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LAKE SHELBYVILLE
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Lake Shelbyville: A Wide Array Of Recreational Opportunities Await Visitors
ake Shelbyville and its communities offer great recreation, attractions, events, and accommodations for a day or for a vacation. Shelby County plays host to the southern two-thirds of Lake Shelbyville, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Interpretive Center and offices. Lake Shelbyville was developed by the USACE in the 1960s, and offers unlimited recreational opportunities for visitors. Known for great fishing and hunting, there are hundreds of miles of shoreline, secluded coves, more than 11,000 acres of water, and three marinas to enjoy. For hunters and naturalists, three designated wildlife management areas, totaling more than 6,800 acres, are located at the lake’s shores. There are five federal and two state parks with camping and boat launches, as well as equestrian campsites.
Moweaqua, and one very entertaining divorce case storyboard in Strasburg. Shelby County was awarded the first National Park Passport stamp as a Looking for Lincoln/Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area community. Visitors may stamp their passports at the USACE visitor center. visit lakeshelbyville.com for updated event listings, attractions and accommodations.
2022 Shelby County/Lake Shelbyville Events Dates are subject to change. Visit lakeshelbyville.com/calendar for details and updates.
June 2-4: Moweaqua Pow Wow Days. Moweaqua City Park. June 4: Kids Fishing Tournament. Opossum Creek Recreation Pond. June 11: Loop Lake Shelbyville. Dam East Recreation Area. July 2-4: Herrick Celebration. Tom Davis Park. July 4: Fireworks over Lake Shelbyville. Main Basin. July 17-21: Shelby County 4H and Junior Fair. Fairgrounds. July 29, 30: Findlay Walleye Festival. Downtown Findlay. August 18-20: Windsor Harvest Picnic. Windsor City Park. September 9-11: DirtWorx at Lake Shelbyville. October 7-9: Touchstone Energy Balloon Fest. Lake Shelbyville area. October 8: Scarecrow Daze. Downtown Shelbyville. November 18-January 1, 2023: Shelbyville Festival of Lights. Forest Park, Shelbyville.
Four public beaches, three campground beaches, plus numerous recreation areas offer picnic sites, pavilions, as well as playgrounds. There are also more than 65 miles of trails for hiking and biking enthusiasts to enjoy. Shelbyville’s Forest Park includes an aquatic center that offers something for everyone in the family, such as a zero-depth entry pool, diving boards, slides, concession stand and sandbox area. The park also offers picnic areas, pavilions, baseball and softball diamonds, a soccer field, athletic center, sunken garden, disc golf, pump track, basketball, shuffleboard, skate park, fishing lagoon and entrance into the General Dacey trail. The park also features the Chautauqua Auditorium, the largest of its kind in the United States. Recently renovated, it is now a beautiful venue for meetings, weddings, entertainment, and more. Shelby County’s Findlay is known as “The Heart of Lake Shelbyville.” Moweaqua is home to the Coal Mine Museum, housing many artifacts from the 1932 Christmas Eve disaster. Cowden has one of five covered bridges in the state. Windsor’s Harvest Picnic is the longest running festival in Illinois. Strasburg is known for its adorable garden gnomes, and Stewardson delights with its “Hoofin’ to the Cow” 5K (cow attire welcomed but not mandatory), and its Lions Club Celebration. Shelby County’s three wineries and a distillery provide an enjoyable experience. The area hosts seven wayside exhibits, telling the stories of Abraham Lincoln’s time here. Five of the stories are in Shelbyville, one in 2022 Discover Visitor & Vacation Guide To Central Illinois | PAGE 75
