2026 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
| Special Events | |
You will always encounter volunteers on your visit to Lincoln Log Cabin to engage you in the historic experience, but a visit to the site during one of the events below will make your visit extra special. Come and experience 1840s rural life in Illinois! |
|
| January |
|
Saturday Story Series Join us at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month for story time! Featuring the reading of a historically-themed children's book followed by activities and crafts, this free program helps to engage youngsters ages 5-10 in American history and bring the stories to life. All youth must be accompanied by an adult. Please email education@lincolnlogcabin.org for more information. New Volunteer Orientation Are you interested in volunteering, but don't know where to start? This volunteer orientation is your chance! Meet at the Visitor Center at 9am to get a "backstage" tour, ask questions, learn out about volunteer opportunities for individuals and families, and take the first step to becoming a volunteer! Please RSVPhere | |
| February |
|
Homeschool Historians Homeschool Historians is a monthly (Sept-May) program held on select Fridays, with each month featuring a different theme. Homeschoolers ages pre-k through high school are invited to explore American history through hands-on activities, games, and crafts. Registration in advance is required. For more information on this program visit www.lincolnlogcabin.org/ed.html or register online Saturday Story Series Join us at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month for story time! Featuring the reading of a historically-themed children's book followed by activities and crafts, this free program helps to engage youngsters ages 5-10 in American history and bring the stories to life. All youth must be accompanied by an adult. Please email education@lincolnlogcabin.org for more information. Cookie Decorating Workshop- Valentine's Day Theme Join Rebecca Clark, The Nerdy Baker, on Saturday, February 7th for this hands-on, guided cookie decorating workshop! Piping bags, icing, and a cookie scribe are all provided, and by the end of the day participants will take home an assortment of 4-6 decorated cookies! $45 registration in advance is required, and seats are limited! Register here Loving Lincoln: Lincoln's Birthday and Book Signing and Talk Dr. Stacy Lynn, author of "Loving Lincoln: A Personal History of the Women Who Shaped Lincoln's Life and Legacy," will be on site for a book signing and book talk on Saturday, February 14th at 2pm during our Lincoln's Birthday Open House. Copies of the book may be purchased at the Goosenest Prairie Gift Shop. Homeschool Historians Homeschool Historians is a monthly (Sept-May) program held on select Fridays, with each month featuring a different theme. Homeschoolers ages pre-k through high school are invited to explore American history through hands-on activities, games, and crafts. Registration in advance is required. For more information on this program visit www.lincolnlogcabin.org/ed.html or register online New Volunteer Orientation Are you interested in volunteering, but don't know where to start? This volunteer orientation is your chance! Meet at the Visitor Center at 9am to get a "backstage" tour, ask questions, learn out about volunteer opportunities for individuals and families, and take the first step to becoming a volunteer! Please RSVP here | |
| March |
|
Homeschool Historians Homeschool Historians is a monthly (Sept-May) program held on select Fridays, with each month featuring a different theme. Homeschoolers ages pre-k through high school are invited to explore American history through hands-on activities, games, and crafts. Registration in advance is required. For more information on this program visit www.lincolnlogcabin.org/ed.html or register online Saturday Story Series Join us at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month for story time! Featuring the reading of a historically-themed children's book followed by activities and crafts, this free program helps to engage youngsters ages 5-10 in American history and bring the stories to life. All youth must be accompanied by an adult. Please email education@lincolnlogcabin.org for more information. Power of Place In this thought-provoking talk, Dr. Aaron J. Lawler takes audiences on a unique tour of Illinois' most sacred and strange landmarks; from ancient Cahokia to Casey's "World's Largest" mailbox, from the Bahá'í Temple to the Leaning Tower of Niles. This is not a travel brochure. It's a pilgrim's progress, a reflection on how we ritualize experience, enshrine memory, and express longing through the places we build, visit, and revere. When people return again and again to the same places, they leave something behind: memory, longing, belief. Over time, these places become filled with the presence of everyone who has stood here before. In this way, America's kitsch and its sacredness are not opposites but companions. The giant rocking chair, the nature preserve, and the historic landmark-they are modern shrines to the human need for meaning and connection, and remind us that sacredness is not found only in temples or cathedrals, but in any place that holds the weight of our collective attention. Dr. Lawler closes the presentation with a few carefully selected "day-cation" pilgrimages, not as tourism, but as journeys of curiosity, reflection, and reconnection. This presentation aligns with the Illinois America 250 Commission's theme, the "Power of Place," that helps us explore how our natural and built environments have shaped the settlement, migration, and the development of our state. The Illinois America 250 Commission's goals are to uplift local stories, places, and programs; build pride; and showcase how Illinois brings the ideals of the Declaration of Independence to life. This presentation is part of the By the People: Conversations Beyond 250 series of community-driven programs created by humanities councils in collaboration with local partners. The initiative was developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. Homeschool Historians Homeschool Historians is a monthly (Sept-May) program held on select Fridays, with each month featuring a different theme. Homeschoolers ages pre-k through high school are invited to explore American history through hands-on activities, games, and crafts. Registration in advance is required. For more information on this program visit www.lincolnlogcabin.org/ed.html or register online New Volunteer Orientation Are you interested in volunteering, but don't know where to start? This volunteer orientation is your chance! Meet at the Visitor Center at 9am to get a "backstage" tour, ask questions, learn out about volunteer opportunities for individuals and families, and take the first step to becoming a volunteer! Please RSVPhere Basket Weaving Workshop -"Country Catch All" Join Bonnie Rideout of Bonnie's Baskets on Saturday, March 21st for this hands-on, guided basket-weaving workshop. All tools and materials will be provided, and by the end of the day participants will take home basket! Registration is required, and seats are limited! $50 registration includes all materials. Register here Cookie Decorating Workshop- Easter Theme Join Rebecca Clark, The Nerdy Baker, on Saturday, February 7th for this hands-on, guided cookie decorating workshop! Piping bags, icing, and a cookie scribe are all provided, and by the end of the day participants will take home an assortment of 4-6 decorated cookies! $45 registration in advance is required, and seats are limited! Register here | |
| April |
|
Homeschool Historians Homeschool Historians is a monthly (Sept-May) program held on select Fridays, with each month featuring a different theme. Homeschoolers ages pre-k through high school are invited to explore American history through hands-on activities, games, and crafts. Registration in advance is required. For more information on this program visit www.lincolnlogcabin.org/ed.html or register online Saturday Story Series Join us at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month for story time! Featuring the reading of a historically-themed children's book followed by activities and crafts, this free program helps to engage youngsters ages 5-10 in American history and bring the stories to life. All youth must be accompanied by an adult. Please email education@lincolnlogcabin.org for more information. Easter Fun on the Farms Celebrate a presidential tradition at Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site! The Lincolns and Sargents will be hosting a traditional Egg Roll and Easter Egg Hunt, and a craft activity. The Easter Egg Hunt begins at 1:00 p.m., and the Egg Roll begins at 2:00 p.m. Children (12 and under) will be divided into age groups, with each group having staggered start times. Leather Journal Workshop Join us as we construct a leather-bound journal or diary similar to those of the 18th and early 19th centuries, that can be used in the 21st century! Instructor Lance Beever will guide participants through all phases of construction, teaching the proper way to dye and stitch leather. Pre-registration is required. This very hands-on class is limited to 6 participants. Register here This Land is Your Land: The Folksongs of Woodie Guthrie This Land Is Your Land is a program that combines music performance (guitar and vocal) and spoken commentary. The program features songs by legendary folksinger and songwriter Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie (1912-1967), as well as commentary on the time period and each song. This commentary frames the program in a larger historical context, and offers specific details on Guthrie's songs and his biography. The program also includes two singalong songs. The presentation aligns with the Illinois America 250 Commission's theme "We the People." This theme invites us to explore ideas of who has been included and who has been left out of the nation's promise, as well as how people from all backgrounds have shaped and reshaped what it means to be part of "the people." The Illinois America 250 Commission's goals are to uplift local stories, places, and programs; build pride; and showcase how Illinois brings the ideals of the Declaration of Independence to life. The Frosted Republic: How Illinois Taught America to Celebrate in Cake Cake is more than dessert; it is a reflection of who we are and how we celebrate. The Frosted Republic traces Illinois' surprising role in shaping America's sweet traditions-from Wilton's early classrooms in Roseland, to Duncan Hines' Chicago food guides, to Sara Lee's Downers Grove bakery that made celebration accessible to every freezer aisle. Together, these stories reveal how Illinois became a quiet engine of cultural joy, teaching the nation to express love, resilience, and creativity through buttercream, boxed mixes, and pound cakes. Chef Lori Parrett leads audiences through this history as both pastry chef and storyteller, blending archival research, lived experience, and visual demonstration. Using slides, vintage imagery, and a few edible artifacts, she invites participants to see cake decorating as both craft and cultural record; evidence of migration, ingenuity, and the art of making do. Warm, interactive, and grounded in Illinois history, The Frosted Republic reminds audiences that every piped rose and every slice shared tells a story about who we are and how we celebrate together. |
|
| May | |
Saturday Story Series Join us at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month for story time! Featuring the reading of a historically-themed children's book followed by activities and crafts, this free program helps to engage youngsters ages 5-10 in American history and bring the stories to life. All youth must be accompanied by an adult. Email education@lincolnlogcabin.org for more information Cookie Decorating Workshop- Mother's Day Theme
Homeschool Historians Homeschool Historians is a monthly (Sept-May) program held on select Fridays, with each month featuring a different theme. Homeschoolers ages pre-k through high school are invited to explore American history through hands-on activities, games, and crafts. Registration in advance is required. For more information on this program visit www.lincolnlogcabin.org/ed.html or register online Made in Central Illnois! Annual Fundraiser Lincoln Log Cabin Foundation's annual fundraiser will be hosted at the site featuring locally-sourced food as well as a silent auction with items representing Central Illinois! Join us for heavy hors d'oeuvres from local providers, Illinois beer and wines, and live music. Walk around the site to try different foods and experience the site after hours! Online Registration coming soon. New Volunteer Orientation Are you interested in volunteering, but don't know where to start? This volunteer orientation is your chance! Meet at the Visitor Center at 9am to get a "backstage" tour, ask questions, learn out about volunteer opportunities for individuals and families, and take the first step to becoming a volunteer! Email volunteer@lincolnlogcabin.org for more information. Basket Weaving Workshop "Touch of Spring" Join Bonnie Rideout of Bonnie's Baskets on Saturday, May 16th for this hands-on, guided basket-weaving workshop. All tools and materials will be provided, and by the end of the day participants will take home basket! Registration is required, and seats are limited! $50 registration includes all materials. Register here Homeschool Historians Homeschool Historians is a monthly (Sept-May) program held on select Fridays, with each month featuring a different theme. Homeschoolers ages pre-k through high school are invited to explore American history through hands-on activities, games, and crafts. Registration in advance is required. For more information on this program visit www.lincolnlogcabin.org/ed.html or register online Memorial Day Picnic and Base Ball Visitors are invited to step back in time and join in a game of 19th century ball. The rules to the early version are similar to the modern rules and will be explained before each game. The Lincoln Log Cabin Foundation will have ice cold drinks, light snacks, and candy available for purchase. The event is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. All are welcome to play or just watch! | |
| June |
|
Saturday Story Series Join us at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month for story time! Featuring the reading of a historically-themed children's book followed by activities and crafts, this free program helps to engage youngsters ages 5-10 in American history and bring the stories to life. All youth must be accompanied by an adult. Email education@lincolnlogcabin.org for more information.
Civil War Weekend More details to come! If you are a reenactor please register here
Are you interested in volunteering, but don't know where to start? This volunteer orientation is your chance! Meet at the Visitor Center at 9am to get a "backstage" tour, ask questions, learn out about volunteer opportunities, and take the first step to becoming a volunteer! Call us at (217)345-1845 or email volunteer@lincolnlogcabin.org for more information. | |
July |
|
Saturday Story Series Join us at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month for story time! Featuring the reading of a historically-themed children's book followed by activities and crafts, this free program helps to engage youngsters ages 5-10 in American history and bring the stories to life. All youth must be accompanied by an adult. Please RSVP to (217)345-1845 or email education@lincolnlogcabin.org. Independence Day Picnic and Vintage Base Ball A reading of the Declaration of Independence will start the day's events, and then visitors are invited to step back in time and join in a game of 19th century ball. The rules to the early version are similar to the modern rules and will be explained before each game. Pack a blanket or lawn chair and a picnic lunch to eat while you watch the game. The Lincoln Log Cabin Foundation will have ice cold drinks, light snacks, and candy available for purchase. The event is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. All are welcome to play or just watch! Wherever and whenever Americans have gathered for community events, there was always a ball game. After the Civil War, the game of choice was most often town ball. Town ball later became base ball, and finally today's version with modern rules (and spelled as one word, baseball). New Volunteer Orientation Are you interested in volunteering, but don't know where to start? This volunteer orientation is your chance! Meet at the Visitor Center at 9am to get a "backstage" tour, ask questions, learn out about volunteer opportunities, and take the first step to becoming a volunteer! Call us at (217)345-1845 or email volunteer@lincolnlogcabin.org for more information.
|
August |
Saturday Story Series Join us at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month for story time! Featuring the reading of a historically-themed children's book followed by activities and crafts, this free program helps to engage youngsters ages 5-10 in American history and bring the stories to life. All youth must be accompanied by an adult. Please email education@lincolnlogcabin.org for more information. Jerry Ellis Memorial Bluegrass Jam New Volunteer Orientation Are you interested in volunteering, but don't know where to start? This volunteer orientation is your chance! Meet at the Visitor Center at 9am to get a "backstage" tour, ask questions, learn out about volunteer opportunities, and take the first step to becoming a volunteer! Call us at (217)345-1845 or email volunteer@lincolnlogcabin.org for more information.
| September |
| Saturday Story Series June 6, 10:00 am Visitor Center Auditorium Join us at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month for story time! Featuring the reading of a historically-themed children's book followed by activities and crafts, this free program helps to engage youngsters ages 5-10 in American history and bring the stories to life. All youth must be accompanied by an adult. Email education@lincolnlogcabin.org for more information. Labor Day Picnic and Base Ball Vintage base ball returns to Lincoln Log Cabin for the start of the season on Saturday, May 24th! Visitors are invited to step back in time and join in a game of 19th century ball. The rules to the early version are similar to the modern rules and will be explained before each game. Pack a blanket or lawn chair and a picnic lunch to eat while you watch the game. The Lincoln Log Cabin Foundation will have ice cold drinks, light snacks, and candy available for purchase. The event is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. All are welcome to play or just watch! New Volunteer Orientation Are you interested in volunteering, but don't know where to start? This volunteer orientation is your chance! Meet at the Visitor Center at 9am to get a "backstage" tour, ask questions, learn out about volunteer opportunities, and take the first step to becoming a volunteer! Call us at (217)345-1845 or email volunteer@lincolnlogcabin.org for more information. September 26-27- 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Come celebrate the arrival of autumn at the Harvest Frolic on Saturday and Sunday, September 26 and 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Don't miss experiencing 19th-century life on the farm! Activities will take place at both the Lincoln and Sargent farms and will include children's crafts, food preservation, and hearth cooking. A number of artisans will be on site demonstrating their crafts including, spinning, pottery, ropemaking, blacksmithing, embroidery, and many other 19th-century crafts. Enjoy performances from The Unreconstructed String Band, storyteller and dulcimer player Mike Anderson, the Clockwork Clown, a puppet show, and classic Americana circus performers KB Circus Spectacular. Go on a nature walk or watch a performance from storyteller Brian "Fox" Ellis, and take in the view from the Grand Camera Obscura. Historic cricket demonstrations will also be available on Sunday. Food trucks available both days. Schedule of events will be posted to www.lincolnlogcabin.org/harvestfrolic.html
| October |
| Saturday Story Series October 3, 10:00 am Visitor Center Auditorium Join us at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month for story time! Featuring the reading of a historically-themed children's book followed by activities and crafts, this free program helps to engage youngsters ages 5-10 in American history and bring the stories to life. All youth must be accompanied by an adult. Email education@lincolnlogcabin.org for more information. New Volunteer Orientation Are you interested in volunteering, but don't know where to start? This volunteer orientation is your chance! Meet at the Visitor Center at 9am to get a "backstage" tour, ask questions, learn out about volunteer opportunities, and take the first step to becoming a volunteer! Call us at (217)345-1845 or email volunteer@lincolnlogcabin.org for more information. Torchlight Halloween Hike, Storytelling, and Wiener Roast You won't want to miss the chance to enjoy Lincoln Log Cabin in the dark! Join in this fun-for-all-ages stroll as the paths between our historic farms are lit by torchlight. There will be music, storytelling, bonfires, and a wiener roast near the Visitor Center to benefit programming at Lincoln Log Cabin. Volunteers from the Lincoln Log Cabin Foundation will be selling cider, hotdogs, and s'mores for you to roast over the fire. The Torchlight Hike covers mixed terrain, so please wear appropriate footwear and seasonal outerwear. Rain or shine! A Note for Parents: Some stories in the Lincoln Cabin are "spooky," but all are kid-friendly. The pathway between the farms is lit by torchlight, but may be a bit scary for children who are afraid of the dark. Actors in historic clothing and "friendly ghost" makeup are walking along the path to interact with guests. They will be carrying lanterns and are NOT intended to be frightening. | November |
| Saturday Story Series November 7, 10:00 am Visitor Center Auditorium Join us at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month for story time! Featuring the reading of a historically-themed children's book followed by activities and crafts, this free program helps to engage youngsters ages 5-10 in American history and bring the stories to life. All youth must be accompanied by an adult. Email education@lincolnlogcabin.org for more information. New Volunteer Orientation Are you interested in volunteering, but don't know where to start? This volunteer orientation is your chance! Meet at the Visitor Center at 9am to get a "backstage" tour, ask questions, learn out about volunteer opportunities, and take the first step to becoming a volunteer! Call us at (217)345-1845 or email volunteer@lincolnlogcabin.org for more information. Thanksgiving on Goosenest Prairie Learn about Abraham Lincoln's establishment of Thanksgiving as a national holiday at the home of his parents, Thomas and Sarah Lincoln, on Friday, November 28th from 10am-4pm. Visit with the Lincoln family as they prepare for a Thanksgiving feast, mid-19th century style! The Goosenest Prairie Gift Shop, run by volunteers from the Lincoln Log Cabin Foundation, will be open during the event and features many new holiday items, including many locally-sourced products and a great selection of items handcrafted by Lincoln Log Cabin's talented volunteers. |
December |
Saturday Story Series Join us at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month for story time! Featuring the reading of a historically-themed children's book followed by activities and crafts, this free program helps to engage youngsters ages 5-10 in American history and bring the stories to life. All youth must be accompanied by an adult. Wreath Making Workshop Participants in this beginner-level workshop will create a festive holiday wreath that'll last through Christmas! A variety of greenery, ribbons, and natural decorative elements will be available to create unique and interesting designs. $45/person. Registration required. Workshop is limited to 12 participants. Online registration coming soon! Old Fashioned Christmas on the Prairie New Volunteer Orientation Are you interested in volunteering, but don't know where to start? This volunteer orientation is your chance! Meet at the Visitor Center at 9am to get a "backstage" tour, ask questions, learn out about volunteer opportunities, and take the first step to becoming a volunteer! Call us at (217)345-1845 or email volunteer@lincolnlogcabin.org for more information. |