PEORIA MAGAZINE August 2022

A crowd gathers as the sun sets at the Idlewood Pavilion while the band Still Shine plays

The Morton Fine Arts Association helps keep the arts alive throughout the year with a series of free summer concerts at the Idlewood Arts Pavilion and ticketed performances in the fall/ winter at the Bertha Frank Performing Arts Center. FromApril to August, Fourth Fridays bring musicians, artists, food vendors and others out on the sidewalks, with downtown merchants keeping their doors open late. Church Square on Jefferson Street is home to a bustling farmer’s market on Tuesdays during the summer. Morton is a giving community. Morton Community Foundation Executive Director ScottWitzig said the foundation strives to have “the greatest impact on themost people” and has awardedmore than $5 million in community grants and scholarships since 2003. Significant donors are recognized in the 700 leaves on the foundation’s 21-foot stainless steel Giving Tree sculpture at the corner of Jefferson and First. Growth, prosperity and hometown charm are all on the menu in Morton. And for dessert, you won’t go wrong with a big slice of pumpkin pie. Molly Kinzinzer on violin, and Jacob Stanfield on guitar entertain outside the Dairy Queen during a Fourth Friday event

A SMALL TOWN VIBE Amidst all of the change, Morton maintains a friendly, small-town feel that shows up in places like an extensive and well-funded park district, a modern public library and busy downtown business district. Locals and visitors enjoy boutique shops offering gifts, clothing, wedding dresses, home interiors, gourmet popcorn, books and more. While fast-food franchises reign at the I-74 interchange, homegrown dining experiences are scattered around town. They run the gambit from smoked meats, sushi, tenderloins and pizza to pub fare, scones, ice cream, coffee, craft beer, whiskey, baked goods, sweet treats and exotic delicacies such as pan-roasted pheasant. Brown pointed to “a variety of outdoor spaces to experience and connect with family and friends” as a community asset. A prime example is Memorial Plaza in central Morton. Built through a public/private partnership, the space salutes veterans and is an outdoor gathering place for all ages.

“Top to bottom, we have excellence throughout this community, not just in the schools,” said District 709 Superintendent Craig Smock. “We have a great deal of respect for parents’ authority and local control, which I believe sets us apart.” Meanwhile, the district emphasizes “looking at students as individuals and lifting them up to their highest potential,” added Smock. It shows in high test scores, area-leading graduation rates and other metrics.

EXPLORE MORTON Morton Pumpkin Festival: mortonpumpkinfestival.org Morton Chamber of Commerce: mortonchamber.org Morton Economic Development Council: mortonedc.org Morton Fine Arts Association: mortonfinearts.org Village of Morton: morton-il.gov

Scott Fishel is a 35 year Morton resident and senior communications executive at WTVP

48 AUGUST 2022 PEORIA MAGAZINE