Illinois
Frühlingsfest/Springfest
FREE! May 5 Herbs, annuals, and perennials will be available to purchase along with antiques at this annual spring celebration. While surveying the booths and exploring this historic German village, enjoy foods like strawberry shortcake, bratwurst, and kettle corn. Maeystown.
Superman Celebration
June 7–9 Superhero fans assemble annually to meet celebrity guests, comic book authors, and artists. Participate in costume contests, and snap a selfie in front of the city’s iconic Superman statue. Some events charge a fee. Metropolis.
Jersey County Fair
July 6–14 This Jersey County summer tradition dates to the 1860s. Over 9 days, enjoy carnival rides, prize-winning livestock, tractor and truck pulls, a demolition derby, a parade, 4-H competitions, a barbecue contest, rodeos, and live music. Food options include burgers, funnel cakes, and deep-fried everything. Adult tickets start at $5; rides and tickets to track events cost extra. Jersey County Fairgrounds, Jerseyville.
Centralia Balloon Fest
August 16–18 Centralia’s summer sky will come alive with more than 35 colorful hot air balloons. Flights take off morning and night, weather permitting, from Foundation Park. Balloon Glows on Friday and Saturday nights will illuminate the park. Live music, cardboard boat races, craft and food vendors, and tethered balloon rides ($10) add to the fun. Admission is $5. Centralia.
Murphysboro Apple Festival
FREE! September 11–14 Murphysboro welcomes more than 45,000 visitors to its annual fall celebration, one of the largest events in southern Illinois. Highlights include an arts and crafts fair, contests for the best apple pie and apple butter, a carnival, live entertainment, and a grand parade with 100-plus units, including fire engines, floats, and marching bands. A queen pageant follows the festival on September 15. Murphysboro.
Indiana
Food Truck Festival
May 26 Head to Bosse Field and sample seafood, barbecue, sweets, and more from about 25 food trucks and other vendors. Vote for the best chef, take part in tailgate games, visit the kids’ zone, and enjoy live music. Each vendor will offer a $5 item in addition to their full menus. Early bird online pricing starts around $5, and admission at the gate is $10. Evansville.
Art in the Garden
June 22 Spend an evening in a private home and garden, where you can enjoy music, artists at work, drinks, and hors d’oeuvres, plus a tour of the host family’s art collection. The event, which takes place from 5 to 8 p.m., supports the Brown County Art Guild’s mission to preserve the area’s artistic culture. Tickets, $100. Nashville.
Thunder Over Patoka
July 6 Take in a spectacular fireworks show over 8,800-acre Patoka Lake from various areas around the lake, including the Patoka Lake Beach. Don’t forget to bring lawn chairs, refreshments, blankets, and bug spray, and settle in for the show that starts around 10 p.m. The entrance fee to the Newton Stewart State Recreation Area is $7 per vehicle for Indiana residents and $9 for non-residents. French Lick.
Swiss Wine Festival
August 22–25 Founded by Swiss immigrants who named their city after a town in Switzerland, Vevay annually celebrates the wine-making heritage of its founders. A pavilion will feature more than 100 varieties of Indiana wine. Take part in a grape stomp and enjoy live music, fireworks, amusement rides, a beer garden, and plenty of food. Adult admission is $10. Vevay.
Annual Muster & Parade
September 28 The Vintage Fire Museum displays a collection of firefighting engines and artifacts dating to 1756, and each year it celebrates that heritage with a vintage fire truck parade, along with a swap meet and a firefighting competition. Festivities conclude at the Ohio River, where the fire trucks will be put to the test: Which one can pump water the farthest out? Adult museum admission is half-price that day, at $3.50. Jeffersonville.
Kansas
Advent Health 400
May 5 Exciting NASCAR action returns to the Kansas Speedway. Pre-race packages and camping are available at the track, which opened in 2001. Tickets start at $64. Kansas City.
Tacos and Tequila Festival
June 1 Legends Field, home of the Kansas City Monarchs, hosts this adults-only festival highlighted by vendors selling street tacos, margaritas, and tequila. There will also be salsa and hot sauce competitions, wrestling matches, a Chihuahua beauty pageant, and a performance lineup that includes T-Pain and Ashanti. General admission is $49; VIP packages are available. Kansas City.
Amelia Earhart Festival
July 18–20 The life of legendary aviator Amelia Earhart will be honored in her childhood home of Atchison. Check out the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum, which houses a Lockheed Electra 10-E, the same type of plane she piloted on her final flight. The festival includes an acrobatic air show, concerts, a car show, children’s activities, fireworks, and tours of her birthplace museum. Some activities charge fees. Atchison.
India Fest
FREE! August 11 India is approximately 8,200 miles from Overland Park, but it will seem closer when this event shines a light on Indian culture. Enjoy authentic food, music, dance, and entertainment at the celebration from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. This year’s theme is “One Community, Many Stories: Celebrating Diversity, Building Unity.” Overland Park Convention Center, Overland Park.
Overland Park Fall Festival
FREE! September 27–28 Celebrate the end of summer at this extravaganza downtown featuring 3 stages with live entertainment and many local performers. Shop at an artisan fair and a farmers market, and enjoy hands-on children’s activities. Fill up on food from vendors and food trucks. Overland Park.
Missouri
37th Annual Art Fair
May 10–12 A Mother’s Day weekend tradition at Laumeier Sculpture Park, the art fair attracts 100-plus juried artists showcasing works in a variety of media. In addition to shopping at the fair, stroll the park’s grounds to enjoy more than 70 large-scale works of art. Admission is $10 for ages 11 and older. St. Louis.
Strawberry Festival
FREE! June 1 Celebrate spring at the historic Vaile Mansion by sampling strawberry desserts, browsing arts and craft booths, and enjoying live music. Dozens of vendors will be set up around the stately mansion, which dates to 1881 and features 31 rooms and 9 marble fireplaces. Mansion tours are $10 for adults. Independence.
Taste of SoMo
June 22 Bring your appetite to this outdoor food showcase in Park Central Square that highlights some of southwest Missouri’s best restaurants. Enjoy live music as you vote for the best entrée, appetizer, dessert, and booth. A book of 10 taste tickets is $10. Springfield.
Kansas City’s Lawn Party
FREE! July 21 Kansas City celebrates National Parks and Recreation Month with this giant outdoor gathering held 4–8 p.m. at Theis Park and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art’s Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park. Enjoy live music, art activities, and lawn games. Pack a picnic or purchase dinner from a variety of food trucks. Kansas City.
Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
August 8–18 New Orleans shaped the career of playwright Tennessee Williams, but few know he lived in St. Louis for 20 formative years when he went to college and earned his “Tennessee” name for his Southern accent. Enjoy 1-act plays, scholarly panels, a walking tour of the Grand Avenue Theatre District, and performances of Williams’ Pulitzer Prize–winning Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at the Grandel Theatre. Performance tickets start at $25. St. Louis.
Jesse James Festival
September 13–14, 20–22 This annual event is loaded with action: a parade, golf and fishing tournaments, a carnival, barbecue contests, rodeos, food booths, and even mud volleyball. Despite its name, the festival does not pay tribute to the notorious outlaw but instead recalls the pioneering era when he roamed the region. Admission varies by event. Jesse James Park, Kearney.
FREE! indicates free admission to the event, but additional fees may be required. Be sure to designate a driver if you plan to drink alcohol.
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