5 Things to Do: Get swept away with a pair of musicals in the Illinois Valley

Here are five things to do this weekend:

1. "Forever Plaid-The Heavenly Four-Part Harmony Hit": Illinois Valley Community College 's fall musical brings classic harmonies, pitch-perfect melodies, humor and nostalgia to the stage beginning Thursday for a two-week run. The jukebox musical presented by the IVCC Theatre Department features hits of the 1950s and 1960s, such as "Three Coins in the Fountain," "Crazy 'Bout Ya Baby," "Perfidia," "Cry," "Sixteen Tons," "Shangri-La" and other tunes from the era. When four young singers are killed in a car crash on the way to their big break, they posthumously take the stage for one final gig in a goofy, 1950s nostalgia romp. Reserved tickets are on sale online at cur8.com/2091/project/127092 . Adult admission costs $20 and tickets for children 18 years and younger cost $15. Admission is free for IVCC employees and students. The musical will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and at 2 p.m. Sundays. For information on IVCC theater, visit .

: Spring Valley will kick off the holiday season beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday with a number of holiday events downtown. There will be a barbershop quartet performing, a trolley with Buddy the Elf, crafts at Richard A. Mautino library, the silent Christmas tree auction at Upscale Resale, photos with Santa at Cosgroves, a hot cocoa bar, face painting, a hoop shoot at the Locker Room, a balloon artist at Tee Box, Christmas cookie decorating at Double Country, hot dogs and apple cider at Verucchi's and other activities. Go to Grow Spring Valley's Facebook page for a full list of activities and times.

3. "Anything Goes": River Valley Players Fall 2024 production opens Friday with continued performances Saturday and Sunday, then Nov. 22 and 23. Dinner theater shows (Nov. 15, 16, 17) cost $40 a person. The ticket includes admission to the show, salad bar, buffet dinner, iced tea or coffee and three complimentary drinks of choice. Dinner is served at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15, and Saturday, Nov. 16, and at noon Sunday, Nov. 17. "Anything Goes" is Cole Porter at its best, wrapped around a charming story about a stowaway (Billy Crocker) on a cruise ship, in pursuit of the lovely Hope Harcourt, only to learn she is betrothed to another. He teams up with an evangelical nightclub singer, and an array of other quirky characters to win his love in this madcap musical comedy. Tickets are available online at rvphenry.org or by phone at 309-238-7878. The theater is at St John XXIII Community Center, 1301 Second St., Henry .

: Join the La Salle County History Society Museum, 208 S. Clark St., Utica , for a kid-friendly, hands-on experience at 1 p.m. Saturday. It is free to attend, although visitors are asked to RSVP by tagging themselves as "going" on the event Facebook page (post in comments).Join archaeologist Rebecca Ramey as she explains what an archaeology is, and why it is important.

: The event is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Bureau County Fairgrounds, 811 W. Peru St., Princeton . The cost is $5 for adult admission. There will be several train layouts on display. Farm toys from tractors to combines of different brands will be sold. Additionally, there will be model train equipment from Thomas to HO and O gauges.