Living

Ditch the crockpot and head to downtown Utica to enjoy a fresh bowl of traditional burgoo stew and community festivities from Oct. 10-11 at the 56^th Annual Burgoo Festival hosted by the LaSalle County Historical Society.

The event’s signature dish, burgoo stew, dates back to the 19^th century when early settlers used this meal to feed large groups. The ingredients for this stew include beef, carrots, potatoes, hominy, celery, tomatoes, cabbage, onions, peppers and other vegetables blended with spices and herbs.

This past weekend was the annual Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival in downtown Highwood, and it was as exciting as usual.

This year was the 17th iteration of the free festival, which is the largest outdoor fall celebration on Chicago’s North Shore. The festival typically opens with a carnival on Thursday night and runs through Sunday, but this year’s rain pushed the festival opening to Friday.

Illinois is preparing to head into autumn, which is the busiest time of the year for apple orchards. This month, many different types of apples are in season, from Gala to Fuji to Empire. It is also the time of year when many fall festivals take place, usually featuring apple cider, hayrides and other fall-related activities.

Across Illinois, there are 102 apple orchards in 80 cities – everywhere from Papa’s Sweet Corn & Honeycrisp Apples in Northern Illinois to the Ryder Family Farm in Southern Illinois.

The Mississippi Earthtones Festival, brought to you by Alton Main Street, the Sierra Club Illinois’ Three Rivers Project and Jacoby Arts Center, is a celebration of the Mississippi river through art, music and conservation. This event is held annually on the 3rd Saturday in September.

Located on the banks of the Mississippi River at the Alton Amphitheater, this year’s event will take place on Saturday, Sept. 19 from noon to 10 p.m. Family-friendly activities take place from noon until 6 p.m., and festival goers will enjoy artist booths and live music which continue until 10 p.m.

From big cities and state parks to rich history and culture, Illinois truly has something for everyone. In 2025, Illinois drew a record-breaking 115 million domestic and international visitors to the state – an increase from 2024.

According to data provided by Tourism Economics, visitor spending grew 3.5% to $50.2 billion, surpassing the $50 billion mark for the first time in Illinois history. As a result of tourist spending and visits in 2025, the total economic impact amounted to $88 billion and produced $4.9 billion in direct state and local tax revenue, reinforcing tourism’s role as a key driver of economic growth in communities across Illinois.