The Kane County Fair will come to town for the 157th time this week, bringing its familiar family entertainment, farm-related demonstrations, and carnival-like atmosphere to the Tri-Cities.

There aren’t many more longstanding traditions than the county fair. For perspective, the first Kane County Fair was held in the same year (1868) that the 14th amendment granted citizenship to former slaves in the United States.

The fair has been held at the Kane County Fairgrounds in St. Charles on Randall Road since 1955. Prior to that, locations in Aurora and Elgin hosted the festival.

The fair is a big deal for the Kane County 4-H program, too. It serves as an annual capstone event of sorts, where kids showcase a year's worth of projects and get judged feedback they can incorporate into the next year's projects and ongoing skill development.

The 2026 iteration of the fair kicks off on Wednesday (7/15) and runs through Sunday (7/19), featuring its usual hodgepodge of activities: bull riding and barrel racing championships, a demolition derby, nightly live music, a magic show, a car show, a petting zoo, pig races, a livestock auction, a carnival, and more.

I’ve never made it out to the event in the past — but planning to rectify that this year.

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If you've been waiting for the perfect house to become available near downtown Geneva, this one might be it.

It’s got 5 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, a finished basement, and a fully fenced backyard on nearly half an acre. Just a few minutes from downtown, Geneva High School, and everything else that makes this neighborhood so popular, a location like this is tough to find.

Local real estate expert Chris Wallace put together a video walkthrough so you can see it for yourself — the oversized family room, the eat-in kitchen, a three-car tandem garage with attic storage on top, and much more.

☑️ Intersection revamp: Kane County is advancing a plan to fix Fabyan Parkway's crash-prone crossings that would realign the Route 31 intersection, add turn lanes at Route 25, and widen the Fox River bridge to six lanes.

☑️ Community rallies: A Batavia family confirmed 10-year-old Kate Schmidt as one of three children killed when a boat capsized in Lake Geneva over the holiday weekend, and a GoFundMe has raised nearly $140K (as of Sunday afternoon). Learn more and contribute.

☑️ A step toward preservation: The historic Barry House in St. Charles, which was saved from demolition last year, is headed for a final landmark designation vote at the July 20 City Council meeting.

☑️ Local crash: A 30-year-old Bloomingdale man was airlifted to Loyola University Medical Center after his car veered off Route 25 in Geneva last week, hitting a mailbox, a parked car, and a utility pole.

☑️ Traffic woes: Geneva drivers face a rough week ahead, with an emergency South Street closure, a Dodson Street parking ban, and heavier construction at Routes 25 and 38 all starting on Monday. Get the details and detours.

☑️ Roundabout coming soon: Kane County is making progress on the Bunker Road Extension near the LaFox Metra station, with drone footage now showing the new roadway connection taking shape ahead of a November 2026 completion.

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☑️ Bulldog legacies: The Batavia Foundation for Educational Excellence announced eight new Hall of Honor inductees, from a Grammy-nominated band director to the district's first Black teacher. Learn about the 2026 class.

☑️ Dinner Club countdown: The July Dinner Club is less than 10 days away. If meeting friendly locals for a nice dinner at a downtown Geneva restaurant sounds like a good time, make sure to register for the July 22 event. We’ll have a little afterparty at surprise location, too.

☑️ Weekend of action: Fox Valley activists are hosting four days of "Good Trouble Lives On" events July 16 to 19, featuring an ACLU town hall and a Geneva rally honoring John Lewis' legacy.

☑️ Words to remember: Kane County celebrated America's 250th anniversary by releasing a video featuring 25 local residents reading the Declaration of Independence at American Legion Post 75 in Geneva. Learn more and watch the video.

☑️ Community investment: Batavia United Way announced that it has awarded $130K in Community Impact Grants to local nonprofits in support of programs focused on health, youth, financial security, and community resiliency.

☑️ Testing Batavia’s strength: The latest “Area Code: Batavia” podcast episode featured Ward 4 Alderman Dustin Pieper, who walks listeners through 10 questions to help determine whether Batavia is truly a strong, thriving town.

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St. Charles is bringing back its “Acoustic James in the Park” series beginning this week with a Kent Morris performance at Mt. St. Mary Park on Tuesday evening.

The weekly Tuesday live music series will run through August. We attended a couple of these last year, definitely recommend.

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The key ingredient that’s powered them for three decades? Trust. They’ve earned the trust of their customers and the trust of the community by consistently offering transparency, clear communication, and some of the best craftsmanship around.

From roofing, siding, and decks to kitchens, bathrooms, and basements, they’ve built a reputation on delivering personalized renovations all over the Tri-Cities. When you start planning your next project, you know who to call.

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☑️ Coffee with cats: BEI Properties announced that a new “cat café” is coming to downtown Batavia, as Kitty Cocoa Café has leased space at 139 First Street. Get more info on the concept.

☑️ Turning the page: After eight years in business, The Book Shop Batavia will close at the end of the year as owner James Joseph steps away from the store to focus on finishing his education. See his message to the community.

☑️ Pollyanna expanding: Pollyanna Brewing (based in the suburbs with a St. Charles location) is buying shuttered Chicago craft brewery Alarmist, with plans to reopen its North Side taproom and bring back many of its popular beers.

✳️ Foodies' favorites: From flavorful local hot sauces to Chicago cookbooks and hot dog-themed decor and accessories, Urban Artisan in downtown Geneva has an expertly curated selection of food-lover gifts. See what’s currently in the shop.

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☑️ Local home sales: See recent property sales for the Tri-Cities area — including the historic Marshall-Judson House in Geneva, which was built in 1855/1856 and sold for more than $1.1.M

☑️ Local obits: Recent obituaries posted by Tri-Cities funeral homes.

☑️ Public hearings: Batavia is holding three public hearings on Wednesday (7/15) — about a recreational cannabis dispensary, a residential accessory structure, and a zoning variation for commercial parking and property improvement.

☑️ Police reports: View police reports and arrest logs for Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles and Campton Hills.

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✳️ Summer camping adventure: Hickory Hills Campground in Edgerton, Wisconsin is one of the top weekend camping trips within a couple of hours of the Tri-Cities, and Batavia-based Valor Carts has tips for making the most of any camping excursion with its new T4 model. Explore an outdoor getaway.

☑️ Memory Cafe (Adults & Seniors) | Wed 7/15, 10:30AM–11:30AM | Geneva Public Library | Monthly gathering for memory loss and dementia patients and caregivers.

🎟️ Make Your Own Pressed Flower Pillar Candle | Wed 7/15, 6PM–8PM | Art History Brewing, Geneva | Beginner-friendly workshop designing a pressed flower candle.

☑️ Renaissance Garden Party | Thu 7/16, 5PM–8PM | Batavia Boardwalk Shops | Browse vintage décor, mocktails, charcuterie and bouquet classes. 

🎟️ Wine & Cheese Tasting Experience | Thu 7/16, 6PM–8PM | Chi-cuterie, Geneva | Enjoy wine, cheese and charcuterie pairings in a cozy setting. 

🎟️ Family Flow Yoga | Fri 7/17, 6:30PM | Power Moves Yoga, STC | Enjoy yoga and mindfulness with the whole family.

🎟️ Historic House Tour | Sat 7/18, 12PM–4PM | Downtown Geneva | Self-guided tour of four historic downtown homes with museum admission included.

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