The historic site of Bishop Hill will begin the 2017 season with kick-off activities on Saturday, April 1. This is the weekend when we say goodbye to a long winter and get out and enjoy everything anew. Shops, restaurants, galleries, and museums will be open for the season and will offer delights certain to be crowd pleasers. Check out the following Spring Jubilee activities:

  • Join the Vasa National Archives and Museum for an opening reception from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for their new exhibit. This exhibit will display Swedish and Swedish American handicrafts, art, and the rise of the handcraft (sjöld) movement in Sweden. Light refreshments are available throughout the day.
  • Garden Thyme will be hosting a Spring Birdhouse Gourd Workshop. Folks can paint a gourd for the birds to enjoy in their gardens. The fee is $25 and includes the gourd and all paint supplies. Call 309 373-5314 to sign up for this workshop.
  • The Bishop Hill Museum will be providing bird nesting materials for people to put in their yards. The museum is located at 304 South Bishop Hill Street.
  • The Colony Store will be having children activities. A reading area will be set up for children to read books or be read to, and in addition, there will be origami demonstrations.
  • Beginning at 10 a.m. there will be a Toy Tractor Weekend in the Steeple Building Museum. A large variety of John Deere, Case, and International Harvester toy tractors and farm implements will be on display and for sale. Call 309 927-3899 for more details.

Mark your calendar for these other upcoming April events in Bishop Hill. On April 22 at the Dairy Building, there will be a scholarly program about The Humor of Abraham Lincoln. Also, on April 22, there will be the Swedish Stomp, a 5K run, and Skamperoo for the kids. On April 28, the Vasa National Archives will be hosting their annual Valborg Bonfire and Weiner Roast.

Bring the whole family and help celebrate Swedish culture and heritage in Bishop Hill, Illinois. Pick up your 2017 Visitor’s Guide to help with your plans for attending all of the season’s events and activities. Call 309 927-3899 for more details.