The annual Reagan Trail Days presented by Midland States Bank features a full week's worth of activities throughout Dixon as we celebrate our hometown president.
SPONSORS:
Presenting Sponsor -- Midland States Bank and Dixon Main Street
RTD Sponsors
Sauk Valley Media
KSB Hospital
Tipsy's
Century Link
City of Dixon
Culver's
Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home
Dixon Park District
Dixon Riverfront
Dixon Health Care
Country Financial
Tuesday, August 9 –
Come enjoy an evening in the park at Reagan’s Boyhood Home. An Evening in the President’s Shadow Wine Tasting will be from 7 to 9 p.m. in Reagan Memorial Park. Some of last year’s favorite vendors will return and some interesting new ones will make their debut, including Galena Brewing Company and Wide River Winery. Advance sale tickets go on sale on July 1 in the gift shop for $20 and include a commemorative wine glass and 8 tasting tickets. Tickets purchased at the event will include the same glass and tasting tickets but will be $25 each. You must be 21 years old to attend. Wine, beer and non-alcoholic punches will be available for sampling during the event filled with music and fellowship. For more information, call 288-5176.
Wednesday, August 10 –
Ice Cream Social on the Riverfront in Downtown Dixon from 6-8 p.m. featuring FREE Culver's custard and live music. Live music by Melodious Thunk.
Thursday, August 11 –
Community Picnic at Lowell Park, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.. A perfect setting for an old-fashioned community picnic at Lowell Park, where Reagan once saved 77 lives as a lifeguard. Come enjoy FREE pontoon boat rides and tours of Woodcote. Enjoy a Community Cookout sponsored by Sauk Valley Media with Fern's Cafe cooking out hot dogs, brats, and hamburgers with chips and a drink included. Dinner donation is just $2 for adults and kids 18 and under eat FREE!
Friday, August 12 –
Friday, August 12 – The traditional and annual Ronald Reagan Gala. The wonderful evening, celebrates Ronald Reagan and Dixon High School alumni that have gone on to do great things just as Ronald Reagan did. The evening will feature an elegant dinner, awards presentation, music and dancing. A can’t-miss event! This year we will honor Mary Dixon, who is a radio host in Chicago, and Frank Masterman, who is the founder of the Rock River Sweep. Tickets are $35 per person or $300 for a sponsored table of 8. Call 288-2308 for reservations as seating is limited.
Friday, August 12 -- The Taste of Dixon on the Riverfront from 5 p.m. - 11 p.m. featuring food vendors and much more. Shake Your Booty DJ will be playing music through the night. Tipsy's beer garden open.
Saturday, August 13 –
Riverfront and Downtown Dixon Activities Include:
7:30 - 10:30 a.m. -- First Christian Church Pancake Breakfast. Come have breakfast at Ronald Reagan's boyhood church, in the lower-level fellowship hall. Adults are $5 and Children 12 and under are $3.
10 a.m. -- The Alzheimer's Association annual Duck Races on the Rock River. Come down to the Riverfront and watch hundreds of rubber duckies race along the rock river. Join the fundraising effort by sponsoring a duck for just $5. Tickets are available at the Alzheimer's Association office at 93 S. Hennepin Ave. or call 285-1100.
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. -- FREE Air Conditioned Shuttle Bus -- Take the bus and explore what each historic site has to offer. Tours of the Reagan Boyhood Home, Loveland Community House Museum, Dixon Historic Center, Dixon Public Library, and Riverfront. Shuttle Bus departs from the Reagan statue on the Riverfront every 30 minutes, hop on and hop off at each site, and is sponsored by the Lee County Council on Aging.
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. -- Downtown Sidewalk Sales -- Come shop downtown Dixon and explore our quaint retail shops or enjoy some refreshments at our great restaurants and bars.
11 a.m. -- Dixon Rural Fire Department Presents the 2nd Annual Reagan Water Fights. Come watch area fire departments compete in firefighting skills events. Located on Lincoln Statue Drive near the Lincoln statue.
11 a.m. - 5 p.m. -- Historic Dixon Tours -- Join us for a FREE bus tour of many of the local Reagan and Dixon historic sites. A local historian will tell stories as you ride the streets of Dixon in an air conditioned/handicapped accessible bus. The bus departs every 30 minutes from the Reagan statue on the Riverfront. and is sponsored by the Lee County Council on Aging.
11 a.m. -- 11 p.m. -- Taste of Dixon food vendors and Tipy's beer garden open on the Riverfront.
6-8 p.m. -- Second Saturdays Art Happenings at various locations throughout the downtown. Maps will be available at the event or online at www.secondsaturdays.com
Riverfront Entertainment Schedule
11 a.m. - 5 p.m. -- Kids games, bounce house, art activities, Jelly Belly tastings and much more on the Riverfront!
11 a.m. - Noon -- Shake Your Booty DJ
Noon - 2 p.m. -- Back to the Drawing Board -- local band featuring a mix of music
2-4 p.m. -- Shake Your Booty DJ
4-5 p.m. -- Magician Jeremy the Amazer -- magic for the whole family and balloon animals
5 - 7:30 p.m. -- Shake Your Booty DJ
7:30 p.m. -- 11 p.m. -- Half Ton Limit -- a local classic rock band that is sure to please everyone.
Then at 4 p.m. enjoy the annual Horse Parade as it comes along Hennepin Avenue.
Reagan Boyhood Home Activities Include:
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. -- A new activity for children is scheduled for Saturday, August 13 from 10 to 2 in front of the Boyhood Home. Sidewalk Chalk Art should bring out some creative images as children from 5 to 18 years old create colorful responses s to the theme “What is HOME?”. The fun will be part of the annual Reagan Trail Days celebrations and stems from the line by Ronald Reagan in the movie The Hasty Heart, “Everyone has a place to come home to. For me that’s Dixon, Illinois along the Rock River.” Participants can register the morning of the event in Reagan Memorial Park for $2.00 and will be given colorful sidewalk chalk and assigned a space for their creation. Recognitions will be awarded at 2:30.
9 a.m. - 1 p.m. -- The second Bake Sale for the Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home Volunteer Scholarship will be held on Saturday, August 13 from 9:00 until 1:00 in Reagan Memorial Park. This sale is to add funds to the scholarship formed this Spring in honor of Volunteer Doris Jordan who passed away last November.Donations of baked goods or money can be dropped off at the Gift Shop anytime after noon on Friday, August 12 or anytime during the sale.
Mud Volleyball Tournament Presented by Dixon Health Care
The 3rd Annual Dixon Main Street Mud Volleyball Tournament will take place from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. at the Meadows Park off of Brinton Avenue. Team registration ends Thursday, August 11. Teams of 6 are co-ed with at least 2 women and participants must be 21 years old to play. Registration forms are available by calling 288-2308 or online at www.reagantraildays.net. There will be a cook-out and music throughout the day. Additional sponsors include Country Financial, Timber Tree Service, and Mama Ciminos,
Sunday, August 14 --
Ronald Reagan Heritage Bicycle Ride, The Rock River Valley Bicycle Club’s 18th annual invitational bicycle ride, has scenery to delight you, hills to challenge you, well-stocked rest stops to refresh you, friendly staff to assist you and a delicious meal awaiting you at ride’s end. You can choose to bicycle 25, 50, 75 or 100 miles on low-traffic roads through the lovely countryside and quaint towns of northern Illinois. Or, bring the kids and ride the 10-mile long Family Fun Ride. Admission is $25.00. For more details go to www.rrvbc.net.
Reagan Centennial Reprise Concert -- 4 p.m. Dixon Theatre. Tickets are $5 each and are available online at www.dixontheatre.com, Trein's Jewelry and Dixon Main Street. This concert will be sponsored by Sauk Valley Newspapers as part of the Reagan Trail Days Celebration. The concert repertoire will include “His Honor March” by Henry Fillmore, “Incantation and Dance” by John Barnes Chance, “The Student Prince Overture” by Sigmund Romberg, Selections from the Broadway Show “Wicked”, and as the grand finale “Reagan of Illinois” by David Holsinger. Paul Katner will reprise his role as narrator, while a small group of vocalists from Clinton Riverchoir will provide the lyrics for the concluding anthem. The Rock River Valley Barbershop Chorus will open the concert.
