Tom Irwin

As we gear up for the first full weekend of August, the live music scene is in full throttle mode. With the pedal to the metal, the race is on to get to the Illinois State Fair, but first, let's take a pit stop for upcoming shows happening in the here and now.

Entering into the 2026 Illinois State Fair, we can safely say that music rules on the fairgrounds. Lest we get too taken by the plethora (I allow myself to use that word once a year) of performances inherent and even incumbent to the fair, remember we also have a whole bunch of shows happening all over town along with those at the ISF. Let's venture out to see what we find, fair enough?

Tom Irwin Conservation Law Foundation Aug. 15, 2026, 5:03 a.m. ET New Hampshire has been getting hotter and more humid each summer for the last two decades.

A mini-split, a kind of heat pump that is relatively easy to install, runs quiet, clean and at half the electricity cost of a window unit.

Here we go into the last weekend of the Illinois State Fair for 2026 with plenty left to experience, especially in our appointed subject of live music. There's so much being played on the grounds, no one can actually take it all in, which is a pretty darn good thing. Add in several in-town goings on, and as usual, there are choices to make as we embark on our weekly musical adventures.

As we roll on through the end of August, next weekend brings Labor Day and the unofficial finish to summer along for the ride. We will be falling into autumn soon enough, so let's take a gander at what's out there now as we wander through the aftermath of the State Fair looking for things to do.

It's here and so are we as the Labor Day holiday comes on Monday preceded by a full weekend of music adventures available for your entertainment pleasure. Often cited as the official, unofficial end-of-summer holiday, let's take a moment to recognize the work of the workers of the world before we hit the streets in search of frolic and fun with friends and family.

Why the first hole at St Andrews might be the hardest in golf, despite having one of the widest fairways you will ever see.

With Labor Day behind us, that means only four days of toil for you workers of the world, and that tells me maybe you can take the short week and make it into a big weekend of music. Let's see what's out there.

Lincolnshire is home to world-class links and heathland golf. Here's why this underrated county should be on your radar for your next golf trip