IN OUR COMMUNITY
Chamber Happy Hour
The Washington Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors and Tangled Roots Craft Beer and Kitchen invite you to join us to unwind, mingle, and make meaningful connections at our first Network Happy Hour—a laid-back, high-impact evening designed to help you build relationships that fuel both your business and our community. The event is held on July 16th from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, this is your chance to meet local leaders, exchange ideas, and spark new collaborations—all in a friendly, relaxed setting. Enjoy light refreshments, great conversation, and the kind of networking that doesn’t feel like work.
Let’s raise a glass to growing together—see you there!
Registration fee includes networking, small bites, and non-
alcoholic drinks. A cash bar will be provided.
Menu includes:
Ancient Grain Salad
Hummus Tray
Pretzel Tray
Brew Pub Chips
Assortment of Flatbreads
Cookies and Brownies
Registration by July 11th is appreciated at https://business.washingtonilcoc.com/events/details/network-happy-hour-8614
Cars & Coffee Cruise
Get together and make new friends, check out each other’s cars, trucks, and bikes and of course enjoy donuts. They will be meeting at Dunkin Donuts on July 5th at 6:45 a.m. and plan to depart for C & C around 7:15 a.m. Like usual, there will be donuts to share. If it’s got wheels, it’s welcome.
Festival of Food Trucks
The largest variety of food trucks in the area will be set up for business. There will be tables and chairs set up or you can bring your own. Vendors will be open for business, anlong with a farmers market, including fresh beef and local honey. Balloon man, face painter, and ride a train will be available. Live music by Roy Fifer. Come out and enjoy a evening of delicious food and fun for all ages!
Bingo
Join in at Five Points Washington every 1st Tuesday (July 1st) of the month in the Senior Room for Washington Park District’s monthly BINGO game. You do not have to be a Five Points member to attend. Bingo begins at 10:00 a.m. and runs to about 11:30 a.m.
Five Points Fridays
2025 Five Points Fridays outdoor live music series has begun! The June event will feature the band Kickapoo Junction, plus they will have the Touch-a-Truck event, along with live music, food trucks, kids activities and more. This FREE event is open to the public and takes place from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Five Points Fridays 2025 Schedule:
July 25th – Outland
August 22nd – Sista and the Misters Band
Questions? Contact Banquet Manager, Paige Wise: paigew@fivepointswashington.org
Saturday Night Lights
Saturday Night Lights Cruise-In will be on July 12th from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Anything with wheels is welcome. Come out and hang out with friends or meet new friends. Bring your vehicles to show, or just come to look at the vehicles. First Response Food will be back this year serving some delicious foods. Connect Center again will open up for use of the bathrooms. This month Metamora Automotive Shop will be our donation
Golf Outing
The Five Points Washington’s 17th Annual Golf Outing will be held on July 18th at Pine Lakes Golf Club. Lunch will be provided during registration and there will be hole games as well as entertainment throughout the course. They will have a silent auction available that will have a number of exciting items. Silent auction items will be available during the dinner back at Five Points Washington.
Registration deadline to guarantee play is July 4, 2025 unless otherwise sold out.
Register HERE: https://crm.bloomerang.co/HostedDonation?ApiKey=pub_4f974a03-b2f2-11ed-a67a-0a2536b1f545&WidgetId=501760
Rove & Ramble
Rove & Ramble is hitting the road for Summer 2025!
In past summers, you’ve joined the Specialty Shops on the Square every Thursday to enjoy live music, food trucks, shopping and summer vibes… but this year, they’re taking the fun to a whole new level.
This summer, they’re roving around Washington to bring the party to three amazing locations — each with its own unique flavor and atmosphere. You will find us at The Square, the Countryside Banquet and at Five Points Washington.
Expect the same great mix of music, food, and community fun!
Check out the full schedule and lineup for the Summer in the flyer above… and get ready to Rove & Ramble – Around Town!
Vacation Bible School
Join in for an exciting week of Vacation Bible School! Kids preschool age (3 years old and potty-trained) up through kids that just finished 6th grade are invited to join in for Magnified VBS, where together they’ll discover the bigness of God in the smallest of things! Each day from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., kids will dive into Bible stories, music, games, snacks and crafts to learn about our amazing God. It’s sure to be an incredible week! Then bring the whole family to join us for the program and carnival on Friday night from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Register your kids today: https://www.washingtoncrossroads.com/vbs
The Bunker Cruise-In
The Rusty Rockers are once again doing their yearly summer cruise-in dates at the Vietnam Veterans of Illinois Bunker in Sunnyland! The Bunker will provide some free food and one can donate to them as a thank you if you so please. They will also be raffling off a few things at each event to raise some money for Peoria Honor Flight.
“The Bunker Cruise-In”
July 6th, 2025
August 3rd, 2025
September 7th, 2025
12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Christmas in July
Come to the library for a Christmas in July themed event! Make a gingerbread house barn craft, eat snacks, and so much more!
Ages: 18+. Registration Required.
Call (309)444-2241 to register.
Register by end of day: July 24th
Ice Cream Social
You’re Invited to a Summer Night of Food & Fun! Bring the whole family and join in for an unforgettable evening filled with laughter, games, and sweet treats! They’ll have classic yard games for all ages, including a cornhole tournament, plenty of delicious ice cream and lots of goodies to enjoy.
Let them know you’re coming. RSVP to https://washingtonchristian.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3000324
Elvis Tribute
Hearts for Change is pleased to announce the return of award winning Elvis Tribute Artist, Tim Hembree on July 19th at Connect Center, located at 1750 Washington Rd. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. with show at 6:00 p.m. Light refreshments will be served at intermission and are included.
This event is FREE for individuals with disabilities. Please email info@heartsforchangeil.org to RSVP no later than July 12th for individuals with disabilities.
Tickets for the public are $15.00 minimum donation and can be purchased at https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/elvis-tribute-artist-concert-with-tim-hembree
Gardens & Landscapes
The Town & Country Gardeners of Washington have invited residents to celebrate the Bicentennial by submitting current photos of gardens and landscapes in the city’s public, rural, or residential spaces - big or small - that are associated with people or events in Washington’s history and/or with the Bicentennial.
Come see their exhibit on the Community Gallery Wall at Five Points Washington during hours that Five Points is open.
The Wine Run 5K
Like Running or Walking? Love Wine? This race is for you!
Come out on Saturday July 12th at 9:00 a.m. for an exciting annual event that features the amazing scenery and landscape of Tres Rojas Winery! Come join in at Tres Rojas located in the heart of Central Illinois, they offer great wine and a relaxing place to hang out. So, whether you are looking to run, walk or just enjoy the wine this race is a sure thing for a great time and an incredible experience! All participants will receive a finisher medal when they cross the finish line. This race is untimed.
Registration Includes:
T-shirt, wine cup, finisher medal and a race bib. Turn in your drink ticket on the bottom of your race bib after the race for your 5 oz pour of wine!
Register at: https://runsignup.com/Race/IL/Washington/TresRojasWineRun5k?raceRefCode=Du4GrygC
Bicentennial Parade
Registrations are now open for people and/or organizations to participate in the August 16 parade organized by the Chamber of Commerce and the Washington Park District.
The theme is “Then and Now” in honor of Washington’s Bicentennial. Some exciting acts have already registered… such as old/ new cars, old/ new garbage trucks, horse & carriages, and floats…. and many more are being developed.
Put on your creativity hat and register at the link on this page!
https://business.washingtonilcoc.com/events/details/washington-bicentennial-parade-7937
Bicentennial Events
Bicentennial Events
2025 Five Points Fridays outdoor live music series has begun! The June event will feature the band Kickapoo Junction, plus they will have the Touch-a-Truck event, along with live music, food trucks, kids activities and more. This FREE event is open to the public and takes place from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Five Points Fridays 2025 Schedule:
July 25th – Outland
August 22nd – Sista and the Misters Band
Questions? Contact Banquet Manager, Paige Wise: paigew@fivepointswashington.org
Entertainment & Technology
Sluggish Smart TV?
Just like your smartphone or laptop, Smart TVs accumulate files that eventually slow down performance. Here’s an article on how to quickly clear cache on your Samsung, LG, Sony, or Roku TV to speed up performance: https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/streaming-devices/speed-up-your-smart-tv-how-to-clear-the-cache-on-samsung-lg-sony-roku-and-more
Pop-Up Scams
A Facebook scam has resurfaced that flashes a screen that a user’s computer is locked, and they need to call a Microsoft or an FTC number to report a breach. if the number is called, the scammer attempts to trick the user into believing their computer has been hacked and proceeds to pressure them into revealing sensitive information.
If you ever receive a pop-up or voice message claiming your device is at risk, do not call the number provided, allow them to access your computer, or share any personal information. Instead, contact the organization directly using official contact details from their website. Legitimate companies and government agencies will never ask you to provide sensitive information over the phone to unsolicited pop-ups or calls.
July 4th Trivia
1. What major tech company was founded on July 4, 1976?
A) Microsoft
B) Oracle
C) Apple
D) Adobe
2. Which element is primarily responsible for the red color in fireworks?
A) Sodium
B) Strontium
C) Copper
D) Barium
The answers can be found below in the “Your Bills. Your Way” article.
Your Bills. Your Way.
With MTCO’s new eBill Mobile app, you can access your account 24/7 to securely pay your bill, check your data usage, download invoices, sign up for automatic payments and paperless billing, start a trouble ticket, and so much more!
For more details and to Install the app today, visit https://www.mtco.com/?support&apps&eBill
Answers to Trivia Questions
1. C) Apple
2. B) Strontium
Free Wi-Fi
With vacation season upon us, be careful with public Wi-Fi networks in spaces like shopping malls, coffee shops, airports, and hotels, to name a few. Here are a few things to keep in mind to avoid being a victim:
• Most public Wi-Fi hotspots do not
require payment information, so that’s a
red flag that a hacker might be trying to
steal personal or financial information.
• Regardless of how the network is
named, most closed networks have a
lock symbol indicating a Wi-Fi network
that is more secure with a password
provided by the establishment.
• Pay attention to the website address you
are going to by checking for a secure url
that starts with HTTPS:// and not
HTTP:// (the “S” stands for Secure).
Windows 10 Security
The aging Windows 10 operating system loses support to get new features, bug fixes, and technical support on October 14th. Microsoft is charging $30.00 to participate in an Extended Security Update program, along with a few newly released options. Read the full article at:
https://www.pcmag.com/news/microsoft-windows-10-extended-security-updates-free-30-dollars-rewards