Fall Arts Fest

Kankakee Fall Arts Fest

It’s nice to escape a big city to spend a day or weekend in a small town or the country at a festival. Kankakee was just the place for a slow stroll at a fall arts fest in the square down by an old train station and just a couple blocks over the bridge at the Fall Arts Stroll and Rail Fest. Around the square’s fountain painters, potters, weavers, jewelry makers and a chainsaw sculptor exhibited their art.

Fall Arts Fest

The neighboring town of Bourbonnais is well-known as the place where the Chicago Bears train in the summer, but training camp is over. Kankakee has a lot of charm and had the fest, so I went there. Small town and county festivals each have their own different flavor; and the parking is free, artists are local and the history unique to the region.

I strolled around the square where people sold ice cream, fruit and vegetables and barbecue; stopping to listen to the music of choirs singing. I boarded a dining car to hear the story about the Harvey Girls who brought romance, marriage to the West while serving up food to hungry cowboys. I watched artist at work, learned a bit of history and tasted local fare.

Fall Arts and Rail Fest Photos