Residents looking to get into the spirit of the season won’t have to wait long.

The 38th annual St. Charles Scarecrow Weekend kicks off Friday with autumn-themed entertainment downtown for all ages throughout the weekend — anchored by the famous Scarecrow Contest. Grab the kids and hit up the Family Zone for live entertainment and festive photo ops.

On Friday evening, the Geneva Jack-O’-Lantern Walk serves as a natural complement to Scarecrow Fest. The self-guided stroll will feature 76 local businesses displaying creative jack-o’-lanterns on a First Friday that includes extended business hours, exclusive deals and food/drink menu specials at participating restaurants.

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☑️ Detour time: Two Geneva Route 25 water infrastructure projects are set to prompt closures starting Tuesday — a big water main installation on Route 38 (estimated completion: December) and a smaller main replacement at the Division Street intersection.

🔒 Historic building survives: In a 9-0 vote (with one absent), Geneva City Council voted to preserve the 19th-century blacksmith shop at 4 E. State Street.

🔒 Different building, different fate: The city of St. Charles hopes to demolish the dilapidated vandalism magnet that was once Pheasant Run Resort.

🔒 Mor Chikin in STC?: There’s talk of a new Chick-fil-A moving into the vacant space on Route 64 that previously housed Chili’s. The demand for fried chicken around here is…alarming impressive.

*️⃣ Bike Bummer: According to Batavia’s 4th Ward Alderman Dustin Pieper, the west side of the Fox River Bike Trail in Batavia will likely need to close for the 2024 season.

☑️ Helping heroes: The Illinois Supreme Court has recertified the Kane County Veterans Treatment Court, which aids veterans and service members in the area.

*️⃣ Public safety: Dustin Pieper also reports that the City of Batavia is considering collision route studies following a number of tragic pedestrian/cyclist accidents this summer.

☑️ Paving the way: An update on completed + ongoing road resurfacing and drainage projects in Geneva, including the Williamsburg Avenue paving operation that started Saturday.

☑️ Home prices 🚀: Campton Hills and Wayne are among the top 30 cities with the most expensive homes in the Chicago metro area.

*Below I’ve included “listed” start/end times — actual play times tend to vary. The 🎟️ symbol indicates an admission fee. Links to band/event info are provided where available.

✔️ Terry Byrne: Preservation | Geneva | 6-9PM | Event info + video

✔️ Matt Keen: 93 Octane Brewing | St. Charles | 6-9PM | Musician info

✔️ Jason Benefield: Preservation | Geneva | 6-9PM | Event info + video

✔️ Tim Gleason: Flagship on the Fox | St. Charles | 6-9PM | Musician info

✔️ Bobby K: Flagship on the Fox | St. Charles | 4-7PM | Musician info

✔️ Jim Green: Preservation | Geneva | 6-9PM | Event info + video

✔️ Sam Wyatt: Pollyanna Brewing | St. Charles | 7-11PM | Video

✔️ Live Band Karaoke w/ The Backdrop Band: EvenFlow | Geneva | 7PM

✔️ Chris Powell: ROX at Hotel Baker | St. Charles | 7:30-11PM | Musician info

✔️ Wheels North: Art History Brewing | Geneva | 5-9PM | Musician info (+ Chuck’s Wood Fired Pizza)

✔️ Steve Bores: D and G Brewing | St. Charles | 6PM | Musician info

✔️ The Dog & Pony Show: Tanna Tap | Geneva | 6-9:30PM | Musician info

✔️ DS Wilson: The Wine Exchange | St. Charles | 6-9PM | Musician info

✔️ Tyler Krienitz: Brother Chimp Brewing | Batavia | 6-9PM | Musician info

✔️ Nashville Night feat. Martin McDaniel Band: The Hive | St. Charles | 6-9PM | Event info

✔️ Goodfoot + Jimbo: Preservation | Geneva | 6:30-10PM | Event info + video

✔️ Kent Morris: The James | Geneva | 7-10PM

✔️ Chris Powell: ROX at Hotel Baker | St. Charles | 7:30-11PM | Musician info

✔️ Shukin & The Ramblers (Performance 1) + Woosh (Performance 2): Sidecar Supper Club | Batavia | 8-11:30PM | Event info

🎟️ Rockabilly Nite with Jonny Lyons & The Pride: Club Arcada | St. Charles | 8:30PM | Event info

✔️ Austin Hopkins Duo: Bar Evolution | Batavia | 8:30-11:30PM | Musician info

🎟️ Jared Olson Band: EvenFlow | Geneva | 9PM

✔️ Wooly Buggers: The House Pub | St. Charles | 9:30PM-1AM | Band info

✔️ Jerry Devivo Band: The James | Geneva | 11AM-2PM | Musician info

✔️ Terry Byrne Pollyanna Brewing | St. Charles | 12-3PM | Musician info (+ Four Ds BBQ food truck)

✔️ Zack Baumgartner: 93 Octane Brewing | St. Charles |1-4PM | Musician info

✔️ Jimmy Marquis: Art History Brewing | Geneva | 4-7PM | Musician info

✔️ CopyCat: Tanna Tap | Geneva | 6-9:30PM | Band info

✔️ Drew Clausen: The Wine Exchange | St. Charles | 6-9PM | Musician info

✔️ Jake Mack & Chad Watson: D and G Brewing | St. Charles | 6PM | Musician info

✔️ Aaron Kelly & Friends: Preservation | Geneva | 6:30-10PM | Event info + video

🎟️ Planet Groove w/ Miss Behavin’: EvenFlow | Geneva | 7PM | Band info

✔️ Chris Powell: ROX at Hotel Baker | St. Charles | 7:30-11PM | Musician info

✔️ Invisible Cartoons with Cassandra Henwood: Sidecar Supper Club | Batavia | 8-11:30PM | Event info

✔️ Performer TBD: Bar Evolution | Batavia | 8:30-11:30PM

✔️ The Red Delicious: The House Pub | St. Charles | 9:30PM-1AM | Band info

✔️ Performer TBD: Crosstown Pub & Grill | Batavia | Time TBD

✔️ Sam Wyatt: Preservation | Geneva | 1-4PM | Event info + video

✔️ Discount Vinyl: Tanna Tap | Geneva | 2-5PM

✔️ Bruce Karosa: Pollyanna Brewing | St. Charles | 2:30-5PM

✔️ Blue Grass Sunday: Sidecar Supper Club | Batavia | 4-7PM | Event info

☑️ Stewards of sustainability: Take part in Kane County’s Climate Action Survey to ensure officials’ plans and goals align with community interests.

☑️ Use your voice: The deadline to participate in Geneva’s Community Survey has been extended to October 7 — results will be used to update the City’s 2025 Strategic Plan.

☑️ Public art: Batavia City Council (with community input) chose artist Chad La Fever's "Eternal Flame" sculpture to be installed in the columbarium at Batavia West Cemetery.

☑️ Brush pickup: Geneva residents in Zone 1 should have their limbs/branches ready today. Pickup for Zone 2 is October 9. Here’s the zone map. Batavia and St. Charles still have a couple weeks.

☑️ Service & dedication: When you think “local impact,” who comes to mind? Nominations for Batavia Citizen of the Year are now open.

☑️ Post-mortem: The group that was leading the charge to save Geneva’s Big Woods oak trees has provided an update following their destruction.

🔒 Local literature: Batavia writer Sammi King will be signing copies of her new book “Mom’s Time Out – Humorous and Heartfelt Stories from the Home Front” on October 7.

☑️ Women in STEM: Rep. Bill Foster will participate in a St. Charles panel discussion on Thursday about career opportunities in STEM fields and ongoing legislative efforts.

Thursday 10/5 | 6PM | Enticing Cuisine Banquets | Batavia

September 30, 1953 — the fateful day that the Batavia Chamber of Commerce was chartered. Celebrate the local non-profit and raise a toast to its members at Chamber Cheers. More info 🔒

Saturday 10/7 | 1PM - ? | Several Geneva Establishments

It’s fun to get dressed up once in a while — especially when the occasion is a pub crawl supporting your community and more than a dozen local bars/restaurants. More info

Saturday 10/7 | 9AM-4PM | Boardwalk Shops of Batavia

Peruse and purchase a wide selection of bowls and other wood-turned items expertly crafted and donated by the Chicago Woodturners and Windy City Woodturners — all for a great cause. More info

☑️ Eat for a cause: In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, B.A.S.H. in Geneva will donate some of the proceeds from a specialty sushi roll to the Lynn Sage Foundation throughout October.

☑️ Cooking up success: Shout out to Batavia café/bakery New Moon Vegan for winning an Entrepreneurial Excellence Award from the Daily Herald Business Ledger!

☑️ Seltzer-ing success: The OG of the Tri-Cities beer scene just won four medals in the U.S. Open Hard Seltzer Championship. Penrose Brewing: officially a local jack-of-all-bevs.

☑️ Grand opening: Geneva Winery Bistro & Wine Bar started welcoming visitors on Friday. It’s now open daily.

🔒 New neighbors: Speaking of grand openings, Batavia welcomed Best Day Housecleaning this week, and Vein Specialists of Geneva is kicking things off with a ribbon cutting on Tuesday.

📲 Pro tip: If you want to save some of these links for later reading, try using Pocket, a free app that’ll save and organize articles across your devices.

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Cheers,

Sam

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