From 7 to 11 p.m. Sept. 20, Bittersweet Golf Club will host Bonfire and Brews: A Taste of Gurnee.

Events include Vintage Illinois Wine Festival, Redbud Creek Farm Fall Festival and more.

Bourbonnais Township Park District staff was busy placing cornstalks on the white fencing around the park on Wednesday. It means it’s time for the annual Scarecrow Festival.

With country star Luke Bryan's Farm Tour headed to little Prairie Grove on Friday, Sept. 19, the community will have 50 police officers to direct traffic and help move an estimated 20,000 fans into and out of the area.

Let’s Ketchup, a local nonprofit dedicated to eliminating school lunch debt and keeping Care Closets stocked with essentials, will again host a Family Festival this Saturday.

In addition to the extensive wine selection, attendees can enjoy live music, browse wares from local vendors and sample food from local food trucks.

La Fiesta Hispana de Rochelle was held Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, in downtown Rochelle to mark the start of Hispanic Heritage Month. The event included music, dancing, food, a craft and vendor fair, bounce houses and more.

Ludacris, Timbaland and more hip hop artists will perform at the second annual event Saturday, Sept. 20 at Northwestern Medicine Field in Geneva.

Taste of Fiesta in Rock Falls kicked off a celebration of the deep roots of Mexican culture seen in the Sauk Valley. The Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, event is, as the name implies, a taste of the Fiesta Days parade and celebration that will take place Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. Photos by Katie Holloway and Alex T. Paschal

People flock to the Woodstock Square to celebrate Mexican Independence during the Hispanic Connections Mexican Independence Day Celebration on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Woodstock.

The City of Oglesby hosted its annual Boots, Brews and BBQ festival on Saturday, Sept 13, 2025, downtown Oglesby.

The City of La Salle held their annual BBQ and Blues and Jazz'n The Street festival on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025 downtown La Salle. Check out photos from Scott Anderson and MaKade Rios.

The second annual West Fest starts at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, at Vaile Park, 2023 W. Third St., in Dixon.

The 34th Annual Fall Festival will be held on Saturday, Sept. 13 at Good Shepherd Manor in Momence to support the programs and services provided for over 100 men with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

The Estival Festival returns for its 5th annual event on Saturday, Sept. 20 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at Bird Park’s Don Palzer Band Shell in Kankakee featuring over 25 local musical acts across two stages.

The pair of celebrations Sept. 12 & 13 will bring food vendors and musical acts to downtown La Salle.

The 10th Annual Elmhurst Craft Beer Fest will make its return Saturday, September 13 outdoors at the Elmhurst History Museum

The much-anticipated fall festival features a carnival, fireworks, parade, craft show, water fights, live music and so much more.

Illinois Valley families can gear up for a weekend of live music, barbecue and fun as La Salle BBQ-n-Blues and Jazz’n the Street festivals return Friday and Saturday.

Pluto Fest is from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Streator City Park, while the Fall Food Truck Festival is 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. just south of the park. Both events are on Saturday, Sept. 13.

The Education Foundation of Downers Grove School District 58 hosts its annual Oktoberfest this weekend in downtown Downers Grove

Tickets are going fast for the much-anticipated event that will feature Bailey Zimmerman, Sam Hunt and Flo Rida.

The annual festival now doubles as an Oktoberfest and has grown since its origin in 2016.

The 76th Grand Detour Arts Festival was held Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, on the grounds of the John Deere Historic Site.

The fall months bring several craft beer festivals throughout northern Illinois.

The 54th annual Homestead Festival parade made its way down Main Street on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, downtown Princeton. This years Homestead Festival theme is "We Got Spirit."

Discover Dixon held its third annual Dement Town Music Fest on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, on Dixon's west side.

With this year's McHenry Music Festival set to kick off Sept. 12, the McHenry City Council this week gave its nod to the 2026 event - with one dissenting vote.

The Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center is seeking submissions for its 2025 Veterans Creative Arts Festival.

The 54th annual Homestead Festival began on Thursday with a "Walk of Fame" dedication to actor Robert Petkoff in front of the Apollo Theater followed by "Down of Main Street" summer concert series featuring Electric Avenue- The 80's MTV Experience. On Friday, the festival features a lego design competition, carriage rides, and Rodeo Drive concert. Saturday the parade kicks off at 1:30p.m. and Sunday features a rib cookoff, car show and more.

The family-friendly event runs from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 7, at Vasa Park

Illinois' oldest continuing county fair returns this week with a packed schedule.

The festival honors Rev. Owen Lovejoy’s contributions to the Underground Railroad and offers a blend of historical experiences and modern-day fun.

The Downers Grove Fine Arts Festival will bring more than 50 artists to the city's downtown for this two-day event.

The 76th Grand Detour Arts Festival – one of the oldest of its kind in northern Illinois – returns Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, to the John Deere Historic Site with art, music and food.

The annual fall event is set for Sept. 5-7.

The village of Herscher hosted hundreds once again for its 104th annual Labor Day Celebration on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025.

Small town communities and long-running annual celebrations seem to go hand in hand. The village of Herscher fully embodies that notion, having hosted its 104th annual Labor Day Celebration over the weekend - the longest running annual event in Kankakee County.

Fortunate Sons, a Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute band, closed out the 2025 Jamboree Music Series in Mt. Morris in record-breaking style Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, with an estimated 2,500 attending the free concert.

Yorkville celebrated the last holiday weekend of summer with its annual Hometown Days festival, held over Labor Day weekend, Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 28-31, at Beecher Community Park, 908 Game Farm Road, Yorkville.

Former 6-term Herscher Mayor Ray Schneider will be honored as Herscher's Labor Day parade grand marshal.

The Saturday event, taking place at Wilder Park from noon to 9 p.m., will feature seven bands, while the parade returns on Sunday.

Looking for something fun to do in DeKalb County this fall? Check out this list of family-friendly events.

The famous toilet bowl race is Saturday, Aug. 30 at 3:30 p.m.

As part of Yorkville's annual Hometown Days Festival, with events running from Thursday to Sunday in Beecher Park, Friday Night belongs to the Swifties.

The annual Herscher Labor Day Celebration kicks off Saturday and activities run through Monday, highlighted by the Grand Parade at 10:30 a.m.

The festival presents music and storytelling performances on six stages which run continuously throughout both days, offering mini-concerts, in-the-round groupings of performers and teaching workshops.

From noon to 7 p.m. Sept. 13, 2025, guests can enjoy free live music, explore craft vendors, and sample fare from food trucks and local favorites, all while watching the crowning of the 2024 Fiesta King, Queen, Princess, Don and Doña.

The annual end-of-summer festival is Thursday, Aug. 28 through Sunday, Aug. 31.

Amboy closed its annual Depot Days fun with the annual car show and 50/50 drawing on Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025.