Last of the Lenten fish fries, annual book bazaar on this week’s metro-east calendar

Noon Friday, March 29, 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.

Submitted event info will be edited and run the week before the event date.

Send event info via email to lifestyle@bnd.com. Questions, call Jennifer Green at 618-239-2643.

Events

▪ St. Clair County Genealogical Society: ‘Let’s talk Genealogy’ — Noon Thursday, March 28. Belleville Public Library, 121 E. Washington St., Belleville. Bring questions or documents for discussion on topics such as census data, deeds, immigration, methodology, naturalization, occupations, military, and vital records. Suggestions on how to avoid pitfalls or break through ancestral brick walls may ensue. If you have specific questions or to propose a different day or time, email sccgsoffice@stclair-ilgs.org. The discussion is open to the public, but please call the library at 618-234-0441 to hold your spot. Additional information is at stclair-ilgs.org/events or facebook.com/STCCGSIL.

▪ The Man Cave Extravaganza/Brewery Collectable Show — 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 30. Belle-Clair Fairgrounds Park, 200 South Belt East, Belleville. Early bird admission 7:30-9 a.m. $10 per person. Admission 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. $5. Children under 12 get in free. Beer cans, tap handles, mugs and much, much more. belleclair.org

▪ Metro East Model Railroad Club Spring Open House — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 30. MEMRC Club House, 180 Summit St. Glen Carbon. Visitors are welcome to view trains running on the Club’s 18 x 27 foot HO scale model railroad. Admission is free. Snacks too! For more information, please call Bob at 618-476-9228, or Bill at 618-531-1589, or check the website at trainweb.org/memrc.

▪ Memorial Hospital Auxiliary 65th annual Book Bazaar — 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, April 3-5, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 6. Belle-Clair Fairgrounds Park, 200 South Belt East, Belleville. Includes fiction, nonfiction, children’s, cookbooks, CDs, DVDs, games, puzzles and more. Admission: $10 on Wednesday, free Thursday-Saturday. Free parking. belleclair.org

▪ Badges & Bagels: Bagels with Mayor Bob and Shiloh Police Department — 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 3. Klucker Hall, 14 Park Drive, Shiloh. Bagels and coffee will be served. This is your chance to hear what services the Attorney General’s Office has to offer. We will also have an open forum with Mayor Weilmuenster and Police Officers so bring any questions you may want answered. Stay a bit longer and spend the morning dancing and listening to great music with the Programs & Services for Older Persons and the RSVP Orchestra Band. Reservations are required for the dance. Please call 618-234-4410 X 7042 two days in advance if you would like to order lunch. $4 per person, minimum of 25 registered or the dance will be canceled.

▪ Catholic Charities 23rd annual Help On the Move Fundraiser — 6-11 p.m. Saturday, April 13. Julia’s Banquet Center, 101 Eastgate Plaza, East Alton. The evening will include dinner, drinks, DJ music, a $10,000 raffle, and activities. The event will include the presentation of the 2024 Community Service Awards. Dinner tickets are $50 each. Raffle tickets are $25 each or buy 2 and get 1 free. Tickets may be purchased on our website cc.dio.org or by calling 618-462-0634.

Worth the Drive

▪ River-to-River Trail Society Hike: Cove Hollow to Splatter Stone Falls (Pope County) — 10 a.m. Saturday, April 6. Meet: East Trigg Trailhead. Leader: Sam Morales, 618-384-1321. This will be a difficult loop hike 4 miles in length, 3.5 hours hiking time. These hikes 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. All hikes are open to the public free of charge. rivertorivertrail.net

Games

▪ Troy Senior Center Bunco — 1-3 p.m. Thursday, March 28. At the little house at 409 Collinsville Road, Troy. Cost to play $5. Cash prizes. Held the last Thursday of each month. Call 618-667-2022 if interested in getting on the list.

▪ 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. Wiesemeyer Building, 410 Wickliffe, Troy. Includes light snack, cash prizes. No cost to play, no RSVP required. 618-667-2022.

▪ Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site Trivia Night & Silent Auction — 7 p.m. Saturday, April 6. Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, Interpretive Center Lobby, 30 Ramey St., Collinsville. Doors open at 6 p.m. Evening includes the silent auction, mulligans, 50/50 raffle, used book sale. Cost: $20 per person or $150 for a table of up to 10. This event supports the Cahokia Mounds Museum Society (CMMS) and the Powell Archaeological Research Center (PARC). For reservations: 618-344-7316 or cahokiamounds.org/trivia24.

▪ Rock and Roll Bingo — 7 p.m. Saturday, April 13. Swansea Improvement Hall, 216 Service St., Swansea. In rock and roll bingo, numbers are replaced with the names of singers and bands, and the caller replaced with rapid-fire song clips. Features a wide variety of music genres: classic rock, oldies, disco, country and hip-hop. Players must identify the artists on their cards to win. Cost: $25 per packet of cards = 10 games. 618-345-1239.

Theater/Concerts

▪ The Arcadia Dance Orchestra — 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 5. Hettenhausen Center for the Arts, 400 N. Alton St., Lebanon. Featuring an authentic, 11-piece 1920s-style jazz band based in St. Louis. Named after the once-famous Arcadia Ballroom (“On Olive, near Grand”), the group consists of incredible musicians playing era-correct instruments with red-hot energy and keen historical accuracy. This performance is part of McKendree University’s Discovery Series. Tickets are $20. thehett.com

▪ Saint Louis Chamber Chorus: ‘The Glory That Was Greece’ — 3 p.m. Sunday, April 7. Graham Chapel, Washington University, 6475 Forsyth Blvd., St. Louis. The competing tensions found in the tragedy Antigone by Sophocles are presented through four odes composed expressly for us by Ned Rorem, Sasha Johnson Manning, Kerensa Briggs, and Melissa Dunphy. Their dramatic choruses find relief in the tender and deeply personal poetry of Sappho, set by Clare Maclean and Ildebrando Pizzetti. chamberchorus.org

▪ St. Louis Jewish Film Festival — Sunday, April 7, thru Thursday, April 18. B&B Theatres, 12657 Olive Blvd., Creve Coeur, Missouri. Visit our festival lineup to buy individual tickets OR purchase an All-Festival Pass! Seats are VERY limited for every screening, so don’t wait until the previews start. Contact our Box Office Manger Hannah Ryan at hryan@jccstl.org or call 314-442-3179 for more information on tickets. jccstl.com

Clubs & Support Groups

▪ Belleville ‘Sounds of Harmony’ Barbershop Chorus — 7-9:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Union United Methodist Church, 721 E. Main St., Belleville. Men of all ages who like to sing are encouraged to attend. For info: Bob at 618-566-8574 or email RLCearnal@gmail.com.

▪ Griefshare Weekly Grief Support Group — 6-8 p.m. Tuesdays thru April 23. Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 304 South St., Collinsville. Register at griefshare.org/groups/176845 or by calling 618-344-3145. There are no fees to participate. Childcare is available.

▪ Metro East Herb Club — 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 3. PSOP, 201 N. Church St., Belleville. Program: Flying Flowers: Gardening for Butterflies given by Lisa Dean; Master Gardener and Master Naturalist. Annual plant sale plants, herbs and garden-related items. All proceeds go to our scholarship fund for a Southwestern Illinois College agricultural student. Open to the public.

▪ St. Clair County Genealogical Society — 7 p.m. Thursday, April 4. Online via Zoom. Program: “The Happy Invention: History and Significance of Picture Postcards.” The first picture postcards were published for the 1889 Paris Exposition. In America, the first picture postcards were printed for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, making Illinois the birthplace of the American picture postcard. Katherine Hamilton-Smith, a museum and archives professional with 30+ years experience, is the founding curator of the Teich Archives, the world’s largest collection of postcards and related materials located at the Newberry Library, Chicago. She looks at the documentary power and significance of postcards and the role Illinois played in their history and development. The meeting is open to the public, but space is limited. Reservation information is at stclair-ilgs.org/events or facebook.com/STCCGSIL.

Food

▪ O’Fallon Knights of Columbus & Ladies Auxiliary Fish Fry — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4-8 p.m. Fridays during Lent. Knights of Columbus Hall, 402 E. U.S. 50, O’Fallon. Traditional menu of cod, tilapia, catfish and several side dishes. Dine-in and carryout. Credit cards accepted. Orders can be called in at 618-632-6229 until 7:30 p.m. facebook.com/KnightsOfColumbus4239

▪ Waterloo VFW Post #6504 Fish Fry — 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Friday. 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.

▪ Holy Trinity’s Lenten Fish Fry — 3:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, March 29. Holy Trinity, 505 Fountains Parkway, Fairview Heights. Fish and shrimp (plate, sandwich, pound), fries, slaw, green beans, applesauce, mac & cheese, onion rings, hush puppies, spaghetti. Carryout orders can be placed at 3:30 p.m. Dine-in begins at 4 p.m. holytrinityil.org

▪ St. Mary’s Fish Fry — 4-6:30 p.m. Friday, March 29. 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. Friday, March 29. 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 bread, iced tea, coffee. Cash bar. facebook.com/HighlandKnightsofColumbusCouncil1580

▪ Holy Family Catholic Church Fish Fry — 4-7 p.m. Friday, March 29. Holy Family Catholic Church, 2606 Washington Ave., Granite City. Enjoy cod plates, walleye plates, shrimp plates, and combinations of cod and shrimp and walleye and shrimp. Plates come with two sides: mac and cheese, fries, and slaw. Individual sandwiches and sides are also available. Sponsored by Holy Family Catholic School and Holy Family Men’s Club. facebook.com/HolyFamilyGC

▪ St. Henry Catholic Church Famous Fish Fry — 4-7:30 p.m. Friday, March 29. St. Henry Catholic Church, 5315 W. Main St., Belleville. Fried cod, fried shrimp, baked salmon. Sides are homemade coleslaw, spaghetti, onion rings, French fries, hush puppies, mac-n-cheese and soup. Fish sold by the plate, sandwich or pound. Plate includes two sides, $12; Pound is $15. Discount for police, fireman, military, and EMS personnel. Cash, credit or debit cards taken. Dine in or carryout. Call Jerry at 618-540-8062 or Kim at 618-540-8383 with questions.

▪ Firefighters Fish Fry — 4-8 p.m. Friday, March 29. Ellis Grove Volunteer Fire Department, 501 Eggemeyer Plaza, Ellis Grove. Buffalo fish, catfish, cod, shrimp, baked beans, fries, cole slaw, onion rings, hush puppies, potato salad, fried pickles. Cost: $15 adults, $7 kids 5-12, under 5 free. Dine in or carryout. 618-859-3473.

▪ Aviston Legion Fish Fry — 4:30-7 p.m. every Friday. 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

▪ Fraternal Order of Eagles #545 — 5-7 p.m. every Friday. Fraternal Order of Eagles #545, 100 Eagle Drive, Shiloh. Cod, walleye, catfish, shrimp and chicken strips. Fish available by pound or plate. Sides: slaw, fries, onion rings, hush puppies, spaghetti, cheese balls and applesauce. Desserts provided by the Ladies Auxiliary. Dine-in or carryout available. 618-624-5412 or facebook.com/shiloheagles545.

▪ Quail Club Fish Fry — 5-8 p.m. Fridays, March 29 & April 5. 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. Friday, March 29. 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 or facebook.com/smithton.turnerhall.

Reservation/Registration Required

▪ Virtual Saturday Morning Yoga — 9:30 a.m. Saturday, March 30. Online via Zoom. Get fit and healthy when you join us for an energizing session of yoga. Registration required. glencarbonlibrary.org

▪ Cook the Books: ‘Make It Ahead’ by Ina Garten — 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 2. New Athens District Library, 201 N. Van Buren St., New Athens. How it works: come to the library to choose a recipe for this month’s book and bring it to share! Recommended ages 18+. Registration required. Food is prepared in home kitchens not subject to inspection. Food may contain allergens. Attendees choosing to partake in the food/drink available during the event do so at their own risk. 618-475-3255.

▪ Virtual Evening Flow Yoga — 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 3. Virtual class. This Slow Flow practice will lead you through a series of yoga poses that focus on strengthening, lengthening, and stretching. Side effects may include a sense of well-being and feelings of peace and calmness! Recommended props: 1. Two foam yoga blocks 2. A blanket 3. A yoga strap (or belt, towel, scarf. Registration required. glencarbonlibrary.org

▪ AARP Tax Aide — 9-11:30 a.m. Friday, April 5. 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. The volunteers of the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program provide free tax preparation help to anyone. They are especially focused on helping those that are age 50+ and can’t afford a tax preparation service. There is no fee, no sales pitch for other services, and AARP membership is not required. Registration required. Call 618-288-1212 to schedule an appointment during library hours.

▪ St. Clair County Historical Society 21st Fashion Promenade — 11 a.m. Saturday, April 6. St. Clair Country Club, 100 S. 78th St., Belleville. Theme: Witty Women, Past and Present. Cost: $60 per person. For tickets or info: 618-234-0600 or stcchs.curator@gmail.com.

▪ Green Root Gallery presents ‘Abstraction Rules’ by Tom Dailey — 2-4:30 p.m. Sunday, April 7. Green Root Gallery, 125 E. Main St., Belleville. This workshop will include helpful hints and techniques designed to further the development of the abstract artist. Cost: $50. For info or to register: greenrootgallery.com.

▪ Author Talk: ‘Growing Up St. Louis: Looking Back Through the Decades’ — 1 p.m. Friday, April 12. Field House Museum, 634 S. Broadway, St. Louis. The Field House Museum is pleased to welcome back author Jim Merkel to discuss his 2020 book, Growing Up St. Louis: Looking Back Through the Decades, in conjunction with the museum’s latest exhibition, Growing Up on Fifth: Childhood in 1850s St. Louis. Merkel’s book shares the stories of over 100 St. Louisans. Ranging from joyous to humdrum, and even to the grim, these childhood memories offer a glimpse of life in still frame, from the start of the 20th century to the present day. This program is free with limited availability in person and on Zoom. Reservations must be made in advance at fieldhousemuseum.org/events/programs, by calling the Museum at 314-421-4689, or by emailing info@fieldhousemuseum.org.

▪ Granite City Senior Social Club Spring Dance/Concert — 2 p.m. Sunday, April 21. Granite City Township Hall, 2060 Delmar Ave., Granite City. Doors open at 1 p.m. Featured band: KC’s Night Riders. Marietta Chapman and the Wild Old Women will teach the Electric Slide. Refreshments served. Advance tickets available through April 14. Cost: $5 in advance, $7 at the door. For tickets and info: Diana, 618-444-6771; Marty, 618-797-6749; township office, 618-877-0513.