September 11–13, 2026: Fall Festivals, Oktoberfests & Things to Do Near Berwyn and Chicago
- Paul Froiland
- Aug 25
- 12 min read
September 10–13, 2026 | Berwyn, Near West Suburbs & Chicago
Labor Day may be over, but fall festival season around Chicago is just getting started.
The second weekend of September brings one of the most diverse festival lineups of the season with Hispanic culture in Melrose Park and Grant Park, German beer and brats in Lincoln Square, carnival rides in La Grange, art in the West End, a huge throwback music weekend on the Northwest Side and even a little St. Patrick's Day celebration right here in Berwyn.
Whether you want to stay close to home or make a day of it in Chicago, here are nine festivals worth knowing about for September 10–13.
🍂 SEPTEMBER 10–13, 2026
🇲🇽 HISPANO FEST 2026
Melrose Park | September 11–13
One of the biggest cultural celebrations in the near west suburbs returns to Melrose Park for three days of music, dancing, food and family entertainment.
Hispano Fest 2026 takes over the Village of Melrose Park complex at 1000 N. 25th Avenue, with more than 30 food vendors, 20+ live acts and an expected crowd in the thousands.
Where: Village of Melrose Park, 1000 N. 25th Ave., Melrose Park
Dates: Friday, September 11 – Sunday, September 13
Admission: FREE
Festival Hours
Friday: 5:00–11:00 PM
Saturday: 12:00–11:00 PM
Sunday: 12:00–10:00 PM
🎶 MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT
Expect a weekend built around Hispanic music and culture, including:
Mariachi
Cumbia
Salsa
Folk dancing
Live bands and performers
Cultural entertainment
More than 20 live acts are scheduled across the three-day festival.
🌮 COME HUNGRY
Food is a huge part of Hispano Fest.
More than 30 vendors are expected, with offerings including tacos, grilled corn, pupusas, churros, fresh fruit drinks and plenty of other Latin American favorites.
👨👩👧👦 BRING THE KIDS
Hispano Fest is designed as a family event, with a dedicated Kids Zone and supervised children's activities throughout the weekend.
Discover Berwyn Tip
This may be one of the easiest choices of the weekend.
It's close to Berwyn, admission is free, there are three days to choose from and the combination of food, music and culture makes Hispano Fest much more than another suburban street festival.
If you haven't explored Melrose Park beyond the Taste, this is a good excuse.
🚆 GETTING THERE: Take Metra’s Union Pacific West (UP-W) Line to Melrose Park Station. The festival is at 1000 N. 25th Ave. For CTA riders, the Green Line to Austin connects with Pace Route 309, which travels west through Melrose Park along Lake Street.
🍂 FOREST PARK FALL FEST
Forest Park | Saturday, September 12
One of the closest Near Western Burbs fall festivals is also one of the easiest to make part of your Saturday.
The Park District of Forest Park Fall Fest returns Saturday, September 12, bringing live music, more than 40 local vendors, food, family activities and entertainment to the Park District's front lawn. The event is open to all ages and admission is free.
📍 Park District of Forest Park — 7501 Harrison St., Forest Park
📅 Saturday, September 12🕝 2:30–7:30 PM
🎟️ FREE admission
👨👩👧👦 All ages
🎶 LIVE MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT
Live music anchors the afternoon, with Chicago '80s tribute band The Jolly Ringwalds scheduled from 2:30–3:30 PM.
The Park District also confirms additional live entertainment throughout Fall Fest, including the return of Mr. Sidney, who will get kids and families moving with his high-energy hip-hop program.
🛍️ 40+ LOCAL VENDORS
This isn't just a concert in the park.
More than 40 local vendors are expected for Fall Fest, turning the Park District grounds into a neighborhood marketplace for the afternoon.
Food, beverages and sweet treats will also be available for purchase, so come hungry and plan to hang around for a while.
🎈 PLENTY FOR THE KIDS
Forest Park Fall Fest is one of the most family-friendly events on our September 11–13 list.
The Park District has confirmed:
🎈 Bounce house
🟢 Gaga pit
🎨 Kids activities
🎶 Live entertainment
🕺 Hip-hop with Mr. Sidney
🍔 Food, beverages & treats available for purchase
And because admission is free, it's an easy afternoon outing even if you only stay for a couple of hours.
🍂 A TRUE NEIGHBORHOOD FALL FEST
What we like about this one is the scale.
This isn't a massive regional festival that requires an entire day. It's a community celebration on the lawn with music, food, local businesses and families hanging out together.
That also makes Forest Park Fall Fest particularly easy to combine with another event happening Saturday.
🚇 CTA: Take the Blue Line to Forest Park, the western terminus of the line. The Park District campus is at 7501 Harrison Street, west of the station.
🇩🇪 GERMAN-AMERICAN OKTOBERFEST 2026
Lincoln Square, Chicago | September 11–13
Break out the lederhosen.
Chicago's long-running German-American Oktoberfest returns to Lincoln Square for three days of German food, beer, music, dancing and one of the city's great cultural parades.
And admission is FREE.
Where: Lincoln Square — Western Avenue & Lincoln Avenue, Chicago
Dates: Friday, September 11 – Sunday, September 13
Admission: FREE
Festival Hours
Friday: 5:00–10:00 PM
Saturday: 12:00–10:00 PM
Sunday: 12:00–10:00 PM
🍺 GERMAN FOOD, BEER & MUSIC
Two large hospitality tents anchor the festival, with German food, beer and wine served throughout the weekend.
Four bands provide live entertainment, along with traditional German singing and dancing groups.
Expect plenty of:
Bratwurst
German sausages
Schnitzel
Pretzels
German beer
Live German music
Dancing
Carnival games
🇩🇪 FRIDAY OPENING CEREMONY
Friday evening officially kicks off Oktoberfest weekend.
8:00 PM — Opening Ceremony
🥁 SATURDAY — VON STEUBEN PARADE
Saturday is the day we'd circle if you've never been.
The annual Von Steuben German-American Parade steps off at:
2:00 PM Saturday.
The parade travels along Lincoln Avenue from Irving Park Road north toward Western Avenue.
Following the parade, traditional singing and dancing groups perform at the festival.
⛪ SUNDAY
Sunday begins with:
11:00 AM — German Mass
Traditional cultural performances continue Sunday afternoon beginning around 2:00 PM.
🚇 GETTING THERE: Take the CTA Brown Line to Western. The festival is at Lincoln & Leland in the heart of Lincoln Square, making this one of the easiest Chicago festivals to reach by CTA.
Discover Berwyn Tip
If you're going to pick one day, make it Saturday.
Start with the Von Steuben Parade at 2 PM, then walk into Lincoln Square for German food, beer and music afterward.
That's a pretty perfect Chicago fall afternoon.
🪕 COUNTRYSIDE BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL
Countryside | Saturday, September 12
Break out the lawn chairs and settle in for an afternoon and evening of bluegrass under the open sky.
The Countryside Bluegrass Festival, also known as Bluegrass & Brews returns to Countryside Park on Saturday, September 12, with seven hours of live music, food trucks, craft beverages and a closing jam session featuring members of the day's bands.
And admission is completely FREE.
📍 Countryside Park — Countryside, Illinois
📅 Saturday, September 12🕒 3:00–10:00 PM
🎟️ FREE admission
🪑 Bring lawn chairs & blankets
🎻 FOUR BANDS + A CLOSING JAM
This isn't just a couple of bands playing in the park. Countryside has put together a full afternoon and evening of bluegrass with four performances before the musicians come together for a final jam.
2026 Performance Schedule
🎵 3:00–4:15 PM — Grassfed Collective
🎵 4:45–6:00 PM — Chicken Wire Empire
🎵 6:30–7:45 PM — Big Sky Ensemble
🎵 8:15–9:30 PM — The Grateful String Band
🪕 9:30–10:00 PM — Band Members Jam Session
That closing half-hour jam is probably the part we'd stick around for.
🍺 BLUEGRASS + BREWS
There's a reason this one is also called Bluegrass & Brews.
Local food trucks will be serving throughout the event, with craft refreshments from regional breweries available alongside the music.
Grab something to eat, find your spot on the lawn and make an evening of it.
🪑 BRING YOUR OWN SEAT
This is a lawn-chair-and-blanket kind of festival.
Attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs or blankets and settle in at Countryside Park for the afternoon and evening.
That gives this one a completely different feel from the crowded street festivals happening elsewhere this weekend.
🎡 ST. CLETUS FALL FEST 2026
La Grange | September 10–13
One of the closest full-blown fall festivals happens at St. Cletus in La Grange.
The annual St. Cletus Fall Fest runs four days with carnival rides, food, games, live entertainment, raffles and family activities.
Where: St. Cletus Parish, 600 W. 55th St., La Grange
Dates: Thursday, September 10 – Sunday, September 13
Admission: FREE to enter
Festival Hours
Thursday: 5:30–10:00 PM
Friday: 5:30–10:00 PM
Saturday: 12:30–10:00 PM
Sunday: 12:30–9:00 PM
🎡 CARNIVAL
This is a real carnival-style fall fest, with rides and games running throughout the weekend.
Daily carnival wristbands are available, with current published pricing of approximately:
Afternoon wristband: $35
Evening wristband: $40
Advance packages may also be available.
🎶 LIVE MUSIC
Live entertainment runs throughout Fall Fest.
One act already worth noting:
Thursday, Sept. 10 — The Blooze Brothers — 7:30–10:00 PM
Friday night also brings a strong Latin-music flavor, with Sonora Dinamita currently listed for the festival.
More entertainment details may be announced as the weekend gets closer.
🍔 FOOD + FAMILY FUN
Expect:
Festival food
Carnival rides
Games
Live music
Local entertainment
Raffles and prizes
Family activities
Discover Berwyn Tip
St. Cletus is a great option if your idea of a fall festival involves actual carnival rides.
It's also close enough to Berwyn that you can easily stop here for a couple of hours rather than committing an entire day.
🎨 30TH ANNUAL WEST END ARTS FESTIVAL
La Grange | September 12–13
La Grange celebrates 30 years of the West End Arts Festival this September.
The festival takes over the West End along Hillgrove Avenue with visual artists, live music, food, drinks and family-friendly arts programming.
Where: West Hillgrove Avenue, La Grange
Dates: Saturday, September 12 – Sunday, September 13
Hours: 10:00 AM–5:00 PM
Admission: FREE
🎨 ART IN THE WEST END
This is the quieter alternative to the carnival and beer-tent festivals happening elsewhere this weekend.
Expect:
Fine art
Artist displays
Live music
Food and beverage vendors
Family activities
Arts education and demonstrations
The West End setting also makes this an easy festival to combine with lunch, coffee or shopping around La Grange.
🚆 TRANSIT: One of our best Metra picks. Take the BNSF Line to La Grange or Stone Avenue. The festival is literally held along Burlington Avenue with the historic Stone Avenue station as its backdrop.
🎸 THROWBACK MUSIC FEST 2026
Gladstone Park, Chicago | September 11–13
If you want live music this weekend, Throwback Music Fest deserves a look.
The 10th annual festival takes over Milwaukee Avenue in Gladstone Park for three days of music, carnival rides, food, family activities, a classic car show and plenty of nostalgia.
Where: Milwaukee Avenue near 6030 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago
Dates: Friday, September 11 – Sunday, September 13
Suggested entrance donation: $5 per adult
Kids under 12: FREE with parent/guardian
Festival Hours
Friday: 4:00–10:30 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM–10:30 PM
Sunday: 11:00 AM–8:00 PM
🎶 FRIDAY
Main Stage
5:30 PM — Yankee Cowboy
8:00 PM — Radio Gaga
Local Music Stage
4:00 PM — Loudmouth Family Karaoke
5:00 PM — Society of Hoodlums
6:45 PM — Sinister Deed
🎡 Also Friday
The kids carnival and family activities kick off when the gates open.
🎶 SATURDAY
Saturday is the biggest full day of the festival.
Main Stage
1:00 PM — Social Pariah
3:00 PM — Beyond the Blonde
5:30 PM — Stone Cold Killers
8:00 PM — Wedding Banned
Local Music Stage
12:30 PM — Loudmouth Family Karaoke
2:30 PM — Half Hearted5
5:00 PM — Moonhole6
6:45 PM — LOVEBOMBER
🐶 PET COSTUME CONTEST
12:00 PM Saturday
Yes, bring the dog.
The kids carnival and family activities continue throughout the day.
🎶 SUNDAY
Sunday adds cars, pin-ups and a First Responders celebration to the music.
Main Stage
1:00 PM — Rick Lindy & The Wild Ones
3:30 PM — Marlon and the Shakes
6:00 PM — Serendipity
Local Music Stage
11:00 AM — Loudmouth Family Karaoke
12:30 PM — LEVII3:00 PM — High Alert
4:45 PM — Leadfoot
🚗 SUNDAY EXTRAS
11:00 AM — Classic Car Show
Miss Throwback Pin-Up Contest
12:00 PM — First Responders Heroes Celebration
Plus the kids carnival and family activities.
🎡 CARNIVAL
The carnival runs all weekend with rides for both bigger kids and little ones.
Unlimited ride wristbands are expected to be available, along with individual ride credits.
🚆 GETTING THERE: Take the Metra Union Pacific Northwest Line to Norwood Park. From there, the festival area is in the surrounding Norwood Park neighborhood. CTA buses also serve the area, but there is no nearby CTA “L” station.
🇲🇽 EL GRITO CHICAGO 2026
Grant Park | September 12–13
One of the biggest cultural events of the weekend happens right in downtown Chicago.
El Grito Chicago returns to Grant Park's Butler Field for two days celebrating Mexican independence, culture, food and music.
Where: Grant Park — Butler Field, Chicago
Dates: Saturday, September 12 – Sunday, September 13
Hours: 2:00–10:00 PM both days
🎟️ TICKETS
General admission pricing increases as the festival approaches.
Published ticket tiers include:
1-Day General Admission: starting around $10–$15 early, increasing in later tiers
2-Day General Admission: $25
2-Day Amigo: $60
Children under 10 can enter with a General Admission ticket-holding adult under the festival's current child-admission rules.
🇲🇽 WHAT TO EXPECT
El Grito brings together:
Local and international performers
Mexican food vendors
Multiple bars
Mexican Mercadito
Artisan vendors
Cultural performances
Family-friendly activities
Interactive activations
It's a big-city festival experience with the Chicago skyline sitting right behind it.
🎆 SUNDAY — EL GRITO CIVIC CEREMONY
Sunday is the special day.
From 8:00–10:00 PM, the festival culminates with the official El Grito Civic Ceremony, led by the Consul General of Mexico in Chicago.
The ceremony honors Mexico's 1810 call for independence and includes:
Official El Grito ceremony
Mariachi
Folkloric dancers
Cultural celebration
Fireworks
Important: Free registration is required for those attending only the Sunday civic ceremony portion, with registration expected to be released closer to the event.
Discover Berwyn Tip
If you've never experienced an El Grito celebration, Sunday night is the one to choose.
Being in Grant Park for the official ceremony, mariachi, dancers and fireworks should make this one of the most memorable events of the weekend.
☘️ HALFWAY TO SAINT PATRICK'S DAY BLOCK PARTY
James Joyce Irish Pub — Berwyn | September 12
Why wait until March?
James Joyce Irish Pub is bringing a little St. Patrick's Day to Berwyn six months early with its Halfway to Saint Patrick's Day Block Party on Windsor Avenue.
It's an afternoon and evening celebrating Irish culture with live Irish music, bagpipes, Irish dancers, Irish food and plenty for the kids.
📍 James Joyce Irish Pub
7138 Windsor Ave., Berwyn
📅 Saturday, September 12
🕒 3:00 PM – 11:00 PM
👨👩👧👦 Kid friendly
🎶 IRISH MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT
The block party will feature:
2 live Irish bands
Band of Brothers Pipes and Drums
Harling School of Irish Dancing
Bagpipes
Irish dancers
Irish music
The Band of Brothers Pipes and Drums is made up entirely of active and retired firefighters from Illinois and Indiana. The honor band provides musical support at funeral services for fallen civil-service personnel and U.S. military members killed in the line of duty.
The event will also provide an opportunity to support and donate to the organization.
🍀 CORNED BEEF, CABBAGE & IRISH FOOD
Come hungry.
James Joyce is serving up corned beef and cabbage, along with Irish food to go from Connies with the day's music and festivities.
👨👩👧👦 BRING THE KIDS
This one is specifically billed as very kid friendly.
Kids activities include:
Removable tattoos
Glow sticks
Irish dancing
Live music and bagpipes
🚆 TRANSIT: Excellent from Berwyn or Chicago. James Joyce is in Berwyn’s Depot District, a short walk from the BNSF Metra Harlem Avenue station. This is one of the easiest events in the guide to do without a car.
🍂 SO, WHERE ARE WE GOING?
That's the problem with September weekends around Chicago.
There are too many good choices.
🇲🇽 Best close-to-home cultural festival: Hispano Fest — free admission, huge food selection, live music and only a short trip from Berwyn.
🇩🇪 Best classic fall festival: German-American Oktoberfest — brats, German beer, live music and the Von Steuben Parade in Lincoln Square.
🎡 Best for carnival rides: St. Cletus Fall Fest — four days of rides, food and entertainment in La Grange.
🎨 Best Saturday daytime option: West End Arts Festival — art, food and an easy-going afternoon in La Grange.
🍂 Best neighborhood fest: Forest Park Fall Fest
🎸 Best for live music: Throwback Music Fest — three days, two stages and a particularly strong Saturday lineup.
🪕 Best laid-back music pick: Countryside Bluegrass & Brews.
🇲🇽 Biggest Chicago experience: El Grito Chicago — Grant Park, Mexican food and culture, live performances and Sunday's civic ceremony and fireworks.
☘️ Best stay-close-to-home option: Halfway to St. Patrick's Day — because sometimes you don't need to leave Berwyn to find something happening.
⭐ IF WE WERE PLANNING THE WEEKEND...
FRIDAY — HISPANO FEST 🇲🇽
Start close to home in Melrose Park. Admission is free, gates are open until 11 PM and you've got food, music and dancing without trekking across the city.
SATURDAY — WEST END + OKTOBERFEST 🎨🍺
Start Saturday in La Grange at the West End Arts Festival, then head into Lincoln Square later for the German-American Oktoberfest and Von Steuben Parade weekend.
Or stay local and make it a La Grange doubleheader:
West End Arts Festival → St. Cletus Fall Fest.
SUNDAY — EL GRITO CHICAGO 🇲🇽🎆
Make Sunday the Chicago day.
Head to Grant Park for food, music and the Mexican Mercadito, then stay into the evening for the official El Grito Civic Ceremony and fireworks.
That's a pretty fantastic September weekend.
And we're just getting started.
The following weekend brings another huge wave of festivals, including Berwyn Fall Fest, Downers Grove Oktoberfest, Naperville Irish Fest, Norwood Park Fall Fest, Old Town Oktoberfest, Western Springs Harvest Fest, Brookfield Zoo Oktoberfest and more.
Save this guide, send it to your festival buddy and start planning.
Get out. Explore local. Discover Berwyn.
🍂 Looking for More Fall Festivals?
This is just one weekend of fall fun around Chicago and the western suburbs. Our 2026 Fall Festival Guide brings together the best festivals, Oktoberfests, live music, food events and community celebrations happening throughout September and October.
Subscribe to the Berwyn Insider newsletter and never miss what's happening around Berwyn and the western suburbs.
Official Sources
Hispano Fest • German-American Oktoberfest • St. Cletus Parish • La Grange Business Association • Throwback Music Fest • El Grito Chicago
Park District of Forest Park, City of Countryside/Bluegrass & Brews, and James Joyce Irish Pub
