Effingham's News and Sports Leader, 979XFM and KJ Country 102.3

Golf Outing for Altamont Schuetzenfest
2025-06-21
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Air-Cooled VW Funfest
2025-06-21
PrintGet ready for the ultimate air-cooled VW gathering!
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Calling all VW enthusiasts, the Air-Cooled VW Funfest is rolling into town, and you won’t want to miss it!
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Agenda:Campers can begin arriving Thursday to set up for the weekend. On Friday afternoon, we’ll be departing from Mid America Motorworks for our Fun Run. Saturday will be packed with activities, a swap meet, awards, expert seminars, and tasty food and drinks. After the show, we’ll head to downtown Effingham to explore local attractions and restaurants, followed by an outdoor screening of Herbie: Fully Loaded with the community. The All Cars Swapfest will also return this year, taking place alongside Volkswagen Funfest, providing a great opportunity to buy, sell, swap, and connect with fellow car enthusiasts.
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Register:Registration is now open! To avoid long lines during check-in, we highly recommend registering early. You can sign up in two easy ways: visit our registration page on Eventbrite here: https://bit.ly/3F50hyY , or give our customer service line a call at 800-500-1500, and we’ll be happy to assist you with the process.
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See you there!

Jasper County Fair
2025-06-22, 2025-06-23, 2025-06-24, 2025-06-25, 2025-06-26

Sacred Heart Picnic
2025-06-22

Moccasin Creek Festival
2025-06-22
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Moccasin Creek Festival is an annual family-friendly 4-day Americana music festival, which celebrates other arts and crafts as well. It takes place at beautiful Lake Sara near Effingham, IL.
Folk, bluegrass, alternative country, roots rock, and blues – “Americana” music. This is what MCF is all about – in an outdoor setting, using a venue with great acoustics, at a beautiful time of year.
Food and beverages sold on site. Kids activities. Real flush toilets & sinks!! Camping is next door to the festival venue, as well as cabins for rent at Anthony Acres beachfront campground & motel. There is a beach and golf course within walking distance. Boats, canoes and kayaks for rent. Effingham is only 5 miles away, and has thousands of hotel rooms available, as well as a plethora of restaurants catering to almost any taste.
Check out the website, moccasincreekfestival.com, and check out MCF on Facebook and Instagram. Most answers to your questions can be found there, if not, feel free to contact us. We’re looking forward to the event, and we hope you are too!
Kids 15 & under FREE with adult
Weekend passes: $125 adv/$135 door
*Day passes*
Thursday: $25 adv/$35 door
Friday: $55 adv/$65 door
Saturday: $55 adv/$65 door
Sunday: $25 adv/$35 door
You can also get tickets via check (mail to Poss Music Works, 1915 S Banker Street Effingham IL 62401) with the ticket amount and ticket information (we have multiple events) – and also please provide a name and contact info for your order. If you see us out-and-about, you can buy tickets in cash/check in person too!!
This year’s musical lineup includes . . .
Suzy Bogguss
Sister Sadie
John Moreland
Cheryl Wheeler
Robbie Fulks
Chain Station
Chicago Farmer & the Fieldnotes
J. Plank (Jeff Plankenhorn) with Time to Kill
Backyard Tire Fire
The Weary Ramblers
Matt Poss Band
Kenny White
The People vs. Hugh DeNeal
Peter Keane
Klyma & Old Fangled
Rod Picott
Oliver Steck
Taylor Steele & the Love Preachers
LP & the Honeybee
LoveSeat
Charlie Roth
Jacob Kuhns Experience
Halos
Snowbird Street Band
Terry Klein
Sophie & the Saints
Artist lineup, tickets, and all the info at: http://www.moccasincreekfestival.com
Poss Music Works NFP is a 501(c)3 nonprofit promoting Americana music & music education in Central Illinois. Visit Possmusicworks.com to donate or learn more.

Chicken & Pork Loin Dinner at Farina American Legion
2025-06-22

Music and Food at Mason
2025-06-22

Magnified - Vacation Bible School at First Baptist Church of Effingham
2025-06-22, 2025-06-23, 2025-06-24, 2025-06-25, 2025-06-26
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Vacation Bible School At First Baptist Church of Effingham
Registration open online at fbceffingham.com

Sunday's Schedule
2025-06-22
PrintMAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
Seattle at Chicago Cubs, 1:20 p.m.
Cincinnati at St. Louis Cardinals, 1:15 p.m.
NASCAR
The Great American Getaway 400 Presented BY VISITPA, 11 a.m.

Berries & Burgers in Strasburg
2025-06-22
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If you have any questions about this Strasburg Community Action Network event, call MaRanda McClain at 217-343-7879.

ImpactLife Blood Drive in Effingham
2025-06-23

Monday's Schedule
2025-06-23
PrintEFFINGHAM PARK DISTRICT
Baseball
Small Fry League
At Small Fry Diamond
Game 1 — Team 5 vs. Team 4, 5:30 p.m.
At Gene A. Niccum Field
Game 1 – Team 7 vs. Team 2, 5:30 p.m.
Game 2 – Team 8 vs. Team 10, 7 p.m.
Tomorrow’s Stars Khoury League
At Mike Sehy Field
Game 1 – Effingham Elks Lodge 1016 vs. Russ Braunecker Cadillac, GMC, 5:30 p.m.
Game 2 – Brown’s Drug Store vs. Heritage Builders, 7 p.m.
Softball
Minor League
At East Softball Diamond
Game 1 – Culver’s vs. New Heights Crane Service, Inc., 5:30 p.m.
Game 2 – Bahrn’s Equipment vs. REMAX, 7 p.m.
Junior League
At West Softball Diamond
Game 1 – Teutopolis Sharks vs. Dieterich Flyers, 5:30 p.m.
Game 2 – Teutopolis Thunder vs. Whitetails Unlimited, 7:15 p.m.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals, 6:45 p.m.

Aging in Place Clinic: Pilot Program
2025-06-24

CANCELLED - Dog Obedience Classes
2025-06-24
PrintThe Effingham County 4-H Dog Obedience Class has been CANCELLED due to the heat.

Great Race 2025 Stop in Effingham
2025-06-24
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The Hemmings Great Race presented by Coker Tire is a nine-day classic car rally that spans more than 2,300 miles and features 120 of the world’s finest antique automobiles. The event features 17 city stops, including a hosted lunch stop at Effingham Performance Center in Effingham, Illinois on Tuesday, June 24, starting at 11am. The annual event features a different route each year, offering a rare opportunity for residents of Effingham and surrounding communities to see the spectacular cars and meet the drivers from all over the world.
Each stop on the Great Race is free to the public and spectators will be able to visit with the participants and to look at the cars for several hours. It is common for racers to allow kids to climb in the cars for a first-hand look. “When the Great Race pulls into a city it becomes an instant festival,” says Jeff Stumb, Great Race Director. He continued, “Last year, we had several overnight stops with more than 10,000 spectators, on our way to having 250,000 people see the Great Race during the event. There are more than 500 people just in our entourage.”
Teams and cars from Japan, England, Australia, Canada, and every corner of the United States participate in the annual event, which is often considered a “bucket list” item for car enthusiasts. Cars, trucks and motorcycles built in 1974 and earlier are eligible to compete, and the scoring system features an age factor to keep the earlier cars competitive. In the 2024 Great Race, a 1916 Hudson Hillclimber won the event from Owensboro, Kentucky to Gardiner, Maine. A 1913 Chevrolet, a 1916 Hudson and a 1918 American LaFrance are the oldest cars scheduled to be in the 2025 Great Race.
The Great Race was started in 1983 by Tom McRae and it’s now the world’s premier old car rally. This traveling time/speed/distance rally isn’t just a casual back road cruise, as it has a strict set of rules to keep competition tight. The vehicles, each with a driver and navigator, are given precise instructions each day that detail every move down to the second. They are scored at secret checkpoints along the route and are penalized for arriving at the checkpoints early or late. As in golf, the lowest score wins. There is a total purse of $160,000 split among five classes, with the overall winner taking home $50,000.
The 2025 Great Race will begin on Saturday, June 21 in St. Paul, Minnesota, surrounded by a crowd of thousands at the MSRA Back to the 50’s Weekend car show at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Nine days later, on Sunday, June 29, the race will finish in Irmo, South Carolina, near Lake Murray. In between the start and finish cities are approximately 2,300 miles of competition and 17 hosted city stops in Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
The event’s main sponsors are Hemmings, Coker Tire, McCollister’s Auto Transport, Hagerty Driver’s Club and Samuel Smith Old Brewery.
For more information, go to http://www.greatrace.com, or visit the Great Race Facebook Page. You can also email to: communications@greatrace.com or call Jeff directly at 423-648-8542.

Tuesday's Schedule
2025-06-24
PrintEFFINGHAM PARK DISTRICT
Baseball
Tomorrow’s Stars Khoury League
At Mike Sehy Field
Game 1 – Taylor Law vs. Kiwanis, 5:30 p.m.
Game 2 – Dan Hecht Chevrolet Toyota vs. Effingham Noon Rotary, 7 p.m.
Little League
At Dave McDevitt Field
Game 1 – Arrow Pest Control vs. Arab Pest Control, 5:30 p.m.
Game 2 – Schumacher Orthodontics vs. Tingley Insurance, 7:30 p.m.
Prep League
At Evergreen Baseball Diamond
Game 1 – Holiday Inn Express & Suites vs. Effingham Asphalt, 5:30 p.m.
Game 2 – Mid-Illinois Concrete vs. Dieterich PD, 7:30 p.m.
Softball
Small Fry League
At East Softball Diamond
Game 1 – Team 3 vs. Team 5, 5:30 p.m.
Game 2 – Team 4 vs. Team 1, 7 p.m.
Prep League
At West Softball Diamond
Game 1 – Fonner Oral Surgery vs. Sarah Bush Surgery Center, 5:30 p.m.
Game 2 – J&R Collision Center vs. Joe’s Pizza & Pasta, 7:15 p.m.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals, 6:45 p.m.

Ferd Metten Carvings on Display
2025-06-25

Wednesday's Schedule
2025-06-25
PrintEFFINGHAM PARK DISTRICT
Baseball
Tomorrow’s Stars Khoury League
At Mike Sehy Field
Game 1 – Brown’s Drug Store vs. Russ Braunecker Cadillac, GMC, 5:30 p.m.
Game 2 – Heritage Builders vs. Kiwanis, 7 p.m.
Little League
At Dave McDevitt Field
Game 1 – Kemper CPA vs. Arrow Pest Control, 5:30 p.m.
Softball
Junior League
At West Softball Diamond
Game 1 – Dieterich Flyers vs. Teutopolis State Bank, 5:30 p.m.
Game 2 – Teutopolis Sharks vs. Tri-Power Towing, 7:15 p.m.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals, 6:45 p.m.

Alzheimer's Program in Effingham
2025-06-25
PrintThe Effingham County Home and Community Education Association will be sponsoring a program on Alzheimer’s on Wednesday, June 25. This will begin at 11:30 a.m. at the University of Illinois Extension Center, 1209 N. Wenthe Drive, in Effingham.
The speaker for the program will be Becky Doiron, who is associated with the Alzheimer’s Association/Southern Illinois University.
The program is open to the public, and there is no admission fee. However, reservations are requested in order to provide adequate seating. Please call or text Nancy at 217-663-0294.

Thursday's Schedule
2025-06-26
PrintEFFINGHAM PARK DISTRICT
Baseball
Small Fry League
At Gene A. Niccum Field
Game 1 – Team 9 vs. Team 1, 5:30 p.m.
Game 2 – Team 6 vs. Team 3, 7 p.m.
Tomorrow’s Stars Khoury League
At Mike Sehy Field
Game 1 – Effingham Noon Rotary vs. Effingham Elks Lodge 1016, 5:30 p.m.
Game 2 – Taylor Law vs. Dan Hecht Chevrolet Toyota, 7 p.m.
Little League
At Dave McDevitt Field
Game 1 – Arab Pest Control vs. Tingley Insurance, 5:30 p.m.
Game 2 – Kemper CPA vs. Schumacher Orthodontics, 7:30 p.m.
Prep League
At Dave McDevitt Field
Game 1 – Effingham Asphalt vs. Dieterich PD, 5:30 p.m.
Game 2 – Effingham Veterinary Clinic vs. Mid-Illinois Concrete, 7:30 p.m.
Softball
Minor League
At East Softball Diamond
Game 1 — Culver’s vs. REMAX, 5:30 p.m.
Game 2 – New Heights Crane Service, Inc. vs. Dieterich Bank, 7 p.m.
Prep League
At West Softball Diamond
Game 1 – Fonner Oral Surgery vs. J&R Collision Center, 5:30 p.m.
Game 2 – Joe’s Pizza & Pasta vs. Sarah Bush Surgery Center, 7:15 p.m.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals, 1:15 p.m.

Summer Cruise-In Night: Engines, Eats, & Drinks
2025-06-26

The Wizard of Oz - Free Presentation
2025-06-26
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The Effingham Performance Center’s High School Summer Theatre Camp Program will present a free performance of The Wizard of Oz at The EPC on Thursday, June 26 at 7 pm. Doors open at 6 pm.
The show is free and open to the public, although space is limited to the first 1,500 attendees.
Camp Director Tracie Riley has been involved in EPC camps for past five years. “There are so many things the kids learn, especially at the high school camp,” said Riley. “They learn exactly how the show is built and then build it themselves. They get to learn how to block their own scenes, build their sets and prop pieces, design costumes and makeup, and market their own show as well.”
The Wizard of Oz is all about learning to cherish what you have. The story is about a girl named Dorothy who gets swept out of her state, Kansas, by a tornado. She wakes up in munchkin land, and she gets guided by the yellow brick road to the emerald city, so she can meet the Wizard of Oz. While on her way, she encounters friends and problems conflicting with her desire to go home.
Campers Carson Etheridge and Stella Riley have both participated in summer theatre camp for several years.
“We learn not only things about acting, but things relating to marketing and costumes, as well as other elements of putting on a show,” said Etheridge. “That’s what sets us apart from others when doing other shows — knowing about each role in a production is invaluable.”
Stella Riley agreed adding camp is a rewarding experience.
“It’s always really stressful, but at the same time a lot of fun. When you’re doing other shows there’s not as much stress, but because of the short time it’s more stressful. It’s always fun and fulfilling.”
To learn more about programs at The EPC, visit www.The-EPC.org.
