New This Year: Zoom Programs at the McLean County Museum of History and at the Bloomington Public Library
(Bloomington-Normal, IL) Lincoln’s Festival Committee is pleased to present activities celebrating Abraham Lincoln and Route 66’s legacy in Bloomington-Normal. On Saturday, July 17, join the McLean County Museum of History, Bloomington Public Library, David Davis Mansion, and the Prairie Chickens Base Ball Team of McLean County for a variety of programs (most of which are free) that will appeal to all ages.
Activities include:
● McLean County Museum of History will have children’s activities on the Museum’s Plaza Saturday morning. The Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center and the Museums’ exhibits will be free and open to the public from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
1 p.m.-Zoom program Abraham Lincoln and the Heritage of Illinois State University presented by Tom Emery and Carl Kasten, highlighting Abraham Lincoln’s close ties to Illinois State University, a topic largely ignored in the 156 years since Lincoln’s death.
Lincoln’s connection to then Illinois State Normal University is the subject of Emery and Kasten’s book Abraham Lincoln and the Heritage of Illinois State University (2021). See website for details and registration for this free, virtual program. https://mchistory.org/
Events include: (See descriptions of all events by clicking the button below)
● Bloomington Public Library
Child craft; Lincoln Torn Paper Art: Take and Make Craft: Available July 12-17th. Craft includes an 8.5 by 14 size block letter writing of Lincoln’s name along with a bag of colorful paper to decorate.
Teen Craft; Lincoln Festival Pressed Pennies: Take and Make Craft: Teens in grades 6-12. Available July 1-30. Teens can help celebrate the annual Lincoln’s Festival in Downtown Bloomington with this take and make craft. Registration required and limited to 40 teens. A craft kit will be reserved for those who register and will be available for pickup through July 30 at either curbside pickup or the Adult Services Desk. Craft kits will contain 2 pressed pennies, keychain ring, metal rings, and red/white/blue beads. Teens will need to provide needle nosed pliers or similar tool to bend the rings open and closed. No online instruction- neither pre-recorded nor live- will be provided.
11 a.m.-Zoom program by Abraham Lincoln, A New Birth of Freedom. Listen to the first-hand account from Abraham Lincoln himself of the history of the United States of America during his time, from his childhood on the frontier to the twelve turbulent years from 1854 to 1865 which nearly destroyed our young nation but instead eventually resulted in a “new birth of freedom”.
Mr. Lincoln is portrayed by Kevin Wood, a professional Lincoln presenter who bears a remarkable resemblance to “the Great Emancipator” and is extremely knowledgeable about his life and times. Registration required.
3 p.m.-Zoom program: Mrs. Lincoln Goes to Washington City starring Laura Keys. Join Mary
Todd Lincoln as she shares the details of her family’s first trip to Washington City. This performance, starring Laura Keys as Mrs. Lincoln is set on 16 October 1847, right before Mr. Lincoln begins his term in the House of Representatives. Performer Laura Keyes is a lifetime member of the Association of Lincoln Presenters, and in 2017, won the Mary Todd Lincoln Oratory Contest at the Lincoln Days celebration in Hodgenville KY. Registration required. See website for details. https://bloomingtonlibrary.org
● David Davis Mansion Visitors to the Mansion are invited to tour the Mansion and see Sarah’s Garden. The David Davis Mansion will hold a continuation of their Glorious Garden Festival on Saturday July 17th. This is a separate ticketed event sponsored by the Mansion. See website for details. https://daviddavismansion.org/
● The Prairie Chickens Base Ball Team of McLean County will host 1858 style baseball like was played during Lincoln’s day. That means uniforms of the period and no baseball gloves. Players are called “ballers” and a fly ball caught on a bounce is still an out. At 11 am and 1 pm Saturday in Normal at One Normal Plaza, the Prairie Chickens will play against the Creston Regulators. One Normal Plaza is the former site of the Illinois Soldiers and Sailors Children’s School where orphans of Civil War soldiers once played the game.
Several other notable things to do in Bloomington-Normal on July 17th:
Stop by Ryburn Place at Sprague’s Super Service, 305 Pine St in Normal on old Route 66. This beautifully restored Route 66 gas station is now a trip-through-time gift shop with souvenirs of the era and handcrafted gifts by local artists. http://www.ryburnplace.com/
The Illinois Shakespeare Festivalwill present two productions at the outdoor Ewing Cultural Center in Bloomington. At 10 a.m., join us for the free, family-friendly Theatre for Young Audiences play,A Summer’s Winter Tale. At 8 p.m. see Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure on the mainstage for only $25 a ticket. Further information is available at illinoishakes.com Once again there will be a Civil War encampment with demonstrations on the grounds of IWU’s Ames Library, and many other family- friendly activities including trivia games and crafts. Coloring sheets for BPL’s popular Lincoln Coloring contest for various age categories, are available in the Children’s Department. Entries are due at the library by 5 p.m. on Friday, July 19.
Established in 2009, Lincoln’s Festival in Bloomington is an all-volunteer, 501-C3 nonprofit group that began and continues to be associated with Looking for Lincoln, the action arm of the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area. In 2017, it expanded its scope to include Route 66 as another major historical asset of the Bloomington-Normal metro area.
Partner organizations include the Bloomington Public Library, the David Davis Mansion State Historic Site, McLean County Museum of History, and the Prairie Chickens Base Ball Team of McLean County. Other supported organizations include the Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Ryburn Place at Sprague’s Super Service, and the Midstate Cruisers.
Support for the Lincoln’s Festival on Route 66 comes from Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition.
Further information is available on the Facebook page Lincoln’s Festival on Route 66