County fairs can be found throughout Illinois all summer, as residents show visitors the best the area has to offer. Delve beyond best in show steers, homemade pies and carnival rides and explore summer festivals in central Illinois. Whether you want to relax and enjoy a rural atmosphere or develop your inner vinophile, festivals will provide whatever you're looking for.
Arthur, Illinois, is home to all things Amish. It is quaint and relaxing. Drive into town right alongside horse and buggy combinations used by the locals and visit shops that sell beautifully crafted items from furniture to food. The highlight of the summer season in Arthur is the Cheese Festival on Labor Day weekend. The fun never stops from Saturday through Monday. Some of the excitement includes the Cheese Eating Nationals, the Cheese Curling Championships, and the 5K Rat Race. Events start early Saturday and wind down Monday. Participants enjoy parades, cheese giveaways and lots and lots of shopping. Arthur is in east central Illinois, just 10 miles west of Interstate 57, about three hours south of Chicago or 90 minutes east of Springfield.
[email protected]
800-72-AMISH
arthurcheesefestival.com
On the banks of the Mississippi River, the cozy, rural town of Quincy hums with excitement during the Great River Grape Escape the last weekend of September. Hosted by the Central & South Central Regions Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association, the festival features music and food lining Front and Hampshire streets. Admission is free for the festival, which lasts from noon to 9 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Representatives of Illinois wineries bring samples of their produce for visitors to enjoy. Quincy is five hours west of Chicago on the Iowa/Illinois border.
Fort and Hampshire streets
Quincy, IL 62301
217-214-3700
illinoiswine.org
About three hours southwest of Chicago, the Peoria Art Guild hosts the Junction City Art Festival, which attracts artists from across the Midwest. All artists must live in a 150-mile radius of Peoria, and most come from within a 50-mile radius of the city. The juried event showcases all forms of art from delicate paintings to homespun crafts, jewelry and textiles. The festival takes place on the scenic riverfront in downtown Peoria, lending a relaxing panoramic view to the event. Held in early June, the Junction City Art Festival is proud of its top 100 art fairs ranking.
The Peoria Art Guild
203 Harrison St.
Peoria, IL 61602
309-671-1093
Fax: 309-637-7334
[email protected]
peoriaartguild.org
