Advertisement
The 33rd Annual Leclaire Parkfest will take place on Sunday, October 19, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Leclaire Park, 900 Hale Avenue, Edwardsville, Illinois. This annual event, hosted by Friends of Leclaire, is a celebration of the unique history of the Leclaire National Historic District with incredible music (four bands), delicious festival food, craft vendors, trolley tours, and more. The festival has become a treasured Fall tradition for area residents and visitors alike.
The festival will kick-off with music by the Gaslight Squares, a St. Louis band with a special blend of ragtime and jazz, followed by the old-time folk music of the Lodge Brothers at the Hale Avenue band stand. These groups have become regular favorites of the festival over the years. On the Madison Avenue side of the park, music will be provided by the VWs, followed by Drew Sheafor and Audrey Simes, both popular local bands. Attendees are invited to bring lawn chairs and/or blankets and settle in for a musical afternoon.
As in past years, the food vendors at Leclaire Parkfest will offer a variety of delicious festival foods, often with proceeds benefiting local charitable organizations. Among the many offerings are Italian beef, curly fries, and, chicken and dumplings. Beer and wine options will be offered by Sneaky’s Bar and Burger Joint.
Dozens of crafters, artisans, and non-profit organizations will offer an assortment of handcrafted items for sale, everything from jewelry to tie-dye. St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church will bring thousands of used books to sell with all proceeds benefitting the American Cancer Society. Vintage car enthusiasts admire classic vehicles on the Madison Avenue side of the park and visit with the owners. For animal lovers, there are pet adoptions and horses from the Mustang Sanctuary.
Narrated trolley tours of the Leclaire National Historic District will be back with tickets sold from the Friends of Leclaire booth for $1 (children) and $2 (adults). Offered on the half hour, the tours will begin at noon with the last tour leaving at 3:30 p.m. There will also be displays of photographs depicting early life in Leclaire. Although now an Edwardsville neighborhood, Leclaire was founded in 1890 as a cooperative village and didn’t become a part of Edwardsville until 1934.
The 2025 festival is made possible by Platinum Sponsors: City of Edwardsville, and Tom and Penny May; Gold Sponsors: Arbor Management, Community Link, Joe Devary Country Financial, Krause Properties, Mark’s Appliance, Miller and Maack General Contractors, and Al and Kim Pauli; Silver Sponsors: Thrillsville, Bank of Belleville/Edwardsville, B&W Heating and Cooling, and Terri Dalla Riva. Festival sponsors allow Friends of Leclaire to keep fees low for the many non-profit vendors that participate in the festival.
Leclaire Parkfest is free and open to the public. Come join us for a day in the prettiest park around!
For more information about the festival or to learn about the unique history of the Leclaire National Historic District, visit the Friends of Leclaire website at Historic-Leclaire.org, or call 618-656-1294.
Advertisement
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Leclaire Lake Park, 900 Hale Avenue, Edwardsville, IL 62025, United States
