Things To Do: Chicago, Blackberry Smoke headline musical entertainment
Steven Spearie
A number of touring bands come to the Springfield area this weekend, including Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Chicago Saturday at the .
The touring show "The Lincolns of Springfield" begins its stretch at the on Thursday.
And the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes have five home dates over the next week at .
Chicago...Alive Again
The veteran rock band Chicago returns to Springfield for the first time since 2019.
Need a break?
Self-described as "a rock and roll band with horns," this marks Chicago's 56th year of touring.
Its catalog of hits includes  "Hard to Say I'm Sorry," If You Leave Me Now," ," "Beginnings," "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" and "(I've Been) Searchin' So Long."
Three touring members -  on keyboards,  on trumpet and  on trombone - date back to the band's founding in 1967.
The five-time Grammy Award-winning group was the focus of a 2022 documentary narrated by Joe Mantegna.
 are $60.50-$180.50.
Sangamon County Fair
It's county fair time again.
The Sangamon County Fair in New Berlin runs Wednesday through Sunday. Featured Grandstand entertainment includes ("Pretty Little Lie") with opener on Thursday; a Rodeo on Friday; a Demo Derby on Saturday and IPA and ITPA Tractor Pull on Sunday.
For the kids, the is sponsoring LEGO building contests Friday and Saturday. There's also carnival attractions and a free petting zoo.
For more information and complete schedules, visit the fair's .
Revisit the 90s with FireHouse
The 90s glam band plays at the , 1200 Rail Fence Road, at 7 p.m. Friday.
The quartet is best known for its hits "Love of A Lifetime," "Don't Treat Me Bad," "When I Look Into Your Eyes," "I Live My Life For You" and "Here For You."
Sherman's opens up the show.
Tickets are $25-$30 and available at the Concert Series website or by calling 217-496-2621.
'The Lincolns of Springfield' in...Springfield
"The Lincolns of Springfield," the story of how Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd met and became "America's first power couple," premiers at the Peggy Ryder Theater at the Hoogland Center for the Arts on Thursday.
The promotional material labels the musical with Broadway actors and actresses "in the grand tradition of Rodgers and Hammerstein or Lerner and Loewe."
Curtain times are at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday with 3 p.m. matinees Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $22-$32 and available at the HCFTA .
Horseshoes home
The Springfield Lucky Horseshoes of the have five home games at Robin Roberts Stadium over the next week.
Thursday and Friday the 'Shoes take on the Jackson Rockabillys. Thursday is Fiesta Night and Friday is Military Appreciation Night.
On Saturday, it's Pink in the Park vs. Southern Illinois, with fireworks after the game.
There are also home games Monday and Wednesday. The action begins each evening at 6:30 p.m.
Visit the 'Shoes' for more information.
Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.