Ottawa’s Favorite Newsletter

Ottawa news, events, and recommendations delivered free every morning.

Ottawa, IL
16Events this week
4Free things to do
85New spots
96New stories

● Checked Friday, October 23, before the 6 AM send.

This week in Ottawa

Five picks from this week's calendar. See all 16 events, day by day →

World’s Largest Polio Walk

Saturday 10am · Marseilles City Hall · Free

A Victorian Haunting: Escape from the Asylum

Saturday 2pm · Reddick Mansion Association

Skeleton Strut

Saturday 5pm · Downtown Mendota · Free

Annual Ravioli Dinner

Saturday 5pm · Yeiser Art Center

Horror at the Incubator

Saturday 6pm · Streator Incubator

New in Ottawa

Places that opened, reopened, or earned a mention this month — the ones we'd go back to.

Curious Goods

Shopping

Find your alter ego: Whether you're plotting a legendary Halloween, hunting quirky gifts, or just love digging through seasonal goods and antiques, Curious Goods has racks of costumes and accessories that make transforming easy.

curiousgoodscostumes.com ↗

Hank's Farm Restaurant

Restaurants

Old-school comfort, served right: A former dairy barn turned local staple since 1941, Hank's Farm Restaurant serves the kind of comfort food you think about on Tuesday and finally cave to on Friday.

hanksrestaurantil.com ↗

JJR Next Level Training and Fitness

Health & Wellness

Train like a local: JJR Next Level Training and Fitness is where Ottawa athletes, busy parents and weekend warriors find serious coaching without the ego.

jjrnextlevel.com ↗

Ottawa’s best businesses

Every spot worth knowing, in one place.

The restaurants, shops, and services the newsletter recommends, all in one place — every listing checked, and paid pins marked every time.

Browse Ottawa’s best →

Most read in Ottawa

The five stories Ottawa readers clicked most this month, from the daily editions.

  1. 10 Illinois Restaurants Locals Always Recommend To Visitors

    10 Illinois restaurants that locals always recommend to visitors.

    Full story at decorhint.com ↗

  2. Your Trader Joe's wish might be coming true: 30 new stores announced across 16 states

    The California-based Trader Joe's is expanding its national footprint with 30 new stores planned across 16 states, spanning Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington.

    Full story at lehighvalleylive.com ↗

  3. Burgoo Festival 2026 Returns to North Utica, Illinois

    The 56th Annual Burgoo Festival in North Utica, Illinois, is set to return on October 10 and 11, bringing in over 40,000 visitors.

    Full story at hoodline.com ↗

  4. 10 Fall Events You Shouldn’t Miss In Illinois

    Fall is a great time for family activities in Illinois.

    Full story at patch.com ↗

  5. Abandoned mines pose risks beneath some Illinois and Indiana communities, investigation finds

    Abandoned mines that were built more than a century ago may pose risks beneath communities across Illinois, Indiana and the rest of the country, according to an investigation by ABC News and the I-Team.

    Full story at abc7chicago.com ↗

Explore Ottawa

The rest of what BaseLocal keeps current for the city.