An Illinois Day Celebration will be held in Fountain Hills on Saturday, Jan. 25.

The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Fountain Hills Community Center, 13001 N. La Montana Drive.

Illinois Day is being organized by the L. Alan Cruikshank River of Time Museum.

There is no charge to attend the event.

“We want people with ties to Illinois to come and meet at what promises to be a fun-filled afternoon,’ said museum Executive Director Tony Basche. “We encourage people to wear jerseys of their favorite sports team, whether it be college or pro. There will be a large map with Cubs and White Sox pins that people can place on their old home town, selecting their favorite team.”

Chicago-style hot dogs with all the trimmings will be sold for $4 each.

“The Chicago-style Dog has quite a history,“ said Basche. “It began with street cart hot dog vendors during the hard times of the Great Depression. With money scarce, business boomed for these entrepreneurs who offered a hot meal on a bun for only a nickel.

“They’d start with a Vienna all beef hot dog, nestle it in a steamed poppyseed bun and cover it with a wonderful combination of toppings.

“We will have all the toppings available including yellow mustard, bright green relish, fresh chopped onions, juicy red tomato wedges, a Kosher-style pickle spear, a couple of spicy sport peppers and a dash of celery salt, People can select any or all of them.”

The top selling beers in Chicago are Miller Lite and Coors Banquet Both will be available at $3 for a 16-oz. cup.

A raffle drawing will be held hourly. Prizes have been donated from more than 30 local businesses.

Musical entertainment will be provided by a Chicago-style band.

The event is being held to create more awareness for the museum, which has displays depicting the history of the Lower Verde River Valley with a common theme of water.

There will be free tours of the museum that day. A pathway will be created between the Community Center and the museum which are located in the same municipal complex.

The museum held a very successful Wisconsin Fest last March 16, and the board members decided to expand the concept by adding another state celebration this year. The 2014 Wisconsin Fest will be held again in March.