EASTERN REGION
FALL FESTIVAL IN MCLEANSBORO
Mark Your Calendars!
Visit Events Of All Kinds In ILLINOISouth’s Eastern Region Next up, we’ll focus on so many gatherings and events that are taking place in our Eastern Region this fall. This region is our largest, accounting for 12 counties – Clark, Clay, Crawford, Cumberland, Edwards, Hamilton, Jasper, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, Wayne, and White. We’ll kick off with one of the most popular events in our Eastern Region which can be found in Hamilton County. The McLeansboro Kiwanis Club hosts the McLeansboro Fall Festival each year for the last 65 years. When it began, it was a one-day celebration called Dairy Days – it has since grown into a three-day event that is beloved by thousands of folks throughout southern Illinois. “What separates this event from others is the free, professional, worldwideknown entertainment,” explains Jerry Prince, Chairman of the Fall Festival’s Entertainment Committee and Past President as well. Over the years, they have had a ton of talent visit McLeansboro – from Sawyer Brown and the Oak Ridge Boys to Lee Greenwood and Confederate Railroad, along with many others. For this year’s event – the Fall Festival will host Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder on Thursday the 9th, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on Friday the 10th, and Exile on Saturday the 11th. The best part is, the McLeansboro Fall Festival costs folks nothing to enjoy, the concerts are all FREE – which is made possible from donations. “We have a very supportive business community,” Prince admits. “I feel great that they have enough confidence as I reach out to them to contribute, to make this all possible.” Aside from the entertainment, the McLeansboro Fall Festival has another component that makes it unique. Several years ago they added the Fox Hollow Downhill Derby Race to the list of activities, and it has been VERY well received. In the near future, they plan to offer those races for younger kids to participate from 7 to 8 years old, all the way to the age of 19. “I think that our festival is starting to take on a different atmosphere, because I think it might be becoming a southern Illinois staple,” Prince says. “We start getting calls right after our festival from people wondering when the next year’s event will be, and who will be performing. People like to plan class reunions, family reunions, vacations, 20
Fall 2021
or just passing through – and let those things coincide with our Festival.” In terms of any health precautions, Prince says they’ll follow any guidelines that the state and the department of health have in place. As an affiliate of the National/International Kiwanis Club – they will do whatever they can in order to stay in compliance, which is why they made the difficult decision to cancel last year’s Fall Festival. Another parallel celebration going on at the same time is the Bicentennial of Hamilton County. On February 8th of 1821, Hamilton County was formed from White County – so throughout this year there have been and will be gatherings to celebrate the occasion. In the 200 years of Hamilton County, there have been several remarkable individuals to contribute to history, including past Illinois Governor John Henry Stelle. Stelle was born in McLeansboro and went on to be a very key figure in writing the G.I. Bill of Rights in 1944. Prince says between the Fall Festival and the Bicentennial, 2021 is an extremely exciting time for folks in the community – and they can’t wait to have everyone in town. “We welcome everyone, and we’re very appreciative that we’re able to do what we’re doing,” adds Prince. The 2021 McLeansboro Fall Festival is slated for September 9th – 11th, so make sure to keep an eye on the McLeansboro Kiwanis Club Facebook page for any updates regarding the event going forward. Did you know that the Heath Bar was created in Robinson, Illinois? The fantastic toffee and chocolate bar has deep ties to the community of Robinson, which is why they have an event called the Heath Harvest Festival. This annual celebration features live entertainment, car show, parade, toffee demonstrations and so much more. Glenda Fulling, the President of the Heath Harvest Festival says that after taking last year off – the community is excited to have the event in the downtown square this fall. “It is very important to our community to host this event for our businesses to thrive and most importantly for our community residents and visitors,” Fulling explains. “This festival
brings a great deal of tourism to our community and we want to make their experience fun and safe. Not having the festival last year was hard on so many, so this year we want to invite our class reunions back, our yearly visitors back, as well as some new faces to our community. We have many businesses already on board to do their part to make this years festival the best ever.” Fulling adds that the Festival will definitely take the pandemic into account when it comes to this year’s event. “We will be making as many provisions as possible to ensure the safety of our guests with placing of our vendors, sanitation stations, and more,” Fulling says. “Most likely, our demographics for our vendors will change a bit in order to keep our vendors spaced properly for social distancing.” The 2021 Heath Harvest Fest is set for October 1st and 2nd, and you can visit their website for more information at heathharvestfest.com. Another community in Crawford County with a longrunning tradition is Oblong. The Oblong Fall Follies and Spooktacular Halloween Parade has become a fan-favorite over the last few decades, and the parade has been deemed the largest nighttime parade in the state! “We are extremely excited to be moving forward with the events this year,” says Diane Houdasheldt, President of Oblong’s Chamber of Commerce. “Our visitors and vendors safety will be our top concern and we will be following all needed safety precautions deemed necessary for all those attending our event,” Houdasheldt adds. Fall Follies has been a tradition for over 50 years in Crawford County. “People look forward to attending the entertainment, browsing the craft booths, enjoying the great food at many food vendors, and shopping our downtown stores. No matter how far people move away, coming home to share their memories with others is always a highlight,” Houdasheldt explains. For those who plan to attend the Fall Follies and Halloween Spectacular on Saturday, October 30th this year, Houdasheldt says the community welcomes you with open arms. “We would encourage people to be courteous and patient while attending this years' event but also come to enjoy the fun we have on (618) 257-1488
