2021 Fall AMERICAN THRESHERMAN IN PINCKNEYVILLE
TOURISM
TIMES
Gathering Grounds
Local Events Reignite As The Pandemic Slows but it has been altered – we will have more information on that within the publication. 2020 also marked the 300-year anniversary of Fort de Chartres in Randolph County, which they would have celebrated during their annual Summer Rendezvous event. That gathering usually takes place in June, but has been pushed to September this year, and they will still be
celebrating the 300-year milestone – regardless of the event being a year late. As you read ahead, you will find a slew of events taking place this fall. We have three regions full of gatherings, so make sure to break out your pen and circle any that strike your fancy! We hope to see you in ILLINOISouth this fall!
There were some events that were able to continue over the last year and a half, even amid the pandemic. Doing so meant that event organizers had to think outside of the box to keep crowds distant and safe – which in many cases meant drive-thru events. Some of those tactics will still be used for events this year, while other best practices adopted during the pandemic will be used full-time moving forward. Of course, some of the events that were affected by the pandemic were not your typical run of the mill celebrations. In Olney, the city had been preparing for years to host Mad Dog 2020 – an amazing mural painting event that features an elite group of artists that visit select towns each year. They are hosting that event this year,
ILLINOISouth.org
CENTRALIA BALLON FEST
c CHRISTINE LITTEKEN | GOSPEEDYGO55
Events are back. Three simple words that mean a lot to many communities in ILLINOISouth. Due to the pandemic, a vast majority of annual events throughout our territory were not able to function. Several towns and cities throughout ILLINOISouth rely on these gatherings to bring much needed tourism and tax revenue to their communities.
Tourism Times
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