Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – It may not feel like fall for a part of September, but you will definitely get in the fall mood! Here are some of our picks for places you can go to, and things you can do, in the month of September.
Pumpkin Creek Farms- Opening Day is Saturday, September 13. They are open Tues-Thurs 10am-5pm, Fri-Sat 10am-6pm, and Sunday 12pm-6pm. They will be open on Columbus Day. 7392 Barclay Road- Sherman, IL
Nightglow Festival at Southwind Park– Sept 18- Southwind Park- Come out to the Night Glow Festival! As the sun sets, watch the sky come alive with a breathtaking hot air ballon glow at dusk! Bring your family and friends for an unforgettable evening of glowing balloons, great food, and beautiful park views! Takes place Thursday, September 18th from 6-9pm. $10 Parking Admission
Clayville Fall Festival– Sept 20-21- Clayville Historic Site- Pleasant Plains
UIS Homecoming Fireworks– Fri., Sept. 19th @ 9pm. Post soccer game fireworks. Kiwanis Stadium, University of Illinois Springfield, One University Plaza.
Jacksonville Car Show and Cruise Night– Sat., Sept. 20th 9am-9pm. Jacksonville Community Park, Jacksonville.
Clayville Fall Festival– Sat., Sept. 20th 9am-4pm and Sun. Sept. 21st, 9am-4pm. Free. Clayville Historic Site, Pleasant Plains, Route 125.
Autumn Author Encounters– Sat., Sept. 20th10am-noon. Free. Stella Coffee and Tea, 1135 W. Governor St.
Washington Park Botanical Garden Leaf Identification Hikes– Sat., Sept. 20th, 10am-noon, 1pm-3pm. Bring collection bag and dress for the outdoors. Register now at but.ly/Leaf_ID_Trails. Residents $7. Non-residents $10. Washington Park Botanical Garden. 1740 W. Fayette Avenue.
Edwards Place Fine Arts Fair– Sept 20-21-Edwards Place- Springfield- View and purchase hand-crafted art from the Midwest and beyond at dozens of artists booths. Along with shopping for fine art, you’ll enjoy live music, food vendors, live art demonstrations, a Used Book Sale, and free tours of Edwards Place.
Jubilee Farm 25th Anniversary– Sat., Sept. 20th 11am-2pm. Celebrate the farm’s anniversary by checking out various demonstrations and activities such as permaculture gardening, and outdoor loom/spinning demonstration and discussion about llamas and alpacas. Visitors welcome to bring picnic lunches. Free, donations accepted. Jubilee Farm. 6760 Old Jacksonville Road.
Buzz Bomb Brewing Co. Oktoberfest- Sept 20- Buzz Bomb Brewing Co.- As we always say, if it’s worth doing it’s worth overdoing, so with that in mind we are shutting down the street and throwing an outdoor music festival on Saturday 9/20/2025! It’s also September…which means Oktoberfest! We will be serving several German styles and have invited other local breweries to come and bring their Oktoberfest beers. **Outdoor sales end at 10:30pm. **Minors are allowed outside but must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to go inside Buzz Bomb Brewing Co. Featuring The Goddamn Gallows, Coleman Williams, Jayke Orvis & The Bullsh*t Bros, Master Bastard, Leech Off Society, TBA, AND an after show from the Drunken Goblins! There will also be food, vendors, games, and children’s activities!
Adams Street Family Reunion Fundraiser– Thu. Sept. 25th– 5:30pm. Reserve space for the first annual Adams Street Family Reunion Fundraiser, celebrating Kidzeum and raising funds needed to serve the kids who are part of the Springfield family. Silent auction, trivia games, and surprises based on the original Addams Family characters and goodies bags. $75. Kidzeum of Health and Science. 412 E. Adams St.
Friends of the Farmers Market Street Dinner- Sept 25- Downtown Springfield- Celebrate the immense bounty of the Old Capitol Farmers Market with DSI’s 10th Annual Friends of the Market Street Dinner under the fall constellations at community tables placed on the Old State Capitol Plaza. In collaboration with farmers market vendors, local chefs skilled in farm-to-table cuisine will prepare a delicious four-course meal with wine pairings by The Wine Group and Bloom Wine Bar & Florals per course.
56th Annual Prairie Land Heritage Museum Steam Show and Fall Festival– Fri., Sept. 26th, 8am, Sat. Sept. 27th 8am, and Sun. Sept. 28th 8am. $10, children 12 and under are free. Prairie Land Heritage Museum. Jacksonville. 1005 W. Michigan Avenue.
Halloween Park Scavenger Hunt– Sept 26- Springfield Park District- Join the park district for a spooky adventure at the park! They will have four different Halloween – Scavenger Hunts available at the following parks: Lincoln Park, Southwind Park, Stuart Park, and Kiwanis Park. Get ready for a day filled with goblins, ghouls, and a dash of mystery. Our Halloween Park Scavenger Hunt is the perfect way to discover ghostly clues in the great outdoors! Takes place September 26th from 9am to 7pm. How it works:
– First join the Halloween Park Scavenger Hunt Event Page on the Springfield Park District Facebook page.
– Clue unveiling: You will receive your first clue that will set you on a spooky trail of adventure within the Halloween Park Scavenger Hunt Event Page for each park at 9 a.m. on September 26th.
– Explore the Park: Each Park’s Halloween Scavenger Hunt follows five clues scattered around the park to discover hidden treasures and chilling surprises.
– Teamwork: Work together with your partner or group to solve puzzles and conquer challenges.
– Final destination: Reach the final pumpkin in the park for a special Halloween surprise.
– Once you have reached the final pumpkin, there will be instructions for a special chance to win exciting prizes! What to Bring: Comfortable shoes, a fully charged phone or camera, and your sense of adventure.
History of the Underground Railroad in Illinois- Fri., Sept. 26th 5:30pm. Susan Helm and John C. Ackerman will be the speakers at the dinner lecture program the Elkhart Historical Society. Call to make reservations by Sept. 15th. Cost includes dinner/dessert and lecture. $45. Elkhart Christian Church Fellowship Community Center, Elkhart- 206 S. Gillett St.
The Official International Route 66 Mother Road Festival Party -Sept 26- The Railyard on Route 66- One of the biggest weekends of the year kicks off Friday, September 26th at The Railyard on 66—the official party venue for the International Route 66 Mother Road Car Show & Festival. Live music from 11am – 6pm. Then Cruise Night rolls through. Starting around 6pm, hundreds of classic cars from around the world will cruise right past on 6th Street.
Friday Night at the Farm– Sept 26- Bomke’s Patch- Springfield- Come on out and join Bomke’s for their Friday Night at the Farm. Bring your flashlight and a blanket. Navigate their Glow maze in the dark, watch a movie on the lawn. Play area and foam machine fun!
2025 Artisan Market– Sept 27- Illinois State Fairgrounds- After a brief hiatus, the Annual Artisan Market will be returning in 2025. Located at the Commodities Pavilion, across from the Grandstand, on Saturday, Sept 27, 2025. Artisans will be showcasing their handmade items, including artwork, apparel, home decor, and more!
Chatham Jaycees Oktoberfest– Sat., Sept. 27th, 11am-9pm. Traditional(ish) celebration with food, fun, and German and American music. See the Facebook page for more info. Veterans Memorial Square, Chatham. 101 N. Main Street.
3rd Annual Grand Market– Sun., Sept. 28th 11am-4pm. This family-friendly event features a variety of local businesses offering unique products and services, food and drinks and live music throughout the day. Includes children’s activities. Bjgrandsalon.com. FREE. BJ Grand Salon and Spa. 3300 Robbins Road.