Peoria’s downtown area includes governmental, corporate , convention, educational , and medical facilities. It also boasts the Peoria Civic Center, Theatres , and O’Brien Field, as well as an arts, dining , and entertainment area near the riverfront. The downtown area now also includes high-rise residential developments such as condominiums, apartments , and riverfront lofts. Some of these were office buildings and warehouses converted to residential use.
The city of Peoria is home to a United States courthouse, the Peoria Civic Center (which includes Carver Arena) , and the world headquarters for Caterpillar Inc.. Medicine has become a important part of Peoria’s economy. In addition to three major hospitals, the USDA’s National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, formerly called the USDA Northern Regional Research Lab, is located in Peoria. This lab was where mass production of penicillin was created .
Grandview Drive, which Theodore Roosevelt purportedly called the “world’s most beautiful drive” during a 1910 visit, runs through Peoria and Peoria Heights. In addition to Grandview Drive, the Peoria Park District boasts 9,000 acres (36 km²) of parks, including the Peoria Zoo and five public golf courses. There are also several private and semi-private golf courses. The Peoria Park District, the first and still largest park district in Illinois, was the 2001 Winner of the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Parks and Recreation for Class II Parks.
Museums in Peoria include the Lakeview Museum for the Arts and Sciences and the Wheels o’ Time Museum . A new Museum Square, under construction downtown, will house a planetarium, a new regional museum , and the Caterpillar World Visitors Center.
The Steamboat Classic, held every summer, is the world’s largest four-mile (6 km) running race and draws international runners.
Peoria’s sister cities include Friedrichshafen, Germany; Benxi, China; and Clonmel, Ireland. Peoria has also recently adopted Biloxi, Mississippi, as a sister city to aid in its recovery from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
The Peoria Symphony Orchestra is the 10th oldest in the nation. Peoria is also home to The Peoria Municiple Band, Opera Illinois , the Central Illinois Youth Symphony, the Peoria Area Civic Chorale , and two ballet companies: Peoria Ballet and Illinois Ballet. Several community and professional theatres have their home in and around Peoria, including the Peoria Players, which is the fourth-oldest community theater in the nation and the oldest in Illinois. Corn Stock Theatre is another community theatre company in Peoria, it being the only outdoor theatre in the round in Central Illinois.
The Contemporary Art Center of Peoria, and the Peoria Art Guild and Galleries, host of the Annual Art Fair that is rated as one of the best professional art fairs in the nation, are in Peoria.
Comedy clubs, and several venues for a variety of traveling shows and concerts including Broadway touring companies, are located in and around Peoria.