September 17–20, 2026: Fall Festivals, Oktoberfests & Things to Do Near Berwyn and Chicago
- Paul Froiland
- 6 days ago
- 14 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
September 17–20, 2026 | Berwyn, Western Suburbs & Chicago
Fall festival season is officially in full swing.
The third weekend of September brings one of the strongest lineups of the season, with Berwyn Fall Fest right here at home, Oktoberfests from Downers Grove to Fulton Market, a full-day Harvest Fest in Western Springs, German-style fun at Brookfield Zoo, three days of music in Norwood Park and one of Chicago's biggest free performing-arts celebrations at Navy Pier.
Whether you want carnival rides and fireworks, German beer and bratwurst, live bands, family activities or a full day along the lakefront, there’s a lot happening September 17–20.
Here are eight festivals worth putting on your calendar.
🍂 BERWYN FALL FEST
Berwyn | September 18–19
We’ll start right here at home.
Berwyn Fall Fest takes over the historic Depot District for two days of live music, food, carnival rides, local vendors, family activities and beer gardens.
Fall Fest is the successor to Berwyn's longtime Oktoberfest, the new format broadens the celebration with more seasonal activities, artisans and family programming.
📍 Berwyn Depot District — Windsor & Grove Avenues
📅 Friday, Sept. 18 – Saturday, Sept. 19
🎟️ FREE admission
👨👩👧👦 Family friendly
FESTIVAL HOURS
Friday: 6:00–11:00 PM
Saturday: 12:00–11:00 PM
🎶 FRIDAY MUSIC
6:00 PM — R-Gang
8:30 PM — Sixteen Candles
Friday night is the throwback party. R-Gang opens the weekend before Sixteen Candles closes the night with its huge catalog of '80s favorites.
🎶 SATURDAY MUSIC
2:00 PM — Anchors Away
4:00 PM — Victor Garcia Quintet
6:00 PM — Gorilla Tuesday
9:00 PM — Lake Effect
🎡 MORE THAN MUSIC
Throughout the weekend, expect:
Carnival rides
Food court
Craft vendors and local artisans
Family area
Pumpkin painting
Kids activities and games
Two beer gardens
🚆 GETTING THERE
This is an excellent Metra event.
Take the BNSF Line to Berwyn Station. Fall Fest is held in the Depot District around Windsor and Grove, immediately adjacent to the station.
⭐ DISCOVER BERWYN TIP
Friday night is a no-brainer if you like '80s music.
Grab dinner in the Depot District, catch R-Gang at 6 and stick around for Sixteen Candles at 8:30.
Saturday is the better choice for families because you've got the full afternoon and evening to mix carnival rides, vendors, kids activities and live music.
And for once, if you live along the BNSF, leave the car at home.
🍺 DOWNERS GROVE OKTOBERFEST
Downers Grove | September 18–19
The 13th Annual Downers Grove Oktoberfest takes over downtown Downers Grove for two days of live music, German food, beer, family entertainment and special events and this year's music lineup is considerably bigger than your typical neighborhood Oktoberfest.
Local H and Candlebox headline Friday night, while Saturday features a full day of family entertainment before Liquid Soul closes the festival Saturday night.
📍 Forest & Library Parking Lots — Burlington Avenue between Main Street & Forest Avenue
📅 Friday, Sept. 18 – Saturday, Sept. 19
🎟️ General Admission: $25
🌧️ Rain or shine — festival held under large tents
⏰ FESTIVAL HOURS
Friday, Sept. 18: 5:00–11:00 PM
Saturday, Sept. 19: 11:00 AM–11:00 PM
🎸 FRIDAY MUSIC — LOCAL H + CANDLEBOX
Friday is the night for rock fans, with two nationally known acts anchoring the evening.
5:00–6:30 PM — Ellie Banke Local artist
6:30–7:15 PM — Angel Song Entertainment Live DJ set
7:15–8:30 PM — LOCAL H National recording artist
8:30–9:30 PM — DJ Vantablack Live DJ set
9:30–11:00 PM — CANDLEBOX National recording artist
⭐ FRIDAY DON'T MISS
Local H at 7:15 PM followed by Candlebox at 9:30 PM.
For anyone who came of age during '90s alternative rock, that's a legitimately strong Friday-night lineup not just background music while you're holding a brat and a beer.
🎪 SATURDAY — FAMILY EVENTS + LIVE MUSIC
Saturday starts as the family day before shifting back into live music for the afternoon and evening.
11:00–11:30 AM — Story Time Presented on the Side Stage by the Downers Grove Public Library.
11:30 AM–1:30 PM — POWW Entertainment Pro Wrestling Exhibition The “Oktoberfest Slam” brings live professional wrestling to the festival.
1:30–2:00 PM — Kids DJ Dance Party
2:00–4:00 PM — RALPH'S WORLD National children's recording artist Ralph's World takes the stage for an afternoon family concert.
4:00–4:30 PM — Bratwurst Eating Contest Main Stage
Then the festival transitions into its Saturday evening rock lineup:
5:00–6:30 PM — Reality Bytes Alternative rock
7:00–8:30 PM — Big Bang Baby Stone Temple Pilots tribute
9:15–11:00 PM — LIQUID SOUL National recording artist
⭐ SATURDAY DON'T MISS
Families should arrive before noon for the Oktoberfest Slam, Kids DJ Dance Party and Ralph's World.
Adults looking for the Saturday-night party can come later for Reality Bytes → Big Bang Baby → Liquid Soul.
🥨 GERMAN FOOD + DRINK
It wouldn't be Oktoberfest without the food.
Expect traditional German-inspired festival favorites including:
BratwurstOversized Bavarian-style pretzelsPotato pancakesApple strudel
For adults 21+, the beer selection includes Oktoberfest and seasonal offerings from names including Paulaner, Warsteiner, Sam Adams and Revolution Brewing.
Wine and White Claw options are also available.
🎟️ TICKETS
GENERAL ADMISSION — $25
General admission provides single-day access to the festival, music stages, entertainment and Kids Zone.
VIP PIT PASS — $60
Includes:
Front-stage party pit accessDedicated cash barPrivate luxury restroomsFestival swag bag
VIP LOUNGE & AFTER-PARTY — $100
The VIP Lounge is 21+ and includes late-night food, exclusive drink specials and admission to an off-site after-party running from 11:00 PM–1:00 AM.
🚆 GETTING THERE
This is an excellent festival to do by Metra.
Take the BNSF Line to Downers Grove Main Street Station.
The festival is held in the Forest and Library parking lots along Burlington Avenue between Main Street and Forest Avenue in downtown Downers Grove, putting you right in the festival area after getting off the train.
If you're coming from Chicago, Berwyn, Riverside, Brookfield, La Grange, Western Springs or anywhere else along the BNSF corridor, Metra is probably easier than dealing with festival parking.
🌾 WESTERN SPRINGS HARVEST FEST
Western Springs | Saturday, September 19
Western Springs packs an entire fall weekend into one very busy Saturday.
Harvest Fest runs from noon until 10 PM at Spring Rock Park with live music, carnival rides, food, kids entertainment, a community 3K and fireworks after dark.
And this year Mike & Joe headline the music lineup.
📍 Spring Rock Park — 4400 Central Ave., Western Springs
📅 Saturday, Sept. 19
🕛 12:00–10:00 PM
🎶 LIVE MUSIC
Live music runs throughout the day, with Chicago-area favorite Mike & Joe headlining the festival.
🎡 CARNIVAL + FAMILY FUN
This is one of the most family-heavy festivals on our list.
Expect:
Carnival rides
Carnival games
Face painters
Balloon artists
Magician
Jugglers
Bubble experience
Chicago White Sox baseball clinic
Local food and treats
🏃 D101 HARVEST FEST 3K
The second annual District 101 Harvest Fest 3K starts at 4:00 PM at Spring Rock Park.
The 1.86-mile event brings together students and families from Field Park, Forest Hills, Laidlaw and McClure Junior High.
🎆 STAY FOR FIREWORKS
Don't head home when the sun goes down.
Harvest Fest closes out the day with a fireworks display, making Western Springs one of the weekend's best all-day options.
🚆 GETTING THERE
Western Springs is served by the Metra BNSF Line, but Spring Rock Park is not directly adjacent to the station. From downtown Western Springs, plan on a local ride, rideshare or longer walk to the park.
🎸 AMERICA'S BLUES BIRTHDAY PARTY — WINDY CITY BLUES FEST
Lyons | September 19–20
This one is practically in our backyard and somehow we almost missed it.
The Windy City Blues Society and Village of Lyons are throwing America's Blues Birthday Party, a massive two-day celebration of American blues music and an official America 250 event.
And here's the best part:
It's FREE.
The festival will feature two stages, more than 40 performances, nationally recognized blues artists, educational programming and a Sunday-night fireworks finale.
📍 Veterans Park & Smith Park — Lyons
📅 Saturday, Sept. 19 – Sunday, Sept. 20
🎟️ FREE
🎸 SATURDAY — MAIN STAGE
12:30–1:20 PM — Matt Hendricks & Greasy Gravy
1:35–2:35 PM — The Hungry Williams
2:50–3:50 PM — Shirley Johnson & The Delmark All-Stars
4:10–5:20 PM — Spit Cup & The Jukes
5:40–6:50 PM — Keeshea Pratt Band
7:10–8:40 PM — Dwayne Dopsie & The Zydeco Hellraisers
9:00–10:30 PM — Stephen Hull Experience & Sean "Mack" McDonald
🎶 SUNDAY — MAIN STAGE
12:45–1:30 PM — Guess Who? (Not the Guess Who)
1:45–2:30 PM — Maxwell Street Blues Revival
2:45–3:45 PM — Morry Sochat and The Special 20s
4:00–5:50 PM — Bob Corritore's Chicago Blues Review
6:10–7:10 PM — Demetria Taylor & Her Bad Boys
7:30–9:00 PM — Mud Morganfield
🎆 Around 9:10 PM — FIREWORKS
The festival also has a second stage running Saturday and Sunday, bringing the total to more than 40 performances over the weekend.
⭐ SUNDAY IS STACKED
If you're a Chicago blues fan, Sunday afternoon into evening is hard to beat.
Bob Corritore's Chicago Blues Review brings together some serious Chicago blues talent before Demetria Taylor & Her Bad Boys and Mud Morganfield close out the musical portion of the weekend.
Then stick around for the Sunday-night fireworks finale.
🚗 GETTING THERE
The festival takes place at Veterans Park and Smith Park in Lyons, next to Lyons Village Hall.
Because this is a free event expected to draw visitors from around the Chicago area, give yourself extra time for parking and getting into the festival grounds.
🍺 BROOKFIELD ZOO OKTOBERFEST
Brookfield | September 19–20
Lions, tigers…and lederhosen?
Brookfield Zoo Chicago celebrates Oktoberfest for two days with German-style food, music, dancing, games and giveaways all while the rest of the Zoo remains open for a regular fall weekend.
The Oktoberfest activities are included with regular Zoo admission.
📍 Brookfield Zoo Chicago — East Mall
📅 Saturday, Sept. 19 – Sunday, Sept. 20
🕙 Zoo weekend hours: 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
🎟️ Oktoberfest included with Zoo admission
🇩🇪 OKTOBERFEST AT THE ZOO
Expect:
German-style music
Dancing
Games
Giveaways
Family-friendly activities
🥨 SPECIAL OKTOBERFEST MENU
Come hungry.
The Zoo says the seasonal menu will include:
Bratwurst
Specialty beers
Pretzels with cheese
Other German-inspired offerings available for purchase
🎟️ 2026 ZOO ADMISSION
For Sept. 19–20, regular general admission is currently:
Adults: $32.95
Seniors 65+: $27.95
Children 3–11: $23.95
Children 2 and under: FREE
Parking is currently $17 at the North Gate or $20 at the South Gate. Zoo members receive admission benefits according to their membership level.
🦖 BONUS: DINOS!
The Zoo's Dinos! experience is also running through October 25 and is included with Zoo admission or membership.
So yes you can theoretically spend Saturday drinking a German beer, eating a brat and looking at dinosaurs.
September is weird. We approve.
🚆 GETTING THERE
Take Metra's BNSF Line to Hollywood/Zoo Stop for one of the easiest rail approaches to Brookfield Zoo.
🍺 OLD TOWN OKTOBERFEST ON WELLS STREET
Chicago | September 18–20
One of Chicago's most recognizable neighborhoods gets its own Oktoberfest as Wells Street between Schiller and Evergreen fills with beer, German-inspired food, live music and stein-holding contests.
Old Town's German history makes this more fitting than you might realize: German immigrants began settling the neighborhood in the 1830s.
📍 Wells Street between Schiller & Evergreen — Old Town, Chicago
📅 Friday, Sept. 18 – Sunday, Sept. 20
FESTIVAL HOURS
Friday: 5:00–10:00 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM–10:00 PM
Sunday: 11:00 AM–8:00 PM
🍺 WHAT TO EXPECT
The three-day street festival includes:
Oktoberfest food
Beer
Live music
Wells Street atmosphere
Multiple Masskrugstemmen stein-holding contests throughout the weekend
🥨 Festival Highlights
Authentic Fare: Traditional German bratwurst, giant soft pretzels, and a large selection of cold German beers.
Live Music: Continuous live entertainment featuring traditional German Oompah performers alongside popular Midwest cover bands.
Competitions & Activities: Crowd-favorite Masskrugstemmen (stein-holding contests) with prizes, plus a brand-new Oktoberfest Doggie Parade
Giant LED Screen: Sports fans can gather in a dedicated outdoor viewing area to watch weekend football games without leaving the party.
Admission: Entry is open to all ages. A $10 suggested gate donation helps support local community projects and covers festival operational expenses.
Old Town Oktoberfest on Wells Street: The primary 3-day neighborhood street festival spanning Wells Street with beer gardens, food vendors, and live music.
Old Town Triangle Association Oktoberfest: A separate, neighborhood-specific single-evening event held nearby at the Old Town Triangle on Saturday, September 26, 2026, from 5:00 PM–9:00 PM.
The complete music and entertainment lineup for the 2026 Old Town Oktoberfest on Wells Street alternates live music sets with the festival's popular Masskrugstemmen (stein-holding) competitions:
🎸 Friday, September 18
🥨 Saturday, September 19
11:00 AM – Apasionado Duo
12:00 PM – Four Star Brass Band
1:15 PM – Stein Holding Competition #1
1:45 PM – Second Hand Soul Band (Motown, funk, and soul)
3:15 PM – Stein Holding Competition #2
3:45 PM – RAVIV
5:00 PM – Stein Holding Competition #3
5:30 PM – Run Forrest Run (Ultimate 90s party band tribute)
7:00 PM – Stein Holding Competition #4
7:45 PM – Funky Monks (Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute band)
8:00 PM (Secondary Stage) – Super Creeps (The music of David Bowie)
🍺 Sunday, September 20
💪 THINK YOU CAN HOLD A STEIN?
Here's your chance.
Old Town will host multiple rounds of the traditional Masskrugstemmen stein-holding competition.
Sign-ups take place in person at the Old Town Merchants & Residents Association booth during the festival.
🚇 GETTING THERE
This is very easy by CTA.
Options include:
🚇 Red Line → Division
🚇 Brown/Purple Line → Sedgwick
🚇 Blue Line → Clybourn
CTA buses serving North Avenue, Division, Clark and LaSalle also reach the area.
🍂 NORWOOD PARK FALL FEST
Chicago | September 18–20
Norwood Park combines two things Chicago neighborhoods do particularly well:
family festival by day, live-music party by night.
Fall Fest fills the historic Northwest Side neighborhood with food, drinks, local businesses, children's activities and three days of music.
📍 Norwood Park — Northwest Highway/Centennial Park area
📅 Friday, Sept. 18 – Sunday, Sept. 20
🎸 FRIDAY
6:00–7:30 PM — Punk'd
8:00–10:00 PM — 90's Daughter
If '90s music is your thing, Friday is the obvious choice.
🎶 SATURDAY
Festival Hours: Noon–10:00 PM
12:00–3:00 PM — Kids entertainment
3:30–5:00 PM — Whiskey Devils
5:30–7:00 PM — Todd and the Ten Pins
8:00–10:00 PM — The Breakfast Club
🎸 SUNDAY
Festival Hours: Noon–8:00 PM
Noon–2:30 PM — High School Battle of the Bands
3:00–5:00 PM — Terry Byrne Band
6:00–8:00 PM — 7th Heaven
🍔 FOOD + DRINKS + LOCAL BUSINESSES
Beyond the music, expect local food, beer, wine and seltzers plus merchandise booths featuring neighborhood businesses and vendors. The festival is designed to be family-oriented during the day before the music takes over at night.
🚆 GETTING THERE
Metra UP-NW → Norwood Park Station is the best rail option.
Parking around the festival is limited, and the organizers encourage walking or public transportation.
🎭 CHICAGO LIVE! AT NAVY PIER
Chicago | September 19–20
Need a break from beer tents and carnival rides?
Chicago Live! returns to Navy Pier for two days celebrating Chicago's performing arts scene with music, dance, theater and multidisciplinary performances.
Navy Pier bills it as the Midwest's largest free performing-arts festival.
📍 Navy Pier — Chicago
📅 Saturday, Sept. 19 – Sunday, Sept. 20
🎟️ FREE
🎭 WHAT YOU'LL SEE
Chicago Live! brings together performers and cultural organizations from across the city for:
Live music
Dance
Theater
Multidisciplinary performances
Local and national artists
Multiple performances throughout Navy Pier
🎭 Festival Lineup & Highlights
The 2026 festival brings a packed roster of world-class talents spanning theater, dance, comedy, and orchestral music:
Headliners & Stars: Catch Broadway star Anthony Rapp, musician Nico Segal, and popular RuPaul’s Drag Race alumni Denali and Utica.
Comedy & Theater: Enjoy premier sketch comedy from The Second City and musical theater showcases from Porchlight Music Theatre.
Dance Companies: Watch performances by Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, the Joffrey Ballet, Giordano Dance Chicago, Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre, Red Clay Dance Company, and Chicago Dance Crash.
Music & Orchestras: Experience live symphonic performances from the Chicago Philharmonic String Quartet, The Drastics, and the Lake Shore Symphony Orchestra.
🚇 GETTING THERE
CTA rail doesn't run directly onto Navy Pier, but downtown rail stations connect easily with CTA buses serving the Pier.
If you're coming by Metra, arriving downtown and transferring to CTA or rideshare is generally much easier than trying to park at Navy Pier on a festival weekend.
🇩🇪 OKTOBERFEST NATION CHICAGO
Fulton Market | Opening Weekend September 17–20
If you're looking for the full-scale Oktoberfest spectacle, this is it.
Oktoberfest Nation transforms Fulton Market into a massive German-style celebration for six weekends beginning Thursday, September 17, with official Hofbräu München beer, giant pretzels, bratwurst, German music, carnival games and the infamous Devil's Wheel.
📍 171 N. Peoria St., Fulton Market, Chicago
📅 Opening Weekend begins Thursday, Sept. 17
🎟️ Ticketed
👨👩👧👦 All ages; 21+ to drink
🍺 THE REAL DEAL
Oktoberfest Nation serves official Hofbräu München beer imported from Munich, alongside:
Giant Bavarian pretzels
Traditional bratwurst
Live German entertainment
Oompah bands
DJs
Dance floors
Stein-holding competitions
Carnival games
Costume contests
Giveaways
🎡 THE DEVIL'S WHEEL
And then there's the Devil's Wheel.
The spinning carnival attraction is one of Oktoberfest Nation's signature experiences and helps distinguish this from the more traditional neighborhood Oktoberfests around Chicagoland.
🎟️ TICKETS + ENTRY TIMES
Tickets are sold for scheduled entry windows. The organizer allows arrival up to 30 minutes before or after your selected entry time, and once you're inside, you may stay as long as you'd like.
The final ticketed entry is sold 90 minutes before closing.
🚇 GETTING THERE
Take the CTA Green or Pink Line to Morgan and walk into Fulton Market.
Given the beer-centric nature of this one and Fulton Market parking prices, public transit is the obvious choice.
🍂 SO, WHERE ARE WE GOING?\
This weekend is ridiculously stacked, so here's how we'd break it down.
🏠 Best close-to-home: Berwyn Fall Fest — free, two days, strong live music, carnival, vendors and steps from Metra.
👨👩👧👦 Best family Saturday: Western Springs Harvest Fest — carnival, kids entertainment, Mike & Joe and fireworks.
🇩🇪 Best traditional Oktoberfest: Downers Grove Octoberfest — German food, beer, tents, live music and a community fundraiser.
🦁 Best with kids who love animals: Brookfield Zoo Oktoberfest — German fun layered onto an entire Zoo day.
🍺 Best Chicago street-fest option: Old Town Oktoberfest — Wells Street, beer, music and stein holding.
🎸 BEST MUSIC LINEUP: Downers Grove Oktoberfest --- Friday brings Local H at 7:15 PM followed by Candlebox at 9:30 PM, making this our pick for the strongest live-music night of the weekend.
🎭 Best completely different option: Chicago Live! — two days of free performing arts at Navy Pier.
🎡 Biggest Oktoberfest experience: Oktoberfest Nation — Hofbräu, German bands, carnival games and the Devil's Wheel.
⭐ IF WE WERE PLANNING THE WEEKEND...
FRIDAY — BERWYN FALL FEST 🍂
Stay close to home.
Grab dinner in the Depot District, catch R-Gang at 6 PM and then Sixteen Candles at 8:30 PM.
Free, local and an easy Friday night.
SATURDAY — DOWNERS GROVE OKTOBERFEST 🍺🎸
This is our pick for Saturday.
You can make an entire day of it, Oktoberfest food and beer, the Oktoberfest Slam wrestling exhibition, Kids DJ Dance Party, Ralph's World, the bratwurst-eating contest and live music into the night.
Then Saturday evening:
🎸 5:00 PM — Reality Bytes
🎸 7:00 PM — Big Bang Baby
🎷 9:15 PM — Liquid Soul
And with the festival essentially at the Downers Grove Main Street BNSF station, you can leave the car at home.
SUNDAY — OKTOBERFEST NATION 🍺🇩🇪
Finish the weekend with a full-blown Oktoberfest experience at Oktoberfest Nation — German food, beer, live entertainment, games and plenty of Bavarian-style festival atmosphere.
After a local Friday in Berwyn and a music-heavy Saturday in Downers Grove, Sunday is about going all-in on Oktoberfest.
🍂 Looking for More Fall Festivals?
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🔗 SOURCES & OFFICIAL EVENT INFORMATION
Event schedules, admission information and details were compiled from official event organizers and local tourism/community sources. Always check the official event page before heading out, as schedules and details can change.
🍂 Berwyn Fall Fest — Berwyn Development Corporation — official Fall Fest information. The BDC event listing also confirms the Sept. 18–19 hours, free admission and 2026 music lineup.
🍺 Downers Grove Oktoberfest — Downtown Downers Grove — confirms the District 58 Education Foundation Oktoberfest for Sept. 18–19.
🇩🇪 Oktoberfest Nation Chicago — Official Site — official Fulton Market information, dates, location, Hofbräu beer, German food, live music, games and Devil's Wheel.
🎭 Chicago Live! — Navy Pier — official information for the free Sept. 19–20 performing-arts festival featuring 100+ Chicago arts organizations and artists.
🍺 Old Town Oktoberfest — Choose Chicago — Sept. 18–20 on Wells Street with German food, beer, live music, vendors and stein-holding competitions.
🍂 Norwood Park Fall Fest — Official Site — official festival information for food, drinks, merchants, children's activities and live entertainment.
