Join us for our 47th year of “Festival of the Gnomes”!
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Playwrights & Poets Fest
Kicking off 2023 with creative original works on stage!
After a couple years of rest and isolation, the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park and Theatre welcomes a new iteration of the Emerging Playwrights Festival. Now known as the Playwrights and Poets Festival, this indoor theatre event will be held Friday and Saturday, January 27 and 28 at 7:00 pm.
This year not only are there new short one-act plays written by area authors, but also new original poetry. This is a true celebration of the creative writing talent in the area.
Unlike past years, the judging has already taken place. A panel of judges has given their feedback, and these are the selected entries.
Featured authors include Phoebe Carmine, Maria Fischer, Allison Fradkin, Todd Hogan, Amy Jackson, Allison Pater, G William Zorn, and more.
Admission is $5. Tickets may be purchased online, with no additional fees.
The lobby doors will open at 6:00 pm, with concessions and libations available to purchase.
Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park and Theatre is at 201 West Jefferson Street, downtown Joliet, 60432.
For more information, contact the office: 815-724-3761/ bipark@joliet.gov.
Playwrights & Poets Fest
Kicking off 2023 with creative original works on stage!
After a couple years of rest and isolation, the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park and Theatre welcomes a new iteration of the Emerging Playwrights Festival. Now known as the Playwrights and Poets Festival, this indoor theatre event will be held Friday and Saturday, January 27 and 28 at 7:00 pm.
This year not only are there new short one-act plays written by area authors, but also new original poetry. This is a true celebration of the creative writing talent in the area.
Unlike past years, the judging has already taken place. A panel of judges has given their feedback, and these are the selected entries.
Featured authors include Phoebe Carmine, Maria Fischer, Allison Fradkin, Todd Hogan, Amy Jackson, Allison Pater, G William Zorn, and more.
Admission is $5. Tickets may be purchased online, with no additional fees.
The lobby doors will open at 6:00 pm, with concessions and libations available to purchase.
Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park and Theatre is at 201 West Jefferson Street, downtown Joliet, 60432.
For more information, contact the office: 815-724-3761/ bipark@joliet.gov.
45th Festival of the Gnomes
The Gnomes welcome you to the 45th Festival!
The spirit of the season shines thru the “wee folk” who do good works for man and nature. Enjoy their stories through live theatre, gnome-made crafts and more in this family tradition of 45 years! The festival is held indoors.
SHOWS
December 4 – Saturday – 2:00 PM
December 5 – Sunday – 2:00 PM
The show is about 90 minutes (no intermission).
The lobby opens 1 hour before showtime.
TICKETS
$5 all ages*
General admission. Advance purchase recommended.
*If the child is a baby and will not need a chair, there is no charge.
Beloved Gnome Jan and Tom Novotny welcome all ages to Festival of the Gnomes!
TICKETS ONLINE
Visit Ticket Tailor to purchase tickets online:
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/billielimacherbicentennialparkandtheatre/
TICKETS THRU OFFICE
You may pick up tickets in the office. If possible, please call ahead so we will have your tickets ready.
OFFICE HOURS
Monday-Thursday 8:00 am- 4:30 pm
Friday 8:00 am – 12:00 noon
201 W Jefferson St, Joliet, IL 60432
CONTACT OFFICE
815-724-3761
bipark@joliet.gov
WIN A GNOME TWIN DOLL!
Try your luck to win a hand-sculpted Gnome twin doll by Sally Susner. Each year she had lovingly created one boy and one girl gnome, each wearing custom made clothing with delightful details. Sally has signed and dated each doll, so you’ll always remember the year they were “born.” Have fun finding where she signed them! If you win, bring back your new baby to next year’s Festival of the Gnomes so they can get a tassel for their cap, too! Two drawings will be made at the end of Sunday’s show. Winner need not be present. If you cannot attend the festival, but would like to purchase a raffle chance, contact the Park Office: bipark@joliet.gov.
Gnome Doll Artist, Sally Susner, with the twins she creates each year.
GNOME GIFT SHOP
The lobby opens 1 hour before showtime. Come early!
Visit the Gnome Gift Shop filled with unique, gnome-made treasures.
You can even personalize a pin for your gnome cap.
GNOME CAPS
Audience members can be gnomes, too!
First year to the fest? Stop by the Gift Shop to get your felt gnome cap ($3).
Returning? Visit the Gnome Sewers by the fireplace to get your free tassel sewn onto your cap for FREE!
Gnome Cathy Cushing getting ready to sew a tassel on little girls hat.
Special tassels are sewn on for the 10th (black), 20th (gold), 30th (white) and 40th year (red).
Congratulations, Gnome Actor Cheryl Foster, on receiving your 40th tassel in 2020!
CONCESSIONS
Visit the “Gnome Cookie Factory” for cookie variety plates and hot cocoa.
Swing by the “Tavern On The Bricks” for soft drinks, beer and wine.
LIVE MUSIC
On Saturday, sweet holiday flute music fills the lobby, courtesy of instructor Cindy Butler and her flute students.
Flute instructor Cindy Butler.
FREE PARKING
There is plenty of parking within the park and south of Jefferson Street.
Even with construction on Jefferson Street, you can still get to the Park’s main entrance.
FREE! Concert On The Hill
CONCERT ON THE HILL * BLUES NIGHT * AUGUST 14 * 6:30 PM
Don’t miss Chicago’s Al “Hurricane” Spears!
ABOUT CONCERTS:
Bring blankets & chairs for hill seating.
Concessions & cash bar available.
Presented by Oak Street Health.
INCLEMENT WEATHER
Concert will be moved indoors, if needed.
We don’t want to miss this guy!
FEATURED ARTIST
Al Spears
LISTEN & GROOVE
https://www.facebook.com/mike.wheeler.39545/videos/10156836360931728
ABOUT AL
Al “Hurricane” Spears is a working Chicago blues musician currently playing guitar with “The Hurricane Project”. Whether backing up another local musician or playing in a band, he can often be spotted at various Chicago Blues establishments like Buddy Guy’s Legends, Kingston Mines and Rosa’s Lounge delivering a slow blues groove or an explosive thundering guitar solo. Al Spears has earned the respect of his fellow musicians as a friendly, reliable craftsman who knows his way around the fret board. Being a Chicago Blues musician carries the responsibility of continuing the legacy of some of the worlds renowned Blues artists, and “Hurricane” is a blues guitarist who embraces this legacy by playing promoting the Blues art form wherever he can.
For Hurricane, the blues is a way of life. He began listening to old 78s as an early child. He picked the guitar in the early 90s, and just kept playing. He began playing some of the local blues jams at Carter’s Place in Lockport, and the Harlem Avenue Lounge in Berwyn after working his full time job.
He’s developed a strong style that could be described as a mixture of jazz and blues with an edge. Hurricane has shared the stage with some of Chicago’s finest musicians, including Toronzo Cannon, Lurrie Bell, Mike Wheeler, Billy Branch, Johnnie Drummer, Aron Burton, Jimmy Dawkins, and the father-son combo Lonnie and Ronnie Baker-Brooks.
Hurricane is a family man, raised on corn bread, collard greens and black eyed peas. He recently retired from his fortune 500 job, and is enjoying life as a Chicago blues musician.
Hurricane works hard to keep the blues art form alive. He operated three of the longest running blues jams in the western suburbs, in an effort to keep this great music in front of the public. He still plays quite a few shows in the Chicago area.
Hurricane wants to give special thanks to his wonderful wife Donna, Michael Wheeler, Toronzo Cannon, Chico Banks (RIP), Twist Ferguson, Dave Riley, Lindsey Alexander, Billy Branch, Carl Weathersby, Carlos Johnson, Third Coast Guitars, Glen Gerini, Doug Horan, Jeff Ruffin, Gibson Custom Guitars, and hosts of friends who helped make the music possible.
Join us every Thursday at 6:30 pm in June, July & August!
Check out the schedule below for tonight’s entertainment.
Bring blankets and chairs for hill seating. You may rent a chair for $1.
Cash bar and concessions available.
Plenty of room to socially distance.
See you on the hill!
Click here for a printable flyer
