McHenry County’s a great place to play – check out the newest Rise and Thrive video!

New Rise and Thrive video spotlights county tourism, fun and leisure

Click on the video link above to watch the newest video in the Rise and Thrive series. In this edition, McHenry County Economic Development Corp. Executive Director Mark Piekos sits down with Naturally McHenry County President and CEO Jaki Berggren to dish about our wonderful places and wide-open spaces.

If you’re looking to locate a business or expand, you can’t match the quality of life McHenry County offers your employees.

Be sure to check out the other videos in the Rise and Thrive series, and watch for new ones coming up!

Time is running out to vote for 2025’s NMC Insider Favorites!

Naturally McHenry County’s awesome Insider Favorites competition is back for a second year!

The competition features McHenry County’s best restaurants in Naturally McHenry County’s annual Insider Guide, as chosen by the public.

Voting is now open through this Friday for the 2025 Insider Guide, and you can click here to pick your Insider Favorites.

The categories include hottest new restaurant, best outdoor dining, best date night restaurant, best sports bar, best bakery, best pet-friendly patio, best Bloody Mary, best dessert spot, and best coffee or tea stop.

McHenry County is home to so many great local eateries, so be sure to vote for your favorites! To get a look at the Insider Favorites in this year’s annual Guide, click here.

Settlers’ Days returning to Marengo this weekend

Starting with a simple not-to-spooky kid-friendly movie night Thursday, Settlers’ Days explodes into three days of fun. The partial list of events includes a weekend carnival, cookie decorating, an arts and crafts fair, car show, pet parade, live music, street performers and more, ending on Sunday with the huge Settlers’ Days Parade, followed as always by the marching band field show competition at Marengo Community High School.

For a complete list of events, visit www.settlersdays.com, and follow Settlers’ Days on Facebook.

Buy your tickets today for the MCEDC Business Champion Dinner

Tickets are on sale for the McHenry County Economic Development Corp.’s annual awards dinner.

You can purchase tickets by clicking here. Individual tickets and tables of eight can be purchased, and there are still sponsorship opportunities for businesses.

The dinner, at which the MCEDC gives out its annual Business Champion Awards, takes place from 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 13 at the Crystal Lake Holiday Inn. The guest speaker will be Chicago Bears defensive tackle and Pro Football Hall of Fame member Dan Hampton, who played with the Bears for 12 seasons, including the 1985 Super Bowl Championship season.

MCC Job and Internship Fair coming Oct. 16

The event takes place from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16, at the college, 8900 Route 14, Crystal Lake. Free of charge and open to everyone, the fair offers job-seekers the chance to connect with local employers looking to hire. On-site Spanish, Polish, Russian and Ukrainian translation will be available.

Whether you’re seeking full-time or part-time work, or an internship, come and bring copies of your resume. Organizers are also encouraging attendees to create a free account on the MCC Hire a Scot job website, which you can find here. Also, if your wardrobe is a little lean on professional attire, don’t worry – MCC can help you with that, too. Click here to learn more.

Get the full fall experience with the McHenry County Autumn Drive

If a leisurely drive along scenic McHenry County country roads filled with quaint stops and great goodies sounds like a good time, then the 36th annual Autumn Drive is just what the doctor ordered.

The drive takes visitors through a mosaic of rustic farms, beautiful crafts and antiques, all against McHenry County’s palette of gorgeous fall colors.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine, from Friday, Oct.18, through Sunday, Oct. 20. The drive includes 16 stops throughout rural Woodstock and Marengo. The drive is self-guided – you choose the places you want to visit, and when.

Visit www.autumndrive.net for more information and a map, and be sure to check out the guide that Naturally McHenry County put out to maximize your Autumn Drive experience!

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What is McH Thrive?

McH Thrive is a collaborative initiative being implemented by McHenry County and the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) in partnership with the McHenry County community, including cities and villages, businesses and residents.