OCT22
Illinois Art Station — spooky potion workshop
Hands-on spooky potion creations workshop, ages 8+ with an adult or 18+ solo. Tickets $40, per WZND's Halloween roundup.
6:00–7:30 PM · Illinois Art Station, Normal · $40 · Source
📅 Events · The BloNo Bagel
The board.
Not every event in town — the dates that change a decision: votes, hearings, deadlines, and the weekends worth planning around. Every entry carries its public source and was verified against it; the board refreshes with the Monday and Wednesday research runs, and the week's picks ride in Thursday's issue.
OCT24
ISU Homecoming — Town & Gown 5K, Fun Run/Walk and Parade
Illinois State Homecoming Town and Gown 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk (in-person and virtual) and Parade in Uptown Normal. Affected roads close beginning 6 a.m. and reopen as soon as safely possible after the festivities.
Roads close from 6:00 AM · Uptown Normal · Free to watch · Source
OCT27
Early voting expands — Bone Student Center opens
McLean County early voting adds the Bone Student Center site Oct 27–30 and Nov 2. Note the two-authority split: Bloomington city voters vote through the Bloomington Election Commission, not the county sites. Government Center early voting runs Sep 24–Nov 2.
8:30 AM–4:30 PM (Oct 27–30 and Nov 2) · Bone Student Center, Prairie Room III, Normal · Free · Source
OCT31
Trick-or-Treat — Bloomington and Normal
Official trick-or-treat hours for both Bloomington and Normal: Saturday, Oct. 31, 5–8 p.m. Approach only homes with an exterior light on; motorists drive slowly and watch for trick-or-treaters.
5:00–8:00 PM · Both towns · Free · Source
NOV3
Election Day — Bloomington's three advisory questions
Three resident-petitioned advisory questions: a moratorium on large-scale data centers, a local grocery tax, and international weapons manufacturing. Advisory = a message to the City Council, not an order — and it lands two weeks before the council's data center vote.
Polls 6 AM–7 PM · Your Bloomington polling place · Free · Source
NOV16
Public hearing — proposed data center zoning text amendment
The Planning Commission hearing in the data center arc — the night public comment goes on the record before the council votes.
Evening (confirm start time in the agenda) · City of Bloomington · Free · Source
NOV23
City Council vote — data center zoning amendment
The decision the whole fall arc points at: whether large-scale data centers get a path in Bloomington, and under what rules.
Council session (confirm in the agenda packet) · City of Bloomington · Free · Source
NOV28
Small Business Saturday — the Registry map edition
The Bagel's Registry map edition lands in Issue #7 (Thu Nov 26): the local shops worth your Saturday, sourced from the same private Registry our reporting runs on.
All day · Both towns · Free · Source
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