14 Amazing Illinois Labor Day Weekend Festivals

Labor Day may be the unofficial end of summer, but in Illinois we save some of the best for last.

Towns and cities throughout the state hold long-running festivals every year, celebrating food, fun and a few things you might not have thought of. Get outside, enjoy the last few days of the season, and discover something new!

Chicago and Beyond

Chicago Jazz Festival

Chicago

Chicago has an important jazz legacy, and attending the Chicago Jazz Festival is the best way to experience it! Since the 1970s, thousands have made the pilgrimage each year to listen, dance, picnic, and enjoy the waning days of summer in the company of local jazz talents and world-famous names. The festival is free to attend and aims to raise awareness and appreciation for one of the city’s most beloved art forms. 

Summer Sunset Festival

Lake in the Hills

Send off summer in small-town style! Lake in the Hills’ Summer Sunset Festival is home to all kinds of fun: a carnival, car show, parade, craft fair, live music and wine tasting. Plus there’s a pickleball competition, so be sure to practice your tossing technique! Yes, you’ll remember these dog days of summer for many years to come.

The Last Fling

Naperville

This is how downtown Naperville says farewell to summer. This four-day, family-friendly street party offers a wide variety of attractions including great food, fun games, exciting rides and national and local musicians on two stages. Watch out for the Frank E’s Fling Mile, a one-mile race against the Fling’s giant hot dog mascot.

Shoe Fest

Manteno

Have one more dance under the trees before summer turns to fall at this music camping festival! Shoe Fest is held at Camp Shaw-Waw-Nas-See and attracts a large crowd each year. At the festival you'll be able to hop to and from three stages of music, hearing genres such as folk, folk rock, bluegrass, and jam bands. Drink some beer, experience entertainment, and enjoy the weather at this awesome event!

Trails to Adventure

Du Quoin State Fair

Du Quoin

Enjoy the holiday weekend by taking in this quintessential American experience. The Du Quoin State Fair is one of the nation’s best agricultural events, offering races, competitive events, livestock shows and agricultural exhibits. It also has all the classic fun of fairs, including a carnival, petting zoo, stage shows, live music and all kinds of delicious food.

Great Rivers Country

Peoria Blues and Heritage Festival

Peoria

Enjoy a world class lineup of artists from blues, roots, funk, soul and everything in between. The Peoria Blues and Heritage Music Festival brings downtown Peoria to life as the event stretches off the waterfront into bars, venues and businesses through after hours events, late night club shows and much more! 

Kewanee Hog Days

Kewanee

Located in the "Hog Capital of the World" the Kewanee Hog Days festival is a weekend full of family-friendly fun. At the event, festival goers will be able to attend the Hog Wallow Mud Volleyball Classic (yep, it’s in the mud), a vast flea market/craft show, the Model T and Model A Road Rally, and the World’s Largest Outdoor Pork Barbecue, serving up more than 30,000 pork chops and pork burgers—at an average rate of 17 a minute! 

Nauvoo Grape Festival

Nauvoo

Illinois’ wine industry began in Nauvoo at Baxter’s Vineyards, so there’s no better place to celebrate the humble grape’s finest application. The Festival is a grand tradition which has been going for more than 80 years, packed with activities including car shows, live music, food booths, a flea market, cellar tours and tastings. 

Rock Island Grand Prix

Rock Island

The Rock Island Grand Prix is the world’s largest and most prestigious karting street race, attracting more than 40,000 spectators each year. The free festival includes nightly outdoor concerts, a drivers' parade, fan autograph sessions, food and merch booths, kids activities and other karting-related activities. 

Land of Lincoln

Manito Popcorn Festival

Manito

The Manito area grows acres and acres of popcorn, which is why the town made it the focal point of their annual Labor Day weekend celebration. Although there’s a lot to see, do, and taste, the main attraction at the festival is the delicious daily popped popcorn. Other highlights include the 3-on-3 basketball tournament, car show, and the highly popular annual Lip Sync Competition. 

Springfield Oyster & Beer Festival

Springfield

The Springfield Oyster and Beer Festival is an annual event put on for charity. The festival has donated over $170,000 to area charities. Upon attending you will find over 130 different types of craft beers, 5000+ gourmet oysters, live music, local food trucks and more. Attending will make for a great time helping out a great cause!

Harley Davidson Springfield Mile 

Springfield

Every Labor Day weekend you can enjoy fast-paced action and non-stop thrills of national-level motorcycle racing at one of the oldest speedways in America, the Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack. The event will feature live music, big-screen viewing, vendor displays, and a variety of food and beverage options.

The Annual Amish Country Cheese Festival

Arthur

This lively festival, which has lasted half a century, allows attendees to sample free cheese from an enormous 300-pound wheel, dance to live music, watch a parade, test their mettle in the National Cheese-Eating Championship, and more! Attendees can also test their luck in the International Cheese-Curling Championships, a game based on ice curling where teams of four work together to get a four-pound wheel of cheese down a smooth surface toward a designated target. 

Downtown Decatur Music Festival

Decatur

This Music Festival invites you to dive into a weekend full of rhythm, flavor, and fun! The festival features live music, kid-friendly entertainment, and delicious food. Attendees also have the opportunity to explore local artists by checking out their booths that are lined up along the festival route. Dance the night away, take home some treasures, and make lasting memories at this annual festival.