5 Can’t-Miss Events Happening This Weekend In Starved Rock Country

Join us as we explore several fan-favorite festivals making their return, or regional debut, September 12-13 in Starved Rock Country. For more year-round gatherings, you can enjoy in the SRC area, be sure to follow Starved Rock Country on Facebook and explore our calendar atstarvedrockcountry.com/local-events.

Marseilles Renaissance Faire

Saturday Sept. 12

Come one, come all! The Marseilles Renaissance Faire returns this Saturday. This family-friendly one day festival will be located at 655 Commercial St. in Marseilles, with gates opening at 10 a.m. Admission is free, but donations at the door are encouraged.

The faire will feature a wide-ranging selection of great entertainment, food, and shopping – featuring many returning vendors and performers, alongside brand new offerings. Guests are encouraged to dress in period, fantasy or steampunk costumes and bring cash for vendors and the food court.

Starved Rock Powwow

Saturday Sept. 12

The Illinois Valley Intertribal Starved Rock Powwow returns this weekend to downtown Utica. Held at Carey Memorial Park, this outdoor event is open to the public and will feature select stadium seating – guests are encouraged to bring their own chair or blanket. Immerse yourself in the culture and check out the Native vendor booths, special lectures, Tipi/Lodge Tours, and drum circles.

The festivities will feature native food vendors on-site making delicious offerings like Fry Bread. Many tribes will be represented, including Ho-Chunk, Winnebago, Ashinaabe, Flat Head, Lakota, Ponca, Potawatomi, Oneida, Menominee, Odawa, Choctaw, Cherokee and more. Guests will be able to see flintknapping demos, hand drum making demos and a lecture on local archeology by Dr. Dale Simpson. Entrance is $10 for adults, $5 for kids 6-12 and kids younger than 5 are free

Paint the Town: An En Plein Air Art Festival

Sept. 12-13

Paint the Town En Plein Air Festival returns this weekend, bringing talented artists from across the state and beyond to downtown Ottawa. Painters and mixed media artists will set up their easels throughout town on Saturday, capturing the area’s unique charm in real time.

Stroll downtown, watch the artists at work, then see the public awards ceremony held 11 a.m. Sunday at Nell’s Woodland – held in conjunction with their Fall Arts Festival, which is free to attend and open to the public.

Nell’s Woodland Arts Festival

Sept. 13

While you’re seeing the awarding winning En Plein Air paintings, be sure to explore the rest of the offerings at the second annual Nell’s Woodland Arts Festival. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, guests can enjoy hands-on activities and demonstrations by local artists, musicians and naturalists. This event is free and open to all ages. No registration required. Visit the website for additional info on parking and the free event shuttle bus: nellswoodland.com/events

Flotsam River Circus

Sept. 11 - 12

Come see Flotsam River Circus in Ottawa starting at 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Flotsam is a troupe of musicians, circus artists and puppeteers who have been traveling on a handmade raft up the Illinois River, giving free performances to riverfront towns along the way.

They will preforming at Fox River Park, near the Riverwalk Boat Ramp. Just look for the most unusual ‘boat’ on the water. This show is family-friendly, and intended for audiences of all ages. The performance starts at 6 p.m. and will be finished before 7:30 p.m.. Bring a blanket or lawn chair, and come early for a good spot. There is a recommended donation of $10–$25 a person. Cash is welcome, or you can Venmo the 501c3 nonprofit troupe at @rivercircus. All donations are tax-deductible.