Events

One of the best mountain bike festivals in the midwest. at Camp Ondessonk located in Ozark, Illinois right in the middle of the beautiful Shawnee National Forest. 618.622.1693

Plan your week of Saluki spirit! From parades to tailgates, contests to campus traditions, don’t miss a moment of the action, check out the full

Whether you're a singer, musician, comedian, or speaker of some sort, we want to hear from you. If you just want to sit and listen, there is a place for you, too! We are the place to be for listening to local talent and becoming part of the musical community. […]

SIU Homecoming/Carbondale Halloween Festival, we will be shutting down the strip once more! This year, we’ll be bringing a full festival style to our iconic downtown strip for this perfectly aligned SIU Homecoming/Carbondale Halloween celebration with carnival games, food trucks, vendors, and two alternating stages with a robust lineup of […]

Annual Fort Massac Encampment -Ft. Massac State Park, Metropolis. 10am to 5pm daily. Military and civilian craft activities and demonstrations. Both days begin with a post of colors. Highlights include mock battles and tactical demonstrations, voyagers, traders, craftsman, children’s games, music and period food and dress. Free admission. 618-524-4712

Each fall, vultures soar and glide over Makanda and the surrounding areas and signal the beginning of fall and the arrival of the incredible fall colors of Makanda and southern Illinois. Vulture Fest features live music, food, shopping, and art by local artists for purchase (618) 457-0360

Green Earth's Pumpkin Glow will once again be delighting visitors with our magical nighttime hike! Stroll through the woods at night to view over 750 jack-o-lanterns and witness the ethereal beauty that is this region's original Pumpkin Glow. You won't want to miss it! Children 17 & Under - Free Read more

The Drive Thru “Haunted Forest” is a fun community event for the entire family.

Come view the beautiful fall colors at Bald Knob Cross! Lunch served, face painting, music and games. Bald Knob Mountain offers one of the premier views for Fall Colors in the entire Midwest all at the site of one of the world's largest crosses. Food Trucks and Local Vendors will Read more

Celebrate stewardship at work in the Shawnee National Forest! Join the Friends of the Shawnee National Forest for a fun-filled afternoon of live music, community updates, and local flavor at the beautiful Alto Vineyards. We'll do a members only premium raffle and silent auction Tickets: https://friends-of-the-shawnee.square.site/product/2026-member-celebration-fundraiser/X5TQ34SHJCHQDTIXPATI7ASJ?cs=true&cst=custom (No physical tickets mailed; […]

The full moon that appears in October is called the Hunters Moon, so named as the preferred month to hunt summer-fattened deer and fox unable to hide in now bare fields. Like the Harvest Moon, the Hunters Moon is also particularly bright and long in the sky, giving hunters the […]

This program engages elementary to middle school age children on a guided trick-or-treat adventure through the Wetlands Center and along the Egret Slough Trail. The half-mile trail will give families a chance to interact with misunderstood creatures of the swamp and enjoy the magic of Halloween. Children are welcome to […]