As we get closer to Halloween, many enjoy watching horror movies to set the tone of the holiday. From ghosts, demons and goblins to evil, abandoned and haunted places, a wide range of these scary films were made right here in Illinois.

Here are just a few of the creepiest ghoulish movies filmed in the state:

• The Amityville Horror (2005) – The remake of the 1979 movie was filmed around St. Peter’s Catholic Church and the Sequoit Creek Lodge in Antioch as well as areas around Chicago, Buffalo Grove and Fox Lake.
• Poltergeist III (1988) – The popular film's third installment had filming locations including the Francis W. Parker School, the John Hancock Center and Water Tower Place in Chicago.
• Damien: The Omen II (1978) – This sequel was mostly filmed in downtown Chicago and was so popular it had an additional remake made in the 2000s.
• Child's Play 2 (1990) – The second film in the Chucky franchise was also filmed in Chicago.
• The Grudge 2 (2006) – This sequel to the remake of a Japanese film was also shot around parts of Chicago.
• A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) – This remake of the original 1984 film was shot at several Illinois locations, including Bluff City Cemetery in Elgin and John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights.
• The Relic (1997) – Noted as one of the best science-fiction horror movies ever made, it had filming locations at Lower Wacker Drive and other downtown Chicago spots as well as in Northbrook.
• The Rite (2011) – The filming of this movie took place in Blue Island, a picturesque city south of Chicago’s Loop.
• The Unborn (2009) – It was filmed in Kankakee, Lake Forest, Chicago and Montrose with many scenes shot at Liberty High School.

Have you watched any of these horror films? It’s thanks to the rich, filming history and locations across the state that flock movie producers here every year.

Although less popular, Illinois’ brilliant night skies are perfect for catching mesmerizing astronomical events all year round, and soon our skies will be illuminated by the Draconid meteor shower from Oct. 6-10, reaching its peak on the evening of Oct. 7 into the early morning of Oct. 8.

The Draconid meteor shower, named after the constellation Draco the Dragon, is an annual meteor shower that appears in the sky during the month of October. The meteor shower is created when Earth passes through the dust debris left by comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner.

To increase your chances of seeing the Draconids, find a good viewing spot with clear skies, away from city lights. Illinois has the perfect viewing spots at various state parks and nature reservation areas. You can find one closest to you here.

To check if the Draconids are visible in your city, visit this link.

Happy gazing!

Allison Joseph is an American poet who was born in London, England and grew up between Toronto, Canada, and the Bronx. She is a graduate of Kenyon College and Indiana University, and now directs the masters of fine arts program in creative writing at Southern Illinois University.

Since the 1920s, the iconic Butter Cow Sculpture has been the unofficial mascot of the Illinois State Fair. Each year, a sculptor is selected to create the butter cow using hundreds of pounds of unsalted butter, which serves to highlight the importance of Illinois’ agriculture and history.

The first Butter Cow was sculped in 1922 by J.E. Wallace, which honored the image of a world record holding jersey cow named Raleigh’s Sibyl. Raleigh’s Sibyl was owned and cared for by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Raleigh’s Sibyl earned her record by producing 18,847 pounds of milk in one year.

The Paris Summer Olympic Games are finally here – and an impressive 39 athletes representing the United States are from Illinois! Later this summer, Paris is also hosting the 2024 Paralympic Games from Aug. 28 to Sept. 8.

Only three U.S. states will send more Olympic athletes to the 2024 Paris Games than Illinois. California will send 120 athletes, Florida has 42 and Texas has 41, according to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Illinois athletes will compete in multiple sports including soccer, wrestling, volleyball, rowing, rhythmic gymnastics and more.