Ignite Peoria, India Fest and more: Here are 5 things to do near Peoria this weekend

August is full of fun activities. Here are five events you might want to check out in the Peoria area.

Bus tours of local history

The Peoria Historical Society will offer guided history tours from 10 a.m. to noon Friday, Aug. 12, and Saturday, Aug. 13. Friday's tour will be "Historic Springdale Cemetery," visiting the peaceful grounds and experiencing Peoria history through the stories of those buried there. Saturday's tour will be "Warehouse Renaissance," recalling the once-bustling district and examining renovations taking place today. Tickets are $20 and are available at 309tix.com or by calling the Historical Society at 309-674-1921. Tours depart from outside the Caterpillar Visitors Center, 110 SW Washington St.

Evening of jazz with Stephanie Aaron

Peoria native Stephanie Aaron will perform from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12, at the Betty Jayne Brimmer Center for the Performing Arts, 1327 E. Kelly Ave., Peoria Heights. Aaron now calls Chicago her home and has performed at some of the city's most prestigious hotels and clubs. For tickets and more information, visit www.thebettyjayne.com.

The Great S'more Mud Run

Girl Scouts of Central Illinois is hosting The Great S’More Mud Run on Saturday, Aug. 13, at Camp Tapawingo, 1450 Hickory Point Road, Metamora. This family-friendly event will feature a fun run through various obstacles on a 3-mile course, including the S’more Mud Stomp, a warmup run through submerged tires in a mud puddle; the Crawl, dropping participants to their bellies as they crawl under gates and through the mud; the S’more Mud Mountain, a 3-foot-deep water-filled trench exiting to a 10-foot-tall wall of mud; and more. This event is open to participants of all ages who wish to participate individually or as a team. The Great S'more Mud Run Adult S'more is open to ages 14 and older. The Great S'more Mud Run Jr. S'more is designed for participants ages 6-13 and offers 2-mile course options and The Great S'more Mud Run Li'l S'more is for ages 5 and under. Registration is open now at www.getyourgirlpower.org. Race waves start at 8 a.m. and end at 11 a.m. Each wave will hold only 30 participants.

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Celebrate arts and creativity

Jacob Hall, 6, tries his hand at weaving on one of several looms offered at Ignite Peoria in a booth set up by the Handweavers Guild of Peoria and Hopewell Weaving at the Peoria Civic Center.

Ignite Peoria, presented by ArtsPartners, will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, at the Peoria Civic Center. This annual free event invites the community to ignite their inner artist by experiencing art, culture and innovation up close and personal. The event will feature over 130 local artists, actors, musicians, sculptors, makers, magicians and cultural performing groups.

India Fest on the Riverfront

Krishna Tripadhi of Peoria beckons with a spinning fan as she runs her traditional artisan craft stand as the Indo-American Society presents India Fest at the Peoria Riverfront Festival Park.

The Peoria Park District and the Indo-American Society will present India Fest from 3 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 14, at the CEFCU Center Stage on the Peoria riverfront. Enjoy authentic Indian cuisine served by local Indian restaurants. The event will also include Bollywood-style entertainment, arts and crafts, rangoli, yoga demonstrations, Bollywood dance lessons and much more. Admission is $10 for adults and $7 for children ages 10 and under.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Things to do in the Peoria, Illinois area the weekend of August 12-14