Experience the best of fall in Champaign-Urbana’s festivals and fairs
The weather may be getting (a little) cooler soon but the fall festivals in Central Illinois are heating up! The fall festival season includes events starting mid-August and running through early November.
There are so many to choose from in our area and each one offers some serious family fun. Feel like carving a pumpkin? Watching a lumberjack competition? Taking in some folk and roots music? How about taking a train ride? There’s something for everyone at a festival near you this fall.
Chambanamoms thanks CU Jazz Festival for presenting this post.
The Champaign-Urbana Jazz Festival is returning once again in 2026! This multi-day, multi-venue festival is taking place across Champaign-Urbana in mid-October. Check back soon for the full line-up for Jazz Fest!
For more information: Website or Facebook
Here’s our list of fall festivals in the Champaign-Urbana area; we will continue to add to this list. We also hope you enjoy our sampling of fall festivals a little farther away, coming soon.
Did we miss your favorite fall festival? Let us know so we can add it (email us – editor@chambanamoms.com.)
FALL FESTIVALS HAPPENING IN THE CHAMPAIGN-URBANA AREA
St. Joseph Community Festival
Where: St. Joseph
Date(s): 08/06/2026 – 08/08/2026
Highlights: Fun small-town festival including a daily fish fry, carnival, and kids’ games. The parade and fireworks happen on Saturday!
Champaign-Urbana Days
Where: Champaign
Date(s): 08/07/2026 – 08/09/2026
Highlights: Delight in live music performances, indulge in tasty food from local vendors, and partake in a variety of activities for both children and seniors alike. Champaign-Urbana Days promises to be an unforgettable celebration of unity and togetherness.
Weldon Homecoming
Where: Weldon
Date(s): 08/14/2026 – 08/15/2026
Highlights: Touch-a-truck, Friday fireworks and more fall festival fun.
Le Roy Fall Festival
Where: LeRoy
Date(s): 08/18/2026 – 08/22/2026
Highlights: An annual festival with food, games and carnival rides with local vendors, nightly ice cream socials on the gazebo, and free entertainment nightly!
Apple Dumpling Festival
Where: Atwood
Date(s): 08/21/2026 – 08/22/2026
Highlights: Small town Fun! Head out for live music. food, car show and more!
Mansfield Homecoming
Where: Mansfield
Date(s): 08/21/2026 – 08/23/2026
Highlights: Kids entertainment, 5K, Parade, Car Show, BBQ Rib Cook-off and more!
Riggs Sweetcorn Festival
Where: Urbana
Date(s): 08/22/2026 – 08/23/2026
Highlights: Sweetcorn festival at Riggs, featuring food trucks, live entertainment and fresh, locally-grown sweetcorn.
Mahomet Music Festival
Where: Mahomet
Date(s): 08/28/2026 – 08/29/2026
Highlights: Enjoy FREE live music, parade, carnival rides, street vendors, crafters, bags tournament, and more up and down Main Street. Admission to the fest is FREE; some activities and carnival rides have a cost.
Broadlands Homecoming Festival
Where: Broadlands
Date(s): 08/29/2026 – 08/29/2026
Highlights: Lots of fun events for all ages are planned including food, a parade, live music, and family fun!
Westville Labor Day Celebration
Where: Westville
Date(s): 08/29/2026 – 9/7/2026
Highlights: Carnival, music and fireworks (in September) make this a great fest.
Hoopeston National Sweet Corn Festival
Where: Hoopeston
Date(s): 09/03/2026 – 09/07/2026
Highlights: The Hoopeston Sweetcorn Festival is unique in that, besides the normal carnival, demolition derby, Grand Parade and other events, they cook approximately 50 tons of sweetcorn with an antique steam engine and distribute the corn FREE. All events take place at the McFerren Park, located at west Penn Street and IL Route 1.
Arthur Amish Country Cheese Festival
Where: Arthur
Date(s): 09/04/2026 – 09/05/2026
Highlights: More Cheese - More Fun! Family fun for the whole weekend. Enjoy the festival atmosphere throughout Arthur. Eat a corn dog, sample the Free Cheese, take in a tractor pull, watch a parade, listen to some music, visit an Amish farm shop, shop the sales in town... just enjoy yourself. That's what a visit to Amish Country is about!
ARCOLA BROOMCORN FESTIVAL
Friday, Sept. 11 – Sunday, Sept. 13
Arcola celebrates its rich heritage each year with the Broomcorn Festival. The “Broomcorn Capital of the World” hosts this three-day festival in historic downtown Arcola. While in town, check out all the craft and food vendors, Broom Tent with live broom-making demonstrations, 5k/10k annual race, and a huge parade featuring their own, world famous “Lawn Rangers.”
Arcola Broomcorn Festival, 09/11/2026 – The National Broom Sweeping Contest kicks off the festival on Friday-there will also be food & street vendors and don't miss the broom tent!
Arcola Broomcorn Festival, 09/12/2026 – The HUGE parade is on Saturday at 3pm-there will also be food & street vendors and don't miss the broom tent!
Arcola Broomcorn Festival, 09/13/2026 – Arcola celebrates its rich heritage each year with the Broomcorn Festival. The “Broomcorn Capital of the World” hosts this 3 day festival in historic downtown Arcola
Gibson City Harvest Fest
Where: Gibson City
Date(s): 09/11/2026 – 09/12/2026
Highlights: If you love to rock your cowboy boots and hats, you won’t want to miss Friday night. That night is all about country vibes and boot-stomping fun. And hold onto your hats for Saturday — they're closing Harvest Fest with a wild pop-tacular act that will blow your mind. Family activities, too.
Backyard Bluegrass Festival
Where: Sullivan
Date(s): 09/11/2026 – 09/12/2026
Highlights: Music, food trucks, guitar raffle. Free admission.
Mum Fest
Where: Clinton
Date(s): 09/12/2026 – 09/13/2026
Highlights: There will be a lineup of concessions, craft vendors, bakers, artisans, and more.
Bazaar Urbana Music & Arts Fest
Where: Urbana
Date(s): 09/12/2026 – 09/12/2026
Highlights: Live Music, Art, Food, Community and more... Bazaar Urbana is a celebration of the amazing art & culture rich community, bringing an under-utilized space in Urbana alive with art, merriment and whimsy. Line Up Psalm One - Trouble Chasin - AMS Angel Davanport & Bionik - VADER Merry Travelers - Brain Sex Lys Allen - Sweet Melk - DJ Belly Spinnerty - DJ Medusa - Sparr DJ Wesjile - DJ Bozak - Ian Hammond Carlie Upchurch - Femi Ishola Current Conduct - LovenLoops Castle Finn - DJ Foobar - DJ Kamaumau More To Be Announced 208 W. Griggs St
El Grito, Mexican Independence Day
Where: Champaign
Date(s): 09/13/2026 – 09/13/2026
Highlights: Free Free for the whole Family Sunday September 13th come to Gritar viva Mexico and viva all of Latin America at the center of Champaign corner of Washington and Walnut let's celebrate together the independence of Mexico. http://elgritoillinois.org
Swine 'N Dine Festival and BBQ Contest
Where: Paxton
Date(s): 09/19/2026 – 09/19/2026
Highlights: Swine N' Dine features live music, kids’ activities, vendors, a bags tournament, a cruise-in, and of course – Great BBQ competition!
Muncie Fall Festival
Where: Muncie
Date(s): 09/26/2026 – 09/27/2026
Highlights: Don't miss the Muncie Fall Festival! It will be a weekend full of vendors, food trucks, and live music
Honeycrisp Hootenanny Apple Festival
Where: Sullival
Date(s): 09/26/2026 –
Highlights: Come out for the 3rd Annual Honeycrisp Hootenanny! Celebrate one of the sweetest times of the year at Okaw Valley Orchard on Saturday, September 26 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is FREE, and they'll have fun for the whole family, including: Apple Chunkin' Caramel Apple "Nacho" Bar Kids Activities Live Music by Battlecreek Duo And so much more! Come enjoy a day filled with crisp Honeycrisp apples, great food, family fun, and all your favorite fall traditions. They can't wait to celebrate with you!
Crop Sciences Harvest Open House
Where: Champaign
Date(s): 09/26/2026 – 09/26/2026
Highlights: Crop Sciences is excited to share the scientific advances in agriculture production with those of all ages through fun, hands-on activities. Help them welcome the fall season with pumpkins, popcorn, science, and family fun!
Octoberfest at the Mercantile
Where: Monticello
Date(s): 10/04/2026 – 10/04/2026
Highlights: It's the annual fall funday on E. Main Street, with pumpkins, mums, music and food- oh my!
Head to Downtown Monticello for music, food and fun!
CU Folk and Roots Festival
Where: Urbana
Date(s): 10/08/2026 – 10/10/2026
Highlights: The Champaign-Urbana Folk and Roots Festival is an all-volunteer-run, grassroots festival that brings together national, regional and local artists and folk organizations for over 80 high-quality folk performances and participatory activities throughout downtown Urbana. The festival includes performances, dances, instructional sessions, jams, song-circles, family activities, storytelling, instrument-making and much, much more!
URBANA FALL FUSION FESTIVAL
Saturday, Oct. 10
40 North and Urbana Arts & Culture Program are taking over downtown Urbana on Saturday, Oct. 10 from 3-7 p.m. for the fourth annual Urbana Fall Fusion Festival.
Enjoy live music curated by CU Folk & Roots Festival, art, performances, live painting, kids’ activities, photo ops, pumpkins, and more!
Urbana Fall Fusion Festival, 10/10/2026 – 40 North and Urbana Arts & Culture Program are taking over downtown Urbana on Saturday, October 10th from 3-7pm for the fourth annual Urbana Fall Fusion Festival! Enjoy live music, art, performances, kids' activities and more!
Scarecrow Festival in AMBUCS Park
Where: Urbana
Date(s): 10/17/2026 – 10/17/2026
Highlights: Barrel train rides, hay rack rides, car show, food, and lots of fun!
Fall Family Festival at the Stephens Family YMCA
Where: Champaign
Date(s): 10/17/2026 – 10/17/2026
Highlights: Join the Stephens Family YMCA for a day filled with fun family activities! Lots of family-friendly activities! Lunch will be available for the first 1,000 people!
CU Pride Parade and Fest
Where: Urbana
Date(s): 10/17/2026 – 10/17/2026
Highlights: Join thousands of LGBTQ+ folx and allies in celebrating all things PRIDE and check out all of the incredible artisans, resources, local businesses, and other INCREDIBLE vendors in downtown Urbana. Be sure to be front row for when the parade steps off at 1pm and help celebrate all things LOVE and PRIDE!
Flannel Fest
Where: Champaign
Date(s): 10/24/2026 – 10/24/2026
Highlights: Watch the Lumberjack Show perform demonstrations throughout this FREE event, along with live music, games, food and more.
Find everything related to fall in Champaign-Urbana:
- 21 Things to Do During Fall (on a Budget) in Champaign-Urbana
- Champaign-Urbana Area Fall Fairs and Festivals
- Fall Fun for Families in Champaign-Urbana
- Apple Picking Near Champaign-Urbana
- Outdoor Concerts in Champaign-Urbana and Beyond
