•September 13, 2017•

A townwide food and clothing drive will be conducted by members of area churches with pick up on Saturday, Sept. 23.

Hosted by New Life Tabernacle bags for donations distributed throughout Sullivan Sept. 20 will be picked up by volunteers Sept. 23.

The food collected during the drive will go to the Moultrie County Food Pantry with the clothing going to the New Life Ministry Center.

•September 6, 2017•

The 14th Annual Oktoberfest is back on the Sullivan square bigger and better than ever.

This year’s festival will be held 6-11 p.m. Friday, October 20 and noon-11 p.m. Saturday, October 20.

Friday night festivities include arts, crafts and food vendors. The Sullivan Area Arts Council (SAARTS) will host Artoberfest at Cathrine’s Gallery Gifts & More.

A highlight to the festival this year, the Oktoberfest wine tasting at 5 West is open 6-9 pm. The Oktoberfest beer tent will be open 6-11 p.m. Friday night. Wreckless Whiskey will rock the beer tent 8-11 p.m.

On Saturday at noon the smell of chili fills the air as the chili competition begins, and the vendor booths open. The vendors this year include arts, crafts, jewelry, home décor, toys, cookbooks, games, cookies, funnel cakes, chili dogs, all the fair food you can imagine and so much more.

The Main Stage will offer entertainment throughout the day and evening. In addition to the free entertainment J’s Petspaw will host a pet contest, and many more plans are in the works. A painting class will take place at the festival with Molly Foust, local artist

The Kidz Zone will have inflatables Friday and Saturday starting at 6 p.m. on Friday and noon on Saturday. Arm bands are available for purchase at Cathrine’s Gallery at 7 West Jefferson or the SCED office at 112 W. Harrison St.  Preorder arm bands are $10, and a day of bands is $12.

Moultrie County Mobile Farm will be on site 2-4 p.m. Saturday for youngsters to learn a little about farming in Moultrie County. New this year is the Sloan Implement Pedal Pull contest for the kiddos with sign up at 2:30 p.m. and a 3 p.m. start.

The official chili judging begins at 4:30 p.m. with local celebrity judges from the Sullivan area. The chili tasting opens at 5 p.m. and people choice judging 5-7 p.m.   The cook-off winners and Artoberfest results will be announced at 7:30 p.m.

The beer tent is open for business at noon Saturday and closes at 11 p.m. Feudin’ Hillbillys will be playing under the beer tent  8-11 p.m. Saturday.

For more information and for any forms visit www.sullivanchamber.com  or call 217-728-4223.

•September 6, 2017•

The Sparrows Toy Run is Saturday, September 23. The twenty year old Lovington not for profit organization is collecting toys to benefit Lovington families.

Sign up begins at 10:30 a.m. at Post 429 Lovington American Legion and continues through noon.

Stops on the Sparrows Toy Run include: Toy Bar in Sullivan, Shamrock in Dalton City, Timbuktu in Long Creek, Cerro Gordo American Legion, Rusty’s in LaPlace with the final stop at HJerry’s East End in Lovington.

Sign up fee to participate: A toy.

For more information contact Pam 217/201-0662 or Jessica 217/620-7579.

Scavenger hunt and Secret Word Scramble are included in the fun.

•August 30, 2017•

The 45th annual Arthur Amish Country Cheese Festival is September 2-4 featuring the 300 pound cheese wheel.

More than 811 pounds of cheddar cheese will be consumed at the annual festival. Three days of entertainment and food feature the annual parade, Rat Race 5K, car truck and motorcycle show, contests, inflatables arts crafts and more.

•August 30, 2017•

Hullabaloo on the Square in Sullivan is coming 2-5 p.m. Sunday, September 17.

This event is free and will feature live entertainment, inflatables, rock climbing wall, carnival games and contests, candy and prizes, and face painting. Area vendors will have food and beverages for sale.

Beginning in 2010, Hullabaloo has been sponsored generously by local businesses and organized by New Life Church. The attendance for this successful event was nearly 2000 last year.

Tiffany Burgess of New Life, who spearheads the event, encourages the public to attend hours of unlimited use of the games and inflatables.

“Throughout the event drawings will be held for prizes including bicycles, gas cards and lots more items and gift cards donated by our area businesses. Children can have a blast in a safe environment, and families may come and not have to pay for this event. Delicious food and drinks will be available for purchase throughout the event,” Burgess said of the seventh annual event.

For more information, call Burgess at 217-728-4200 or check out newlifesullivan.info.