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🥯 Your BloNo weekend: Beatles by request, FlatCon turns 25, and a new downtown bakery (Oct. 8–11)

Issue #1. Plus Bloomington’s data center rules go public Friday, Normal’s Haunted Trail dates, and six places that take old paint for free.

The BloNo Bagel Oct 8, 2026 · 5 min read

0. The Hook

Morning, BloNo! ☕ Welcome to Issue #1. We’re glad you’re here.

This week in one breath:

  • 🏛️ Bloomington posts draft data center rules on Friday. Normal is waiting until 2027.
  • 🎲 FlatCon turns 25 at the Interstate Center.
  • 🎶 A Beatles show at the BCPA where you pick the setlist.
  • 🎵 ISU choirs fill the Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday.
  • 🥐 Downtown Bloomington has a new bakery.

Three minutes. Let’s go. 👇

1. The Schmear

Bloomington Data center rules go public Friday

The news: Bloomington will post draft data center regulations on Fri., Oct. 9, City Manager Jeff Jurgens told WGLT. WGLT

What’s next: The Planning Commission meets at 4 pm Thu., Oct. 16 at the BCPA. A second meeting follows Nov. 16.

What shaped it: At the listening sessions, residents raised noise, vibration, water use, energy use, and screening.

Normal Meanwhile: The town extended its moratorium into 2027 so it can see what Springfield does with the POWER Act in November. Mayor Chris Koos says no operators have shown interest in Normal. WGLT

🥯 Bagel take: Care about water, power bills, or what gets built near you? Read the draft this weekend and weigh in before Oct. 16.

2. The Everything Topping

Thursday-to-Sunday picks from both sides of town.

  • 🎭 Singalong Broadway Bloomington
    BCPA, Downtown · Thu 7 pm
    Belt out show tunes with a whole theater of strangers. Tickets
  • 🎸 Wowie Zowie at Connie Link Amphitheatre Normal
    621 S. Linden St. · Fri 7–8:30 pm · FREE
    ’60s–’80s covers outdoors. Bring a blanket or a lawn chair. Info
  • 🎲 FlatCon 25th Anniversary Bloomington
    Interstate Center, 1106 Interstate Dr. · Fri–Sat 10–6, Sun 10–3
    D&D, Warhammer, Mega Lego battles, and a free game library. Profits go to local charities. Badges $15–$35, and the dealer hall is free to browse. Info
  • 🥕 Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market Bloomington
    Downtown · Sat 7:30 am–noon
    Four Saturdays left, through Oct. 31. Info
  • 🧵 Fall Quilt-In Retreat Bloomington
    Bloomington Public Library · Sat 9–4
    A full day of uninterrupted sewing. Bring your own machine. Registration required. Info
  • 🎶 Yesterday and Today: The Interactive Beatles Experience Bloomington
    BCPA, 600 N. East St. · Sat 7 pm
    The audience sends in song requests and the band builds the setlist from them. Tickets
  • 👻 Downs Haunted House McLean County
    107 E. Franklin St., Downs · Fri & Sat nights
    A volunteer-run haunt since 1992, with a hayrack shuttle from Dooley Park. Tickets from $16.15. Book a time slot. Info
  • 🎵 ISU Choirs: Fall Concerts Normal
    ISU Center for the Performing Arts · Sun 3 pm & 6 pm
    University Choir and Concert Choir at 3, then Treble Choir and Civic Chorale at 6. Info
  • 🎬 Spooky month at the Normal Theater Normal
    Uptown Normal · all October
    Halloween classics and family frights. Showtimes
  • 🎃 The Great Pumpkin Hunt Bloomington
    Bloomington parks · all October
    Painted pumpkins are hidden in city parks, and new clues drop every Friday. Post a photo to enter the Oct. 30 prize drawing. Info

🐾 3. The Neighborhood Radar

  • 🍬 Trick-or-treat hours are set Bloomington + Normal
    5–8 pm Sat., Oct. 31 in both Bloomington and Normal. WGLT · Town of Normal
  • 🛴 E-bike and e-scooter rules are coming Bloomington + Normal
    A state law starting in January keeps e-bikes off sidewalks. Bloomington is talking about speed limits on Constitution Trail, and Normal will stick to the state rules. This follows Monday’s sidewalk e-scooter crash at Vernon & Grandview that sent a pedestrian to the hospital. WGLT
  • 🗓️ Save the date: Haunted Trail Normal
    Constitution Trail. Not-so-scary: Oct. 15–17, 6–8 pm. Scary: Oct. 23–24, 6:30–9 pm. $5 cash, and canned food gets you in free the first weekend. Town of Normal
  • 🧙 Save the date: Halloween Hoopla Normal
    Children’s Discovery Museum, Uptown · Fri., Oct. 23, 6–8 pm. Costumes and trick-or-treating through the exhibits. $11 members, $16 non-members. Info
  • 📽️ Save the date: Movies at the Mural Bloomington
    The Addams Family at Main & Jefferson, Downtown · Oct. 17, about 15 minutes after sundown. Bring a chair. WGLT

🛠️ 4. The BloNo Pro Sheet

Garage clean-out edition: 6 spots that take old paint for free, year-round. These shops are part of the statewide PaintCare program. Bring paint, primer, stain, sealer, or varnish, up to 5 gallons per visit. WGLT

  • 🎨 Sherwin-Williams: 1906 E. College Ave. Normal
  • 🔨 Ace Hardware of Normal: 204 E. College Ave. Normal
  • 🎨 Sherwin-Williams: 115 Krispy Kreme Dr. Bloomington
  • 🎨 Paint Depot: 2407 G.E. Rd. Bloomington
  • 🏠 Habitat for Humanity ReStore: 1402 W. Washington St. Bloomington
  • 🪵 RP Lumber: 2440 S. Main St. Bloomington

Have 100+ gallons? PaintCare will pick it up for free. Full list

👷 Have a pro you swear by? Nominate them. Reader picks will fill the Pro Sheet.

5. Local Bites

  • 🥐 Bayleaf & Butterscotch is open Downtown Bloomington
    A second location at 109 W. Jefferson St. Try the za’atar feta bun or a Chicago Dawg croissant. Pantagraph
  • 🍦 Freddy’s is coming to IAA Drive Bloomington
    The custard and steakburger spot will go up next to Dutch Bros, with an opening expected in early 2027. 25 News
  • 🌮 Hacienda Leon’s third location is headed to Lexington McLean County
    A roughly $1M new build off P.J. Keller Hwy, joining the Uptown Normal and N. Hershey Rd. restaurants. The target is next spring or summer. Pantagraph
  • 🍗 ICYMI: Kobi-eon Normal
    Korean fried chicken, corn dogs, and boba at 1101 N. Main St. It opened this summer. Pantagraph
  • 🍛 ICYMI: Daawath, United Kitchens of India Bloomington
    Regional Indian cuisines at 503 N. Prospect Rd., Suite 201. Pantagraph
  • 🥞 ICYMI: Scramblers on Jumer Drive Bloomington
    The breakfast and brunch chain’s first Illinois spot has been open since June. Scramblers

🧢 Grab The Gear

The BloNo Bagel Classic Dad Hat: $28. It comes in Vintage Black or Garment White, and it’s low-profile and made for Saturday market runs.

👉 Grab your hat

🙌 Get Involved

  • 🎂 Refer 2 friends and get a birthday shout-out. Your personal link is on your welcome page.
  • 📮 Did we miss something? Send a tip.
  • 📣 Own a local business? Next week’s sponsor slot is open. Advertise.

✉️ One question before you go

Reply to this email and tell us: what's one thing happening in BloNo this month that everybody's sleeping on? A opening, a meeting, a game, a weird little tradition — if it's good, it runs next week with your name on it. We read every reply.

Thanks for reading Issue #1. If you made it all the way down here, you’re our kind of people. 🥯

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