Summer's almost here, finals are over and college kids are packing up and heading home. If home to you is somewhere in good ole Kankakee County, lucky you!

Even though some people say there's nothing to do in this town, I love living here. Sure, sometimes it's boring and there's nothing to do, but if you have an open mind, you can have fun over the summer!

Here's a little list I came up with of things to do around here in the summer.

$5 Movie Tuesdays

At Paramount and Meadowview Theaters in Kankakee, admission is only 5 bucks every Tuesday. There's free refills on drinks and popcorn too! My 2 best friends and I have already planned out the next few weeks of which movies we want to see. If one person buys popcorn, another buys the drink, and the other person drives everyone to the theatre and gets up to get the refills.

KVPD BBQ Fest

This year's BBQ fest is July 14, 15, 16 at River Road Park in Kankakee. General admission gets you free unlimited carnival rides and there's a different concert every night. The best day to go is the 16th, because it's country night! Hellllooo, Frankie Ballard (insert heart eyes emoji here.) But seriously, it's so fun! Round up a big group of friends and enjoy some awesome local BBQ (Bull's Pit BBQ is my personal favorite.)

Bonfield 4th of July Celebration

If you need plans for the holiday, Bonfield, Illinois is the place to be. Especially if you went to Herscher High School, it's like a nice little reunion! Enjoy a concert, food vendors, good company and end the day with fireworks.

Kankakee County Fair

One of my all time favorite things about summer. The fair will be August 3-7 at the Kankakee County Fair Grounds. Even at 20 years old, I still love walking through all the animal barns. The grandstand shows include school bus figure 8 race, beater demolition, tractor pulls and more. You definitely need to go to get your elephant ear and lemonade shake up fix for the year. The fair is fun for all ages and there's tons of entertainment throughout the week.

Perry Farm

If you're bored and have a free day, go visit Perry Farm! The animals are always out to pet and feed. You can walk the trails that go all the way back to the Indian caves for good exercise. Bring friends and have a picnic after you walk or run the paths.

Get Creative

Brainstorm with your friends. There's so many outdoor activities to do around here! Every summer I have here gets better as I get older. Good friends, a pool and bonfires are a major key to the start of summer nights