As the holidays are nearing us, many museums in the state are offering free admission dates throughout the month of December! If you are looking free, family fun activities check out the locations and dates below:
Did you know? Illinois native LaRoyce Hawkins is best known for his lead role in NBC’s “Chicago P.D.” where he plays Officer Kevin Atwater.
Hawkins is an American actor born and raised in Harvey, Illinois, where he attended Thornton High School and first endeavored into acting and stand-up comedy. During high school, he was a member of the speech team, where he became a two-time state champion. In 2005, he captured the state title in the Illinois High School Association’s Original Comedy event.
As we get closer to Halloween, many enjoy watching horror movies to set the tone of the holiday. From ghosts, demons and goblins to evil, abandoned and haunted places, a wide range of these scary films were made right here in Illinois.
Here are just a few of the creepiest ghoulish movies filmed in the state:
Have you watched any of these horror films? It’s thanks to the rich, filming history and locations across the state that flock movie producers here every year.
Although less popular, Illinois’ brilliant night skies are perfect for catching mesmerizing astronomical events all year round, and soon our skies will be illuminated by the Draconid meteor shower from Oct. 6-10, reaching its peak on the evening of Oct. 7 into the early morning of Oct. 8.
The Draconid meteor shower, named after the constellation Draco the Dragon, is an annual meteor shower that appears in the sky during the month of October. The meteor shower is created when Earth passes through the dust debris left by comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner.
To increase your chances of seeing the Draconids, find a good viewing spot with clear skies, away from city lights. Illinois has the perfect viewing spots at various state parks and nature reservation areas. You can find one closest to you here.
To check if the Draconids are visible in your city, visit this link.
Happy gazing!
Allison Joseph is an American poet who was born in London, England and grew up between Toronto, Canada, and the Bronx. She is a graduate of Kenyon College and Indiana University, and now directs the masters of fine arts program in creative writing at Southern Illinois University.