Annual Greater Downtown Indoor Midwest Bluegrass Festival. The weekend includes a bass workshop, guitar show and talent showcase. Weekend passes are $55 for general admission and $60 for reserved seating. Day passes are $25-$30. Costs to attend the talent show only $5. Sunday concert $10. Crowne Plaza Hotel, 3000 South Dirksen Parkway. 217-243-3159. www.bluegrassmidwest.com.
Small town wonders A parade, flea market, car show, carnival rides, food vendors, craft displays, and musical entertainment are featured at Athens Fall Festival. The event kicks off on Thursday, Aug. 25, with the annual Miss Athens pageant. Aug. 26 and 27. Athens Community Park. 217-306-1832.
It’s easy to get carried away at the Lincoln Art and Balloon Festival. The event showcases hot air balloons, live entertainment and professional wrestling matches, as well as carnival rides, rock climbing, and children’s activities. Seventy-seven juried artists from a variety of mediums, 40 booths of handmade crafts, a flea market, and barbecue cookoff are on hand. Visitors can also attend the city’s annual flea market, wine tasting, and craft fair. Aug. 26-28. 217-735-2385. www.lincolnillinois.com A parade, demonstrations of corn shucking, husking bees and other activities are featured at Petersburg’s Annual Harvest Fest. Sept. 16 and 17. For details go to [email protected].
An antique tractor parade, musical entertainment, craft and toy show, antique cars, horse-drawn machinery, and rug weaving and blacksmithing demonstrations are found at Carlinville’s annual Fall Festival. Tours of the Anderson Mansion Museum. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 17 and 18. Macoupin County Historical Society, 920 Breckenridge St. 217-854-8500. http://www.macsociety.org/fall.php Carnival rides, motorcycle and car shows, baby contest, dachshund race, tractor pull and musical performances highlight Beardstown’s annual Fall Fun Festival. Sept. 27 and 28. Saturday 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Downtown Beardstown. 217-323-9476. http://www.beardstownil.org/fallfun.html Bask in the beauty of fall during Lincoln Memorial Garden’s Indian Summer Festival while enjoying arts and crafts for children, pumpkin decorating contest, bluegrass and Celtic music, storytellers, turtle races, and food vendors. Oct. 8 and 9. Free. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 2301 East Lake Drive. 217-529-6111. www.lincolnmemorialgarden.org.
Contact Jolonda Young at [email protected].
