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Welcome to

The DeSoto Dispatch

November 2025

From

The DeSoto House Hotel

"Illinois' Oldest Operating Hotel"

Since 1855

Stay with us at The DeSoto House Hotel and enjoy all the fun of fall in Galena!

What Our Guests are Saying:

"We thoroughly enjoyed out stay! Everyone was pleasant and went above and beyond to take care of us."

Check out this video Travel the Tri-State put together about the DeSoto House Hotel!

Pasta Dinner

Tickets on Sale Now!

Join the DeSoto House Hotel and the Galena Generals at the annual General's Ball!

Dinner in the Grand Ballroom followed by dancing in the Courtyard Atrium.

This event will sell out - don't miss your chance!

For tickets, Call Now!

Thanksgiving

Luminaria Dinner

Breakfast With Santa

November Packages:

Midweek Dinner Package

Sunday - Thursday

One-night stay

$50.00 Dinner coupon

$194.00

Generals' Restaurant Dinner Menu

Subject to availability

Prices good through November 30, 2025

Midweek Breakfast Package

Sunday - Thursday

One-night stay

Breakfast for two

$174.00

Courtyard Restaurant Breakfast Menu

Subject to availability

Prices good through November 30, 2025

Midweek Breakfast & Dinner Package

Sunday - Thursday

One-night stay

Breakfast for two

$50.00 Dinner coupon

$219.00

Courtyard Restaurant Breakfast Menu

Generals' Restaurant Dinner Menu

Subject to availability

Prices good through November 30, 2025

History Museum Package

Sunday - Thursday

One-night stay

Breakfast for two

Tickets to the Galena Grant History Museum

$194.00

Courtyard Restaurant Breakfast Menu

Subject to availability

Prices good through November 30, 2025

Best Available Rate

Sunday - Thursday

One-night stay

Starting at $119.00

Subject to availability

Everyone loves a cocktail or two...

Stay with us Sundays through Thursdays and

enjoy a cocktail in one of our fabulous restaurants.

Then join us for dinner!

Upcoming Events:

Birding on the Bluff

November 1

9:00 am - 11:00 am

Casper Bluff Land & Water Reserve

870 South Pilot Knob Road, Galena, IL

Bring the whole family, or just yourself, and sit with JDCF Director of Special Projects and birding expert, Tom Clay, on the bluff overlooking the Mississippi River and observe the Fall wildlife and viewscape. There will be spotting scopes set up as well as binoculars for all ages to borrow. Director of Education and Outreach, […]

Thankful Hands, Merry Hearts

November 1

2:00 -6:00 p.m.

Join Board & Brush Galena for our Thankful Hands, Merry Hearts Make & Take event — a cozy, creative way to celebrate the season! 🍂✨ Create festive mini projects perfect for Thanksgiving, winter décor, or holiday gifting. Enjoy warm drinks, seasonal music, and the joy of crafting together with friends and family.

General Grant's Walking Tour

Galena Main Street

Saturdays

10:00 AM

November 1

Join General Ulysses S. Grant (portrayed by Bob Buman) for a one-hour walking tour of Galena's Historic Main Street.

Enjoy fascinating factual stories of early Galena, lead mining, steamboating, and General Grant in the Civil War. He'll share the stories associated with the many buildings on the National Historic Registry and his experiences when his family owned a leather and saddlery shop more than 150 years ago.

Regularly scheduled walking tours with General Grant are available every Saturday from May through October. Tours operate at 10am and begin at the DeSoto House Hotel at 230 S. Main Street.

No reservations are necessary. Tours run rain or shine!

Goats & Floats

November 2 & 9

12:00-2:00 p.m.

Enjoy a Goat trek partnered with root beer at Hoof It in Galena County. Delight in a one hour root beer tasting followed by an hour-long goat trek with a root beer float in hand. This experience welcomes all ages.

For more information, tickets and other events please click here!

Hat & Honey Bar

DeSoto House Hotel

5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Cost: $80

Date: November 7

Gather your friends and family for a one-of-a-kind experience at Dry Creek Beekeeping's Hat Bar & Honey Bar Event held at the DeSoto House Hotel in Galena!

Create Your Custom Hat: Choose from Western, Fedora, or Flat-Brimmed hats and try your hand at burning a gorgeous bee and sunflower design onto your hat using specialized tools. Your hat will be pre-stenciled with a custom-made bee and sunflower design, so you can easily burn in the design with the help from expert instructor, Marie McDonough from Marie’s Wood Carvings. Plus, you’ll add your personal touch by choosing a hat band, feathers, and other accessories to make your hat truly unique!

Honey Bar Tasting: Sip, savor, and sample up to 20 varieties of delicious honey from around the world! Learn about the distinct flavor notes of each variety and discover where they come from. Once you've found your favorite, you can purchase your top picks to take home!

All-Inclusive Fun: Your registration fee of $80 covers everything: instruction, tools, hat, band, accessories, and honey tasting. By the end of the event, you’ll be rocking a stylish, custom-burned hat that’s all your own—and you’ll be buzzing about your honey finds!

Don't miss out on this creative and sweet event. Space is limited—reserve your spot in advance!

Food and drinks are available to purchase through the DeSoto House Hotel. Maybe you'd like to order a charcuterie board or try a glass of honey mead wine as you enjoy this workshop.

Children ages 8+ are welcome. The felt burning of the hat requires the use of a hot tool, so please consider this when booking for children.

For tickets and more information, please click here!

Murder and Mayhem

8:00 PM

November 8

Join The Haunted Galena Tour Company inside the historic DeSoto House Hotel for an evening of dark Galena history, eerie folklore, and true Galena ghost stories, with a touch of music. Hear the macabre stories of infamous murders, tragedies, and hauntings that have lingered throughout Galena’s darkest history.

Our intimate, 5-star-rated parlor-style show is performed in the Eli Parker Room of the haunted Desoto House Hotel and features a cash bar and complimentary desserts. Running time is 90 minutes with a 15-minute intermission. Tickets are $34 per person. Doors open at 7:30 with a cash bar and desserts available. The show starts at 8:00 PM.

Written and performed by Galena storytellers and musicians, Ted Williams and Robyn Davis, this is a hauntingly chilling, uniquely local event you won’t want to miss!

Horse Play at Shenandoah Riding Center

10:30 am - 11:30 am

Cost: $25

Dates: 11/9 & 23

What do horses eat? Do they have special diets? What do we do if a horse needs to see a vet? These are just a few examples of what you'll discuss during your visit to Shenandoah Riding Center!

Shenandoah's horses absolutely love attention, making them the perfect introduction to interacting with equines for younger or more apprehensive humans, families or groups!

Over the course of your visit, you will engage in several different horse-related activities. You will groom, tack, and lead the horses around the property. There will also be a tour of the barn, showing visitors the functions of a farm and what it takes to care for these amazing animals.

All children under 12 will need to be accompanied by a paying adult.

For more information, to register, and for other events, click here!

Silver Saddles at Shenandoah Riding Center

10:30 AM-11:30 AM

November 14, 28

Silver Saddles is an interactive horse experience for individuals ages 55+.

Participants are invited to brush the horses, groom them, feed them treats, and lead them around the property. The goal of this experience is to allow a relaxing bonding experience between the participants and the horses.

41st Annual Nouveau Parade

2:30 PM

November 21

The parade of revelers will assemble at 2:30pm for a trek around Galena’s Main Street in assorted modes of transportation and merriment from horse-drawn wagons to trollies as the annual Nouveau wine is delivered to Galena merchants who support the Nouveau, by displaying posters in their shop windows. Join in or watch the procession - “Le Beaujolias Nouveau est arrivé!”

Local restaurants and Galena businesses continue the celebration all weekend with live music, wine tastings, dinner specials and receptions.

Galena Holiday Kickoff!

Saturday, November 29

5:00 PM

Join in welcoming Santa to town to kick off the holiday season in Galena!

On the Saturday following Thanksgiving, Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus arrive on his sleigh in Galena, Illinois (reminiscent of a Hallmark holiday movie!). This festive Jeep Jingle, with brightly lit Holiday JEEPS, will escort them to the city’s tree lighting. The Galena (Civil War) Generals will lead off, and the Galena Trolley will transport good girls and boys to enjoy treats and a visit with Jolly Old St. Nick!

Make a holiday visit to Historic Downtown Galena this Thanksgiving weekend as Santa's arrival kicks off this Magical Season! (A little elf spilled the eggnog that Mr. Kringle and The Grinch will be packing gifts to award outstandingly decorated parade Jeeps!)

The parade is also a Holiday fundraiser for Riverview Center which benefits families affected by Domestic Violence who may need assistance during this Holiday Season... and beyond.

Wishing you a great holiday season!