Happy weekend, Peoria! In today’s edition: America’s 250th celebration with a Ken Burns centerpiece, a boat, RV and vacation show, laser light night, and more.

— Cait Baker

🏆 Most popular this week

Curated by popular demand — here are this week’s most-clicked events, local spots, and stories.

Taxpayer dollars drive plans: Peoria Riverfront Museum is preparing a yearlong celebration of America’s 250th birthday, with seven exhibits, special programming, planetarium shows, and a Ken Burns centerpiece featuring rare historic documents — get all the details.

Plan adjusts for families: East Peoria City Council approved turning a former senior living facility into apartments with more two and three-bedroom units. First tenants are expected by late summer or early fall 2026 — get all the details.

Community-informed plan in action: Peoria has launched a public dashboard showing real-time progress on the 2024–2029 strategic plan. Debuted in December, it lists projects tied to city goals and gets quarterly updates — get all the details.

Eatery’s bid moves forward: Peoria’s Liquor Commission recommended a Class B liquor license for Pop-Up Chicken Shop after delays over the owner’s past marijuana conviction, and the request will go to City Council — get all the details.

New momentum for local businesses: Bradley University’s Turner Center for Entrepreneurship has been approved for a $1.75 million three-year state grant to bolster SBDC services through 2028 and launch a Manufacturing Specialty Hub in Peoria — get all the details.

2026 Boat, RV and Vacation Show @ Peoria Civic Center | Saturday (1/17) at 10:00 AM – Peoria’s new show is the winter pastime you actually want, with boats, RVs, and vacation escapes you can browse without getting your socks wet. Hundreds of booths cover gear, safety, financing, and shiny toys. Come kick tires, collect brochures, and plot your great escape — see the event listing.

Gold & silver are hot: Gold just had its best year since 1979. Silver did even better, climbing nearly 150% in 2025… and analysts expect the momentum to continue. If you’re curious about adding precious metals to your portfolio as a market hedge, American Hartford has a helpful guide that covers everything you need to know. It’s free — and definitely worth a read.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

An emergency vet visit could cost you $7,000+ (ask me how I know 🙃). From the initial fee just to be seen to x-rays, surgery, medicine, and aftercare, it adds up quicker than a chew toy turns into a crime scene. The good news? You could get up to 90% cash back on your vet bill with this pet insurance plan.

📆 Sneak peek at next week

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⚾ Free Baseball Camp @ The Yard Peoria | Monday (1/19) at 10:00 AM – Give the kids a better MLK Day with a free baseball camp from Bradley University and FCA. Bradley coaches and players lead drills for ages 6-18, instruction that wears out cleats, not your patience. Spots go fast, sign up at the link.

🐧 Paint Nite: “Penguin Snow Family” @ Kickback on Fulton | Tuesday (1/20) at 7:00 PM – Take a break from doomscrolling and come paint a Penguin Snow Family at Kickback, a cozy, step-by-step paint night that even stick-figure pros can handle. Seats are limited, so snag tickets, bring your inner Bob Ross, and use code PAINTNITECENTRALIL-memoriesandmasterpieces.

🏀 Bradley Men’s Basketball vs Indiana State @ Peoria Civic Center | Wednesday (1/21) at 12:00 AM – Game night in Peoria means a Valley showdown, Bradley hosting Indiana State with noise you feel in your ribcage. Expect packed seats, sharp defense, plenty of tradition, and bring your inside voice, you will not use it, then let the Braves do their thing.

🐾 Lend a Helping Paw @ Elevate Trampoline Park (Peoria) | Thursday (1/22) at 10:00 AM – Thursday do-gooding goes down smoother with fur on it. Drop pet supplies any Thursday in January to support local rescues, and score two hours of jump time for 10 bucks per jumper, minimum one donation each. Good deed, tired kids, happy couch later.

✂ Making & Using Collage Papers @ Artful Journey Gallery | Friday (1/23) at 11:00 AM – Trade doomscrolling for a low-pressure art fix: make your own collage papers, then arrange them into something you’ll actually frame. Ruth Inman leads the fun. It’s $25, pre-registration required online or in-gallery at https://square.link/u/5iAdslP4, and yes, paper, scissors, and glue are involved.

✨ Laser Light Night @ Dome Planetarium | Friday (1/23) at 6:00 PM – Swap your living room lamp for lasers at the Riverfront Museum’s Dome Planetarium. They’re rolling out a new Laser ABBA and a throwback 90s show, so expect singalongs, nostalgia, and comfy seats. It’s date night, friend night, or just avoiding dishes.

🎭 The 39 Steps @ Corn Stock Theatre | Friday (1/23) at 7:30 PM – Think you know Hitchcock? Try it with four actors, a trunk of props, and more accents than a regional airport. The 39 Steps is a madcap spy romp with quick changes, witty dialogue, and local talent sprinting across the UK without leaving the stage.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

📻 Peoria report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 20°F – Low: 10°F – Precip: 19%

A chance of snow showers before noon, then a chance of snow showers and a slight chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 20. Wind chill values as low as 5. West northwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Later: A chance of snow showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 10. Wind chill values as low as -1. West wind 7 to 12 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

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Tomorrow – High: 26°F – Low: 6°F – Precip: 18%

A slight chance of snow after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 26. Southwest wind 7 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Later: Partly cloudy, with a low around 6. West northwest wind 9 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Most popular house this week

All-brick triplex totaling 5,000+ finished square feet, configured as three 3-bed units at roughly 1,600 to 1,700 square feet each. Thoughtful updates in 2024 include a new roof, furnaces, and A/C for comfort and efficiency. Electrical is newer, one water heater is new, and fresh bathroom vanities add a clean, modern touch. The main and lower units share a common laundry, and the upper enjoys in-unit laundry.

Multiple newer appliances and new washers and dryers keep things easy, while solid masonry construction keeps maintenance in check. Each unit offers generous living space and functional layouts. Fully occupied and income producing, with significant capital improvements already completed.

Take a peek inside →

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