State Fairs and Carnivals in Illinois and Wisconsin for Spring and Summer 2023 to Celebrate National Picnic Day!

Today is National Picnic Day, and what better way to celebrate than making big plans to celebrate with friends and family with a picnic and some delicious local food at State Fairs around Illinois and Wisconsin! 

Amazing State Fairs and Outdoor Events in Wisconsin and Illinois for Spring and Summer 2023

Running now through May 13th in Spring Grove, you won’t want to miss out on the incomparable Richardson Farm Tulip Festival. With more than 5 acres and 300,000 bulbs featuring 30 different varieties of flower, this memorable event is the experience of a lifetime.  From wine tastings to photo ops to delicious donuts and more, your whole family will have something to enjoy!  Plus, you’ll get to pick your own free tulip with each admission ticket.

The Spring Fling is celebrating its first annual event in Springfield, Illinois featuring local food and drinks, horse riding, and special events by the Wooten Rodeo Company as well as the Fairground Showdown Youth Speed Challenge, all happening at the DuQuoin State Fair Grounds

Reserve May 20th to enjoy  an annual family-friendly celebration in Springfield for the LGBTQIA+ Springfield Pridefest event!  With plenty of live entertainment, local food and drink, and unique local vendors and artisan goods, you’ll have the time of your life.  So don your best rainbows and your glitteriest accessories, and come on down.

Reserve the first weekend in June to visit Harvard, IL and enjoy the celebration of “Harvard Milk Days”.  Each year, a two mile stretch of the town center is flooded with more than 30 special events and exhibits as they celebrate the local dairy industry for more than 80 years!  Visitors will enjoy a very festive parade, rides and games, local food, a fireworks show, a petting zoo, a Jr. Cattle Show, special races and contests, live entertainment, and so much more.

On June 4th from 10AM to 4PM, the local favorite Good Old Summertime Art Fair is returning to Kenosha, Wisconsin!  This free admission event is held rain or shine, so you can make your plans with confidence.  Enjoy the regional and local fine arts and local handcrafted goods in the downtown area at Civic Center Park.

The Bristol Renaissance Fair takes place in Kenosha, WI every weekend from July through September.  Families will love leaping back in time to the late 1500s!  With more than 2,000 performers and 13 stages as well as special guests, visitors will enjoy a rollicking good time enjoying parades, live music, historical reenactments, special exhibits and live demonstrations, and so much more.

The Wisconsin State Fair runs this year from August 3rd through the 13th, celebrating its roots and traditions for 172 years!  Families will find all sorts of affordable fun and activities at this entertaining and educational event.  Explore the agricultural showcase featuring renewable energy programs and agricultural demonstrations, learn about horticulture, crafts and textile, and even culinary competitions!  There’s also dozens of stages offering country, pop, rock, R&B, oldies, and comedy shows to fit all kinds of folks.  Not to mention, there’s hundreds of local and regional food and beverage vendors. Don’t forget oto sample Wisconsin’s official state food while you’re there: The deep-fried Cheese curd.  There’s also lots of games, attractions, and shopping to enjoy!

The Annual Illinois State Fair is back again in Springfield from August 10th through the 20th.  This agricultural fair celebrates the rich history of Illinois as a farming community, with good ol’ fashioned state fair fun!  Welcoming nearly 350,000 visitors every year, fairgoers will enjoy live entertainment, big names in country and rock concerts, horse racing, a carnival and parade, local foods and beer, and so very much more!  Head on over to sample the famous corndogs and ogle the butter cow sculptures. It’s a can’t-miss local event!

The 40th Annual Port Clinton Art Festival 2023 will be held on August 26th and 27th in Highland Park, Illinois  This beautiful family friendly event takes place downtown and features an incredible array of local artists and artisans.  The downtown streets are closed to traffic, so you can enjoy a relaxing stroll to admire the art and handcrafted goods on display and for purchase in the market.  It’s also wheelchair accessible and stroller-friendly!

Close out your summer with the Annual Hoopeston National Sweet Corn Festival, happening August 31st through September 4th 2023.  The self-proclaimed corn capitol of the world, Hoopsetown hosts a 5-day festival celebrating you guessed it: Corn!  Festivalgoers will have a blast at the themed parade, followed by a carnival, 5K Run, Demo Derby, Tractor Pull, and all sorts of fun contests and activities with live entertainment.

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