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Peoria - Culture |
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Bradley University (1897), the College of Medicine (established in 1976) of the University of Illinois, Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing (1986), a junior college, and a United States agricultural research center are in the city; a community college is in nearby East Peoria.
Peoria is a city sure to charm you with its hospitality. We believe in treating our visitors like guests.
No matter where you go or where you stay, the hospitality and warmth you and your group receive will make you want to play in the Peoria Area again! Peoria has and continues to influence the arts in America, via the careers of a host of nationally and internationally known performers who were born and raised in the city. Comedians Royce Elliott, Richard Pryor, television actress Susan Dey, NBC s Bob Jamieson are all Peoria natives. Even old time radios Fibber McGee and Molly and the men who created the Arnos and Andy characters were all born in Peoria. The Peoria Civic Center, in the city's downtown business district, is a focal point of culture in the Peoria area. This splendid facility hosts Broadway shows, touring ice shows, basketball tournaments, a fishing tournament and boat show, and other popular events. More than a million people are drawn to the Civic Centre's presentations annually.
The
Heart of Illinois Fair is approaching its 50th year. Held at Peoria's
Exposition Gardens, the week-long fair has something doing every minute of
the afternoon and evening. There is live entertainment, rides,
exhibitions, even a petting zoo. The fair is a fun event for the whole
family.
Music lovers relax and enjoy the concerts of the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, Peoria Area Civic Chorale, the Peoria Civic Opera, the Peoria Ballet Company, and those of the Central Illinois Youth Symphony and the Peoria Municipal Band. The Peoria Area Arts and Science Council promotes the visual arts in the area. The Peoria Art Guild's gallery offers art classes and exhibitions throughout the year. A visit to the Peoria Area Arts and Science Council's Lakeview Museum never ceases to please. The largest museum in central Illinois, it offers collections of fine and decorative art and Illinois folk art, plus opportunities to explore science in the Children's Discovery Center The museum's planetarium invites a visit to the stars. |
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Peoria
city in central Illinois and seat of Peoria County, on the Illinois River.
Situated in a productive farming and coal-mining region, it is an
important port on the inland waterway system linking the Great Lakes and
the Gulf of Mexico. Peoria is a manufacturing, shipping, and cultural
center; products include earth-moving and mining equipment, off-road
vehicles, steel, and wire. The information technology industry is becoming
increasingly important to the city's economy. The city is served by the
Greater Peoria Regional Airport.
Museums
in Peoria include the Lakeview Museum of the Arts, which contains a
children's discovery center and a planetarium; the Wheels O' Times Museum;
and the River Works Museum, located in a towboat docked on the Illinois
River. Among the city's other attractions are the Wildlife Prairie Park,
the Glen Oak Zoo, and the Forest Park Nature Center. On the far bank of
the Illinois River is Fort Crevecoeur Park, which contains a reconstructed
fort near the site of the original one built in 1680. The West Bluff
Historic District contains the Francis W. Little House, designed by
American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Annual events include the Heart of
Illinois Fair, which features agricultural exhibits. Located near the city
is Metamora Courthouse, where Abraham Lincoln practiced law.
First-time
visitors will be startled to see a full-fledged city, complete with
towering, gleaming buildings, rising from the lands that stretch from the
banks of the Illinois River. The Peoria Area is an ideal destination for
your next getaway.
Literally
dozens of festivals and entertainment events take place in the Peoria area
each year. One of the most popular is the East Peoria Festival of Lights,
a night time display of dramatically lighted floats that attract some
600,000 viewers. Beginning with a parade on the Saturday evening after
Thanksgiving, the floats are displayed for motor tours through Dec. 31.
Other crowd-pleasing spectacles include the Fourth of July fireworks at
the river, the Central Illinois auto show, the Heart of Illinois Fair, the
Santa Claus Parade in downtown Peoria, Steamboat Days (complete with a
competitive run and river walk), and the Taste of Peoria.
For
those who enjoy gambling as a form of entertainment, the Peoria area's
riverboat casino and its off-track betting facility are prime attractions.
The Par-A-Dice Riverboat offers the full range of casino gambling, while
its riverside pavilion features a lounge and two restaurants.
