Decatur Celebration
5-11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1; 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2; 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3
Hundreds of thousands of people will flock to downtown Decatur for one of the largest free street festivals in the Midwest. Four “Hot Summer Nights” begin when the celebration opens with carnival rides for the family on Thursday, July 31, from 4-11 p.m.
New this year is the University of Illinois Extension’s 4-H Block Party, 4H Techno Robotics Extravaganza and healthy living demos. Not only will the Macon County pageants for queen, junior miss and celebration princesses now be held in the Civic Center on Aug. 3, but the Decatur Celebration will now include a reining festival king and queen – one couple who together raise the most funds for the fair. Last but not least, Heinkel’s Hot Dog Eating competition will now be held at the Decatur Celebration. And contestants can enter by submitting a video.
Some great music is slated for the festival in 2014. The lineup includes the fun and fabulous undead funk band Here Come the Mummies who will be at the Civic Center on July 31. Other bands and musicians headlining the festival include Led Zepplica, funk and R&B band Space Capone, American Idol winner Ruben Studdard, Christian pop and rock band Royal Tailor, Jamie Grace, hip-hop icons Salt ’n Pepa, country singer Jo Dee Messina and rock icon Joan Jett and the Blackhearts.
The regular offerings are as big as the 10 stages of music and entertainment. There will be three blocks of arts and crafts, the award-winning Land of Lincoln Credit Union 21 Film Project with films on Saturday and Sunday in The Back Lot and an awards ceremony, a wine garden by the blues stage, the beloved Razzle Dazzle Goodtimes Parade on Saturday at 10 a.m., a kids block with shows, games and prizes, and more than 70 unique food items.
The festival is free to get in, but you’ll need to buy a Band Together wristband to purchase food and drink. Each band costs only $5 for the weekend if you buy them in advance. They are $6 on site. And that ticket price helps pay for all the free entertainment and free admission.
Details and maps for the Decatur Celebration are located at decaturcelebration. com.
