Eclipse in Southern Illinois to Chicago River fundraiser: Show & Go

For Show & Go this week, look first to the banks of the Chicago River, where the Urban Rivers’ Summer Fundraiser on the Chicago River will be held on Friday. Then on Monday, look south to the line of totality for the solar eclipse, which cuts across southern Illinois.

My wife and I plan to be at the Chicago River Friday night for the fundraiser. My wife will probably not do the pontoon or kayak rides, but stay on shore. I look forward to seeing the floating gardens from the river. It should be interesting, especially since I don’t think DJ Jame$ Dean is in my normal range of music.

Then our family is journeying to southern Illinois on Sunday, where we have a cabin rented near the line of totality. I am starting to worry a bit about getting around on Monday before and after the eclipse. Just in case, we have three primary options of where we will watch the eclipse: Carbondale, Garden of the Gods or Bell Smith Springs.

I am really looking forward to that. Weather looks fairly good for it by summer standards and weather could alter where we watch it.

All the same, it should be a lifetime experience.

Show and Go

Urban Rivers’ Summer Fundraiser on the Chicago River: Free pontoon or kayak rides to see floating gardens on the North Branch, grilled food, live house music by DJ Jame$ Dean, local beer (with $10 ticket), 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Friday, Kayak Chicago, 1501 N. Magnolia, urbanriverssummerfundraiser.evenbrite.com

Eclipse in southern Illinois:Across southern Illinois the total eclipse comes early Monday afternoon, with the preliminary part of the eclipse beginning late morning. I hope most people who are going down take time to enjoy some other wild things around southern Illinois and the Shawnee National Forest.

Click here for an article I did a couple weeks ago on a few options. Carbondale eclipse activities are at carbondaleeclipse.com; Southern Illinois University activities are at eclipse.siu.edu. Shawnee information is at fs.usda.gov/main/shawnee/home.