With the holiday season in full swing, residents of our state should take the time to shop at our many holiday markets. Around the state, communities are coming together to celebrate the season and provide shoppers with a variety of unique items for the whole family.

Urbana’s Holiday Market, located at 201 Lincoln Square in Urbana, has a variety of vendors selling baked goods, musical instruments and fresh vegetables. The market runs every Saturday until December 20.

After football season comes to a close, Illinois fans will have another NFL event to look forward to.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Mayor Rahm Emanuel have announced that Chicago was chosen to host the 2015 NFL draft. The draft had been held in the Radio City Music Hall in New York since 1965, but earlier this year, the league decided to award the draft to a new city. Los Angeles and Nashville were among some of the other candidate cities, but Chicago’s rich history with the NFL helped it become the front runner.

Halloween is centuries-old tradition. The fall holiday has transformed from a day of remembrance to a fun celebration of the supernatural that supports a multi-million dollar horror movie industry and an almost equally lucrative candy-selling business. Spending on Halloween is expected to reach $7.4 billion this year. While that may pale in comparison to spending for other holidays, it still means Halloween is big business in addition to big fun.

Cooler temperatures, shorter days and colorful leaves are all a sign that fall has arrived in Illinois.

Illinois’ scenic byways are a great way to enjoy the fall, offering unparalleled views of changing tree canopies, wildlife sightseeing opportunities and other outdoor activities.

Good news: If you’re looking to travel and see priceless works of fine art, you don’t have to travel far. The Art Institute of Chicago may be just the ticket for you. The museum was recently awarded the title of No. 1 Art Museum in the world by TripAdvisor.com.

The Art Institute houses a world-class collection of artwork, ranging from antiquities to very modern pieces. The building is equally historic. And for those of you planning travel to Chicago, the museum is only closed three days out of the year: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

So the next time you are in the mood for a bit of art, remember: You don’t have to travel to Europe to see classic and modern art work. Your destination is right in your very own backyard.

Learn More:
See TripAdvisor’s full ratings.
Visit The Art Institute’s website.
Read all about it in the Chicago Tribune.