Westfield Homecoming to feature Captain Rat, Blind Rivets concert

The Captain Rat and the Blind Rivets band is scheduled to perform at 7 p.m. Saturday during the Westfield Homecoming Festival.

WESTFIELD — A free concert by Captain Rat and the Blind Rivets will be part of the upcoming annual Westfield Homecoming festival, along with a parade and children's activities.

Festivities will begin with a biscuits and gravy breakfast from 6-9 a.m. Saturday at Westfield Baptist Church before the parade at 10 a.m. This will be followed by an Andrew Magic Show, 11 a.m.-noon; car show, 11 am.-2 p.m.; and baby contest at 11:30 a.m.

"There will also be two bounce houses, one for the little ones and the other one will be for middle age kids, free of charge," said homecoming committee member Sandy Wheeler, adding that these inflatables will be there from 1-5 p.m.

Live music at this Clark County community's 2023 homecoming will kick off with Luke Hearns taking the stage at Westfield Park from 12:30-2:30 p.m. This will precede the Little Miss and Miss Westfield pageants from 3:30-5 p.m.

"Captain Rat and the Blind Rivets are a very popular group that will be there on Saturday night," Wheeler said of this show at 7 p.m., which will be followed by a teen dance from 9-11 p.m.

Based in Champaign since 1980, the Captain Rat band is known for a fun-filled stage show featuring props, silly hats and zany antics. This band has performed with The Association, Sawyer Brown, Tommy James and the Shondells, and Beach Boy Carl Wilson.

Food vendors will be open during both days of the festival, and the homecoming committee will serve up a fish supper from 5-6:30 p.m. Saturday. The United Methodist Men will sell ice cream, pie and cake during the supper.

"There will be a cake walk after the parade and before the pageant," Wheeler added.

The festivities will conclude on Sunday with the Westfield Baptist and United Methodist churches holding combined services in the park, 10 a.m.; community games, 1 p.m.; softball games, 3-6 p.m.; and a gospel performance by the Tribute Quartet, 6:30 p.m.

Glasford Illini Bluffs Casey-Westfield on Saturday during the Class 1A state final at Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria.

Casey-Westfield pitcher Paige Cutright fires a pitch during the Class 1A state championship game at the IHSA State Softball Tournament in East Peoria on Saturday. Cutright and Casey lost a heartbreaker, 1-0 in nine innings, but it didn't overshadow the season the Warriors had to finish 38-2 and second at state. For more photos from the state title game, point your smartphone camera at the QR code and follow the link.

Glasford Illini Bluffs Casey-Westfield on Saturday during the Class 1A state final at Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria.

It’s a strange thing to say, but summer 2023 might go down in history as the summer people threw things on stage at performers. In the last few months, artists like Cardi B, Harry Styles, Bebe Rexha, Drake and Kelsea Ballerini, all had their performances interrupted by audience members who threw items at them onstage. Yair Ben-Dor has more.

Contact Rob Stroud at (217) 238-6861.

Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter.

Reporter

The annual Illinois Run for the Fallen will be held from 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday at the Linder Sports Complex in Charleston.

The Central Illinois Truck Convoy followed an expanded route that took it through Mattoon, Charleston, Greenup and Toledo.

Tiffany and Tom Vrem's concert Saturday night at the Mattoon Moose Lodge has sold out and their cookbook release party brunch on Sunday at the…