This entertainment website is created and managed by AdLab, a student-led creative lab within Southern Illinois University’s School of Journalism and Advertising. Built by advertising students, the platform serves as a real-world media outlet where students develop, publish, and promote content while gaining hands-on industry experience.

The idea for this site came from a simple problem: there was no single place to find a complete, reliable list of what’s happening across Southern Illinois. Events, entertainment, and experiences were scattered across social media, individual business pages, and word of mouth, making it easy for great things to go unnoticed.

This platform was created to bring it all together.

By centralizing events and entertainment information, the site helps residents discover more of what’s happening locally while supporting businesses, venues, and organizations that make Southern Illinois vibrant. It also helps showcase the region as a destination, highlighting the culture, creativity, and experiences that put Southern Illinois on the map for visitors and tourism.

From content and design to branding and promotion, AdLab students manage every part of the platform. Their work reflects real client expectations, real audiences, and real deadlines, while keeping a strong focus on creativity, clarity, and community impact.

At its core, this site exists to connect people to experiences, support local businesses, and tell a bigger story about what Southern Illinois has to offer.