6 Family-Friendly Fall Festivals You’ll Love in Northern Illinois

The calendar is about to flip officially to fall, and several festivals will be happening in Northern Illinois that you won't want to miss over the next two months.

Fall Celebrations in Illinois

If your family is anything like mine, fall weekends are made for cozy sweatshirts, cider donuts, and going on some outdoor adventures to soak up the beauty of the season in Northern Illinois.

READ MORE: Illinois Peak Fall Foilage Guide 2025

From scenic leaf-peeping drives, to hitting every apple orchard and pumpkin patch in our area, our September and October calendars are filling up quickly! Luckily, there's still room to squeeze in visits to some fun fall events over the next several weeks.

Six Fall Festivals to Check Out in Northern Illinois

If your family loves rides, food, parades, pumpkins, and all things fall, here are six events you'll want to add to your must-visit list:

German Society Oktoberfest - Saturday, September 27, 2025, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at Loves Park City Hall (100 Heart Blvd, Loves Park). German food and dancing, a kids area, unique competitions, lots of beer, and more. Get more information here.

Stillman Valley Fall Festival - Saturday, September 27 and Sunday, September 28, 2025, 120 N Walnut St. in Stillman Valley. This event is jam packed with cool things to see and do including a car show, live music, a talent show, food booths, craft show and more. See the full lineup at stillmanvalleyfallfestival.com.

Genoa Harvest Festival - Saturday, October 4, 2025 starting at 9 a.m. in Downtown Genoa. Event features rides, games, kids crafts, a fall maker's market and more.

Lockwood Park Fall On The Farm - Saturday, October 11, Sunday, October 12, and Monday, October 13, 2025, from 10 am to 4 pm. Animals, games, wagon rides, food, pick-your-own pumpkins and more. See the full list of events here.

Autumn On Parade - Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5, 2025 in Downtown Oregon. See the full list of events at autumnonparade.com.

Sycamore Pumpkin Festival - October 22-26, 2025 in Downtown Sycamore. Food, a parade, pumpkin decorating competition and over 150 handmade vendors, this festival features something everyone in the family will love. To see the full list of daily events, visit sycamorepumpkinfestival.com.

With all this fall fun waiting in the Stateline area over the next month, which festival are you adding to your calendar first?