Good morning, Peoria.

This year's Peoria Labor Day parade will take a new route starting in lower Laura Bradley Park and heading west along Farmington Road in West Peoria, set to start at 11 a.m. Monday—Mayor James Dillon, a grand marshal from Plumbers Local 50, will lead the event with Scott Haney and Scott Howard Jr as the Peoria County Sheriff's Office manages traffic by closing Farmington Road between Main Street and Swords Avenue and Park Road from Farmington to Dakota Avenue.

A 40-foot cabin cruiser caught fire near the Peoria Boat Club Thursday night with bystanders using fire extinguishers as crews arrived just before 9:45 p.m.—the blaze was contained before it spread to nearby boats, no one was injured and damage is estimated at $25,000.

A driver crashed into a woody ravine on the 1700 block of West War Memorial Drive on Thursday night — firefighters used cables and a winch to stabilize the vehicle before rescuing the driver, who was taken to hospital for treatment.

On Thursday night, a car went down a ravine at War Memorial and Meadowbrook and one person was taken to hospital; fire crews used cables and a winch to stabilize the vehicle on an embankment 60 feet below the roadway—rescuers then used a stokes basket and rescue rope to remove the driver.

Peoria’s Blues and Heritage Festival returned to the riverfront this weekend as its 35th year event—Friday’s headliner was Tommy Castro and the Painkillers while ZZ Ward is performing today in a family-friendly setting.

Passes are available for one-day or two-day experiences that include VIP after-party events later into the night.

PeoriaCorps recognized four AmeriCorps members who graduated from its Green Infrastructure program on August 29—Montel Clark, Alonzo Hemphill, Carl Parker and Elijah Porter.

They earned OSHA 10 and CPR certifications and completed 3,600 service hours while working on green landscaping projects in the city.

The nearly 60-year-old Central Park Pool in Peoria needed almost $1M in repairs after the Peoria Area Water Wizards announced they would leave, so the Peoria Park District Board and Public Schools Board met on Aug.

28 to discuss three options—allowing PPS to take over, closing the pool, or selling it. Longtime coach Aaron Points proposed running the pool as a nonprofit while fundraising for repairs, but no final decision was made as PAWW's move on Sept. 15 draws near.

Peoria International Airport will receive $7,640,698 to upgrade taxiways near Dirksen Parkway-Smithville Road and improve safety to avoid engine damage from debris.

Construction is set to begin in spring and finish by early fall 2026 with help from senators Durbin and Duckworth.

Illinois high school football Week 1 in Peoria saw scores from games played last Friday in the IHSA, Big 12, Mid-Illini, Tri-County and Central Illinois leagues at 7 or 7:30 p.m.—an 8-player contest will be held today at 12 p.m.

Teacup and Saucer Hand Building Class

1-2:30 p.m. — The Clay Den — All materials included — Create your whimsical teacup and saucer with step-by-step guidance at this enchanting clay workshop.

Tic-Tac-Toe Ceramic Art Class

1-2:30 p.m. — The Clay Den — All materials included — Unleash creativity in a fun hand-building class to design your own tic-tac-toe board and pieces.

Whisper and Shout: Open Mic for Poetry

8-10 p.m. — Peoria RiverFront Market — $3-$12 — Engage with diverse poets in a vibrant open mic atmosphere.

Textured Pumpkin Clay Hand Building Class

5:30-7:30 p.m. — The Clay Den — Cost included — Create your own unique ceramic pumpkin with various textures just in time for fall.

Pie Pan Clay Hand Building Class

5:30-7:30 p.m. — The Clay Den — $45.00 — Create a unique ceramic pie pan and choose your glaze before it’s fired for your next gathering.

Clay Hand Built Beer Steins Workshop

1-3 p.m. — The Clay Den — All materials provided — Craft a custom beer stein and unleash your creativity in this fun workshop.

Morton Pumpkin Festival

7-10 p.m. — Morton Pumpkin Festival — Free entry — Enjoy the sweet twin sister harmonies of Kelly and Sarah at this community gathering.

Fused Glass Flower Dish Workshop

6-8 p.m. — Art at the Bodega — $45 for flat flower, $52 for slumped flower — Create a stunning fused glass sunflower piece with guidance and all materials included.

Bob Ross Wet-on-Wet Oil Painting: Majestic Mountains

9 AM – 12 PM — Art at the Bodega — Supplies included — Unleash your inner artist while painting serene mountains and trees in a calming atmosphere.

Textured Clay Mug Hand Building Class

1-2:30 p.m. — The Clay Den — $35 for one mug, $60 for two — Craft your own unique textured mug in this fun, hands-on pottery workshop.