Southern Illinois Music Festival

The 9th annual Southern Illinois Music Festival features over three-dozen performances in venues all over the Southern Illinois region. In addition to the New Chicago Chamber Orchestra, musicians from throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia perform orchestral music, chamber music, opera, ballet, and jazz in an informal and inviting atmosphere. This year’s Festival, titled “Swarm of B's,” runs June 3-23 and features some of our favorite composers that start with the letter "B"—Bach, Brahms, Barber, Bartok and Beethoven to name a few.

CITY: Carbondale

35th Annual Sunset Concert Series

The weekend begins on Thursday evening in Carbondale during the summer, as hundreds gather to attend the welcoming, relaxing and fun tradition that is the Sunset Concert series. Attendees bring everything from beer-pong tables and barbecue grills to pop-up tents and couches. The concerts rotate between two beautiful venues, with the more contemporary acts on the Steps of Shryock Auditorium and the mellower, more traditional bands playing under the Lenus Turley Park gazebo.

CITY: Carbondale

Annual Lights Fantastic Activities & Parade

Take pictures with Santa’s reindeer in Carbondale's Town Square, stop by the Polar Express Station (the Old Train Depot) for candy cane treats, and enjoy the Holiday Cookie Walk, where downtown businesses offer cookies and refreshments. The Lights Fantastic Parade kicks off at 6pm.

CITY: Carbondale

Brown Bag Concert Series

Grab a lawn chair, pick up lunch from a local eatery and head to the Town Square Pavillion for Carbondale Main Street's Brown Bag Concert! Every Wednesday local musicians come together to put on a free show in the heart of downtown Carbondale. Everyone is welcome, but the event emphasizes a family-friendly atmosphere.

CITY: Carbondale

American Thresherman Show

The evening events for this five day steam and antique tractor show will feature a horse pull, antique tractor pull and, on Friday and Saturday nights, Illinois Tractor Pulling Associating pulls. Thursday night, head uptown for the big parade. The day events include plowing with horses, steam engine and tractors and a pedal tractor pull. There will also be demonstrations on sawmills, veneer mills, shingle mills and blacksmiths.

CITY: Pinckneyville

Du Quoin Annual Holiday Lights Fair

Starting the day after Thanksgiving and continuing through the month of December. Come experience Du Quoin Tourism’s transformation of the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds into a magical place with lights and decorations. The event features a 1 1/2-mile drive through over $250,000 worth of lighted displays as well as decorated trees, entertainment, food, crafts and visits with Santa in the Expo Hall. The light trail opens nightly from 5:30 – 9:30 p.m., and the Expo Hall will be open on the second and third weekends in December from 5:30 — 9:30 p.m. The Expo Hall features Santa’s train ride and Santa’s Workshop.

CITY: Du Quoin

Carbondale Community Friday Night Fair

Enjoy some of the best of what Carbondale has to offer every Friday during the summer, when the arts & entertainment scene unites with local farmers and craftsmen to create a fun, family-friendly festival. Hosted in Carbondale's historic Town Square Pavillion, the fair includes kids activities, a farmer's market, craft vendors, live music and more, all free of charge.

CITY: Carbondale

Murphysboro Apple Festival

The Murphysboro Apple Festival is the oldest and largest, alcohol-free festival in Southern Illinois. Over 45,000 people attend the festival each year. During the five days of the Apple Festival, there are numerous activities drawing large crowds such as evening stage shows, carnival/concessions, Queen Contest, Prince and Princess Contest, contests from apple pie eating to apple core throwing, firefighters' water fights, marching band competition, car shows, Appletime 5K Walk/Run and much more. In addition, the festival's Grand Parade is one of the largest parade in Southern Illinois. The parade features an average of about 160 total units, 25 of those marching bands, and a variety of groups and organizations.

CITY: Murphysboro

McLeod Summer Playhouse

Enjoy your favorite plays right here in Carbondale with the McLeod Summer Playhouse series. In the past classic performances such as Chicago, Cinderella and Steel Magnolias have graced the stage, and this year's line-up is just as a impressive. Don't miss Hair, Guys & Dolls, and Annie, three incredible shows.

CITY: Carbondale

Street Machine Nationals

The grounds will swell with beautiful, high-performance street machines, hot rods and street trucks from across nation. Plus, witness the tuned-up Performance Marketplace for the latest aftermarket parts, burnout competition, dyno challenge, meet the editors of Car Craft, Miss Street Machine contest and more.

CITY: Du Quoin

Carbondale Rocks Revival

Musicians from all over the country come together for a weekend concert series spanning over 30 Carbondale venues. Whether you're into bluegrass, blues, country or hard rock, you're certain to find a concert to enjoy.

CITY: Carbondale

John A Logan College Autumn Fest

This annual event features over 100 original arts and crafts, great food and music, children's activities, free admission, and free parking. For more information call 1-800-851-4720.

CITY: Carterville

Great Egyptian Omnium Bicycle Race

The Great Egyptian Omnium is a bicycle race that promotes the region of “Egypt” or Southern Illinois to the rest of the cycling world and encourages visitors to one of the best biking destinations in the Midwest. Our region is like none other, with hills and bluffs that will make a challenging course filled with natural beauty.

CITY: Carterville