Fall Festivals in Illinois

Fall is perhaps the best time of year for festivals in Illinois and elsewhere across the US. There are countless county fairs, small town weekend events and also several larger festivals with literally something for everyone.

Whether you're looking for some entertainment for just yourself or the whole family, from August through December there are dozens of options to choose from on any given week. Chances are you can find an event within reasonable driving distance and most usually have either free or very low cost admission.

Below is a sample of 5 great Illinois fall festivals. Pick one, or do a little research and discover some of the others just waiting out there.

1) The Lincoln Art and Balloon Festival runs August 25 - 27th. Location is the Logan County Airport in Lincoln, Illinois. Balloon launches, night balloon glows, musical entertainment, food and an arts and crafts show are scheduled.

2) The 36th Annual Broomcorn Festival in Arcola, Illinois runs September 8, 9, & 10th this year. Free admission and parking is available. Scheduled activities include the Broom Tent, arts, crafts, flea market & food booths.

Friday night from 8pm to midnight, The Boat Drunks will perform. They are the Midwest's greatest Jimmy Buffet tribute band. Saturday afternoon at 3pm the festival parade can be seen, with entries usually numbering over 200. The famous, or infamous, Lawn Rangers are always a favorite with the crowds. On Sunday at 1 & 3pm, Confederate Railroad will perform on the Oak Street Stage. For more information, visit the website listed in the links.

3) The 40th Annual Morton Pumpkin Festival gets into gear September 13-16th. Illinois leads the nation in pumpkin production and is home to Morton, the world's pumpkin capital. The Nestlé/Libby's pumpkin packing plant is located in Morton, and 85% of the world's canned pumpkin is processed there.

Events scheduled include a parade on Saturday morning, carnival rides, foot races, food tents, merchants tent, craft show, parade. You can sample pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin pancakes or pumpkin fudge.

4) The Great Pumpkin Patch, located at RR1, Box 100, Arthur, Illinois is another great place to spend an autumn afternoon. Open September 15 - October 31, the hours are 9am to 6pm. Admission is $3 for ages 13 and up, $1 for ages 6-12, children age 5 and under are free. Season passes are also available.

The Great Pumpkin Patch was featured in the October 2005 issue of Martha Stewart Living. Over 400 varieties of pumpkins, squash and gourds are grown on the farm, as well as 6000 harvest mums. The patch features mazes, huge pumpkin and gourd displays, animals and a sweet shop and gift shop. You can spend an entire day and not see all the varieties of pumpkins, squash and gourds.

5) The Christkindlmarket Chicago in Chicago, Illinois on November 23 - December 24th is the perfect way to jump start the holiday season. You most certainly won't be disappointed if you visit this 4 week long outdoor festival. Admission is free. Check the website link below for the hours the market is open each day.

Based on the traditional German outdoor holiday markets, Christkindlmarket boasts 1 million visitors each year. There are 60 timber booths and display areas where everything from chocolates, ornaments, hand knit sweaters, cuckoo clocks and silver jewelry can be purchased. Live music is performed as well as demonstrations of glassblowing and woodcarving. There are merry go rounds for kids and the annual Children's Lantern Parade on the first Thursday following Thanksgiving will delight any child.

After the rush of summer is over and before the first snow flakes make an appearance, hit the highway or the back roads and see what Illinois has to offer. Bring a few dollars, an appetite and a smile and leave your worries behind on beautiful fall afternoon while you savor some simple fun.