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Events in Downstate Illinois

Events in Downstate Illinois

Find Your Next Event

Whether you’re looking for a festival, marathon or something family-friendly to bring the kids to, Downstate Illinois has something for everyone. The region hosts over 900 events each year, and we pride ourselves on providing the most accurate event information so that you don’t miss a thing.

What are you waiting for? Explore our Event Calendar to find the perfect entertainment for you and your family during your visit.

Please use the color-coded map for reference.

  • Western Region (Orange) – Close to St. Louis, MO
  • Central Region (Blue) – Close to Springfield, IL
  • Eastern Region (Yellow) – Close to Terre Haute, IN

Wonderlights Christmas Display

November 14, 2025 - January 4, 2026
World Wide Technology Raceway
Madison, IL

Mattoon Lightworks

 November 20, 2025 - December 28, 2025
Peterson House
Mattoon, IL

The Dickens Pop-Up Dinner

 November 20, 2025
Eckert's Country Restaurant
Belleville, IL

Lebanon Victorian Holiday Weekend

 November 21, 2025 - November 22, 2025
Downtown Lebanon
Lebanon, IL

Red Bud's Holiday Happenings

 November 21, 2025 - November 23, 2025
Downtown
Red Bud, IL

Food Truck Friday's and Saturday's

 November 21, 2025
Millpond Bewing
Millstadt, IL

Christmas in Casey Fairview Park

November 21, 2025 - December 28, 2025
Fairview Park
Casey, IL

55th Annual Way of Lights Christmas Display

 November 21, 2025 - December 31, 2025
National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows
Belleville, IL

Vine Street Thanksgiving Market

 November 22, 2025
O'Fallon Station
O'Fallon, IL

Highland Band and Choir Boosters Artisan Fair

 November 22, 2025
Highland High School
Highland, IL

Frauentag/Ladies Day Out

November 22, 2025
Downtown Maeystown
Maeystown, IL

Fairfield Retail Merchants Holiday Open House

 November 22, 2025
Downtown
Fairfield, IL

Maeystown Damen Tag

 November 22, 2025
Corner George Inn
Maeystown, IL

Food Truck Friday's and Saturday's

 November 22, 2025
Millpond Bewing
Millstadt, IL

Murder Mystery Dinner: Harm for the Holidays

 November 22, 2025
Eckert's Country Restaurant
Belleville, IL

Du Quoin Run Club Holiday Hustle for a Cause

 November 25, 2025
Du Quoin State Fairgrounds
Du Quoin, IL

Mattoon YMCA Bare Bones Turkey Trot

 November 27, 2025
Mattoon YMCA
Mattoon, IL

Gobble Hobble

 November 27, 2025
Korte Recreation Center
Highland, IL

Du Quoin Holiday Lights Fair

 November 27, 2025 - December 30, 2025
Du Quoin Fairgrounds
Du Quoin, IL

Olney Christmas Light Display

 November 27, 2025 - January 1, 2026
Olney City Park
Olney, IL

Belleville Christkindlmarkt

 November 28, 2025 - November 30, 2025
Public Square, Belleville, IL
Belleville, IL

Lawrence County Capital Classic

 November 28, 2025 - November 29, 2025
Lawrenceville High School
Lawrenceville, IL

Food Truck Friday's and Saturday's

 November 28, 2025
Millpond Bewing
Millstadt, IL

Christmas in Oblong Park

 November 28, 2025 - December 25, 2025
Oblong Park
Oblong, IL

Christmas Lights Wonderland

 November 28, 2025 - December 31, 2025
American Farm Heritage Museum
Greenville, IL

Christmas in Carlyle - Lights in the Park

 November 28, 2025 - January 4, 2026
Carlyle City Park
Carlyle, IL

Christmas Lights of Hope

 November 28, 2025 - December 31, 2025
White County Fairgrounds
Carmi, IL

Carlyle Christmas Parade and Fireworks

 November 28, 2025
City Park
Carlyle, IL

Red Bud Lighted Parade

November 28, 2025
Downtown
Red Bud, IL

An Olde Village Christmas

 November 28, 2025
Liederkranz Park
Millstadt, IL

Breakfast with Santa

 November 29, 2025 - November 30, 2025
Bretz Wildlife Lodge and Winery
Carlyle, IL

Columbia Small Business Saturday

November 29, 2025
Historic Main Street
Columbia, IL

Holiday Vendor Market at The Strand

 November 29, 2025
The Strand
Pocahontas, IL

Mount Carmel Small Business Saturday

 November 29, 2025
City Wide
Mount Carmel, IL

Columbia City Hall Christmas Tree Lighting

November 29, 2025
Fountain Park
Columbia, IL

Welcome to Whoville

 November 29, 2025
Village of Sainte Marie
Sainte Marie, IL

Broadway Cookie Walk

 November 29, 2025
Holey Moley Daylight Donuts
Mattoon, IL

Holiday in Twin Lakes Park

 November 29, 2025 - January 1, 2026
Twin Lakes Park
Paris, IL

Food Truck Friday's and Saturday's

 November 29, 2025
Millpond Bewing
Millstadt, IL

Hutsonville Christmas on the River

 November 29, 2025
Hutsonville, IL

Murder Mystery Dinner: Harm for the Holidays

 November 29, 2025
Eckert's Country Restaurant
Belleville, IL

Vandalia Festival of Lights

 November 29, 2025 - January 1, 2026
Rogier Park
Vandalia, IL

Olney Christmas Parade

 November 29, 2025
Downtown
Olney, IL

Belleville Christkindlmarkt

 December 4, 2025 - December 7, 2025
Public Square, Belleville, IL
Belleville, IL

CLAS Holiday Fest

 December 4, 2025 - December 7, 2025
Doudna Fine Arts Center
Charleston, IL

Budding Naturalist

 December 5, 2025
Douglas-Hart Nature Center
Mattoon, IL

Celebrate Mattoon's Downtown Christmas

 December 5, 2025
Downtown
Mattoon, IL

Okawville Christmas Stroll

 December 5, 2025
Downtown
Okawville, IL

Home for the Holidays Festival

 December 5, 2025 - December 7, 2025
Robinson Civic Center
Robinson, IL

Christmas Stroll in Historic Downtown Centralia

 December 5, 2025
Historic Downtown Centralia
Centralia, IL

Christmas Uptown-Mt. Carmel

 December 5, 2025
Market Street Mount Carmel, IL
Mount Carmel, IL

Food Truck Friday's and Saturday's

 December 5, 2025
Millpond Bewing
Millstadt, IL

Merry Hometown Christmas in the Parks

 December 5, 2025
Downtown
Oblong, IL

Candy Canes On Main

 December 5, 2025 - December 6, 2025
Downtown Casey
Casey, IL

Hometown Holly Days

 December 6, 2025
Downtown Marshall
Marshall, IL

Breakfast with Santa (and the Puppets!)

 December 6, 2025
Trenton First United Methodist Church
Trenton, IL

Christmas in the Heart of Charleston

 December 6, 2025
Downtown Square
Charleston, IL

Coulterville Holiday Light Display

 December 6, 2025 - December 26, 2025
Coulterville, IL

Bright Night Christmas Parade and Turner Hall Social

 December 6, 2025
Historic Main Street/Turner Hall
Columbia, IL

Food Truck Friday's and Saturday's

 December 6, 2025
Millpond Bewing
Millstadt, IL

Mt. Carmel Christmas Parade

 December 6, 2025
Market Street Mount Carmel, IL
Mount Carmel, IL

The Dickens Pop-Up Dinner

 December 6, 2025
Eckert's Country Restaurant
Belleville, IL

RENEE - Live Christmas Concert

 December 6, 2025
Castle Ridge
Centralia, IL

Columbia Visit with Santa at the Winter Wonderland

December 7, 2025
Main Street Abbey
Columbia, IL

Weihnachtsfest - German Christmas Festival

 December 7, 2025
St. James Parish Center
Millstadt, IL

An Old Fashioned German Christmas in Maeystown

 December 7, 2025
Maesytown
Maeystown, IL

Old Fashion German Christmas

December 7, 2025
Historic Maeystown District
Maeystown, IL

Old-Fashioned Christmas on the Prairie

 December 7, 2025
Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site
Lerna, IL

Pawliday Party

 December 7, 2025
Belle City Kennel Club
Belleville, IL

Metro East 2025 Christmas Concert

 December 7, 2025
St. Paul United Church of Christ
Belleville, IL

U.S. Air Force Band of Mid-America Holiday Concert

 December 7, 2025
The Hettenhausen Center for the Arts
Lebanon, IL

U.S. Air Force Band of Mid-America Holiday Concert

 December 8, 2025
The Hettenhausen Center for the Arts
Lebanon, IL

Belleville Christkindlmarkt

 December 11, 2025 - December 14, 2025
Public Square, Belleville, IL
Belleville, IL

Gingerbread Cookie Walk

 December 12, 2025 - December 13, 2025
Downtown Belleville
Belleville, IL

Food Truck Friday's and Saturday's

 December 12, 2025
Millpond Bewing
Millstadt, IL

Restoration Ranch Journey to Bethlehem

 December 12, 2025 - December 13, 2025
Restoration Ranch
Shiloh, IL

Polar Express Experience

 December 12, 2025 - December 13, 2025
Salem Theatre and Cultural Center
Salem, IL

Breakfast with Santa

 December 13, 2025
Klucker Hall
Shiloh, IL

Christmas at the Castle

 December 13, 2025
Castle Ridge
Centralia, IL

Columbia Visit with Santa at the Library

 December 13, 2025
Columbia Library
Columbia, IL

Jasper County Christmas on the Square

 December 13, 2025
Downtown Square
Newton, IL

Home for the Holidays

 December 13, 2025
O'Fallon Station
O'Fallon, IL

Food Truck Friday's and Saturday's

 December 13, 2025
Millpond Bewing
Millstadt, IL

Statehouse Candlelight Tours

 December 13, 2025
Vandalia Statehouse
Vandalia, IL

The Dickens Pop-Up Dinner

 December 13, 2025
Eckert's Country Restaurant
Belleville, IL

New Baden Winter Market

 December 14, 2025
New Baden Civic Center
New Baden, IL

Belleville Christkindlmarkt

 December 18, 2025 - December 23, 2025
Public Square, Belleville, IL
Belleville, IL

Food Truck Friday's and Saturday's

 December 19, 2025
Millpond Bewing
Millstadt, IL


Downstate Illinois Events

Downstate Illinois Events

Explore Our Event Calendar
Whether you’re looking for a festival, marathon or something family-friendly to bring the kids to, Downstate Illinois has something for everyone. The region hosts over 900 events each year, and we pride ourselves on providing the most accurate event information so that you don’t miss a thing.
Travel Ideas

Travel Ideas

Check Out Our Blog
From outdoor recreation and adventure to foodies and family fun, we have the trip ideas to plan the perfect vacation.
Road Trip Itineraries

Road Trip Itineraries

22 Counties made for Road Trips
Downstate Illinois was made for road trips! With the help of our road trip itineraries, you can discover all that our 22 counties have to offer — from family fun to outdoor adventures and shopping sprees. 
Check out our calendar of events!
Wonderlights Christmas Display

Wonderlights Christmas Display

November 14, 2025 - January 4, 2026 @ 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM
World Wide Technology Raceway | Madison, IL
The Dickens Pop-Up Dinner

The Dickens Pop-Up Dinner

 November 20, 2025 @ 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Eckert's Country Restaurant | Belleville, IL
Mattoon Lightworks

Mattoon Lightworks

 November 20, 2025 - December 28, 2025 @ 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Peterson House | Mattoon, IL

View Entire Events Calendar

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