Natalie Phelps Finnie Director of Illinois Department of Natural Resources | Official Website
Natalie Phelps Finnie Director of Illinois Department of Natural Resources | Official Website
The Vandalia Statehouse State Historic Site will host the annual Grand Levee on Saturday, June 14. This event celebrates the grand receptions of the 1800s held to honor government dignitaries and important visitors. The event is free and open to the public at 315 W. Gallatin St. in Vandalia.
Activities begin at 10 a.m. with demonstrations of period arts and crafts such as blacksmithing, pottery, wool spinning, silk embroidery, hand-carved spoons, and brooms. The Ewington Chapter of the Illinois Society Sons of the American Revolution will display flags from the American Revolution.
Visitors can tour the Vandalia Statehouse where Brian Fox Ellis will portray Lincoln the lawyer alongside Billie Herndorn at 11 a.m. Additional tours include a historic home trolley tour by the Vandalia Historical Society, as well as visits to the Fayette County Museum and National Road Interpretive Center.
Food and beverages will be available for purchase from Unity Baptist Church and Porkorney. Other activities include a presentation by the World Bird Sanctuary, caricature art by Dan Wild at 11 a.m., giant bubbles from Wild Foam Adventures between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., a petting zoo by Lucky R Mobile Zoo from noon to 2 p.m., and live music by local folk band Heritage Blue during those same hours.
A trivia contest featuring Abraham Lincoln played by Randy Duncan is scheduled for 1 p.m. in the House of Representatives chamber with teams of up to five members.
The Grand Levee is sponsored by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and Old Capital Foundation. For more information or event schedules, visit their Facebook page or call 618-283-1161.
In celebration of its centennial year in 2025, IDNR continues its conservation efforts across approximately 400 sites in Illinois including state parks, historic sites, wildlife management areas, Lake Michigan water allocation management among others since its establishment on July 1, 1925.
Visit https://dnr.illinois.gov for further details on IDNR's work and services.
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