centennial Library, 198 S. Main St., Glen Carbon. This is an open group, walk-ins are welcome, all writing levels, and all genres. Different topics every month. This is not a critique group, although there are occasional group crits, mostly to improve the ability to critique others. No registration required. glencarbonlibrary.org
▪ St. Clair County Garden Club — 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 7. McGraw’s (formerly Crehan’s) Irish Pub, 5500 North Belt West, Belleville. Annual Meeting and Installation of 2023-24 Officers. The Floral Design theme is Finian’s Rainbow, with every Irish symbol you can incorporate into it. Sue Beach will present a study on buckhorn plantain, this month’s evil weed. Dues are due for 2023-24: $17.
▪ International Women’s Organization — 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 7. Eden Village, 200 S. Station Road, Glen Carbon. Speaker: Phagnanoch Ly. Topic: Cambodia. Phagnanoch Ly is an international exchange student, a global UGRAD scholar, from Cambodia. She is a senior majoring in International Relations at the Institute for International Studies and Public Policy of Royal University of Phnom Penh. After involving herself in civic engagement and taking the lead in social projects in her country, she is inspired to be a researcher once she graduates. It is her honor to represent Cambodia and to discover its history and interesting facts with everyone in the United States. For info: Esther 618-406-0259, Barbara 618-830-5804, Joyce 618-791-3341.
▪ O’Fallon Sunrise Rotary Meeting — 6:45 a.m. Wednesdays. O’Fallon Township Building, 801 E. State St., O’Fallon. 618-210-8156 or ofallonsunriserotary.org
▪ National Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) — 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 8. Ginger Buffet and Grill, 53 Ludwig Drive, Fairview Heights. Speaker on Taxes at noon followed by meeting. All active and retired federal and postal employees are welcome to speakers/meetings held the second Wednesday of each month except for May and December socials. NARFE remains the go-to resource for the federal community. For information, contact James at jbflat2021@gmail.com or call 618-795-5174.
▪ Metro-East Interfaith Partnership Book Discussions — 3-4:30 p.m. Wednesdays, March 8, 15, 22 & 29. Forbes Insurance Office, 9805 Foley Drive, Belleville. Our March book is “Abraham: One God, Three Wives, Five Religions” by Frances Worthington. Free to join. Register for in-person meetings by calling Cindy at 618-397-2273. Zoom meeting option available to meet on Thursdays, March 9, 16, 23 & 30. Register for Zoom meetings by calling Rev. Annie Clark at 618-210-4227.
Food
▪ 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. Traditional menu of cod and several side dishes. Dine-in and carryout. Credit cards accepted. Orders can be called in at 618-632-6229. facebook.com/KnightsOfColumbus4239
▪ Waterloo VFW Post #6504 Fish Fry — 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays. Waterloo VFW Post #6504, 406 Veterans Drive, Waterloo. Traditional Menu of cod, walleye, catfish, shrimp, chicken, chicken strips, hamburgers, fries, slaw, hush puppies, onion rings, fried green beans and fried mushrooms. Cash bar available. Dine-in or carryout. Credit/debit cards accepted. Orders can be called in at 618-939-7999.
▪ Swansea Fish Stand – 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays. 216 Service St., Swansea. Cod, walleye, catfish, shrimp and more. Saturday: fried chicken. Open for carryout, call-in and dine-in orders. 618-222-7171. facebook.com/swanseafishstand
▪ KC Club and Event Center Fish Fry — 3-7 p.m. Fridays. 5420 Old Collinsville Road, O’Fallon. Catfish plates, cod plates, barbecue chicken, fries, cole slaw, hush puppies, baked beans, potato salad. Dine in or carryout and drink specials. 618-632-5222 or facebook.com/KCClubEastStLouis.
▪ St. Mary’s Fish Fry — 4-6:30 p.m. Fridays during Lent. St. Mary’s Church, 1706 W. Main St., Belleville. Freshly prepared fish and choice of sides. Drive-thru only. Cash, credit/debit or check accepted. Enter the campus via 17th Street, order when you arrive and your take-home feast will be hot-and-ready when you drive around to the food preparation area.
▪ Highland Knights of Columbus Fish Fry — 4-7 p.m. Fridays during Lent. Highland Knights of Columbus, 12454 IL Route 143, Highland. Fried and baked fish, fried shrimp, chicken strip dinners, two sides from fries, cole slaw, macaroni salad, applesauce, plus hush puppies, bread, iced tea, coffee. Cash bar. facebook.com/HighlandKnightsofColumbusCouncil1580
▪ Maryville MPH Church Knights of Columbus Fish Fry — 4-7 p.m. Fridays during Lent. MPH Parish Center, 200 N. Lange, Maryville. Costs: $12 for two pieces of cod fish, choice of fries or onion rings, cole slaw (homemade), bread, two hush puppies (homemade) and a drink; $8 for one piece of cod fish, fries or onion rings, cole slaw, bread, two hush puppies and a drink. mph.dio.org
▪ St. Joseph Church Fish Fry — 4-7 p.m. Fridays through March 31. St. Joseph’s Parish Center, 6 N. Alton St., Freeburg. Fried cod loins (plate, sandwich or pound), baked cod, shrimp, green beans, fries, homemade slaw, stewed tomatoes, mac and cheese. Orders taken in person or by calling 618-539-4720. Sponsored by the Support Committee.
▪ St. Henry Lenten Fish Fry — 4-7:30 p.m. Fridays through April 7. Msgr. Voss Parish, 5303 W. Main St., Belleville. Fried cod, baked salmon, fried shrimp, cole slaw, French fries, onion rings, mac n’ cheese, hush puppies, spaghetti, soup, dessert. Cash or credit cards accepted. Dine in and carryout. No call-in orders. 618-233-2423.
▪ St. Teresa Men’s Club Fish Fry — 4-7:30 p.m. Fridays, March 3, 10, 24 & 31. St. Teresa School, 1108 Lebanon Ave., Belleville. Fish, shrimp, spaghetti, sides. Sandwich or dinner plate. Dine in or carryout. facebook.com/stteresamensclubfishfry
▪ Aviston Legion Fish Fry — 4:30-7 p.m. Fridays. American Legion Post 1239, 601 S. Clinton, Aviston. Cod (baked or fried), catfish, shrimp, hush puppies, chicken strips, fries, baked potato, slaw, applesauce. Dine-in and carryout. 618-228-7311. avistonlegion.com
▪ Friday Fish Fry — 4-8 p.m. Fridays. Millstadt Sportsmen’s Club, 4915 Schmidt Lane, Belleville. Cod, shrimp, walleye, salmon patties. Carryouts available. 618-476-1891.
▪ St. Joseph Lenten Fish Fry — 5-7 p.m. Fridays through March 31. 901 N. Alton St., Lebanon. Fried cod, catfish, shrimp, French fries, cole slaw, potato salad, applesauce and desserts. Dine in or carry out.
▪ Okawville American Legion Fish Fry — 5-8 p.m. Fridays. American Legion Post 233, 205 N. Hanover St., Okawville. Dine in or carryout. Also serving lunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Friday with a salad bar. Pizza made fresh and served every day. facebook.com/OkawvilleLegion
▪ Quail Club Fish Fry — 5-8 p.m. Fridays through April 7. Quail Club, 8303 Concordia Church Road, Belleville. Cod cut-ups, walleye, shrimp, burgers. Sides and desserts available. Carryout available. No phone orders. quailclub.com/fish-fry
▪ Smithton Turner Hall Fish Fry — 5-8 p.m. Fridays during Lent. Turner Hall, 115 N. Julia, Smithton. Baked and fried cod loins in both plates and by the pound, grilled cheese, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, fries, baked potato, cole slaw, stewed tomatoes, mac and cheese and hush puppies. Plus desserts provided by the Smithton Turner Ladies. Dine in with plenty of seating or call in a carryout. 618-277-9690.
▪ Queen of Peace Fish Fry — 4:30-7:30 p.m. Fridays, March 3 & 24. Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church, 5915 North Belt West, Belleville. Enjoy cod, fish (baked) tacos, peel-and-eat shrimp, salad, homemade sides – French fries, QP slaw, mac & cheese, potato salad. Dine in/carryout. facebook.com/QPRaiders
▪ Albers Legion Breakfast — 8-11 a.m. Sunday, March 5. American Legion Post 1026, 600 N. Bertha St., Albers. Cost: $12 adults, $5 kids 5-12, under 5 eat free. Dine in or carryout. 618-248-5505.
Reservations Required
▪ Kaskaskia College Community Education Class: Understanding Social Security — 6-8 p.m. Thursday, March 2. Kaskaskia College, Nashville Education Center, 17869 Exchange Ave., Nashville. Understanding social security can reduce your stress in planning your retirement. This seminar will cover your options for when and how to start your benefits, how to maximize those benefits, and what to look out for after retirement. There will also be a discussion of how Medicare fits with social security and the social security scams currently affecting our community. The seminar offers plenty of time for questions at the end. For more info or to register, contact the Kaskaskia College Department of Workforce Development and Community Education at 618-545-3255 or ce@kaskaskia.edu.
▪ Kaskaskia College Community Education Class: Basic Drawing Class — 5-6 p.m. Thursdays, March 2, 16, 23 and 30. Kaskaskia College, Vandalia Education Center, 2310 W. Fillmore St., Vandalia. Students will learn basic drawing and shading techniques. Please bring a sketch pad and drawing pencils to class. For more info or to register, contact the Kaskaskia College Department of Workforce Development and Community Education at 618-545-3255 or ce@kaskaskia.edu.
▪ AARP Tax Aide — 9-11:30 a.m. Fridays, March 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 (by appointment). Glen Carbon Centennial Library, 198 S. Main St., Glen Carbon. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program provides free tax preparation assistance to anyone. IRS-certified volunteers make filing taxes easy for you. Call 618-288-1212 to schedule an appointment during library hours. glencarbonlibrary.org
▪ Kaskaskia College Community Education Class: Microsoft Excel — 1-4 p.m. Fridays, March 3, 10, 17 and 24. Kaskaskia College, Salem Education Center, 1475 W. Whittaker St., Salem. This course focuses on mastering the fundamental tasks performed in Excel, including data entry, basic formula calculations, and formatting and style operations. During the course, you will learn how to build a spreadsheet from scratch and gain a greater understanding of the most popular Excel commands and functions. Master common Excel skills to improve performance and efficiency in the workplace. For more info or to register, contact the Kaskaskia College Department of Workforce Development and Community Education at 618-545-3255 or ce@kaskaskia.edu.
▪ 2nd annual Shawnee Polar Plunge — 3 p.m. Saturday, March 4. Pounds Hollow Recreation Area, Gallatin County. Onsite check-in starts at 1:30 p.m. Say goodbye to winter and hello to spring in a big and special way while supporting the Friends of the Shawnee National Forest and the Equality Fire Department. Participants are encouraged to gather pledges from family and friends. After collecting, pledges participants donate the pledged money to Friends of the Shawnee Forest. shawneefriends.org/shawnee-polar-plunge
▪ Kaskaskia College Community Education Class: AARP Safe Driver Course — 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 8 and Thursday, March 9. Kaskaskia College, Crisp Technology Center, 2005 E. McCord St., Room 135, Centralia. The AARP Safe Driver course teaches valuable defensive driving skills and provides a refresher of the rules of the road. Since 1979, the course has helped over 14 million drivers learn proven safety strategies and tips for how to adapt ones driving to compensate for physical and cognitive changes that may come with aging. Students may qualify for an automobile insurance discount by completing the course. For more info or to register, contact the Kaskaskia College Department of Workforce Development and Community Education at 618-545-3255 or ce@kaskaskia.edu.
▪ Virtual Evening Flow Yoga — 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 8. Online via Zoom. A Slow Flow mixed levels practice that will lead you through a series of yoga poses that focus on strengthening, lengthening, and stretching. Requires registration. Instructed by Anne Hughes. Register at glencarbonlibrary.org.
▪ Lucky Leprechaun 5K — 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 11. Downtown Belleville. Race starts and ends at Union United Methodist Church, 721 E. Main St. Belleville. Run through the streets of Belleville then head to the parade route to enjoy with family and friends before heading to the St. Patrick’s Day Block Party. For info or to register: https://bit.ly/416lHCo.
▪ Virtual Saturday Morning Yoga — 9:30 a.m. Saturday, March 11. Online via Zoom. Get fit and healthy when you join us for an energizing session of yoga with instructor Sarah Hartwig. Space is limited. Registration required. Register at glencarbonlibrary.org.
▪ Scripture Study Series: ‘The Day Jesus Died: The Passion of Narratives’ — 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays, March 11, 18, 25 and April 1. Shrine Visitors Center, 442 S. De Mazenod Drive, Belleville. The passion and crucifixion of Jesus are at the heart of the Christian faith. We remember and reflect on them every year during Holy Week. But what’s less widely known are the differences in the Passion narratives in each of the four Gospels. Each Passion narrative has its own depiction of Jesus, and its own theological emphasis. In this four-part series we will take a close look at each of the Passion narratives as we journey through Lent in anticipation of Easter Sunday. Presented by Mark Etling, Ph.D. Cost: $10 per session or $40 for the series. Registration required. 618-394-6281 or snows.org/ministries/spiritual-programs.
Worth the Drive
▪ 2023 Eagle Fest — 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 4. Jerry F. Costello Lock & Dam, 4800 Lock and Dam Road, Modoc. Enjoy eagle watching with spotting scopes and meet some feathered friends from the World Bird Sanctuary at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Also be sure to catch the Wildlife presentation given by the Animology at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tours of Lock and Dam will be available and short interpretive walks will be given downstream from the Lock and Dam. Viewing of an eagle nest will be available throughout the day. Food will be available from local vendors and both breakfast and lunch will be served. This event is free to all; families and leash-trained dogs welcome for the hike. 618-284-7160.
▪ Green Door Art Gallery presents ‘Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts’ — 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 8 (exhibit opening day). Green Door Art Gallery, 21 N. Gore Ave., Webster Groves, Missouri. Amazing Art from Pieces and Pixels featuring Pysanky by Katherine Alexander, Digital Art by Matt Bryan, Mosaics by Brenda Fraser, Assemblage by Nell Kobes, and Mosaics by Virgene Tyrell. The artwork will be on display and available for sale March 8-April 29. Opening reception 5-8 p.m. Saturday, March 11. greendoorartgallery.com
▪ River-to-River Trail Society Free Guided Hike: Dixon Springs Bluff Trail/Red Dog Trail (Pope County) — 10 a.m. Saturday, March 11. Shelter #2, Dixon Springs State Park, 982 IL-146, Golconda. Led by Bill Gilmour, 270-331-1553. These hikes are of at least moderate difficulty, and are intended for people in good health who have done some hiking. Boots or sturdy shoes and a walking stick are recommended for all hikes. Hikers should bring their own water and a snack. No dogs, please. Free and open to the public. No reservations required. rivertorivertrail.net