Centralia Balloon Fest
Centralia Balloon Fest is one of the largest events in southern Illinois, and we are back for the 36th year of 35 hot air balloons, live entertainment, and over 100 food and craft vendors. This family-friendly event takes place in Centralia, IL at Foundation Park, a 300-acre nature park.
$10 Cash Only Daily Admission on Friday & Saturday.
Free Admission on Sunday (Free Family Fun Day)
Free admission to kids 2 years or younger.
Annual NBRA Boat Races
Annual NBRA Boat Races on August 22-23-24, 2025!
Castle Ridge will host their Smoke on the Water Fest
More details to come!
Story Time & Book Signing with Author Chrystal Brown & Harvey the Dog
Join author Chrystal Paige Brown and Harvey the dog for a free family fun filled event. Enjoy sing alongs, arts and crafts, and listen to Chrystal read her book “Harvey.” The book is geared for ages 0-6, but everyone is welcome! “Harvey” will be available for purchase, along with Harvey’s artwork. If you already own a copy of the book, feel free to bring it if you’d like it signed. You don’t want to miss out on this meet and greet opportunity. Chrystal and Harvey can’t wait to meet everyone!
Dueling Pianos at Castle Ridge
Due to high demand, Dueling Pianos returns to Castle Ridge.
Experience the ultimate dueling pianos event, featuring Howl at the Moon Dueling Pianos.
This highly anticipated event will take place on Saturday, September 6th in Centralia, Illinois.
Secure your tickets now to avoid sell-out.
With spirited cocktails, beautiful lakeside views, and adornments built for royalty…this is an event that you do not want to miss!
Doors Open At 6pm
Show Starts At 7pm
Castle Ridge Oktoberfest
Bring on autumn and pull out the lederhosen!
Your favorite Castle is gearing up to host the event of the year this September, at our Annual Oktoberfest!
Show off your skills during our pretzel toss, impress everyone with your strength during our Stein holding challenge, and put on your dapper duds to take home the prize for our best dressed contest (Oktoberfest Style).
Fill your tank and feed your appetite, with our ice cold beer and German fare.
Celebrate lakeside at our yearly soirée, as you enjoy the sounds of the Good Times Polka Band and dance the night away!
SAVE THE DATE & follow our event on Facebook @CastleRidge-Stonewater-III for all of the exciting details to come!
Walk to End Alzheimer's - South Central IL
Join us for the Walk to End Alzheimer's - South Central Illinois at Kaskaskia College!
Date: 10/4/2025
Registration: 8:30 am
Opening Ceremony: 9:30 am
Walk Starts: 10:00 am
Register for free today at www.alz.org/SCILwalk. Participants who fundraise $100+ before Walk Day will receive the 2025 Walk to End Alzheimer's T-shirt!
Sponsorship opportunities available! Call or email Walk Manager Joslyn Stone for more information.
Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, the Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's® is the world's largest fundraiser for Alzheimer's care, support and research. This inspiring event calls on participants of all ages and abilities to join the fight against the disease.
Since 1989, the Alzheimer’s Association mobilized millions of Americans in the Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk®; now the Alzheimer's Association is continuing to lead the way with Walk to End Alzheimer's.
Address / Location of Event: 27210 College Rd., Centralia, IL 62801, United States
Event Website: http://www.alz.org/SCILWalk
Contact Phone Number: (314) 801-0408
Contact Person: Joslyn Stone
Contact Email: jmstone@alz.org
Centralia Art & Wine Festival
Centralia Art & Wine Festival 2025 will be held on October 4, 2025. This event is hosted by Centralia Sunshine Project and Centralia Cultural Society. Mark your calendars! More details to come!
Fall Bash - Centralia Youth Center
Save the date! Centralia Youth Commision’s 11th Annual Fall Bash is taking place on October 5, 2025.
Time is TBD
Details will be updated as they become available
Sarcoma Stomp: Run For Research
Sarcoma Stomp is being held in honor of Bo Arvin. The mission is to carry on the characteristics which made him loved by so many. We intend to preserve his memory of kindness, loyalty, humor, respect, faith and courage by bringing awareness to pediatric cancer as well as the underfunded research for treatment and a cure. All of our fundraising efforts will benefit the Children's Cancer Therapy Developmental Institute (CCTDI) as well as funding scholarships at Christ Our Rock Lutheran High School.
Downtown Trick or Treat
Mark your calendars! The Downtown Trick or Treat will be held on October 31, 2025 from 4pm-5pm. More details to will be added when they become available!
Downtown Falls Festival & Halloween Parade
The Annual Fall Festival and Halloween Parade will be held on Saturday, October 25, 2025. More details will be added as they become available.
Holiday Concert at City Hope Church
Centralia Cultural Society and City Hope Church have teamed up to bring you their Holiday Concert again this year! This event is on December 7, 2025. The exact time and more details will be announced as it becomes available.
Hot Air Balloon Crew Training
Hot Air Balloon Crew Training will be held at Centralia Foundation Park in Centralia, Illinois on August 13, 2025 at 5:30pm.
Ever wanted to be apart of Centralia Balloon Fest? Being a part of a crew for a hot air balloon is the best way to get a free hands-on experience!
Crew volunteers are a vital part of Centralia Balloon Fest! Hot air balloons typically need 3-4 crew to get these large balloons inflated, standing upright, and taken back down again.
Upon arrival of Crew Training, you'll be handed a packet containing all information regarding the setup, chase, and take down. Experienced hot air balloon pilots will be there to walk everyone through the steps of ballooning. Towards the end of the training, you'll be paired with a hot air balloon and pilot for that evening's flight! (weather dependent)
Those who are interested in crewing all weekend long at Centralia Ballon Fest will be paired with a balloon and pilot. Crews are needed at each 6am and 6pm flight Friday, Saturday, and Sunday morning.
No need to RSVP, just show up and join us!
Community Cleanup Day
Gather your family and friends for a Community Clean Up Day prior to Balloon Fest Weekend!
We have tons of out-of-town visitors that week, and we want our community to look its best!
The cleanup will be held Tuesday, Aug. 12 at 6pm.
Volunteers will meet at City Hall, where cleanup areas will be assigned and supplies will be distributed.
The event is a collaboration between the City of Centralia and Centralia Recycling Center.
Dillon Carmichael Live in Concert
Presented by Castle Ridge & Dunbar Music Group
Tickets on Sale NOW!!
Concert date is Friday, August 8th, 2025 – Doors open at 6:00pm and show starts at 7:00pm
With a voice that commands attention, Dillon Carmichael delivers songs straight from the heart of true country living: gritty but soulful, timeless but defiant, heartfelt but unapologetically hard-hitting. After making his debut with the widely acclaimed Hell On An Angel—a 2018 album produced by nine-time Grammy winner Dave Cobb—the Burgin, Kentucky-bred singer/songwriter set off on a steady rise that’s now included scoring two consecutive Top 25 singles with “Son Of A” and “Drinkin’ Problems,” touring with the likes of Luke Bryan and Cody Johnson, and earning adulation from leading outlets like Rolling Stone and the New York Times. For his most monumental chapter yet, Carmichael now presents his new album Keepin’ Country Alive—a deeply personal body of work inspired by his hometown and the people who make it so vital, each song spotlighting the extraordinary force of his formidable baritone like never before.
Recently named a New Face of Country Music by Country Radio Seminar, Carmichael has also spent much of the past few years out on the road, with his live history now including sharing bills with legends like Dwight Yoakam and touring across Europe as support for Jon Pardi. “People always ask if I get nervous before I go onstage, but the truth is playing a show is the only time I’m not nervous,” he says. “For that hour or so I can forget about everything going on in the world, and just focus on doing what I love.” And as he gets set to release Keepin’ Country Alive, Carmichael hopes his songs might provide others with a similar sense of joyful relief. “There’s a lot of different themes on this record—one song might make you want to call your mama, another might make you want to throw down and party, some songs might make you cry,” he says. “But no matter what, I hope they help you to forget about your problems for a while, to not overthink things or take yourself too seriously, and just take a little time to remember all the good things in life.”
****Limited accessible availability in each section. Accessible seating location subject to change.
****No age restrictions. Individuals younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult 18 years old or older.
****See other event details when purchasing tickets.
United We Stand Dinner
Friday, August 8 – United We Stand Dinner
📍 Centralia Cultural Society
🕔 Dinner begins at 5:00 PM
🎟 Free with reservation
Enjoy a soulful meal from Chammies Food for the Soul and hear from:
Alex Kor, son of Holocaust survivors Mickey and Eva Kor
Dr. Linda & Carl Flowers, respected local educators and leaders
👉 Reserve your free ticket here:
https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/united-we-stand-a-meal-with-meaning
Saturday, August 9 – United We Stand Cultural Festival
📍 The Commons, Mt. Vernon
🕘 Festival opens at 9:00 AM
🎟 Free and open to the public
Experience a day of celebration featuring:
🎤 Speaker: Alex Kor
🎨 Artists: Brandy Mount, Cortez Hodges, Robbie Edwards, Janis Steury, Vanessa Thomas
🎭 Live Performances: Center Stage
🍴 Food Vendors: Chammies Food for the Soul, Joe’s Pizza, Jee Family (Canada), Papa Knocks, Crazy Asian Eats
Priscilla Block at Castle Ridge
CASTLE RIDGE ANNOUNCES
Priscilla Block - LIVE IN CONCERT
with special guest
Presented by Castle Ridge & Dunbar Music Group
Tickets on Sale Friday, May 2nd at 10:00am!! - Visit castleridge.com to get your tickets
Concert date is Friday, August 1st, 2025 - Doors open at 6:00pm and show starts at 7:00pm
A must-visit concert destination.
A premier setting located between a Castle and a picturesque lake.
A recipe for a night you won't forget!!
PLATINUM-selling country star Priscilla Block draws fans in with her unfiltered, relatable songwriting, and catchy melodies. Her megawatt smile and gregarious personality have captured audiences across the U.S. and abroad. Pegged as an "Artist to Watch" by Amazon Music, American Songwriter, PANDORA, Spotify, CMT, The Boot, MusicRow, ITS, Country Now, Music Mayhem and more, Priscilla has rapidly become one of Nashville’s acclaimed truth-tellers with a voice for her generation.
Priscilla landed her first No. 1 smash at country radio with Justin Moore duet, “You, Me, & Whiskey”.
Current single “Good On You” has over 15M streams across platforms.
Previous singles “Just About Over You” more than 65M streams and “My Bar” more than 34M streams.
She recently released brand new song, “He’s My Man”.
Priscilla has a highly-engaged social media following, 2M followers on TikTok!
Since the launch of Welcome to the Block Party, Priscilla has earned New Artist nominations for the inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards, the ACM Awards, and CMT Breakthrough Video of the Year as well as Collaborative Video of the Year.
High profile media includes The Kelly Clarkson Show, the Tamron Hall Show, hosting the People’s Choice Country Awards and ACM red carpet show, ACM Honors, and features in Billboard, The Tennessean, PEOPLE Magazine, The New York Times, and more!
Priscilla wrote every song on her debut project Welcome to the Block Party and the 16-track deluxe including her Platinum-selling smash “Just About Over You,” the Top 25 hit “My Bar,” and fan favorites “Off the Deep End,” “Wish You Were the Whiskey,” “Thick Thighs,” and “Like A Boy”.
****Limited accessible availability in each section. Accessible seating location subject to change.
****No age restrictions. Individuals younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult 18 years old or older.
****See other event details when purchasing tickets.
****Tickets purchases are final and are non-refundable.
Schwartz Orchard Shrimp Boil
Shrimp Boil at Schwartz Orchard
July 26th 6:00pm
$16 per plate (BIG portions and BIG shrimps)
Tickets must be pre-purchased through the orchard
Rick Runyon on the guitar
It’s gonna be fun! Bring your family and friends and come hang out with us at the orchard
All things peaches too
Yung Gravy LIVE in Concert at Castle Ridge
Yung Gravy - LIVE IN CONCERT with DJ Tiiiiiiiiiip.
Presented by Castle Ridge & Dunbar Music Group.
Tickets on at 10:00am on Friday, February 7th at www.CastleRidgeEvents.com.
Welcome New Administrator to Liberty Village (Open House)
We are holding an open house at our campus in July to introduce our new administrator along with other new staff members. This Open House is a chance to connect, share a friendly welcome, and learn more about the contributions the new staff will make.
Kids Art Class - Watercolor Painting
Kids Art Class - Watercolor Painting
1:30p - 3:30p
Ages 8y-12y
$10 per class
All supplies will be provided
Each participant will create a piece to take home from each class
Call 618-532-2951 to sign up - Spaces are limited
CHALK IT UP! Downtown Art Fest
Come out and Chalk the Block at our Vibrant Art Fest!
Get ready to turn the streets into a Canvas at CHALK IT UP!- a bold, bright, and unforgettable Art Chalk Fest!
Watch in awe as talented artists transform the pavement into stunning masterpieces, bursting with color, creativity, and imagination.
APPLY AS A VENDORS OR FOOD TRUCK TODAY!!
LIVE CHALK ART- Witness artists bring their visions to life in real-time
INTERACTIVE ZONES- Grab some chalk and unleash your inner artist! In designated area for the public( separate from Chalk Artists)
FOOD TRUCKS & LOCAL VENDORS- Fuel Up with tasty treats while you explore the art!
CHALK ART CONTEST- Vote for your favorite piece and celebrate creativity!
CHALK IT UP! Event Registration
Whether you’re an artist, a dreamer, or just looking for a fun day out. CHALK IT UP! Is where color meets community. Bring your imagination—Let’s make the streets come alive!
Come for the art, stay for the vibes.
#ChalkItUp! #StreetArtMagic
If your application is approved, you will receive a separate email with the Link to pay for your spot. And don’t forget to share with all your friends!
Crowder Live in Concert
Crowder with special guest RENEE
Presented by Castle Ridge & Dunbar Music Group
Concert date is Friday, July 18th, 2025 – Doors open at 6:00pm and show starts at 7:00pm
Tickets on Sale NOW!!
A must-visit concert destination.
A premier setting located between a Castle and a picturesque lake.
A recipe for a night you won’t forget!!
Over 3 Million records sold, 1.8 Billion global streams, and 5 GRAMMY® Nominations. Crowder’s first solo album, Neon Steeple, debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200, was named iTunes 2014 Christian Album of the Year, garnered multiple radio hits, two GRAMMY® nominations for “Come As You Are” and “Lift Your Head Weary Sinner (Chains), a Grand Ole Opry debut, a Dove Award and numerous K-LOVE Fan Award Nominations. American Prodigal, his GRAMMY® nominated follow-up album, released in 2016, landing at No. 1 on the Christian & Gospel Album Chart, No. 3 on the Digital Albums Chart, No. 5 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales Chart and No. 12 on the all-genre, Top 200 Billboard Chart. The song “All My Hope” brought Crowder a No. 1 radio single, in addition to two Top 10 singles prior to that from American Prodigal. His third project, I Know A Ghost, hit No.1 yet again on the Billboard Top Christian Albums Chart, while also earning his fourth GRAMMY® nomination for Best Contemporary Christian Album.
Following in the footsteps of his previous releases, Crowder’s fourth studio album, Milk & Honey (6.11.21), debuted at No.1 on the Billboard Top Christian/Gospel Albums Chart, bringing about a record-breaking year of music for the Texarkana-native upon its arrival. Nominated for Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year at the 2021 Dove Awards, the project’s lead single-turned-smash hit, “Good God Almighty,” not only peaked at No.1 at Christian radio, but it also sat atop the Billboard Christian Songs Chart for five consecutive weeks and landed Crowder his first No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart. Continuing the success, the album’s sophomore single, “In The House,” became Crowder’s fourth No.1 radio single in February 2022 and the project’s third single “God Really Loves Us” garnered a GRAMMY® nomination for Best Contemporary Christian Music Song. Crowder’s latest release is his first Christmas album Milk & Cookies: A Merry Crowder Christmas. With recent press highlights including GMA, Fox & Friends, Wall Street Journal, PEOPLE Magazine, SPIN, American Songwriter and many more, Crowder is in the studio preparing for his fifth studio album coming in 2024.
Special guests RENEE are National Recording Artist Christian/pop, sister duo made up of Riley Renee and Rachael Renee. The sisters share the same middle name “RENEE”.
They were part of a recent Winter Jam Tour, where they performed alongside Anne Willson, We The Kingdom, Jeremy Camp, and many others. They have performed at stages all over North America. RENEE is signed with Toby Mac and Gotee Records.
The sisters bring energy and excitement to the stage and a kind of sparkle that’s contagious. Most importantly they love to lift up the name of Jesus and share their faith with the world.
****Limited accessible availability in each section. Accessible seating location subject to change.
****No age restrictions. Individuals younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult 18 years old or older.
****See other event details when purchasing tickets.
Kids Art Class - Oil Painting
Kids Art Class!
Wednesday July 16th and 23rd
1:30p - 3:30p
Ages 8y-12y
$10 per class
Week one - Oil Painting
Week two - Watercolor painting
All supplies will be provided
Each participant will create a piece to take home from each class
Call 618-532-2951 to sign up - Spaces are limited
Monthly Luncheon at SSM Health
SSM Health Illinois is hosting the monthly chamber luncheon on Wednesday, July 16!
Details will come soon!
Museum After Dark - Speaker Series
Colonel Fred Johnson (USA, Retired) has told the story of his journey through five wars on the stage during the Wofford College TEDx, Louisville Moth GrandSlam, with the Louisville Storytellers Project, on the Moth Radio Hour Podcast and in Reader's Digest and Kentucky Living. In addition to publishing Five Wars: A Soldier's Journey to Peace, Fred is the author of Soft Skills in Hard Places: The Perryville Battlefield Leadership Experience. Currently, Colonel Johnson is a sixth grade teacher.
Contact Phone Number: (618) 545-0657
Contact Person: Centralia Museum
Contact Email: cahsmil@gmail.com
Hofbraufest Car, Truck, & Bike Show
Top 50 Cars and Trucks top 5 Bikes. 8-12:30 registration. Early bird $15, the day of show $20. To early bird call 618-493-9027, email jawsiroc@yahoo.com or message the Facebook page. Judging starts at 11:00. Attendance prizes and 50/50. Don’t forget about the chicken dinner at the community building.
18th Annual Hoyleton Hofbraufest 5K
It’s the 18th Annual 5K in Hoyleton at their annual Hofbraufest! Details coming soon!
