Make plans for the weekend and beyond. Choose from 30 upcoming metro-east events

Noon Friday, Jan. 26, 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

▪ Project Homeless Connect — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26. City Temple Assembly of God, 4751 Maryville Road, Granite City. This program counts the number of homeless persons — men, women and children — throughout the county and provides free services. Volunteers and service providers will be present to assist in the distribution of food, beverages and clothing. Representatives will also provide a wide range of services that include substance abuse and mental health counseling, legal services, employment assistance and other social services. Those who attend will have an opportunity to receive flu shots, medical exams, screenings and include other health services. Rides to the event are free. Call the Homeless Hotline at 618-296-5300. For more information or to volunteer, email David Kerr at drkerr@madisoncountyil.gov.

▪ Dandy Dancers Square Dance — 7-9:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26. Caseyville Township Senior Center, 10001 Bunkum Road, Fairview Heights. Tom Murray will call the squares, and Bob and Gerry Tevlin will cue the rounds. Next dance will be Friday, Feb. 2, with Howard Hartsock and Glenda Morgan. Want to learn? For information contact Rick Voelkel at 618-234-1311.

▪ St. Teresa School ‘Everything Under the Sun’ Rummage Sale — 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27. St. Teresa School Gym, 1108 Lebanon Ave., Belleville. The $1 bag sale starts at noon. Donations accepted Thursday-Friday, Jan. 25-26, from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Please no mattresses, TVs or car seats.

▪ 2024 Orchid Show — 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily Jan. 27 thru Feb. 25 (Orchid Nights Feb 8 & 22). Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis. The beloved Orchid Show returns to the Missouri Botanical Garden this winter featuring thousands of vibrant orchid blooms in nearly every color of the rainbow. The show is a once-a-year opportunity to see plants from the Garden’s impressive orchid collection, which includes more than 5,000 individual plants representing nearly 700 unique kinds of orchids. Nearly one in ten orchids in the collection is threatened or endangered. mobot.org

▪ St. Louis Jewish Community Center Winter Used Book Sale — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28 (preview day), 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 29 thru Thursday, Feb. 1. Staenberg Family Complex Arts & Education Building, 2 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis. Book lovers, collectors and avid readers all anticipate this event, which benefits the Cultural Arts Department of the J. Thousands of titles include novels, biographies, politics, religion, sports, cookbooks, history, animals, art, science, science fiction, business, women’s issues, foreign languages, gardening, poetry, psychology, self-help, humor … the list goes on. jccstl.com/programs/used-book-sale/

▪ ImpactLife Blood Drive — 3-7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30. St. Clare of Assisi Catholic CHurch and St. Clare School, Fellowship Hall, 1411 Cross St., O’Fallon. The need for blood is urgent during winter months, when the holidays and winter weather reduce blood donations. To donate, please contact ImpactLife at 800-747-5401 or visit bloodcenter.org/group and use code 10841 to schedule online. St. Clare School will earn a textbook grant if enough blood donations are collected. Donors will receive a gift card or rewards store bonus points.

▪ Madison County Historical Society Wine & Cheese Event — 4:30-7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31. Madison County History Museum, 715 N. Main St., Edwardsville. The Weir House has been home to the Madison County History Museum since 1963. The Society will show the progress of renovation, exhibit designs for the newly imagined museum, and accept input from guests on what they would like to see in the museum. Music will be provided by jazz musician Wilbert Glasper. The evening is a fundraising event that will provide needed funds for operations and maintenance of Society facilities and programming. Suggested donation $25. 618-656-7569.

▪ ‘The Chaos of Being’ Art Show — 5-9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3. Ellipsis Studio, 3304 Meramec St., St. Louis. Old Bones Inc. will display new paintings. Evening includes special guests, free refreshments, music and entertainment. The show will be on display through February with limited viewing hours. Old Bones, Inc. is a collaboration between self-taught artists Andy Dykeman and Mark Regester. Their work reflects the DIY values and aesthetics that come from spending formative years immersed in the punk rock scene. Skulls, UFOs, ghosts, spines, brains and fire are all common themes in their work with a healthy dose of writing and dark humor.

▪ Ruby Leigh Dinner Show and Meet & Greet — 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3. Highland Knights of Columbus, 12454 IL-143, Highland. Dinner starts at 5:30 p.m. Show starts at 7 p.m. Dinner tickets are $50 each – includes show and meet & greet – and must be purchased in advance. Show and meet & greet tickets are $30 each. Email ticket request to btift@yahoo.com. Tickets can also be picked up at the Old Time Pub or at the Highland Knights of Columbus Hall 8 a.m .to noon Monday-Friday.

Games

▪ 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.

▪ Friends of the Old Millstadt Water Tower Trivia Night & Silent Auction — 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27. St. James Parish Center, 423 W. Madison St., Millstadt. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. CostL $120 per table of six to eight players (includes Survivor Round and mulligans). Heads/Tails and 50/50 drawing. Cash prizes to top three teams. BYO snacks and beverages. Beverages available. For info or reservations: 618-520-3623, 618-719-1911 or millstadttinman@gmail.com.

▪ St. Stephen Catholic Church Men’s Club Trivia Night — 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27. Voigt Hall, 901 S. Main St., Caseyville. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Cash prizes, 50/50 drawings, mulligans, free soft drinks and snacks. Draft beer, margaritas available for purchase. No outside alcohol please. Max of eight players per table. Cost: $15 per person. For reservations or info: 618-604-0600 or stygar7@yahoo.com.

▪ Belleville Area Humane Society Glo Bingo — 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Feb. 2-3. Tribout’s BelleVegas Bingo Hall, 517 S. Illinois St., Belleville. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. INcludes six bingo cards for 10 games, a glo bingo hat, light-up foam stick, neon dabber. Additional cards are available for $5 per set. Games, raffle prizes, 50/50 drawing, grab bags, music and more. Cash bar; BYO snacks. For tickets: bahspets.org. Every penny raised goes to support pets under the care of BAHS.

Theater/Concerts

▪ Barber and Price — 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 2. Touhill Performing Arts Center, 1 Touhill Circle, St. Louis. Florence Price was a pioneer, a key figure in the Black Chicago Renaissance, championed by America’s finest performers. Her Third Symphony, written during the height of the Great Depression, combines deep passion with an ear for great tunes and danceable rhythms and receives its first SLSO performances in this program. Valerie Coleman’s Umoja seeks a union for family, community, nation, and race. Violinist Augustin Hadelich, an international sensation, and a St. Louis favorite, plays Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto. Tickets start at $15. slso.org

▪ Animaniacs: In Concert — 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3. Hettenhausen Center for the Arts, 400 N. Alton St., Lebanon. join the voices of Animaniacs, the iconic animated Warner Bros. series for a “zany, animan-y and totally insane-y” evening as they perform the world-famous songs from the beloved cartoon series backed by the original projected animation. This show features Emmy-winning composer Randy Rogel on piano and the voice talents of Emmy winner Rob Paulsen (Yakko and Pinky on Animaniacs; Raphael on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and Maurice LaMarche (The Brain on Animaniacs; The King in Disney’s Frozen). mckendree.edu/the_hett

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.

▪ St. Clair County Genealogical Society — 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1. Online via Zoom. Program: “Postal Service in Early Illinois and Missouri.” Mail routes in territorial Illinois and early statehood were dearly needed by government officials, pioneers and settlers. How were the routes established? How reliably could mail be expected? Find out in this presentation by Andrew Cooperman, adjunct professor of History at Southwestern Illinois College. The meeting is open to the public, but space is limited. Reservation information is at stclair-ilgs.org/events or facebook.com/STCCGSIL.

Food

▪ 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.

▪ O’Fallon Knights of Columbus & Ladies Auxiliary 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, tilapia, catfish, hamburgers, hot dogs, pork steaks and several side dishes. Dine-in and carryout. Credit cards accepted. Orders can be called in at 618-632-6229. facebook.com/KnightsOfColumbus4239

▪ 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

▪ 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

▪ Highland Knights of Columbus Dine-in/Carryout Chicken Dinner — 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28. Highland Knights of Columbus, 12454 IL-143, Highland. Cost: $15 per plate. Includes four pieces of chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, cole slaw, green beans and dessert.

Reservation/Registration Required

▪ ‘Trauma Comes Home: The Battle for the Warrior Family’ Film Screening and Workshop — Screenings 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8. Workshop 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9. Southwestern Illinois College, 2500 Carlyle Ave., Belleville. The two-day event is designed to equip people with the tools and training needed to empower veterans to overcome the hurts of the past, walk in wholeness, and encourage them to identify their next life mission. The goal isn’t just to find healing from the past, but to forge ahead into the best possible future. The Warrior Hope training will be facilitated by Bob Waldrep, the founder and president of Crosswinds, and Andy Jenkins, co-creator of the Warrior Hope curriculum. The 12-lesson training gives participants all of the resources they need to lead their own group and implement strategy. Participants can attend any or all parts of this is a two-day event. The events are free, but registration is required at warriorhope.online/SWIC.

▪ Paint Your Power Animal — 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 11. Green Root Gallery, 125 E. Main St., Belleville. Artist Greta Pastorello will help you explore your inner potential and enjoy the process of creative imagination in this painting workshop. Cost: $60. For more info: 618-416-1505. greenrootgallery.com

▪ Prairie Heart Foundation Heart Walk & Education Event — 5-7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16. Korte Recreation Center, 1 Nagel Drive, Highland. Get powered up as you and your loved ones walk your way to a healthy heart. This low-impact, high-fun event for all ages includes a variety of activities to fuel your heart-healthy journey, along with prize drawings throughout the morning. Representatives from local HSHS hospitals will be at the event providing health information and education. Register for the walk by Feb. 9 at prairieheart.org/heart-walk.

▪ 7Hills Student Conference — Friday-Saturday, March 1-2. First Baptist Church O’Fallon, 1111 E. U.S. Highway 50, O’Fallon. Doors open 5:45 p.m. March 1 and 12:45 p.m. March 2. The 7Hills Student Conference seeks to bring together students from the metro east for a weekend filled with the transformative power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Over the course of two days, participants will engage in dynamic preaching, authentic worship, challenging breakout sessions, and meaningful community building. This weekend promises to be a unique opportunity for encounter, equipping, and empowerment. Cost: $39/person; $59/person with a conference shirt. For more info: fbcofallon.org/shsc.

▪ Southwestern Illinois College Health Science Day — Friday, March 22. SWIC Belleville Campus, 2500 Carlyle Ave., Belleville. High school students can explore some of the exciting educational and career opportunities offered in the first responder and health science fields. High school students from surrounding areas are invited to the Belleville campus to get a chance to meet SWIC faculty and staff, and learn about the college’s Health Science, Homeland Security, and Business programs. The day will feature a staged car accident that will demonstrate how each profession has an integral part to play in everyday emergencies. Students will get a chance to watch the accident scene unfold, as well as experience what happens to critical patients in a mock Emergency Room. Not only will students get to experience what it is like working in the field, they will also have an opportunity to speak with potential employers and work with college faculty performing hands-on activities in Health Science disciplines in SWIC’s state-of-the-art labs. To register for this free event, visit https://swic.tfaforms.net/217806.