Whether it’s ringing in the New Year with family, friends, or kids, end-of-the-year celebrations are sprinkled throughout all of Galesburg.
The Knox County Humane Society is once again holding their annual Luminary Candlelight Celebration. Luminaries can be purchased for $5 – with funds raised go towards helping homeless and abandoned pets find homes. Last year over 550 luminaries lined the street outside the Humane Society – and order forms are available at the Humane Society and online here. The event runs Sunday night – New Year’s Eve from 5:00pm until 6:30pm. If celebrating the New Year at your favorite Galesburg watering-hole is more your style, most pubs in town will be hosting live entertainment and New Year’s Eve specials. Sites with live entertainment and specials slated for Sunday night include: Iron Spike Brewing Company, Cherry Street, Sidetrax, Fat Fish Pub, Harley’s Pub, Cactus Country, Budde’s, and the Knights of Columbus Hall. The Knox County YMCA can also help welcome the new year – the lazy way. If you’re looking to celebrate the New Year with your young ones, but don’t want the late-night bedtime, Discovery Depot Children’s Museum in Galesburg has an alternative. Discovery Depot is hosting “Noon” Year’s Eve from 10:30am until noon on Sunday, December 31st. At the strike of 12:00 – P.M. – the celebration ends with the “dropping of balloons.” The cost is $3 for members and $5 for non-members. Luthy Botanical Garden in Peoria is featuring the Poinsetta Show throughout the New Year’s weekend. Beginning Friday, December 29th, the display runs through Sunday. December 31st from 10:00am until 5:00pm each day. A tropical collection blends with hundreds of poinsettias for a wintry-wonderland like display. Nighttime visitors can enjoy the display under the glow of hundreds of candles and music. Sugar High Theatricals can help you ring in the New Year Sunday night. A cabaret-style musical performance beginning at 10:00pm features popular tunes and sampling of upcoming shows with Sugar High Theatricals’ “Celebration”. The show, made up of music and comedy will be held at Willy’s Candy Box Theatre at 47 South Seminary Street in downtown Galesburg. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased by calling 309-532-7840. Starting Monday, January 1st, the “Y” is hosting the Lazy Man’s Ironman Triathlon for anyone whose ever wanted to compete in an Ironman competition. The competition includes swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles and running 26.2 miles. Now for the lazy part: athletes have seven weeks to complete the challenge. Competitors log their distances at the YMCA on Carl Sandburg Drive at the front desk. Registration is $25 for members and non-member – and individuals can register anytime before the competition ends Sunday, February 18th.
