Halloween is that special time of year for families and children, and many go all out to make the most of the spooky holiday- some even starting the decorating process in the spring and summer. With all the work people across Illinois put into their displays, it is no wonder that Illinois is so highly ranked nationally in states that decorate the most for the holiday. Many residents put in a personal touch, including bats over windows, ivy that slinks over walls, spooky spiders, a bubbling cauldron or even some crumbling tomb stones.

While many residents take great pride in their costumes and decorations, many do not know the length some of their neighbors go to for the holiday. After analyzing more than 1,000 Halloween decoration search terms on Google, a study by Lombardo Homes says 41 % of Americans start decorating for Halloween in the first week of October. The survey, which polled 998 homeowners, also found that Illinois ranks second for states that decorate the most for Halloween. In keeping with the state’s many patches of farmland, the most popular Halloween decoration in Illinois is a scarecrow. The top five states that decorate the most are Utah, Illinois, New Jersey, Texas and New Mexico. According to the study, the average person in Illinois spends $145 per year on Halloween decorations and costumes for themselves and their family. In addition, the most popular Halloween costume in Illinois is a witch. Whether you are an adult or a child, Halloween is a magical time in Illinois and there are so many different ways to have fun and express your creativity.

To check all out the full results of the study and compare your spooky season to other states, view the full study.

This year, the state of Illinois was recognized by the Springfield Historic Sites Commission with the 2021 Historic Preservation Award to honor and recognize efforts to preserve historical buildings in downtown Springfield.

The state has made a strong effort to preserve many old buildings in Springfield, including the Illinois State Armory, Old State Capitol dome, former State Journal Register building and the Chase/Marine building. This recognition comes as Central Management Services continues to optimize the state’s real estate portfolio and redevelop several properties for the state to use in the upcoming Capital Complex Master Plan for 2050.

A beloved annual celebration in Bloomington will reach a lofty milestone in July. The David Davis Mansion State Historic Site will be celebrating the 25th year of its Glorious Garden Festival on July 16-17.

First hosted in 1997, the Glorious Garden Festival brings local residents and tourists to the Bloomington-Normal community to take part in garden-themed events and to share gardening knowledge.

Located in Monticello in the heart of Illinois, Allerton Park and Retreat Center contains 1,500 acres of woodland and prairie areas, a 10-acre meadow, sculpture gardens, hiking trails and a historic mansion. Originally built as a private residence by artist and philanthropist Robert Allerton in 1900, the park was donated by Allerton to the University of Illinois in 1946.

Robert Allerton was born in Chicago on March 20, 1873. As a young man, he decided to forego entering his father’s business in farming and banking, instead opting to dedicate his life to the pursuit of art. Eventually, he took over the management of some of his father’s holdings in Monticello, naming the area “The Farms.”

Happy Pride Month! June is a month-long celebration of LGBTQIA+ culture and their contributions throughout history. Illinois has a notable history of celebrating pride, particularly in Chicago.

A year after the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York, inspired by what occurred there, activists in Chicago put on the first ever major pride event in the city. A lot of Pride events, including the ones in Chicago, initially started out as protests with LGBTQIA+ people fighting for equality. The pride events in Chicago have grown over the years, going from hundreds of attendees to hundreds of thousands of attendees.