New fall events promise more family fun at O’Fallon’s Downtown District
Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas activities continue to be Downtown District crowd-pleasers in O’Fallon, while fall favorites return with new events that promise to add to the family fun..
This Saturday will be a full day of food, art, music, shopping and fun with multiple outdoor events planned.
The city’s Parks and Recreation Department oversees all park activities, O’Fallon Station and Vine Street Market downtown, and the Katy Cavins Community Center.
October kicked off with the first-ever District Frights Oct. 4, which was formatted like the popular District Summer Nights and took the place of the former Witches and Wizards Festival, a fixture since 2019.
Jon Greenstreet, owner of Bike Surgeon who is involved in the downtown merchants committee, said the monthly summer nights have created such a festive vibe that a Fright Night grew out of that.
“It was a lot of District Nights and a little Halloween with a slightly smaller footprint that turned into District Frights, and it worked great for all,” Greenstreet said.
Popular activities like tarot card readers and the “Thriller” dance flash mob were revived from the previous festival.
“It included over 40 vendors and local eateries, attracting over 2,500 attendees for some awesome family fun,” he said.
Vine Street Market/Harvest Festival
The seventh season of the farmer’s market will wrap up his Saturday with a Harvest Festival from 8 a.m. to noon.
“This is a new festival for us this year, and it’s a combination of all things fall – apples, pumpkins, yummy desserts, and cozy vibes,” said Samantha Sorrick, special events manager.
“It will be the last chance of the regular season for our vendors to go all out with themed goodies, and they have not disappointed yet. They did an amazing job with the other three festivals this year, including our new Peach Festival that took place in July, so we’re really looking forward to Harvest Festival,” she said.
They will also be partnering with Art Gecko Creative Studio for their Chalk It Up to Art! contest this Saturday, which will take place during the market hours. The farmers market, introduced in May 2019, has blossomed into one of the city’s most beloved traditions, and the growth each year has exceeded expectations. It has increased in variety and activities each year.
This year, 75 vendors sold their homegrown and handmade goods, including meat, produce, dairy, eggs, baked goods, wine, jellies, flowers, plants, honey, soap, jewelry, art, coffee and more.
“The Harvest Festival will also serve as an end of the season celebration for us,” she said.
The parks department’s annual Fantastic Fall Fest is also this Saturday at Rock Springs Park.
“This is a Parks and Rec staple with games, tractor rides, fire pits, s’mores, a prairie maze, and live music. The event starts at 4 p.m.
“We are keeping an eye on the weather. We will post any changes to the event on our Parks and Rec social media,” Sorrick said.
The Thanksgiving Market will be held on Saturday, Nov. 22 from 9 a.m. to noon.
“We will have a variety of vendors selling winter produce, meat, bread, desserts, home décor, and much more. It will be a perfect time for everyone to stock up for Thanksgiving the following week,” she said.
Home for the Holidays is Dec. 13 from 4 to 8 p.m.
A new entertainment venue, the O’Fallon Amphitheater, made its debut this summer in the renovated Community Park.
“It’s a gorgeous addition to our park, and we are excited about the opportunities the space offers for all kinds of programming,” Sorrick said.
“We had a fun inaugural season for the amphitheater this summer. Parks and Rec held three kids’ shows (magician, circus performer, and ventriloquist) and six concerts with a variety of musical genres. All events were free to attend.” Sorrick said.
“We are currently making plans for next year and working on ways to grow these events. Since the amphitheater is so new, I would like one of the focal points to be advertising, so that the whole community knows we are there putting on new events for them,” she said.
Chalk It Up to Art!
Downtown streets will again be full of color this Saturday for a chalk art event that will celebrate the weird, whimsical and wonderfully odd. This year’s theme is “Strange Things.”
Organizer Cory Hallerbach, owner of Art Gecko, described it as the “most delightfully bizarre art showdown of the season.”
She suggested mashups, unexpected combos and letting your imagination go wild on the asphalt.
“If you can dream it, you can draw it,” she said.
Registration is $15 if you sign up by Friday at 11:30 a.m. Day-of registration is $25. Chalk, in packages of 18 colors, will be available for purchase at the event for $10. Sign up now at artgeckostudio.org.
Cash prizes await the winners—announced at 11:45 a.m. on event day. No need to be present to win. Results, including People’s Choice, will be posted on Facebook, and the lucky artists will be contacted personally.
Spectators get one vote for their favorite chalk masterpiece. The judges are Aldermen Andrea Fohne and Ross Rosenberg, police officer and retired elementary school teacher.
Hallerbach, who started the event in 2021 to welcome back folks after COVID-19 pandemic, has been a small business owner for nearly 10 years.
“Downtown is a wonderful place for community events. We want to be part of the amazing energy that the small businesses exude. We are family, and we support one another,” she said.
“I believe people long for the days where we gather to have fun – talk to one another, smile and have social gatherings. The downtown district is working to make that happen,” she said.
Fantastic Fall Fest
This fall festival, sponsored by the O’Fallon Department of Parks and Recreation, takes place on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Rock Springs Rotary Park.
This fun-filled evening is free for everyone. Come early to play games, catch a tractor ride, and find your way through the prairie maze. Then grab some seats by the bonfires for live music from 6 to 8 p.m. from Crossriver.
Lantern Tour at Keppler Cemetery
Sponsored by the O’Fallon Historical Society, the Lantern Tour features stories of early O’Fallon area pioneers who are laid to rest in this old country church cemetery that dates to 1846. Some of the performers are actual descendants or relatives.
It will take place on Thursday, Oct. 23, at 6 p.m., at Keppler Cemetery, 691 O’Fallon Troy Road, Lebanon, by lantern light. It lasts about an hour to 90 minutes. Advance registration is required for safety reasons, with a limit of 30 people.
Keppler Cemetery is located half a mile east of 7 Hills Road, on the north side of the road. Parking is available on the wide shoulder of O’Fallon Troy Road. Wear comfortable shoes suitable for uneven ground and bring a flashlight or other small hand light. Volunteers will assist you in getting into the cemetery.
Cost is $10 per person, with proceeds supporting the St. Joseph Burial Association, the nonprofit owner and caretaker of Keppler Cemetery, and the O’Fallon Historical Society.
For more information on this second annual event, email ofallonhistory@gmail.com or message on the O’Fallon Illinois Historical Society Facebook page.
Halloween Hunt Pub Crawl
Solve puzzles, riddles, and find hidden clues while barhopping with your friends and earn a chance to win The Halloween Hunt on Saturday, Oct. 25, in the Downtown District.
Spots are still available for teams, Greenstreet said.
It starts at 5 p.m., and participating places include 1st Street Lounge, American Legion, Boarding House Bistro, Gears, Mandy’s, Peel, Shooters, Sweet Katie Bee’s, The Upright and VFW Post 805.
Dress in your Halloween theme for a chance to win the team costume contest. Entry fee is $100 per team, with up to 10 team members.
Pumpkin Patch
The Pumpkin Patch is open at the First United Methodist Church, a sure sign of festive fall activities in O’Fallon.
Known as the “pumpkin church,” the colorful display on the front lawn at 504 E. Highway 50, is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Friday, Oct. 31.
For this fundraiser, volunteers handle four shifts a day, seven days a week for about two weeks and this event has been going on for at least a dozen years.
Rotary Club Children’s Halloween Parade and Trick-or-Treat
The Rotary Club of O’Fallon’s Halloween parade will take place from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25.
The children’s parade begins at the corner of State and Vine streets and ends at the corner of East First and Vine streets.
The parade lineup starts at noon, the parade begins at 12:30 p.m., and the costume awards are presented at 1:15 p.m. at O’Fallon Station.
After that, Trick-or-Treating at numerous downtown businesses and presentation of costume awards at O’Fallon Station will take place.
Family Halloween Party
The Sgt. Charles A. Fricke VFW Post 805 in O’Fallon will host its annual Halloween Party from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Designated a “Safe Space for Kids,” it is open to children of all ages and will feature snacks, games and activities for all to enjoy.
Hay rides will take place continuously between the American Legion and the Fire Department.
The large hall will be decorated, and everything is free and takes place in a supervised environment.
This story was originally published October 18, 2025 at 6:00 AM.