Visit Unforgettable Forgottonia

10/21/2026

🌸🌼 STOP AND SMELL THE COSMOS! 🌼🌸

Looking for a little beauty in your day? Come visit Macomb’s Pick-Your-Own Flower Farm! 💐

Picture yourself wandering through a field of colorful wildflowers, picking your favorites, and creating a beautiful bouquet to take home. Whether you're planning a fun family outing, a date with someone special, or simply want to brighten someone's day, you're invited to enjoy this little slice of floral heaven! 🌺🌷

Here's the best part: There's no set price! Simply pick your own wildflower bouquet and leave a free-will donation in whatever amount you'd like. ❤️

🐾 50% of all proceeds benefit the Humane Society of McDonough County, helping support the animals in our community who need a little extra love.

Fresh air, beautiful flowers, and a chance to make a difference for animals in need? That's a whole lot of wonderful growing in one field! 🌻🐶🐱

Bring your friends, bring the family, bring your love of flowers — and leave with a bouquet and a smile!

📸 Don't forget to snap a photo of your colorful creation and share the beauty!

🌸 Pick a bouquet. Pay what you wish. Help animals in need. 🌸

10/19/2026

Get ready for homecoming weekend at WIU! 💛💜

Whether you’re from the Class of 2026 or the Class of *ehem*… you’d rather not say, there will be plenty of new memories to be made on campus this October.
So join old and new faces and celebrate with the Western Illinois University community October 23–25.

See https://www.wiu.edu/homecoming/ for complete event schedule
And while you’re in Macomb, head to our Downtown Courthouse Square to play a game of Macombopoly with friends and family. Just download the FREE app from eAtlas to get started.

10/16/2026

Looking for a little Halloween excitement? 👻🎃 Discover Garrett Moffett's Haunted Macomb Tour.

This self-guided walking adventure (available year-round) uncovers the city and area's eerie legends, mysterious history, and spooky haunted hotspots.

Use Visit Forgottonia's digital interactive adventure map and prepare for a spine-tingling journey that sets the perfect mood for the Halloween season:
https://app.wayward.travel/experience/unforgettable-forgottonia-the-haunted-macomb-trail

If you’re looking for a less-spooky activity afterwards, head to Macomb’s Downtown Courthouse Square to play a game of Macombopoly with friends and family. Just download the FREE app from eAtlas to get started.

From mysterious apparitions and haunted cemeteries to university legends and unexplained phenomena, McDonough County is home to some of western Illinois' most fascinating ghost stories. Inspired by th...

10/14/2026

Magic ROCKS!!

10/14/2026

✨🎩 Get ready to be amazed, because Magic Rocks with Illusionist Leon Etienne is coming to Macomb!

Leon Etienne—an illusionist who has fooled Penn & Teller, appeared on America’s Got Talent, and brought his magic to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon—is bringing his high-energy, jaw-dropping stage show to the Goldfarb Center for the Performing Arts! 🤯✨

Will he fool you? 🪄

📅 Thursday, October 22, 2026
⏰ 7:00–9:30 PM
📍 Goldfarb Center for the Performing Arts
571 N. Western Ave., Macomb, IL

Afterwards, head to Macomb’s Downtown Courthouse Square to play a game of Macombopoly with friends and family. Just download the FREE app from eAtlas to get started.

10/12/2026

Celebrate the beauty of autumn and the spookiness of the season in Unforgettable Forgottonia at Macomb's beloved Moon Over Macomb Fall Festival!

On Saturday, October 17th, Macomb’s historic downtown Courthouse square will come alive with food, art, and family fun.

Stroll through Art in the Alley in Sullivan Way, browse the seasonal farmers' market, and enjoy a full day of fall festivities including children's and pet costume parades, horse-drawn trolley rides, and other hands-on kids’ activities. Relax with live music while savoring delicious autumn-inspired food and beverages from The W**e Sellers and Sullivan Taylor Uptown.

And while you’re in Macomb’s historic Downtown Courthouse Square, play a game of Macombopoly with friends and family! Just download the FREE app from eAtlas to get started.

10/09/2026

Looking for the scariest haunted house around? Then you better head to the Bushnell Haunted House at Pigg Farm… if you dare! 🏚️👻🦇

🎃 Opening night is Friday, October 10th 7-10pm, and runs Fridays & Saturdays through Friday, October 31. Admission is just $10 and benefits Bushnell’s local boy scout troop.

📍20320 N 1700th Rd, Bushnell, IL 61422

If you’re looking for a less-spooky activity afterwards, head to Macomb’s Downtown Courthouse Square to play a game of Macombopoly with friends and family. Just download the FREE app from eAtlas to get started.

10/08/2026

We’re getting excited to welcome you to the WWII Living History event in Macomb this weekend. And of course, we also hope you play a game of Macombopoly in our historic Downtown Courthouse Square while you’re here!

But did you know that these two things have a history in common?

That’s right — during WWII, specially adapted Monopoly boards were secretly used to help Allied prisoners of war escape from German camps.

Working with MI9, inventor Christopher Clayton Hutton helped develop hidden escape kits containing silk maps, compasses, tools, rope and real money—all concealed inside ordinary-looking Monopoly boards.

The boards were smuggled into POW camps through fake charities, taking advantage of rules that allowed prisoners to receive games. German guards never suspected that the games contained vital escape equipment!

You can learn more here: https://www.mylearning.org/stories/how-leeds-made-monopoly-helped-pows-escape-in-ww2/chapter-1-monopoly-more-than-just-a-game



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Monopoly – More than Just a Game? The game of monopoly has been around since the early 1900s. And it’s still popular now. It was made by Waddingtons in Leeds.  But did you know that during WW2 monopoly boards helped thousands of Allied soldiers escape from German prison camps? This is a story o...

10/08/2026

Congratulations WIU!!

Western Illinois University has been named one of The Princeton Review's "Best Midwest: 2027 Best Colleges."

It's the 22nd consecutive year WIU has received the recognition.
The list includes 150 colleges and universities from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

According to The Princeton Review, about 23% of the nation's four-year colleges and universities receive the recognition.

“Western Illinois University has always been a place where opportunity is personal,” WIU President Kristi Mindrup said. “Our faculty and staff know our students, believe in their potential and inspire them to build meaningful futures. This recognition reflects our outstanding academic programs, a culture of belonging, and our long-standing commitment to partnering with students to support their success.”

The publication bases its selections on surveys completed by college administrators, campus visits and feedback from college counselors and advisers. The study also reviews surveys where students are asked about life on campus, including the ease of access to their professors and the quality of food on campus.

https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings?rankings=best-midwest&page=3

Find the best colleges in the Midwest: Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN), Iowa (IA), Kansas (KS), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Missouri (MO), Nebraska (NE), North Dakota (ND), Ohio (OH), South Dakota (SD), and Wisconsin (WI). Our list is based on ratings and quotes from real students about academics, ca...